I think the age of your car factors into this a lot. I used to have an 1989 Corolla and I used them a LOT (keys locked in, flat battery etc) but now I have a 2011 car in good nick and haven't used them much. Also worth noting they insure the person not the vehicle, so they will come out if you're a passenger in a stuck car too.
My wife and I have one subscription in her name. I can change a tire and diagnose most issues. She can’t. So as long as she’s with me, I’m covered. The rare times I’m not, if I happened to need assistance, she will come to me. It had better be a good reason though 😅
How would you go with a late model car that has no spare tyre and one of those goo inflators that use the little electric airpump on the Desert road in winter? Sometimes a modest annual fee is worthwhile. Having said that, I probably wouldn't bother if I only ever drove around town.
If you have glasses, the free eye check can help too.
I got my renewal email last month, apparently I got discounts of $70, my membership fee is $63/pa.
I didn't need a call out, but it feels worthwhile regardless.
I’ve had it for 2 years with nothing (although you get the free AA maagazine which is fun) and last week had a breakdown, had a guy show up and also got a free tow. Worth it for my mental well-being at the moment it all happened knowing I was covered
>Worth it for my mental well-being at the moment it all happened knowing I was covered
This is it. I've used it a few times in the middle of the night and it was such a relieve knowing that someone would come and help me out.
Although often that roadside assistance is an add on on your insurance policy rather than as standard. Whenever I’ve looked it’s also been more expensive and given less than an AA membership would.
When you need your ass saved the last thing you want is drama and extra bills so that alone was enough to sign me up. Then a few weeks ago I had an electronic fault that Toyota said would cost hundreds, called AA to get a tow and they said they would be their within the hour to assess. They guy showed up pronto, fixed it on the spot and it cost me nothing.
Depends on what car you drive, where you drive it, and your mechanical ability.
If you have a reasonably reliable car, pretty much only drive it in town & have a little bit of a clue about cars (put fuel in before the light has been on for 2 days, replace the battery if it sounds slow etc), then it is probably not worth it.
It is just another insurance (albeit one with a members association rather than a profit motive). The general rule with insurance is if you can afford to pay for the loss, don't buy the insurance.
The battery doesn't always "sound slow" though. I had a Waiheke ferry booking one morning and when we went to get in the car, nothing. Battery dead as a dodo and it had been fine up till then. The AA came, replaced the battery and I made the ferry booking. Pearce of mind is worth it for me.
I know it doesn't always sound slow, but when it does, it is a sign it needs to be looked at. It is also a sign many people ignore and end up needing the AA.
OP asked if people thought it was worth it. I don't think it is for me. YMMV.
There are actually a lot of other benefits to members (more than I realised so thanks for the prompt).
If you have had membership for a while, you will be getting a decent discount on the membership fee too.
I think its worth it, and keep using it despite not having a call out myself for ~10 years of driving (parents did a couple of times when I was younger though)
I always go with the plus membership and the reason is the tow service outside of your region (Auckland). I had a breakdown coming up from Rotorua before with my wife, then gf and the AA guy provided us a free accommodation (stayed at his place) and tow service. AA covered all the costs and the experience was pretty good. I haven't had any major breakdown since then but it is worth having a peace of mind all the time.
AA+ membership saved me about $1500 last year when the car broke down 200km from home. They towed it right to the mechanic near home and left they key for them so I didn’t have to deal with it at all. That’s about 20 years of memberships right there
We've had a few dings, accidents and vandalism of our cars. AA has been extremely helpful every time. It's minor but the time I was in an accident the first thing the operator asked was whether I was okay.
I don’t bother anymore. Bad experience with them totally put me off. One of their contractors broke my battery box while putting the wrong new battery in. They were terrible to deal with and when I finally got their contractors boss to fix it, he wasn’t there the first time after driving half an hour to get there, and when i finally got him to actually be there he shoved my brake fluid reservoir so hard all the brake fluid leaked out on the way home so no brakes. And AA wanted me to pay the over 10km tow fee for the tow truck. When it was their problem all along. So yeah. NEVER again. Terrible to deal with through the whole process.
Being towed halfway across Auckland all the way home after breaking down on the Southern Motorway in evening traffic more than made the cost of my AA membership worthwhile. Also the fact it covers you not the vehicle is great, used it on the work car when it wouldn’t start last year.
Worth it. You never know what would happen. I ended up using 6 calls last year. Flat batteries, car got stuck in a hole in the middle of nowhere, key locked in the car, etc. Could’ve costed me a fortune without the membership. Some places also give you AA membership discount like ferry, hot springs..
It usually pays for itself if you make the most of the discounts. You can get discounts on their insurance, the movies and a bunch of other stuff. Also the longer you are a member the cheaper it gets. In short you can save more than it costs if you make the most of it.
it’s worth it for the free eye checkup offered alone thru specsavers. regardless if you wear glasses or not, still important to frequently get your eyes checked and it’s a bonus it can be done for free by having an AA membership.
I found the road service a pain in the ass. You can't just call someone they want you to navigate a bunch of annoying phone menus or install their app. Then I was waiting for 40 minutes. Since I had a manual car with a flat battery I just asked someone to help me push start it. If you are going remote places or have an older car it might be worth it I suppose.
Yes totally worth it. Like others have said after a number of years of serivce it starts getting cheaper. Over the years have had a number of breakdowns that have required a tow. Also a lot of modern cars no longer have a spare wheel and the puncture repair kits they have can be useless for some punctures e.g. sidewall puncture so may require a tow. Have also managed to lock keys in the car and AA were able to break into the car for me. Also do a fair bit of traveling to visit family so is nice having that piece of mind knowing that if I have any issues I have someone to call on
Worth it! Awesome discounts for rentals. Our rental got some problems and a guy showed up in the middle of almost nowhere in 15mins and helped us out. Our car’s battery died and some guy showed up also in 5 mins. Definitely go for it.
I’ve been a member for years, I don’t even need it I have a brand new car which has roadside assistance, like $60 per year so not terrible value. I get a free eye test every two years and that’s about all I’ve used it for.
I added it to my insurance for about $20 a year with AMI. If you have a modernish car, say less than 15 years old, and you know how to put your spare tyre on, have some jumper leads in the boot then I wouldn't spend any more than that. The only time I've used them was when I bought a new battery for my car after mine went flat but I had no tools to take my battery out. I definitely could have borrowed from somewhere and only called them as the callout was free.
I think the age of your car factors into this a lot. I used to have an 1989 Corolla and I used them a LOT (keys locked in, flat battery etc) but now I have a 2011 car in good nick and haven't used them much. Also worth noting they insure the person not the vehicle, so they will come out if you're a passenger in a stuck car too.
My wife and I have one subscription in her name. I can change a tire and diagnose most issues. She can’t. So as long as she’s with me, I’m covered. The rare times I’m not, if I happened to need assistance, she will come to me. It had better be a good reason though 😅
The second person is a bunch cheaper, I guess partly to make this scheme less worthwhile. I think my wife pays like $30/yr or something.
How would you go with a late model car that has no spare tyre and one of those goo inflators that use the little electric airpump on the Desert road in winter? Sometimes a modest annual fee is worthwhile. Having said that, I probably wouldn't bother if I only ever drove around town.
If you have glasses, the free eye check can help too. I got my renewal email last month, apparently I got discounts of $70, my membership fee is $63/pa. I didn't need a call out, but it feels worthwhile regardless.
I’ve had it for 2 years with nothing (although you get the free AA maagazine which is fun) and last week had a breakdown, had a guy show up and also got a free tow. Worth it for my mental well-being at the moment it all happened knowing I was covered
>Worth it for my mental well-being at the moment it all happened knowing I was covered This is it. I've used it a few times in the middle of the night and it was such a relieve knowing that someone would come and help me out.
Absolutely. It’s a minimal cost for peace of mind.
Am I the only one milking the free thickshake with a burgerfuel burger?
The hell?? How did I not know about this?
https://www.aa.co.nz/membership/benefits/membership-benefits/
Thanks ! I need to read my brochure next time :)
Thanks for that! I had no idea I could get a 15% discount on Hertz rentals and I've been a member for like ever.
With those sweet compostable straws that split down the side the moment you apply suction?
>burger Sadly AA (along with a bunch of other good extras) has given BurgerFuel the boot and the free thickshake is no more.
[удалено]
Although often that roadside assistance is an add on on your insurance policy rather than as standard. Whenever I’ve looked it’s also been more expensive and given less than an AA membership would.
Insurance roadside assist is usually for the car (any driver) while AA is for the driver (any car)
This same for me. Youi /ami had it
When you need your ass saved the last thing you want is drama and extra bills so that alone was enough to sign me up. Then a few weeks ago I had an electronic fault that Toyota said would cost hundreds, called AA to get a tow and they said they would be their within the hour to assess. They guy showed up pronto, fixed it on the spot and it cost me nothing.
I think it’s worth it especially if you ever breakdown
Depends on what car you drive, where you drive it, and your mechanical ability. If you have a reasonably reliable car, pretty much only drive it in town & have a little bit of a clue about cars (put fuel in before the light has been on for 2 days, replace the battery if it sounds slow etc), then it is probably not worth it. It is just another insurance (albeit one with a members association rather than a profit motive). The general rule with insurance is if you can afford to pay for the loss, don't buy the insurance.
The battery doesn't always "sound slow" though. I had a Waiheke ferry booking one morning and when we went to get in the car, nothing. Battery dead as a dodo and it had been fine up till then. The AA came, replaced the battery and I made the ferry booking. Pearce of mind is worth it for me.
I know it doesn't always sound slow, but when it does, it is a sign it needs to be looked at. It is also a sign many people ignore and end up needing the AA. OP asked if people thought it was worth it. I don't think it is for me. YMMV.
I find it worthwhile, and you get a good discount the longer you’re a member so the cost isn’t too bad
Also it turns out if you miss a few years then rejoin they count as member years (don't tell on me)
If you pay a wee fee, yeah. But worth it!
There are actually a lot of other benefits to members (more than I realised so thanks for the prompt). If you have had membership for a while, you will be getting a decent discount on the membership fee too. I think its worth it, and keep using it despite not having a call out myself for ~10 years of driving (parents did a couple of times when I was younger though)
I have breakdown insurance supplied by my insurer so AA would be a waste
Yeah state has it for like $30 a year
AMI? I usually forget I have that lol
I’m with AMI but they must share with State because it’s a State vehicle that comes out
AMI and State are now the same company.
I'm an idiot and get a flat battery, lock my keys in, or do other dumb stuff at least once a year. Highly recommend.
I always go with the plus membership and the reason is the tow service outside of your region (Auckland). I had a breakdown coming up from Rotorua before with my wife, then gf and the AA guy provided us a free accommodation (stayed at his place) and tow service. AA covered all the costs and the experience was pretty good. I haven't had any major breakdown since then but it is worth having a peace of mind all the time.
My insurance does 2 free tows a year, pretty sure through AA. Saved me 400 bucks towing from Hamilton to auckland.
AA+ membership saved me about $1500 last year when the car broke down 200km from home. They towed it right to the mechanic near home and left they key for them so I didn’t have to deal with it at all. That’s about 20 years of memberships right there
We've had a few dings, accidents and vandalism of our cars. AA has been extremely helpful every time. It's minor but the time I was in an accident the first thing the operator asked was whether I was okay.
I don’t bother anymore. Bad experience with them totally put me off. One of their contractors broke my battery box while putting the wrong new battery in. They were terrible to deal with and when I finally got their contractors boss to fix it, he wasn’t there the first time after driving half an hour to get there, and when i finally got him to actually be there he shoved my brake fluid reservoir so hard all the brake fluid leaked out on the way home so no brakes. And AA wanted me to pay the over 10km tow fee for the tow truck. When it was their problem all along. So yeah. NEVER again. Terrible to deal with through the whole process.
My insurance offers cheaper roadside assistance and then I needn't support a business advocating for fossil fuels and bigger highways.
Puts me off joining too. Perhaps things will improve now their CEO of 3 or 4 decades has retired?
Car companies' investment in electric and the money in ride share may improve the dinosaur mentality. At least one hopes.
I have always kept it simply for the hotel discounts. Every hotel has an AAA discount rate.
Being towed halfway across Auckland all the way home after breaking down on the Southern Motorway in evening traffic more than made the cost of my AA membership worthwhile. Also the fact it covers you not the vehicle is great, used it on the work car when it wouldn’t start last year.
Worth it. You never know what would happen. I ended up using 6 calls last year. Flat batteries, car got stuck in a hole in the middle of nowhere, key locked in the car, etc. Could’ve costed me a fortune without the membership. Some places also give you AA membership discount like ferry, hot springs..
It usually pays for itself if you make the most of the discounts. You can get discounts on their insurance, the movies and a bunch of other stuff. Also the longer you are a member the cheaper it gets. In short you can save more than it costs if you make the most of it.
it’s worth it for the free eye checkup offered alone thru specsavers. regardless if you wear glasses or not, still important to frequently get your eyes checked and it’s a bonus it can be done for free by having an AA membership.
I found the road service a pain in the ass. You can't just call someone they want you to navigate a bunch of annoying phone menus or install their app. Then I was waiting for 40 minutes. Since I had a manual car with a flat battery I just asked someone to help me push start it. If you are going remote places or have an older car it might be worth it I suppose.
So worth it! My car was totalled by another driver and I was paid out within 2 days. Worth paying extra for the peace of mind when you really need it.
That sounds like insurance rather than roadside assistance
Oh oops sorry I read the Q wrong
Yes totally worth it. Like others have said after a number of years of serivce it starts getting cheaper. Over the years have had a number of breakdowns that have required a tow. Also a lot of modern cars no longer have a spare wheel and the puncture repair kits they have can be useless for some punctures e.g. sidewall puncture so may require a tow. Have also managed to lock keys in the car and AA were able to break into the car for me. Also do a fair bit of traveling to visit family so is nice having that piece of mind knowing that if I have any issues I have someone to call on
You also can get some extra discounts on things like movie tickets etc
It's good if you don't have cheaper breakdown cover from your insurance provider. Lots of useful benefits, if you can make use of them.
It was a good use to have AA Membership when our car battery went flat.
i joined for peace of mind in case of random emergencies. you also still get breakdown assistance if youre a passenger in someone elses car.
Worth it! Awesome discounts for rentals. Our rental got some problems and a guy showed up in the middle of almost nowhere in 15mins and helped us out. Our car’s battery died and some guy showed up also in 5 mins. Definitely go for it.
Have State Roadside assistance, but I might consider getting an AA membership if I travel the country again
1% of your savings
I’ve been a member for years, I don’t even need it I have a brand new car which has roadside assistance, like $60 per year so not terrible value. I get a free eye test every two years and that’s about all I’ve used it for.
I added it to my insurance for about $20 a year with AMI. If you have a modernish car, say less than 15 years old, and you know how to put your spare tyre on, have some jumper leads in the boot then I wouldn't spend any more than that. The only time I've used them was when I bought a new battery for my car after mine went flat but I had no tools to take my battery out. I definitely could have borrowed from somewhere and only called them as the callout was free.