How to Choose the Most Convenient Auto Club

Choosing an auto club is a very important choice. It isn’t enough to simply choose whatever auto club program comes your way. That is because each auto club is different in that they have their own set of benefits and price ranges. It is important to explore all of these options in order to find the program that is the right program. The wrong program is going to provide you with things you don’t need and those things you do need won’t be available to you. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, make sure you do your research.

The pros and cons

There are certain pros and cons that must be evaluated when choosing the most convenient auto club. This includes cost, whether or not roadside assistance is included, if travel discounts are offered, and if any other discounts are provided to members. When it comes to cost, the cost of an auto club membership can exceed that of your regular roadside assistance. However, the auto club is going to provide you with more benefits.

As mentioned before, there are possible discounts included for when you travel. There are also discounts possibly included when you’re not traveling. For example, you can eat at a restaurant that honors your auto club card and receive 10% off of your meal total. You can also find discounts at retail outlets and outlets on the internet.

In regards to how the discounts work, a travel discount is going to provide you with savings on vacation packages, rental cars, hotels, cruises, and so much more. The discount is only relevant to traveling and nothing else. Other discounts include the restaurants and the retail outlets. A discount program is very important because that means you’re going to save some money while traveling. That is money that can be used to do something extra or eat at that extra special restaurant. Those discounts can also be the difference between staying in a 3 star hotel and staying in a 4 star hotel.

Roadside assistance

Saving money through auto club discounts is great, but roadside assistance is actually the most important part of an auto club membership. This is because roadside assistance is what is going to assist you if you’re stranded without help. It is very important to learn everything possible about the roadside assistance contained within auto club memberships. Here are the specifics that a good roadside assistance program should possess:

- Towing service – This can pay for the cost of the auto club membership since one towing can cost around $75.

- Tire change service – This is important because a flat tire can occur at anytime. Roadside assistance will summon help to put on your spare tire for you.

- Lockout service – Everyone locks their keys in their car at one time or another. Having a locksmith get the keys out of your car can cost around $30 to $40. Having this assistance provided by your auto club’s roadside assistance is included in your membership.

- Gas and battery service – If you run out of gas, roadside assistance includes gas to be brought to you so that you can get to the next gas station and fill up. They should also give your battery a jump if your battery dies.

All of these services should be included in roadside assistance, so make sure that they are. These services will ensure that you do not become stranded in an unfamiliar or dangerous place.

Do your research

So make sure you do your research before choosing an auto club. Make sure that you can use all of the services provided and that you’re not paying for services you can’t use. Everyone needs to have an auto club membership. Everyone just doesn’t need the same package.



October 14, 2009
By Amy Nutt
Auto club offering emergency roadside assistance, travel packages and insurance in Ontario. Visit us at: http://caaneo.ca

Auto Club

Advantages of Having an Auto Club Membership

There are a number of auto club memberships available these days and a common question for the consumer to have is, 'Will the benefits of having a membership offset what it costs me to be a member?' Figuring out whether an auto club membership will be worth the cost can be tricky because you may never have to use some of the benefits, but like an extended warranty plan on a major appliance – if you do end up needing it, you are sure glad that it's there. Let's take a quick look at what often comes as part of an auto club membership to get a better feel if they are worth your out of pocket cost to join.

Roadside Assistance

This is, in most cases, the single best benefit of an auto club, and you may never even have to use it. Most auto clubs offer twenty four hour assistance if your car breaks down for any reason. If you run out of gas, if your car overheats, if the battery is dead or if you blow out a tire and are stranded on the side of the road, day or night, rain or shine, you just call the number on your membership card and a representative from the auto club will be out to provide assistance. Whatever your annual membership fee may be, if you are stranded in the middle of no where in sub zero temperatures having someone come out to rescue you is well worth it.

There are some things you should look into about your auto clubs roadside assistance before you buy though. With some auto clubs you need to pay additional money for certain services provided or you end up paying a premium for the parts needed to get your car back on the road. You want to make sure that you are getting the most out of your membership money when it comes to the roadside assistance.

Travel Discounts

If you fancy yourself a world traveler, but you don't have quite the disposable income that many world travelers do, a membership in an auto club could be a dream come true. Many auto clubs, like AAA for example, offer their loyal customers incredible discounts on all phases of travel booked through the club. As a member you're entitled to big savings on vacation packages, plane tickets, guided tours and hotel rooms. Even if you don't log a ton of miles in your car every year, if you plan on doing a good deal of traveling then an auto club membership could certainly be worth the cost.

Other Amenities

If the roadside assistance and the travel discounts just aren't enough to convince you that an auto club membership is worth the cost, there still may be a few things to change your opinion. Many auto clubs offer their members special discounts at auto repair shops, some offer free tour guidebooks, maps and have representatives that will help you plan an upcoming trip.

So is an auto club membership worth it? The simplest answer is absolutely, if you are going to use it. The amount of money you can save on the travel, as well as all of the other potential discounts certainly make a membership in an auto club a good investment. If you book a trip or two, use the reps to help plan your travel route, purchase your plane tickets and make use of the discounts to repair your car you should be able to save much more money than the memberships cost you, but the biggest advantage you'll get from the auto club membership is the piece of mind that comes with being taken care of regardless of what trouble you encounter on the road.



September 24, 2009
By A.Nutt
Provides Disney Theme Park tickets and travel insurance for your next exclusive getaway. Just one of the many benefits to having an Auto club membership. Visit us: http://caaneo.ca