Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:22:07 -0800
Reply-To: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: AAA Plus Differences was Newbie '86 Vanagon owner here AAA Plus!
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This has been covered on this list before but lets cover it again. First,
AAA, although run under a national blanket organization, is like a State
wide franchise. The services and coverage differes from State to State.
That's why we see variations like limit of three road calls per year, 200
mile vs 100 mile towing limits, etc. and different rates. And based
anecdotes seen on this and other lists different rules depending on who you
get on the other end of the phone when you call the 800 emergency number.
Example. Some years back, traveling with a friend who blew and engine (in a
Toyota Roadrunner, NOT a VW) we called to have him towed on my AAA policy
because he did not have AAA. They said fine and they would tow but would he
like to join AAA right then and have the tow done on his coverage? He said
yes, gave them a credit card number, and he was a member with a tow truck on
the way. Others have tried the 'instant membership' thing and been told
their coverage would take efffect in 24 or 48 hours. Some report that they
are limited to three or two 100 mile tows per year. And based on personal
experinece, for at least AAA Washington, AAA will NOT tow except on/from
public roads, they won't come up a Forsest Service road to get you. But,
also in Washinton, I've seen at least one exception to this some 20 miles up
a FS road that was paved. And AAA wouldn't tow my wrecked '85 from the
collision repair lot (where the insurance company had towed it) to a storage
location while I figured out what and how I was going to do with it (not
repairable). But less than a year before the same Vanagon had been towed
from my driveway to a repair shop without question.
Bottom line is tht AAA is indepensible for most problems and the Plus or
Premier membership option provides much better towing coverage but you may
still have problems.
BTW, has anyone ever encountered a problem with AAA that a tow truck driver
says "That's a RV and you don't have RV coverage"? For several years I've
paid the premium for RV coverage so as not to run into such a problem but
wonder if I'm wasting money.
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