OUCH! talk about rip off

[Dee4j]

Sorry have to vent :swear:


while at they RV show last Oct I was talking to Brad & Mary and they were telling me about an added service that AAA provides for RV & motorcycle.

they will come change your tire or tow it. and AAA will cover the first $200. I don't remeber how much more they charge for the added coverage but not that much

well my tire went flat on the my trailer, it had a nail in it. I called AAA and went thru the whole speal and then she said. a AAA rep will be calling you within 20 minutes to tell you what service is coming and how much it will be.
I said " I thought tires cahnges were free" her response was "we cover only the first $200"
I thinking they can't possibly charge more than $200 to change a tire.

They called me back and the local towing Co. does it for a flat fee of....$200 BUCKS.. I said that's a lot to change an tire and her response was NOT on an RV

I about dropped dead.

the guy shows up, WITH a REGULAR floor jack like my next door neighbor uses

The service guy goes chinka chinka chinka chinka chinka then vrrrt vrrt vrrt vrrt vrrt and was done in 5 minutes. it took me almost as long to get the stablizers up for him to change the tire!  for $200 bucks!!

I can see charging more for those big monster Bus rv's as they may need special equip. but give me a break..  

the service  for a car is $65...well I tell ya the guy who changed my tire on the freeway coming home from Santa Paula had to do WAY MORE work just to get the spare tire down.

This is why insurances cost so much.

service company charges $200 knowing AAA will pay, but won't go over that knowing if they said it was going to cost me any $$$ I would have told them to stick it & I'd do it myself.


so having the added service already had paid for itself for the next several years

[Camping Coxes]

Yeah, they got the pricing to a tee so they'll get paid the max by Triple A.  

I figured just one tow service and I've paid for my yearly fee for AAA.  Right after David started driving he left the headlights on, and had a dead battery.  I told him to pull out his handy-dandy AAA card and give them a call.  Saved me from having to go rescue him, as if I'd know what to do anyway.  We've used it so many times, I'd never be without it.  
 
For those of you that have the basic AAA, you really should get the next step up.  How many times are you camping just 7 miles from home?  The next step is 100 miles tow service.  I learned that hard way -- when my minivan blew a rear seal in San Clemente.  That was an expensive trip home!!!  Ordered the 100 mile service the next day.

[Recumbentman]

Deidre
glad to hear that you had done the upgrade to the RV coverage before this happened. it would be real interesting to call these guys back and get a price quote from them for a private party (without insurance) needing a flat tire fixed on a RV trailer. what would it be ! $30,00  or $50.00 bucks !
I myself am a little concern with this $200.00 limit on RV's because I can see the writing on the walls with the tow company charging double what it would normally cost, but they know we have no choice since we are locked in with AAA and they are the providers for them.
Are you going to be able to fix your flat tire or do you have to replace it ?

[Dee4j]

Deidre
glad to hear that you had done the upgrade to the RV coverage before this happened. it would be real interesting to call these guys back and get a price quote from them for a private party (without insurance) needing a flat tire fixed on a RV trailer. what would it be ! $30,00  or $50.00 bucks !
I myself am a little concern with this $200.00 limit on RV's because I can see the writing on the walls with the tow company charging double what it would normally cost, but they know we have no choice since we are locked in with AAA and they are the providers for them.
Are you going to be able to fix your flat tire or do you have to replace it ?

when they 1st looked at it and they thought it may have damaged the sidewall depending on the angle, but I lucked out and they where able to fix it. however I wasn't so lucky on the Truck tire in Oct and had to buy a new tire.

Trina we added the 100 mile tow also after Dan hit whatever it was on the way to the marathon in Oct and it cost $80 bucks for the tow. after he thought about it we are rarely w/i 7 miles of home anymore. Kevin's school is 15 miles away


it's all a conspiracy I tell ya

[kimrb266]

We have the basic service and haven't thought about up-grading, we may have to think about that.  I love AAA because I can register my cars/RV there w/o waiting in that long DMV line.  I've had to call them out 2x for flats and loved that someone else did the work for us.

[Dee4j]

We have the basic service and haven't thought about up-grading, we may have to think about that.  I love AAA because I can register my cars/RV there w/o waiting in that long DMV line.  I've had to call them out 2x for flats and loved that someone else did the work for us.

exactly!!...I love the DMV thing too

[OC Campers]

How much is the upgrade?  I don't carry the RV service either.  I have been thinking about it but just haven't done it.

Jacqui

[dkutz]

How much is the upgrade?  I don't carry the RV service either.  I have been thinking about it but just haven't done it.

Jacqui

I am not sure but it is very little, like $20 a year or something.  When we bought our trailer last year and registered it at AAA they recommended adding the RV coverage.  I was told that if the car broke down while towing, if you didn't have the RV coverage, they would come and tow your car but NOT the trailer, leaving it on the side of the road.  That sold me right there...

[Camping Coxes]

I am not sure but it is very little, like $20 a year or something. When we bought our trailer last year and registered it at AAA they recommended adding the RV coverage. I was told that if the car broke down while towing, if you didn't have the RV coverage, they would come and tow your car but NOT the trailer, leaving it on the side of the road. That sold me right there...

It's more than $20.  I couldn't find it in my check register, but I think I pay around $100 for the three of us to have it.  And the RV thing was definitely a perk.  They won't tow it home, IIRC, but they will tow it to a secure location, i.e. the tow yard they contract with in the area.  But at least no one's going to pull up to the side of the freeway and drag away my trailer!
 
I've seen a young girl trying to do the coat hanger thing on the car door because she locked herself out.  I offered to call AAA and waited with her until they came and opened her door.   We've assisted neighbors who had to get a car to a repair shop when it's not running.  When you have the premium service, you never really worry about running out of tows.  I figure one tire change, one battery jump, one tow -- it's paid for itself.  And I work in LA a lot, Paul works next to LAX.  That's a long way from home if one of us breaks down.  Heck, David's school is about 7 miles from home, so the premium service is a must.

[wavery]

I am not sure but it is very little, like $20 a year or something.  When we bought our trailer last year and registered it at AAA they recommended adding the RV coverage.  I was told that if the car broke down while towing, if you didn't have the RV coverage, they would come and tow your car but NOT the trailer, leaving it on the side of the road.  That sold me right there...

Dieter,

That's why ya bring the wife along......... :p

[dkutz]

Dieter,

That's why ya bring the wife along......... :p

Oh my your gonna get in trouble for that one.

And I didn't mean the whole membership was $20 I meant  it added like $20 to the standard membership to add the RV service.

[Recumbentman]

Oh my your gonna get in trouble for that one.

And I didn't mean the whole membership was $20 I meant  it added like $20 to the standard membership to add the RV service.

Dieter
just remember that the RV coverage is only good for the first $200.00 of the cost of repair or tow. after that it comes out of your pocket. and like Dee stated, they charge her $200.00 to change a flat tire. Can you imagine if you are suck somewhere far from town and need a repair or tow for your PU. The towing company can collect from AAA and then what ever they think they can get from you.

[dkutz]

Dieter
just remember that the RV coverage is only good for the first $200.00 of the cost of repair or tow. after that it comes out of your pocket. and like Dee stated, they charge her $200.00 to change a flat tire. Can you imagine if you are suck somewhere far from town and need a repair or tow for your PU. The towing company can collect from AAA and then what ever they think they can get from you.

GOOd POINT...

[cjpoppin]

What about Good Sam??  Does anyone have that??  
We just have the AAA service upgraded.....

[TheViQueen]

What about Good Sam?? Does anyone have that??
We just have the AAA service upgraded.....

Don't mean to hijack the thread but..... Carol, hope everything went well. We miss you two camping.