Roadside Assistance

   For the past couple of years, we have had a "GM Motor Club" membership.
We made out like bandits with it the first year, because we probably saved
$150 getting towed from the middle of nowhere in Washington on a vacation.
Price was only $69 the first year, and then $59 the year after, because I
let it lapse, and took them up on the $10 "introductory offer" on their
website.

  One of the main reasons why I went with GM Motor Club was that they
covered the entire family at no extra cost, in ANY car that was being driven
at the time.  Most of the other roadside assistance programs I've seen
charge extra fees to add coverage for more than one driver.  The GM Motor
Club heavily advertised this difference to get you to sign up.

  Guess what?  They changed their minds over the past few months.  Now you
can still get a membership for $69, but if you want it to still cover any
additional drivers, it would be $15 extra per driver.  I wouldn't be so
miffed if they had just raised prices a bit, but they switched gears, and
completely abrogated the one aspect which made their service more appealing
than all of the competition.

  So, I've been hunting around for something that might be a better long
term deal.  Here is what I've been comparing:

The original deal:  (no longer available)  +$10 add. yrs.
http://www.allrisk.com/GMmotorClub.htm

All America Roadside Assistance     $54.95
http://www.allamericaroadside.org/

Driver's Elite Roadside Assistance   $54.95
(from Cross Country Automotive Services)
https://www.driverselite.com/default.aspx?page=faq

GE Motor Club      $58.96   must be Sam's Club member?
http://sams.gemotorclub.com/SamsClub/ui/jsp/index.jsp?est 9

  Can't really make my mind up.  GE Motor Club is probably out, since I
don't have a Sam's Club Membership.  I think for me right now it is a tossup
between All America and Driver's Elite.

  Anyone have experience with any of these folks?

  I know nothing about auto clubs, but if the "GM" in the name "GM Motor Club"
stands for General Motors, where would you be if GM goes into bankruptcy?
I've been driving for something like 45 years and have never had a
membership in this sort of club - the only thing I can remember is paying
$20 for a tow once, something over 20 years ago.  Any/all of this stuff
strikes me as a bad deal.

No new information below, included for reference only.


appealing

 
Same here. I had a car towed only one time in 50 years of driving and
that was an unsuspected engine failure.
But OG is the guy a tow club hates to see coming if they only knew. He
buys it to use it. He puts his family at risk in a $500 van on a
vacation trip and stated before that he feeds the family on 50¢ per
meal per person.
Friends who have used a service as OG does have done very well with
AAA. They seem to be very forgiving of repeat tows and will move a
vehicle from one repair shop to another within a reasonable distance.

 
  I'd like to point out that impact-wise, my family was safer in the Ford
Econoline than they would have been in 90% of the other vehicles on the
road.  The ONLY way you could possibly have an argument on safety might have
been the reliability, but that was why I shelled out for the motor club
membership.  Now it has new brakes, engine seals, etc.  Since it is much
simpler than most modern engines and such, I believe it to actually be MORE
reliable.  (fewer complex systems to break down)

  In fact, after talking to several folks at car shows, I have found out
that since there are no computer chips in it, it would be one of the few
vehicles still able to drive after an emp detonation.

  What, so nobody else on here uses a roadside assistance program?

 

We had "Drive America" but they dropped us , too many tows. or they went
out of business.
anyway, we found a semi-retired dude who has a car moving trailer and we
will call him to fetch us, if we have a major breakdown, we too have a
simpler car w/o a computer. Most of the breakdowns I have fixed on the
side of the road.
Good luck , all.
--
It's amazing what you can do. If...
    you put your mind to it.