Roadside Assistance

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mimico_polak

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Just a quick question as to what everyone is using for their car roadside assistance?

Was going through some documentation, and it appears that my Honda extended warranty expired 3 weeks ago (thought I bought 160k/7y, but it was actually 130k / 7y) and we're currently at 132,000kms on the Odyssey. So while the warranty expired, so did the roadside assistance.

Only ones I'm aware of are Canadian Tire roadside assistance, and CAA.

Was hoping to get CAA+ as that could also be used for the bike. However, the CAA+ membership follows the driver, not the car. As such, 2 memberships are needed (although second one is cheaper).

CT has the option of either following the driver, or the vehicle.

Wife needs it for the car, and I need it for the bike as the GTI is covered.

Thinking of just doing the CAA+ for both of us.

Thoughts or recommendations? I thought to cheap out and just get her the membership, but I'm not going to ask her to come see me 200km away during a ride just so she can be present for the tow truck when it attends.
 
I have CAA.

I would say you are safe to just get 1 membership and count on not needing it at all.

It is up to the tow truck driver to ask for the membership card and they normally do not


They want the tow to get paid (more).
 
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crankcall said:
CAA + , had it for years , never used it for car/ bike issues . Great for discounts on lots of other stuff


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
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Just get one membership in your name they don't ask I have premier plus RV and have used it for my wife no issues if you make the call or submit it online.

Sent from the future
 
Ok thanks guys, I'll order it tonight. I thought they would be militant about 'if MP isn't here we won't tow this thing'.

It actually makes more sense to have in my name as I can always jump in the car and meet her at the tow location 9/10 times.
 
We have CAA+ and both of us have memberships. Our VW likely has some sort of read side but at the end of the day CAA+ gives us discounts etc. The drivers don't seem to care as much (some have asked though) but on the phone they are sticklers on who is calling. Your wife calling may need to use a man's voice...

With older cars I have made good use of it. With a newer car not so much.

Service has been good but I ran out of gas on the QEW a few years ago (gas gauge did not work). I pulled over right at the entrance of the truck weigh station. Driver really struggled to find me (my location was clearly stated) and then he did not even have a gas can! Drove me to a gas station, filled an oil container.... should have complained but the guy was new and I felt bad for him.
 
CAA+, I've had it for many years and have been very happy with it. Last time I used it, I basically just got towed to my home two blocks away lol (turns out the belt was slipping in my car, yay manual belt tension)

Apparently there are benefits I have that I didn't even know about. Free passport photos? $5000 bail bond in the US? 25km "drive you home" (i.e. nothing is wrong with the car, but you are unfit to drive)

 
backmarkerducati said:
Driver really struggled to find me (my location was clearly stated)
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Calling CAA in rural saskatechewan was an exercise in frustration. He was incapable of following directions. On the plus side, we could see him many kilometers away so we talked him in. Even then I question whether he should have been driving. "Go straight through the next intersection. WTF are you turning right?????? Gah."
 
Ok, one thing I will admit is that CAA dispatch can badly mangle directions/location given to the tow truck driver. I guess they are used to this because the truck drivers will nearly ALWAYS call me directly and confirm where I am - sometimes it's not where they were expecting me to be
 
We have the CAA family plan for three members.
 
Mad Mike said:
One of the best kept secrets is TD Delux Autoclub. You need a TD premium credit card - way better IMHO than CAA, it covers cars, motorcycles and RVs. And you don't have the 2-5 hour wait times that often come from CAA.

It's free with the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite card, you pay a few bucks if you have another TD card.

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Careful with them - I was with them for many years until they changed their terms. They used to tow your car from anywhere to anywhere up to a maximum mileage limit similar to CAA, but then they started clamping down and the last time we needed them, they said "only to the nearest service center" which in our last case was 5 minutes away from my wife's work in north Brampton, which was closed! Luckily my wife's co-worker called CAA for her and had it towed home no questions asked. I cancelled that card right then and there. Now I'm with Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance that's included with their World Elite Mastercard, but I found out the hard way that when they say they don't cover motorcycles, they don't even cover bringing gas if you run out.
 
CAA+ x2 members.
When we were younger ballers with 2 new(er) cars we didn't feel it was needed. Now both the cars and us are getting up there in years and mileage.
For the spouse it's when I can't get out to "rescue".
For me it's motorcycle towing, and when booster cables or trunk tools aren't the answer and the car needs towing.
 
Relax said:
Careful with them - I was with them for many years until they changed their terms. They used to tow your car from anywhere to anywhere up to a maximum mileage limit similar to CAA, but then they started clamping down and the last time we needed them, they said "only to the nearest service center" which in our last case was 5 minutes away from my wife's work in north Brampton, which was closed! Luckily my wife's co-worker called CAA for her and had it towed home no questions asked. I cancelled that card right then and there. Now I'm with Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance that's included with their World Elite Mastercard, but I found out the hard way that when they say they don't cover motorcycles, they don't even cover bringing gas if you run out.
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The beauty is they give you a choice of covering either a named driver and anything they're driving, or a specific car and anyone who's driving it.
 
Relax said:
Careful with them - I was with them for many years until they changed their terms. They used to tow your car from anywhere to anywhere up to a maximum mileage limit similar to CAA, but then they started clamping down and the last time we needed them, they said "only to the nearest service center" which in our last case was 5 minutes away from my wife's work in north Brampton, which was closed! Luckily my wife's co-worker called CAA for her and had it towed home no questions asked. I cancelled that card right then and there. Now I'm with Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance that's included with their World Elite Mastercard, but I found out the hard way that when they say they don't cover motorcycles, they don't even cover bringing gas if you run out.
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I didn't know roadside assistance was included. Do you have to sign-up or is it automatically active? My wife and I both have cards but she is supplementary so I assume you only get one roadside assistance driver or vehicle? She has CAA, I'm in the wind. Free service would be nice.
 
Relax said:
Careful with them - I was with them for many years until they changed their terms. They used to tow your car from anywhere to anywhere up to a maximum mileage limit similar to CAA, but then they started clamping down and the last time we needed them, they said "only to the nearest service center" which in our last case was 5 minutes away from my wife's work in north Brampton, which was closed! Luckily my wife's co-worker called CAA for her and had it towed home no questions asked. I cancelled that card right then and there. Now I'm with Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance that's included with their World Elite Mastercard, but I found out the hard way that when they say they don't cover motorcycles, they don't even cover bringing gas if you run out.
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Ive used them a couple of times -- I used the reimbursement option and had the car towed 30km home. They reimburdesed me $125.

I typically use CAA Premier as we have a corp deal with them.
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