At the end of the day, having a spare and knowing how to use it saves way more time than waiting around for either service.
Couldn’t agree more with this. I’ve seen folks wait hours for a tow when a $20 jack and a little elbow grease would’ve done the trick. AAA’s nice for the peace of mind, but honestly, if you’re trying to save a buck, just make sure your insurance covers the basics and keep your car maintained. Those “extra” charges from insurance roadside can sneak up on you if you’re not careful.
Those “extra” charges from insurance roadside can sneak up on you if you’re not careful.
That’s honestly what worries me the most. I had a flat once in the middle of nowhere, and even though I had roadside through my insurance, they tried to tack on extra mileage fees because I was just outside their “free” range. Made me wonder how many people actually read the fine print before they need help. Anyone else double-check what’s really covered? I always keep a spare and tools now, just in case.
I totally get why you’d be cautious after that. I’m just now looking into roadside coverage and honestly, the fine print is kind of overwhelming. It’s wild how many “exceptions” there are—like, you think you’re covered, but then there’s a mileage cap or a max number of tows per year. I’m starting to wonder if AAA is any more straightforward or if it’s just the same game with different rules. Carrying your own tools sounds smart, though. I might need to brush up on my tire-changing skills...
Honestly, I’ve been down this rabbit hole too. The “exceptions” are what get you—like, my insurance roadside plan only covered 10 miles for a tow, and anything over that was crazy expensive. AAA’s a bit clearer, but you still have to watch the membership level. I keep a cheap tire inflator and jumper cables in my trunk just in case. If you haven’t changed a tire in a while, it’s worth practicing at home... beats learning on the side of the highway.
If you haven’t changed a tire in a while, it’s worth practicing at home... beats learning on the side of the highway.
That’s honestly underrated advice. I’ve had to do it in the rain once, and it was a mess. As for AAA vs. insurance, I lean toward AAA—at least with their Plus or Premier plans, you know exactly how far they’ll tow you, and the fine print is easier to find. My insurance added roadside for cheap, but the coverage was barebones and the claims process took forever. I’d rather pay a little more for clarity and consistency.
