Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2015 10:44:11 -0500
Reply-To: Ned Savoie <ned@HARBOURLIGHT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ned Savoie <ned@HARBOURLIGHT.COM>
Subject: Re: Coach Net roadside services
In-Reply-To: <3949565.768368.1425309880049.JavaMail.root@vms170027.mailsrvcs.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
If you are looking for something a little different, I use Better World
Club. They line up with my personal beliefs much better, they aren't part
of the highway lobby which is against the development of infrastructure and
safety protections for other modes of transportation, including mass
transit, bicycling, and walking. Since I ride my bike to work the majority
of the time, I want more bike lanes and better options. Also, BWC offers
bike assistance coverage, and since I ride a bakfeits (a Dutch cargo bike)
and the rear tire is a bitch to change, this alone is worth it to me. AAA
is starting to offer bike support, but only in 3 areas, I believe. BWC is
nationwide for bike coverage. And if they aren't already beating AAA's
price, they will match it.
Check it out:
http://www.betterworldclub.com/roadside-assistance/how-we-compare/#thingstoknow
Ned
--
Ned Savoie
Creative Director
Harbour Light Strategic Marketing
Savvy Software, Inc.
621A Islington Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
[Telephone] 603.427.2821
[Facsimile] 603.427.0938
[Mobile] 603.828.2400
On Mon, Mar 2, 2015 at 10:24 AM, David Bjorkman <ddbjorkman@verizon.net>
wrote:
> What an interesting set of different experiences with AAA. I have the
> Plus version (100 mile towing) here in Massachusetts. When I have had to
> use it, I request a flatbed, due to it being a Vanagon, and get one,
> usually without a problem. I don't tell them it's a camper and it's not
> required to be registered that way in MA. I pay for my primary membership
> and a reduced rate my wife. We have 2 vehicles and they are both covered.
> When I had 3, they all were covered. No extra per vehicle charge. In
> fact, if we are in a vehicle that is not ours, and it breaks down, AAA will
> tow it using our card. As far as towing, they have always taken it to the
> place I specify, be that my local shop or my driveway. I once had to have
> the Westy towed (flatbed) to Maine. They towed the 100 miles specified in
> the membership and I paid about $50 bucks for the extra 25 or so miles. I
> believe the tip I gave the driver and the conversation we had on the ride
> up (I rode up with him and the bus) may have reduced the mileage some. I'm
> not saying it's all roses. They can all be a PITA from time to time. I
> believe I once bumped into the max. number of tows allowed, but that was on
> the Westy I owned at the time and did not cut out my other vehicle, which
> had not been towed more than once. I thought I was fine until you guys
> brought up the Premier level, which I didn't know about, and now I have to
> consider it for the next cross country trip [sigh].
>
> Dave B.
>
>
> On 03/01/15, J Stewart wrote:
>
> I bought a non-running 1975 Westy years ago, slapped a tag on it, pushed
> it out of the sellers driveway and called Good Sam. They towed it 65 miles
> to my house no questions asked. Again, with the Mid-Atlantic chapter of
> AAA, I wanted premium towing just on my membership, not my daughter or (ex)
> wife. No deal, all three or nothing, at $100.00 each per year. I cancelled
> my membership and went to Good Sam, until they ticked me off! I guess
> earlier I misspoke when I said it was per vehicle, it is per member.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> > Jeff, AAA in my experience is for all vehicles owned OR DRIVEN by the
> policy
> > holder. The time I had to have my camper towed I had just bought it and
> it
> > was not even listed as a vehicle I owned on the policy. Further, I just
> > remembered that when the contractor towed me to the VW dealer in Fort
> Smith,
> > he took me to a dealer location and left me there at midnight (I slept in
> > the van in the middle of town on the dealer's lot). The next morning I
> > learned that that dealer's service department was at a different location
> > across town. A different AAA contractor towed me there, and did not
> charge
> > the tow against my allotment because I had been taken to a location
> where I
> > could not obtain service due to the driver's error, not mine.
>
> > Now, one does have to pay extra for each driver in the family. That
> extra is
> > not a full rate, but the additional driver does have to be listed and
> paid
> > for.
>
> > mcneely
>
> > ---- Jeff Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> > > Here is the truth about AAA Plus with 100 mile towing: if you own three
> > > cars, as I do you must purchase it for all three vehicles. You can't
> get
> > > it just for one, like your Vanagon. I'm not paying $300 a year for an
> auto
> > > service. That alone would pay for one or two tows.
>
> > Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
>
> > <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Stephen Grisanti
> > <bike2vcu@yahoo.com> </div><div>Date:03/01/2015 9:31 AM (GMT-05:00)
> > </div><div>To: J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>,
> vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > </div><div>Subject: Re: Coach Net roadside services </div><div>
> > </div>What about the AAA Premier level that allows up to 100 miles, or
> the
> > other AAA that does up to 200? I have neither of these but they have been
> > much discussed on this list and others and it sounds like users find
> those
> > to be as advertised. Rotten thing to find out your program is not what
> you
> > expected, especially during the breakdown/tow crisis. Our auto policy
> covers
> > towing, but we are out of pocket at the time of service and get
> reimbursed
> > the full tow charge amount. No problem yet with that.
>
> > Stephen
>
> > On Sunday, March 1, 2015 8:58 AM, J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
> wrote:
>
> > And this has been my problem with all these auto "clubs". The nearest
> > "qualified facility" may be simply a gas station that does repairs. I had
> > this issue 3 years ago with my daughters New Beetle. It broke down in
> > Newport News Virginia (where she attends college) and I wanted it towed
> to
> > her dorm parking lot, about 9 miles away. Despite having 100 mile towing
> > through Good Sam, the tow truck driver wanted to take it to the nearest
> gas
> > station that did repairs. He refused to tow it more than 3 miles,
> anything
> > over was extra $$$. I ended up paying the extra, and complained to Good
> Sam,
> > who could not have cared less. End of Good Sam and on to AAA. Recently
> tried
> > to use AAA, basic towing was 3 miles and $4.00/mile after that.
> Girlfriends
> > ATT Auto Service was 3 miles and $3.00/mile after that. My AAA
> membership is
> > up the end of March and I'll bve giving them the boot too.
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
>
> > The towing plan for the RV which also includes the family vehicles is
> only
> > about $100/year. They tow to the nearest qualified facility, not a preset
> > mileage. It is worth looking into.
>
> > Dennis
>
> > --
> > David McNeely
>
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