Had a similar experience myself—picked up one of those cheaper jump starters thinking I'd cracked the code, but it barely held up through winter. Learned my lesson and decided to do some digging. Turns out, checking the peak amps and actual user reviews (especially long-term ones) can save you from disappointment. Also, brands that offer decent warranties usually have more skin in the game. Like you said:
"Thought I was saving money, but ended up wasting it instead."
Been there...sometimes spending a bit more upfront actually saves cash down the road.
Had a similar wake-up call myself last winter. Thought I was being clever by relying solely on roadside assistance through my insurance—figured, hey, I'm paying for it anyway, right? Well, one freezing night after work, battery died and I ended up waiting nearly two hours for help. Not fun when it's below freezing and your phone battery's dropping fast...
After that little adventure, I started looking into jump starters too. You're spot-on about checking peak amps and warranties. But I'd also add: pay attention to how well they hold charge over time. Some cheaper models seem great at first but lose their juice quickly if they're just sitting in your trunk unused.
Funny thing is, even though I'm in insurance myself, I never really thought about the practical side of roadside coverage until it bit me personally. Now I'm curious—do you guys keep both a jump starter and roadside assistance coverage as backup? Or is that overkill?
I learned my lesson the hard way too. Had roadside assistance for years and never used it, then the one time I needed a jump, it took forever and a half to arrive. After that, grabbed a decent jump starter—nothing fancy, but solid reviews. Honestly, it's been handy a couple times already (once for me, once for a coworker). Still keep roadside coverage though...guess I'm just cautious. Doesn't seem like overkill to me, more like peace of mind.
Had a similar experience myself. Waited nearly two hours once for roadside assistance when my battery died after leaving the headlights on (rookie mistake...). Now I keep a portable jump starter in the trunk—worth every penny for peace of mind alone. Still wouldn't drop coverage though, life's unpredictable.
Had a similar issue last summer—flat tire on a backroad, waited forever for roadside to show up. Now I keep a compact tire inflator and patch kit handy. Still, wouldn't ditch coverage either... luxury or not, breakdowns happen to everyone eventually.
