# Home Trust VISA - Roadside Assistance



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

We had a need for a tow the other day. I tried calling the Home Trust roadside assistance number. The call was answered by someone who I could not understand. His English was marginal and it sounded like he was speaking from the end of a long pipe or something. I asked if this was the right number for HT, and I think he said it was, but not sure about that. He then disappeared off line but did not hang up. After waiting quite a while I gave up. I later checked and I had called the correct number 1-877-585-3232.

What sort of experience have others had with HT roadside?

Not having internet on phone, we headed over to a relatively nearby Tim Hortons where I could use the CAA app on-line without phoning (My wife is member). The app knew where we were, listed the cars we owned and asked what type of help we needed. They then gave us time truck would arrive (1/2hr) but it arrived in 15min. Car was towed to our home not much later. Fantastic service.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I had a similar experience with "complimentary" road side assistance from my US insurance. The call center was in the US but I was in AK and this girl could not fathom I was hours away from any physical address that her system could find. So I got the tow truck number from her and called him myself, who immediately understood where I was. They eventually approved but had trouble understanding there was indeed no closer service in AK

In reality I needed a $20 part but they refused to just deliver a small part. These complementary tow services figure you are a captive customer who has no choice but to overpay for any repairs and service they can exploit you for. I intended to do the simple job myself and they claimed this was a liability issue, so I pushed over to the adjacent lot. Anyway the tow truck driver also said that CAA is better than the freebie tows


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

Well, you do realize that HT does NOT actually have a roadside assistance business right? I mean, they contract their business out to some third party service and that is who you are then going to be dealing with. Any third party call centre based service will vary in the quality of service you can expect to receive. Sounds like HT's third party service isn't that great.

Sounds like m3s's experience with a similar 'complimentary' roadside service was much the same. 

The last time I needed a tow, I called CAA and had no problem at all with the service I received from them. I am a believer in the old saw, 'you get what you pay for'. CAA have their own call centre and all they contract out is the actual tow truck that comes to get you. 

I'm curious to know agent99, how YOU got home? What I mean is, did you ride in the tow truck seated next to the driver which would be the norm pre-covid19. That is one issue I have thought of that I would not be comfortable with doing. If you break down, how do you maintain distancing and still get home or to a garage for repairs?


----------



## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

When we got our card in March of the year they introduced it, we called and a local garage was dispatched right away and arrive in 15 minutes. The battery recharge did not work so they towed the car to the nearest battery shop. I imagine their service has suffered by outsourcing to a lower cost call centre.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

We finally got rid of our automobile club membership when we got our HT card. We have yet to use the HT service. Had a flat on the Coquihalla last year. It was faster to to change it myself. Back on the road in 15 minutes. I believe that we have had the HT card for 3 or 4 years now. So that has been a saving of at least $300-$400 for us.

I had the membership for 20 years. Mainly because I could write part of it off. I was frequently away on business and did not want her to be stuck somewhere with the kids. I still have the card. Even though it is expired it works when making on line hotel reservations. I gave up on their so called rental car discounts when we had the card. Never yet been asked to produce it.

So, in 20 plus years of membership we had one tow (8KM) and one boost. That is it. But...we kept our vehicles maintained. Other benefits. The odd map.

Their latest auto insurance quotes were by far the most expensive of the three we had, as were the last home insurance quotes that we shopped. Folks in the Ft. Mac. building trades tell us that their home insurance claims post fires were among the slowest and poorest to pay out but this second hand hearsay. We are shopping our home insurance this month. Will not even bother to ask them for a quote.

Very pleasant service though whenever we go it. Usually once a year for an international drivers license.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Yea in over 20 years I've used free roadside assistance 3 times. The first time I could have waited for a friend but had the free tow, 2nd time was in Spain and I had a moto-train to catch, 3rd time was in Alaska. It would not be worth me paying for CAA all those years for 3 tows (2 of them I can fix myself now and the other was my first car that was unreliable)

Carry booster cables in your trunk and the spare tire that most cars already have should cover most cases. It might be worth it if you travel a lot where you don't have time or resources to help you out or knowledge of basic repairs


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

m3s said:


> Yea in over 20 years I've used free roadside assistance 3 times. The first time I could have waited for a friend but had the free tow, 2nd time was in Spain and I had a moto-train to catch, 3rd time was in Alaska. It would not be worth me paying for CAA all those years for 3 tows (2 of them I can fix myself now and the other was my first car that was unreliable)
> 
> Carry booster cables in your trunk and the spare tire that most cars already have should cover most cases. It might be worth it if you travel a lot where you don't have time or resources to help you out or knowledge of basic repairs


LOL, I always laugh when people talk about any kind of insurance 'not being worth it' given how few times they have had to use it. 

Insurance is never about necessarily being 'worth it' based on how many times you use it. You insure hoping in fact to NEVER have to use it. Life insurance, health insurance, home fire insurance, etc. Who wants to have to use it? I hope to never have to use roadside assistance insurance ever again. Who wouldn't hope the same? But being without that insurance when I need it, do I hope for that?

Insurance is interesting in that it is one situation in which you actually want to LOSE your bet. Take life insurance. To 'win' you have to die. Health insurance, to win you have to get sick. All insurance is the same. You cannot evaluate it based on how you would 'win' financially.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Yea I evaluate insurance based on whether I can afford to self insure. I can afford a tow

Companies and individuals often chose to self insure if they can afford the risk

Plus the cost of CAA has to be worth it over the many freebie services


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Not having auto club membership can hardly be compared to not having life insurance!

The best auto club like insurance that we have is a good set of long booster cables each car. We used them more often to boost friends,neighbours, or strangers than we have to boost one of our own vehicles. Last winter we had a cold spell. Wait time for an auto club service call was 48 hours or more for several days. Our interest in an auto club membership really started to wane when they put those ridiculous limits on tow distances.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

ian said:


> Not having auto club membership can hardly be compared to not having life insurance!
> 
> The best auto club like insurance that we have is a good set of long booster cables each car. We used them more often to boost friends,neighbours, or strangers than we have to boost one of our own vehicles. Last winter we had a cold spell. Wait time for an auto club service call was 48 hours or more for several days. Our interest in an auto club membership really started to wane when they put those ridiculous limits on tow distances.


Booster cables are not of much use if your problem is a leaking radiator as my last issue was ian. If you need a tow, you need a tow.

I do agree you cannot compare roadside assistance insurance to life insurance. It is something that as m3s suggests you can consider 'self-insuring' against relatively easily. But I don't know if anyone was comparing them in any case. All I was comparing in my comment was that all insurance is a bet against yourself. That's not comparing one to another.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Saving hundreds by cancelling CAA because owner has HT or similar is valid I suppose - Until, as we found, you actually NEED roadside assistance or tow!

I can repair most things on a car. But not at roadside! Last experience was a total no-start. Clearly the problem was failed fuel pump relay. Easy enough to replace - once you disassemble dash and have a spare! Previous time, it was a crankshaft position sensor on a different car. Again no-start. Easy fix, but needed part. Another time serpentine belt broke on trip in USA - that time it was towed to dealer who got us back on road quickly - at a cost. We had to pay CAA/AAA for the excess towing mileage (not much, considering)

I started this thread in attempt to gather real-life roadside assistance experience from other HT Visa holders. If negative, I may have to get myself added back to my wife's CAA membership. With HT plus Subaru roadside(for newest car), I didn't think I needed CAA. But I was impressed with their service. 

Despite what others say, CAA car/home insurance is also the best we have ever had (and we have had several!) as well as being lower in cost than others we checked. It really helps to have a local office and friendly agent we can actually talk to. YMMV, but ours is all good.


----------



## Money172375 (Jun 29, 2018)

Be sure to check the air and condition of your spare Tire. I try to do it twice a year.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> Carry booster cables in your trunk and *the spare tire that most cars already* have should cover most cases. It might be worth it if you travel a lot where you don't have time or resources to help you out or knowledge of basic repairs


Surprising how many newer cars do NOT have a spare tire. Eliminated for weight saving, economy, it seems. You may get a can of air/sealant instead.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Money172375 said:


> Be sure to check the air and condition of your spare Tire. I try to do it twice a year.


I just checked mine after installing summer wheels. It was very low. Car had been in storage but I completely forgot to check this



agent99 said:


> Surprising how many newer cars do NOT have a spare tire. Eliminated for weight saving, economy, it seems. You may get a can of air/sealant instead.


Some new cars come with stiff heavy "run flat tires" I'm not a fan of those or the messy sealant. I think I would rather rely on the free tows if I didn't have a spare


----------



## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

agent99 said:


> We had a need for a tow the other day. I tried calling the Home Trust roadside assistance number. The call was answered by someone who I could not understand. His English was marginal and it sounded like he was speaking from the end of a long pipe or something. I asked if this was the right number for HT, and I think he said it was, but not sure about that. He then disappeared off line but did not hang up. After waiting quite a while I gave up. I later checked and I had called the correct number 1-877-585-3232.



Thanks for sharing that. I haven't heard much (until now) about real experiences with the Home Trust road side assistance.


----------



## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

kcowan said:


> When we got our card in March of the year they introduced it, we called and a local garage was dispatched right away and arrive in 15 minutes. The battery recharge did not work so they towed the car to the nearest battery shop. I imagine their service has suffered by outsourcing to a lower cost call centre.


Curious, which country was this in? I've been hoping the HT road side would work well in both Canada + US.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> Some new cars come with stiff heavy "run flat tires" I'm not a fan of those


Those run-flats sound like a good idea. But in practice they don't work out that well. 

They are expensive to start with
They wear out faster than standard tires
They are not widely stocked, especially if your size is not common
They allow you to drive a limited mileage slowly if deflated (e.g 80km at 80km/hr)
After a using them to get to safe location, the tire may be irreparably damaged. Then they will recommend replacement - usually all 4! If on a trip, you find a hotel while tires get shipped from a warehouse somewhere 

I had a car that had run flats as option. Went with allweathers plus a compact spare that we only carried on long trips.


----------



## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

james4beach said:


> Curious, which country was this in? I've been hoping the HT road side would work well in both Canada + US.


It was in West Van and the battery shop was in North Van. That used up two of the four incidents per month allowed.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

agent99 said:


> Surprising how many newer cars do NOT have a spare tire. Eliminated for weight saving, economy, it seems. You may get a can of air/sealant instead.


I don't know when they started not having a 'real' spare tire in cars but when I bought my 2006 Kia Sportage as new, it came with one of those 'compact' spares. Since I actually intended to use the vehicle off-road sometimes, it made no sense to me that a 4 wheel drive vehicle designed for off-road use would have a compact spare.

Fortunately, the SPACE for the compact spare, which is under a panel in the back is big enough to take a full size spare and so I bought a full size spare tire and wheel. The tire store had no interest at all in paying me a dime for the brand new, never used, compact wheel and tire.

To have a run flat or can of sealant, etc. in a 4 wheel drive vehicle would be even more ridiculous to me. So my point is if you buy a 4 wheel drive vehicle and intend to actually do any off-roading, make sure there is at least somewhere to PUT a full size spare. Otherwise, it will take up a lot of space in the back of your vehicle if you want to carry one. New Kias no longer come with any spare at all and as far as I know, there is nowhere to STORE one in the vehicle.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Longtimeago said:


> I don't know when they started not having a 'real' spare tire in cars but when I bought my 2006 Kia Sportage as new, it came with one of those 'compact' spares. Since I actually intended to use the vehicle off-road sometimes, it made no sense to me that a 4 wheel drive vehicle designed for off-road use would have a compact spare.


It's just to lower the initial sticker price and also to provide an upselling point at the dealer. Yes, 4x4 vehicles should come with a full size spare but most are never used "off-road". Generally if you get a towing package on the vehicle it will include a full sized spare.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

cainvest said:


> It's just to lower the initial sticker price and also to provide an upselling point at the dealer. Yes, 4x4 vehicles should come with a full size spare but most are never used "off-road". Generally if you get a towing package on the vehicle it will include a full sized spare.


Nothing a car company does is intended to lower the sticker price. Everything done is intended to increase the profit. A spare tire might cost the car company what? Say $50? Do you think they believe that lowering a sticker price by $50 matters to the buyer when the 'sticker price' is say $50k+?

If they wanted to lower the sticker price, they could leave off half the worthless add-ons they have come up with in the last 20 years. I have been considering buying a new car for several years now and every time that I look at it, I get annoyed with all the extra 'bells and whistles' that I would have to pay for and that I do not need on a vehicle. They are all intended to INCREASE the sticker price and increase profits.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Longtimeago said:


> Nothing a car company does is intended to lower the sticker price. Everything done is intended to increase the profit.


I'll call BS on that and welcome to marketing 101, sitcker price is definitely a factor and, of course, profit. That's why you have multiple "trim levels" in vehicles as well as options you can order.



Longtimeago said:


> A spare tire might cost the car company what? Say $50? Do you think they believe that lowering a sticker price by $50 matters to the buyer when the 'sticker price' is say $50k+?
> 
> If they wanted to lower the sticker price, they could leave off half the worthless add-ons they have come up with in the last 20 years. I have been considering buying a new car for several years now and every time that I look at it, I get annoyed with all the extra 'bells and whistles' that I would have to pay for and that I do not need on a vehicle. They are all intended to INCREASE the sticker price and increase profits.


While a spare alone may cost them $50, add that to all the other things they cheap out on (or add as a option) and now it's $1000 in their pocket. Plus, if you "want" it with a full size spare you'll pay $300-$1500 to get it either as just a tire/rim or part of a package you'll need to buy ... it's called upselling. 

All those features they put in are generally for their target market and by competitive analysis.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

cainvest said:


> It's just to lower the initial sticker price and also to provide an upselling point at the dealer. Yes, 4x4 vehicles should come with a full size spare but most are never used "off-road". Generally if you get a towing package on the vehicle it will include a full sized spare.


A spare wheel is not even an option on many vehicles. No place is provided or available to mount or store. On our SUV, we had to put the compact spare in foot space behind driver's seat or in the cargo space. There may be aftermarket options, but seldom dealer options if car is not designed for a spare. This regardless of towing package, which really doesn't have much to do with getting a flat or even driving off-road.

Elimination of spare may reduce cost a fraction, but main intent is, I believe, to reduce weight and fuel consumption. Just like aluminum sheet metal vs steel etc.

Check this link: https://www.cars.com/articles/got-a-spare-not-on-these-cars-1420697605296/
Excerpt:
AAA also offered up a list of new vehicles for 2017 that *don’t offer a spare at all.* Here they are in alphabetical order:

Acura NSX
Audi R8
Audi TT
BMW 2 Series
BMW 3 Series
BMW 4 Series
BMW 6 Series
BMW i3
BMW i8
BMW X3
BMW X4
Cadillac ATS
Cadillac CTS
Chevrolet Bolt EV
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet SS
Chevrolet Volt
Dodge Viper
Fiat 500
Fiat 500L
Fiat 500X
Ford C-Max
Hyundai Accent
Hyundai Ioniq
Infiniti QX30
Jaguar F-Type
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Compass
Jeep Renegade
Kia Forte
Kia Niro
Kia Rio
Kia Soul
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mercedes-Benz B-Class
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Mini Cooper Countryman
Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Nissan GT-R
Nissan Leaf
Porsche 718 Cayman
Porsche 911 Carrera
Porsche Panamera
Smart ForTwo
Tesla Model S
Tesla Model


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

agent99 said:


> This regardless of towing package, which really doesn't have much to do with getting a flat or even driving off-road.


Towing requires a full sized spare if you didn't know, you can't tow with a "donut spare" on. Also, some 4x4 (not most of the awd type) require a tire of the same size for 4x4 operation.



agent99 said:


> Check this link: https://www.cars.com/articles/got-a-spare-not-on-these-cars-1420697605296/
> Excerpt:
> AAA also offered up a list of new vehicles for 2017 that *don’t offer a spare at all.* Here they are in alphabetical order:


Yes, some (few) have no spare ... mainly sports cars. I owned one for years with no spare, thankfully never had a flat. Also that list is incorrect, the Jeep's do have a spare or at least a space for it depending on the model & trim you bought. Again, lower cost, hit them on the up sell.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

cainvest said:


> Towing requires a full sized spare if you didn't know, you can't tow with a "donut spare" on. Also, some 4x4 (not most of the awd type) require a tire of the same size for 4x4 operation.
> 
> Yes, some (few) have no spare ... mainly sports cars. I owned one for years with no spare, thankfully never had a flat. Also that list is incorrect, the Jeep's do have a spare or at least a space for it depending on the model & trim you bought. Again, lower cost, hit them on the up sell.


If by few you mean _*about 1/3 of new cars*_, then it seems you may be right  Or so Consumer Reports said 


> *Q.* I was stunned to discover that my new car doesn’t have a spare tire. Was I ripped off?
> 
> *A.* Not really. _*About a third of new cars*_ today do not come with a spare tire, though they may be equipped with a compressor and sealant kit to temporarily fix a flat tire. Some cars without spares come with “run-flat” tires, which are designed to operate for a limited distance after losing air from a typical puncture.
> Carmakers are skipping the spare because of regulatory pressure to squeeze more miles out of every gallon of fuel: Ditching the 40 or 50 pounds that a tire and jack usually add to a car’s weight helps to increase fuel economy slightly. (It also incidentally increases automakers’ profits because they don’t have to pay for those parts.)


We were talking about cars having spare or no spare, so not sure why you brought donut and towing into it.

We own several cars.All have spares. Some because of age. The 2019 Outback does have a spare. Never used it, but I believe it is an emergency temporary spare. 80km/hr / 80km. The car is set up for towing. 

Enough!


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Anyway, enough off-subject stuff - I still need to decide on whether or not to add my name back to wife's CAA membership. No way to test HT Roadside, unless I _create_ a need ! Thanks to those who did provide some input based on actual experience.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

agent99 said:


> If by few you mean _*about 1/3 of new cars*_, then it seems you may be right  Or so Consumer Reports said
> 
> We were talking about cars having spare or no spare, so not sure why you brought donut and towing into it.


Not so sure about 1/3 of cars but ok ... maybe they mean "just cars" and not SUVs and trucks.

Donut is those cheap spares, usually limited to 60-80km/h. And towing (again) because any vehicle that can tow (whether you do it or not) needs a full sized spare tire if you want to change it on the roadsize.


----------



## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

agent99 said:


> ... What sort of experience have others had with HT roadside?


Haven't had one or hear of anyone talking about their experience ... but my sister IIRC re-activated her CAA membership as she had problems both with the call centre and with the service for her CC road side assistance.


Cheers


----------



## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Longtimeago said:


> Well, you do realize that HT does NOT actually have a roadside assistance business right?
> 
> I mean, they contract their business out to some third party service and that is who you are then going to be dealing with ...


Third party or main business ... the issue is whether it's useful.

Cheers


----------



## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

ian said:


> ... So, in 20 plus years of membership we had one tow (8KM) and one boost. That is it. But...we kept our vehicles maintained ...


I wouldn't put too much stock in maintenance being the end all and be all.

My car(s) have been maintained as well but I'm at something like twenty tows. Most of the time I'll change the tire for the spare but at times, when I'm in the wrong clothes or similar, I've preferred the CAA guy do the change for me.

It's been handy to have them bring gas out to me on a busy highway a couple of times.


Cheers


----------



## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Longtimeago said:


> I don't know when they started not having a 'real' spare tire in cars but when I bought my 2006 Kia Sportage as new, it came with one of those 'compact' spares ...


My '95 Ford Escort came with the compact spare. When I picked up used rims for winter tires at the auto wreckers, I bought a full sized tire to use a spare instead.

I'm not sure but I think they knocked $10 off my bill in exchange for the couple of years old compact spare.


Cheers


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Eclectic12 said:


> My '95 Ford Escort came with the compact spare. When I picked up used rims for winter tires at the auto wreckers, I bought a full sized tire to use a spare instead.
> I'm not sure but I think they knocked $10 off my bill in exchange for the couple of years old compact spare.
> Cheers


Normally, there is no space to store a full sized spare. One car I owned had a collapsible spare. It was compact so it could be stored, but when inflated it opened up to full size!


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

cainvest said:


> Not so sure about 1/3 of cars but ok ... maybe they mean "just cars" and not SUVs and trucks.
> 
> Donut is those cheap spares, usually limited to 60-80km/h. And towing (again) because any vehicle that can tow (whether you do it or not) needs a full sized spare tire if you want to change it on the roadsize.


Cainvest, obviously you do not work in sales or marketing. Trying to tell me an auto company does not include a spare tire because they want to reduce sticker price is ludicrious. The only half reasonable suggestion, is the suggestion that it is to reduce weight and increase mileage figures. 

What this divergence from the original topic has done however is show just how prevalent it now is to not have a spare tire at all and that may be something that some readers will want to take note of. I would never drive a vehicle without a spare tire unless I never intended to drive it outside of a city's limits. There are simply too many places where not having a spare you could change yourself if necessary could be a major pain in the butt.

Just one more thing I am going to have to check on if or when I decide to buy another vehicle. Leave off what I consider a necessity and instead, provide me with 'lane assist' in case I don't know to stay in my traffic lane. Yup, need that trade-off definitely NOT.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Longtimeago said:


> Cainvest, obviously you do not work in sales or marketing. Trying to tell me an auto company does not include a spare tire because they want to reduce sticker price is ludicrious. The only half reasonable suggestion, is the suggestion that it is to reduce weight and increase mileage figures.


I work with sales and marketing all the time. 

While mileage may increase "ever so slightly" with the loss of a spare, I'd say saving $50 cost per vehicle is the bigger factor. Take a well selling car, say 200,000 units / year in NA that's $10,000,000 in direct cost savings by just omitting it. How they distribute the savings is up to them, either take the profit and/or lower the price point, that's up to the company. Then they also have the potential to make even more money for those that want a spare, hit them up hundreds of dollars for it ... total win-win for them.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

I would tend to agree. It is all about the money. We have seen many, many examples of this from the automakers over the years. Some were willing to weigh the costs of litigation over deaths from knowingly unsafe vehicles over the cost of making the minor per unit change to fix the problem. I wonder how many people realize that there is no spare AFTER making the purchase vs how many people knew prior to the buy decision. 

We have no problem with the small spare. Only used it twice and it worked just fine. We would not accept a car that did not have a spare.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

cainvest said:


> I work with sales and marketing all the time.
> 
> While mileage may increase "ever so slightly" with the loss of a spare, I'd say saving $50 cost per vehicle is the bigger factor. Take a well selling car, say 200,000 units / year in NA that's $10,000,000 in direct cost savings by just omitting it. How they distribute the savings is up to them, either take the profit and/or lower the price point, that's up to the company. Then they also have the potential to make even more money for those that want a spare, hit them up hundreds of dollars for it ... total win-win for them.


Hilarious. Working 'with' is not working 'in' cainvest. Trying to suggest as you DID that not providing a spare is done to reduce the sticker price is simply ridiculous. No one is going to notice the difference in the sticker price that it would provide. Take my example Kia Sportage. Do you really think anyone is going to notice if the sticker price between, $25,795 and $39,995 is $50 or $100 less? You have to be joking.








SUV Review: 2020 Kia Sportage


The Kia Sportage is a decent little driver, but prepare to be dinged at the pumps




driving.ca





Yet still you try to suggest they can 'distribute the savings' either by taking more profit or 'lower the price point'. There would be no point in lowering the 'price point' by $50 when no one would even notice that cainvest. Just admit you got that wrong. Doing away with a spare tire was NEVER done to reduce the price point by any vehicle manufacturer, believe me.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

ian said:


> I would tend to agree. It is all about the money. We have seen many, many examples of this from the automakers over the years. Some were willing to weight the costs of litigation over deaths from knowingly unsafe vehicles over the cost of making the minor per unit change to fix the problem. I wonder how many people realize that there is no spare AFTER making the purchase vs how many people knew prior to the buy decision.
> 
> We have no problem with the small spare. Only used it twice and it worked just fine. We would not accept a car that did not have a spare.


The example Kia I am using ian does not come with any spare at all, only a sealant kit to use on the existing tire on the vehicle which of course assumes it will 'seal' the leak. Not much use if someone 'blows out' a tire of course or just gets a major tear in the tire that sealant can't plug. It also as far as I am concerned means you then need to buy 4 new tires when you get back to civilization since the tire with sealant in it is not going to be something you want to drive on forever and if you have to replace one tire as far as I am concerned you have to replace all 4.

I could live with no spare IF there is a place to PUT a spare but I believe that with many vehicles today, no such place exists. So it means you have to keep a spare if you buy one, in the cargo space which of course reduces your cargo space considerably if it is a full size spare. 

So I would say it is not just a question of not 'accepting a car that did not have a spare', it is also a question of not accepting a car that does not have a place to PUT a spare. You can buy a spare tire easily enough for any car but you can't buy a space to put it in.

No one buying a 4 wheel drive vehicle and planning to use it anywhere off-road should ever be without a full size spare tire.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Longtimeago said:


> Yet still you try to suggest they can 'distribute the savings' either by taking more profit or 'lower the price point'. There would be no point in lowering the 'price point' by $50 when no one would even notice that cainvest. Just admit you got that wrong. Doing away with a spare tire was NEVER done to reduce the price point by any vehicle manufacturer, believe me.


You're right LTA, I was wrong to think you'd understand something so basic as price points in marketing and how they are related to production costs. 

You take the example of $50 as an absolute but it's only one piece in the puzzle to lower production costs.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Bottom line for us........ given the auto club restrictions on towing distances and their increasing cost we are far better to self insure and have the HT service as a backup. Even if we needed a tow tomorrow we would be well ahead of the game by self insuring.

For us it is not different than the decision to insure glass on our car. Strictly a financial decision based on risk and reward. No..we do not insure glass.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

ian said:


> Bottom line for us........ given the auto club restrictions on towing distances and their increasing cost we are far better to self insure


Lets say we are on a road trip to an out of town location. Something fails on car. We are stranded at roadside. We have no auto club or other membership.

What is the number of the towing service that we should call?

Is it the same wherever we are in Canada and USA? 

(It may be for the HT card, but based on my experience, not much good if the person that answers hardly speaks English and sounds like he has a Covid mask or two on  )


----------



## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

agent99 said:


> Normally, there is no space to store a full sized spare ...


Which is why I lost space int he



agent99 said:


> ... One car I owned had a collapsible spare. It was compact so it could be stored, but when inflated it opened up to full size!


Interesting ... I've never seen or had one.


Cheers


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

ian said:


> Bottom line for us........ given the auto club restrictions on towing distances and their increasing cost we are far better to self insure and have the HT service as a backup. Even if we needed a tow tomorrow we would be well ahead of the game by self insuring.
> 
> For us it is not different than the decision to insure glass on our car. Strictly a financial decision based on risk and reward. No..we do not insure glass.


I'm fine with someone choosing to self insure for anything ian. Funnily enough, I have had to replace a windshield more times than I have had to call a tow truck. It is covered under my vehicle insurance but our deductible is more than the cost of a windshield. I suppose you could say by accepting a higher deductible, we are in fact self insuring for windshield replacement as well as many other small cost items.

We do have CAA for both my wife and myself. I agree with agent99, it is more about ease of use for us and a much higher peace of mind for my wife than for myself. I could break down and not get too excited if it was the middle of nowhere and I did not have any central number to phone, she would find that much more stressful. 

That's why I think people have to consider not just 'value for money' in MONETARY terms.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Same here. We have replaced windshields on our cars and on company cars far more often than we have had tows or flat tires. Slow leaks yes, but that is an easy fix since we buy our tires at Costco.

I would say that it is about 15-1 in favour of us replacing windshields over either a flat on the road or tow. Our payback on a glass rider is about two years. Not to mention the ding on the insurance rate. We are going into year 4 on the current windshield with 2 $25 filler repairs. Quite remarkable for us not to have a big crack or a broken windshield in this amount of time. But...I am no longer commute to work and we are away for part of the winter.

We got most of those cracked windshields while highway driving in the winter/spring.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

I've only EVER had three cracked windows in over 60 years of car ownership. 

1. Caused by the door of an automatic car wash failing and breaking the tailgate window
2. A branch falling out of a tree on a windy day.
3. A kid who skipping stones at the lake somehow had one hit that same tailgate window.

2. was a claim on my insurance.
1. was paid by car wash. 
3. was paid by kids dad.

Haven't had much need for tows either. But when we have, we did need to have a towing service. CAA/AAA. Not very cost effective, but still would like to know who you would call on road trip if you did not have a membership and you needed a tow.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Cracked windshields are very common in Alberta.

Who would we call? Home Trust. Or a police car, park ranger, or road works employee would stop and help as we have often seen them do for others. Not very worried about it. Slosest we have come in 50 years is getting stuck in a the snow on a side road near Banff. Some came along, saw our issue, and helped us to get out.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

agent99 said:


> Not very cost effective, but still would like to know who you would call on road trip if you did not have a membership and you needed a tow.


You do realize you can call a tow directly?

Heck now that I think of it I had a breakdown crossing country few summers ago and the first local that arrived offered to go get the trailer before I even thought about calling a tow

Had lunch with a retired tow truck owner somewhere in Yukon on that trip. He complained people keep calling in the night because someone put his number on google. I removed his number from google on my phone

Nobody even replaces their cracked windshields in Alaska because it will just crack again before you get home lol


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

When you get a new leased car every year it has to be returned with a clean windshield. That means no cracks, chips, whatever. Cracks are no issue on the vehicles that we own. At some point they have to be replaced as well.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> You do realize you can call a tow directly?


I am sure you can - If you know the number!

It is that number that I was asking Ian about. One that will work wherever a long distance trip takes me. Or a book full of them for every possible location  Preferably without having to do an on-line search, because phones don't work everywhere and not all of us have continent wide data plans.

Some here say they can do with out a roadside assistance plan. I just want to know how they manage to get assistance then when they need it wherever they happen to be. Hoping for an answer


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

ian said:


> When you get a new leased car every year it has to be returned with a clean windshield. That means no cracks, chips, whatever. Cracks are no issue on the vehicles that we own. At some point they have to be replaced as well.


If you can afford a new leased car every year, then surely you can afford a few bucks for roadside assistance?🚔


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

agent99 said:


> Some here say they can do with out a roadside assistance plan. I just want to know how they manage to get assistance then when they need it wherever they happen to be. Hoping for an answer


Nowadays most people have a smartphone and just google.. if you have cell reception you probably have data as well

Freebie roadside was useful in a foreign language country but I still wouldn't pay for it. Worst case a local will help


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Company car. I had auto club on my spouses car. Two small kids and I was often Out of town on business. Now retired. No longer need it, no longer want it, no longer have it.

Besides, being able to afford something does not mean it has value to me.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> Nowadays most people have a smartphone and just google.. if you have cell reception you probably have data as well
> 
> Freebie roadside was useful in a foreign language country but I still wouldn't pay for it. Worst case a local will help


Amuses me that someone would have a phone plan with data that works anywhere they might drive. But won't pay $60 ,or whatever it is , for annual roadside assistance. Just in Canada that phone service must cost what? Maybe $700. Then add a plan that will work South of border. More $$$.
If you want to save money, get a pay as you go phone.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

I used to have pay as you go, partly because we were out of the country for 4 months or more of the year. And then Kudoo made me an offer to ditch the pay as yo go for a $20 unlimited plan. Don’t have data because I do not need it. Prefer an iPad to a phone. We have taken one phone on extended trips with the intention of buying a SIM card but we never felt the need.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

If you go to that extreme but still have a phone to call CAA.. you could also call anyone in the world who has internet and is willing to google the number..

Since roadside assistance is given away for free by many clubs, insurance, credit cards, emergency packs etc etc you have to compare what you get on top of free service for the $60 imo.

I always have data anywhere I go as it replaces countless expenses. In most countries data cost is negligible to free (Canada about $500/year is by far overpriced)


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

m3s said:


> If you go to that extreme but still have a phone to call CAA.. you could also call anyone in the world who has internet and is willing to google the number..


Yup, use the "phone a friend" lifeline.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> Since roadside assistance is given away for free by many clubs, insurance, credit cards, emergency packs etc etc you have to compare what you get on top of free service for the $60 imo.


Well, that IS exactly what this thread is (or was?) about. My first experience of the roadside assistance given away free by HT was that it was worth every penny I paid for it! On the other hand, my wife's CAA assistance worked really well and we were very happy we had it. 

There are places to save and others not. Visit Starbucks _*1 less time a month*_, and you have *free *$$ for free CAA roadside that works


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

One factor not discussed, is that many new cars come with free roadside assistance while under warranty. Our Subaru has that, so we don't need CAA/AAA when driving that car (Not tried yet). When in USA, we do need a phone with USA service, but not necessarily data. (another subject!) However, those manufacturer's roadside services likely use CAA/AAA if out of a major city. Adds a step with associated delays. I have used it in Canada with Mercedes, and a CAA truck showed up (after a while). They only work for the one car whereas CAA works for any car the member is driving or in.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

agent99 said:


> I've only EVER had three cracked windows in over 60 years of car ownership.
> 
> 1. Caused by the door of an automatic car wash failing and breaking the tailgate window
> 2. A branch falling out of a tree on a windy day.
> ...


Agent99, I am not trying to be rude but you need to get out more.

On one occassion (pre-cellphone days) I got stuck in a dry wash in the desert in southern California. I'm talking off-road and too far to walk to the nearest road. You're on your own in that kind of situation. Eventually, some hours later, another off-roader came along and managed to pull me out.

On another occassion I got a flat tire on a back road on an Indian Reservation in Arizona. Even standing on the jack iron to try and remove the wheel nuts wouldn't budge them (or so I thought). A local came along and drove me to the nearest gas station some 30 miles away. I then rode back in their tow truck. Turns out the rental vehicle was a European make with the threads reversed. My attempts to take off was in fact putting them on! 

My point is, that not everyone breaks down at the side of the highway and having a list of tow truck numbers wouldn't even help if you had one when you have no cellphone service anyway. At the end of the day, you have to learn to rely on yourself and others in such cases. 

In the first case above, if no one had come along that day, I would have had to sleep in the vehicle and start an early morning hike out to the road while hoping not to succumb to heat and lack of water. 

I have CAA but I know the limitations of it as well. It's not always just about knowing who to call.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

agent99 said:


> There are places to save and others not. Visit Starbucks _*1 less time a month*_, and you have *free *$$ for free CAA roadside that works


I agree roadside assistance is way better than Starbucks

I drink my coffee black and Starbucks consistently sells both the worst + overpriced coffee I have ever experienced. How they manage to sell such poor coffee for $6 a cup must be all for the sugar and artificial flavoring

During quarantine I discovered some small-batch roasted-to-order beans online. 50 heavenly cups for the cost of 4 Starbucks


----------



## sags (May 15, 2010)

Our new GM vehicles have satellite tracking so they work everywhere.

I have a GM app that tells me the location of our vehicles at any time. There is a blue button to push on the Onstar and they will respond in an emergency.

The included plan pays for accommodation and meals, if you are stuck at a garage waiting for parts or service. It is a good plan to have.


----------



## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Sounds good. Alas, it will not work on our 2006 Honda Accord or our 2007 Toyota Solara.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Satellite messaging is handy. There were many stretches of road across Canada and US that still have no cell signal

For older vehicles you could buy a SPOT and they offer $30/year for roadside assistance that cover US/Canada


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

m3s said:


> Satellite messaging is handy. There were many stretches of road across Canada and US that still have no cell signal
> 
> For older vehicles you could buy a SPOT and they offer $30/year for roadside assistance that cover US/Canada


Great if you are travelling off-road in remote places. However, fairly hefty up front cost for limited everyday use. Interesting though.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

sags said:


> Our new GM vehicles have satellite tracking so they work everywhere.


But roadside assistance is not free??









OnStar Plans & Pricing


OnStar currently offers four plans and three add-on services. OnStar Packages The following four plans are available either on a monthly or yearly subscription basis: Basic: free for five years with the purchase of[...]




gmauthority.com






PlanBasicProtectionSecurityGuidancePrice (per month)Free for 5 years2$19.99$24.99$34.99Price (per year)Free for 5 years2$199.90$249.90$349.90Remote door lock/unlock√1√√√Remote horn & lights√1√√√Remote vehicle start√1√√√Destination download√√√√Remote vehicle status in app-√√√Emergency Services-√√√Automatic Crash Response-√√√Crisis Assist-√√√Roadside Assistance-√√√Stole Vehicle AssistanceAdd-On-√√Turn-By-Turn NavigationAdd-OnAdd-OnAdd-On√Hands-Free CallingAdd-OnAdd-OnAdd-On30 MinutesLocation Manager / Family LinkAdd-OnAdd-OnAdd-OnAdd-OnOnStar 4G LTE and Wi-Fi HotspotAdd-OnAdd-OnAdd-OnAdd-OnOnStar Smart Driver√√√√AtYourService√1√1√1√


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

agent99 said:


> Great if you are travelling off-road in remote places. However, fairly hefty up front cost for limited everyday use. Interesting though.


Umm, not really agent99. Knowing where you are thanks to GPS does not get you help. Note that the product being discussed is called 'Roadside Assistance.' The key word is 'roadside'. When you go 'off-road', none of the services including CAA cover you. If you check, you will find that the policy will say something like, 'designated road'. That means it must be named or numbered in some way that is recognized as a 'designated road' in the province or state etc.

Someone calling Onstar (or AAA or HT's provider,etc.) and saying, 'I'm on an off-road trail' is not going to get a tow truck coming out to them believe me. Just try to imagine a tow truck even trying to get to you in places like you will see in this video. 




Personally, I consider Onstar a real sucker's product. Even during the 'free period', you paid to have it in the vehicle in the purchase price.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Longtimeago said:


> Just try to imagine a tow truck even trying to get to you in places like you will see in this video.


Any responsible off roader *never wheels alone*, they are their own recovery crew. And for the few that do, or maybe require additional equipment, there are clubs and/or businesses that do tow out of those off-road areas but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be covered under regular roadside assistance.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

cainvest said:


> Any responsible off roader *never wheels alone*, they are their own recovery crew. And for the few that do, or maybe require additional equipment, there are clubs and/or businesses that do tow out of those off-road areas but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be covered under regular roadside assistance.


Sigh, try to follow the topic a response is directed at cainvest.

I was responding to agent99's response, to sags suggestion of Onstar. Agent99 responded that it sounded 'great if you are travelling off-road in remote places.'

Onstar is of no use in such cases. Your response to my response about Onstar has WHAT to do with Onstar? Answer, nothing at all.

As for 'ANY responsible' off-roaders never wheel alone', that is a personal choice someone may make while knowing the risks they take. It does not make them 'irresponsible' if they do so, it simply means that they choose to take 'personal responsibility' for themselves. That you might see it is irresponsible just indicates your own risk aversion level.


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Longtimeago said:


> Sigh, try to follow the topic a response is directed at cainvest.
> 
> I was responding to agent99's response, to sags suggestion of Onstar. Agent99 responded that it sounded 'great if you are travelling off-road in remote places.'
> 
> ...


I was just replying nicely to your ridiculously extreme example ... nobody in your linked video situation is going to call onstar. 

Edit: Just to add, most off-road people that would use roadside assistance would 99% be "soft-roaders" hitting simple trails for campsites or even marked gravel roads. Pretty much anyone that has a serious off-road built vehicle knows what they are getting into.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

The $30 SPOT Assist service referred to does claim to provide assistance "off grid"

"SPOT S.O.V. is a 24/7 *roadside vehicle assistance program* that gets help for you and your car, SUV, ATV, RV, trailer or motorcycle with the simple push of a button. *Whether you're on or off the grid*, you can always count on SPOT S.O.V. to get you out of a jam."

By off grid I suppose they mean off the cell phone grid. You must be within 100m of a regularly maintained roadway and safely accessible by tow truck. Still if you wanted On Star like Satellite assistance this is a cheaper alternative and like I said many roads still do not have cell coverage

SPOT also has the SOS button that will activate SAR or emergency response regardless of location. They sell a GEOS service for $20/year that is like private SAR insurance in cases where public emergency service is not available (in Canada we have public services already)

After a lot of research and talking to the Canadian SAR myself I carry a PLB. It is far better for SAR and doesn't have any subscription fees like SPOT. I do go off road alone but I also have gear and knowledge to survive or hike out and the PLB is for emergency situations where I can't

I've used the freebie roadside assistance but I wouldn't pay for it. Anyone should have some tools and survival gear in their vehicle regardless. In a SHTF scenario you can't always expect someone else to save you if those resources are overwhelmed or far away etc


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

After 69 posts (including my own  ), I am losing count of the responses from those who have actual experience with HT Roadside Assistance. Count so far:

2 - KCowan who has actually used or tried to use HT Roadside plus myself. 🚔🚔
1 - Ian who has HT card but has not used roadside service. 🚗
1 - Mps With a different free CC service and who has used it in USA. 🚗

Looking elsewhere for input, I found this site that reviews some CC plans. The comments section is more enlightening!





creditcardGenius







creditcardgenius.ca


----------



## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

agent99 said:


> After 69 posts (including my own  ), I am losing count of the responses from those who have actual experience with HT Roadside Assistance. Count so far:
> 
> 2 - KCowan who has actually used or tried to use HT Roadside plus myself. 🚔🚔
> 1 - Ian who has HT card but has not used roadside service. 🚗
> 1 - Mps With a different free CC service and who has used it in USA. 🚗


I've never used mine, always came with the new vehicles I've bought, not purchased afterwards.

Many of my friends have used their CAA memberships, I know of three situations last year that I was present for, two required towing and one locked keys in their car.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

m3s said:


> The $30 SPOT Assist service referred to does claim to provide assistance "off grid"
> 
> "SPOT S.O.V. is a 24/7 *roadside vehicle assistance program* that gets help for you and your car, SUV, ATV, RV, trailer or motorcycle with the simple push of a button. *Whether you're on or off the grid*, you can always count on SPOT S.O.V. to get you out of a jam."
> 
> ...


I no longer do any 'serious' backcountry type of activities m3s. Simply due to age and acceptance of the physical limitations that come with it.

If I were still doing so however, I can see the advantages to some of the modern technology that is now available like GPS and satellite phones. At the same time though I think they can give some people a false sense of security and the belief that if they get in trouble, they can use such technology to safe their *** for them.

Some years ago when I was living in Scotland there was a news story about a teacher who took his class on a 'walk' in the Highlands. He underestimated the difficulty and time required for the walk. As a result, he had to use his cellphone(luckily he had reception) to contact the local Volunteer Mountain Rescue Service who had to get to them and get them out. There is no doubt some of the students would not have survived a night in the mountains. They had only street clothing and footwear and no more than a sandwich and a bottle of water in terms of any kind of 'supplies or equipment'.

What made the news headline was the response of one of the students when the Rescue Service got to them. This 14 year old girl said to one of the volunteers, 'what took you so long, we called you hours ago.' 

Since then I have read more and more stories of people getting themselves in trouble and thinking their cellphone would save them. The same is true of GPS. People have come to rely on them rather than themselves and the ability to read a road map. There are plenty of stories of people who ended up in big trouble following their GPS directions. Family Spends Freezing Night in Car After GPS Directions Leave Them Stranded


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

agent99 said:


> After 69 posts (including my own  ), I am losing count of the responses from those who have actual experience with HT Roadside Assistance. Count so far:
> 
> 2 - KCowan who has actually used or tried to use HT Roadside plus myself. 🚔🚔
> 1 - Ian who has HT card but has not used roadside service. 🚗
> 1 - Mps With a different free CC service and who has used it in USA. 🚗


Threads invariably get sidetracked agent99 but I can appreciate your perhaps getting frustrated when you are looking for specific info.

The fact is, you have too small a sample of posters in the forum to expect much more than 3 relevant responses to such a specific subject as HT Roadside Assistance though. So, you got what you have got and aren't likely to get much more don't you think?

I have no experience with HTs service BUT I can definitely say that with a 5km tow limit, it would not even make it onto my radar as a viable option. 

Maybe, a comparison of various services given YOUR requirements would be of more use to you.





creditcardGenius







creditcardgenius.ca





If the only issue you see is how easy it is to communicate with them vs. another service, I think that criteria is simply too narrow to try and make a decision on. I mean, you can get a person who speaks with a difficult accent one day and an entirely different person another day. You can call on a busy day or a slow day and get a different experience. One service may get a tow truck to you in half an hour and the next time you call it's during a snowstorm and no service can get a tow truck to you in less than 2 hours.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Longtimeago said:


> What made the news headline was the response of one of the students when the Rescue Service got to them. This 14 year old girl said to one of the volunteers, 'what took you so long, we called you hours ago.'


Hours would be optimistic in Canada.

Our SAR assets are very dispersed for such a massive landmass. We rely heavily on local volunteer SAR. I try to speak to anyone with SAR experience I can and they have many challenges in Canada. US however has even worse problems with false alarms and unregistered devices due to these commercial devices wasting $$$ public resources

People in general need to be better prepared to look after the basics. Have a spare key in your pack. Have booster cables and basic tools. Have an emergency kit and at least some warm clothes. People have died in their cars in Canada in snow storms. You need to be prepared to survive on your own for 3 days imo in Canada off-roading or not


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

m3s said:


> Hours would be optimistic in Canada.
> 
> Our SAR assets are very dispersed for such a massive landmass. We rely heavily on local volunteer SAR. I try to speak to anyone with SAR experience I can and they have many challenges in Canada. US however has even worse problems with false alarms and unregistered devices due to these commercial devices wasting $$$ public resources
> 
> People in general need to be better prepared to look after the basics. Have a spare key in your pack. Have booster cables and basic tools. Have an emergency kit and at least some warm clothes. People have died in their cars in Canada in snow storms. You need to be prepared to survive on your own for 3 days imo in Canada off-roading or not


Yes, even getting stuck on the 401 outside Toronto could turn into an overnight nightmare quite easily. I have one of those large plastic storage boxes that I put in the back of my SUV at the start of every winter and put back down in the basement every spring. It includes among other things, a sleeping bag, toques, gloves, boots, first aid kit and candles. I also have a short snow shovel that goes with it. 

All year round I have a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, booster cables, flashlight, warning triangle, flares, 12 volt tire inflator and some basic tools in my vehicle.

One other thing I have noticed is a discussion continuing to crop up about charging people for rescue services.


charging for rescue - Google Search



When I hike in Switzerland for example, I buy helicoptor rescue insurance by 'donating' to REGA. Otherwise, you will have to pay for the rescue. Watch the video of the St. Bernard here: Helicopter Rescue in the Alps

Also note the as much as $153 per MINUTE for a helicopter rescue in Italy. Now that could put a serious cramp in someone's vacation budget.


----------



## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

You reminded me the rescue helicopters in Germany were ADAC (German version CAA) If CAA had helicopters I would be more likely to join. All I see them as now is a middle person to call another service for me at a cost of convenience rather than a tangible service



> In addition to this, the ADAC provides 55 air ambulance helicopters [3]for urgent medical rescues in Germany, strategically placed so that any location can be reached within 15 minutes. Air ambulance jets are used by the ADAC to rescue their members with a "PLUS" membership or customers who own an ADAC international travel insurance from any location worldwide in the case of accident or extreme sickness.


I believe there are some private air rescue services out west but nothing national like REGA or ADAC. The $20 GEOS coverage from SPOT goes up to $50k helicopter rescue. I know the people doing crazy adventures have even better coverage because $50k won't always do


----------



## ykphil (Dec 13, 2009)

agent99 said:


> After 69 posts (including my own  ), I am losing count of the responses from those who have actual experience with HT Roadside Assistance. Count so far:
> 
> 2 - KCowan who has actually used or tried to use HT Roadside plus myself. 🚔🚔
> 1 - Ian who has HT card but has not used roadside service. 🚗
> ...


To answer your specific question, I used the HT roadside assistance once, last summer in Yellowknife, to get a boost for my F350. Well, I tried to use it...The call was answered promptly, I had no communication issue with the agent who was very helpful, but their system did not have anyone listed in Yellowknife so he assured me I could just go ahead and get a boost, then submit the receipt to HT for reimbursement. I didn't want to bother with the reimbursement process so I used my AMA roadside assistance membership. So that was my only experience with HT. As for AMA, I have had their roadside assistance for over 20 years and used it at least once a year, from helping friends unlock their doors, to changing a flat tire in Arizona on my F350 fully loaded with a truck camper and our gear for a 6-month road trip (not something you want to do on the side of the road), and several long-distance tows in Canada (one was about 230 km from Paddle River to the Ford dealership in Peace River, covered by AMA because the closest dealership was in Peace River), or the US (from near Colorado Springs to Denver, just under 105 km, also covered under my plan). I haven't done a cost-benefit analysis of my AMA plan but as I travel by road full-time between Yellowknife and Guatemala every year, it gives me added peace of mind for $150 a year.


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Thanks. At least you got to speak to HT Roadside. I will have to try it again and if I have better luck, just explain why I have called.
Not familiar with AMA - Is that CAA in Alberta? Regardless, sounds like you need it


----------



## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Spent some time on net searching for others who have experience with HT Roadside. It doesn't sound good. None of them seemed to have my problem with their communication. But what I gleaned, was that they use small contractors to provide service. Some not too competent, it seemed. Probably best to be avoided!

So getting back to decision making. I have concluded that HT Roadside is next to useless. Other "free" services don't seem better. Other paid services like CanTire's have limitations - I don't want to be towed to a crappy tire  

There is one other I could consider. I have my classic cars insured through Hagerty who have their own plan. It does seem very good and costs just $55/yr. But how well it works in Canada is another unknown and I would not be covered if driving my wife's car. (But OK in Subaru while still under warranty) 

CAA is a known entity that we have had good experience with and works regardless of what car we are driving or even a passenger in. Cost just one users smart-phone monthly fee or one Starbucks a month  (Neither of which I use)
So that will be it - Thanks for helping me decide!


----------



## ykphil (Dec 13, 2009)

agent99 said:


> Thanks. At least you got to speak to HT Roadside. I will have to try it again and if I have better luck, just explain why I have called.
> Not familiar with AMA - Is that CAA in Alberta? Regardless, sounds like you need it


Yes, AMA is the CAA for Alberta. I did need it and I still plan to keep it, although I hope I will never have to use it again. I have quite a few epic breakdown stories that will make anyone feel great about their own vehicle problems after all


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

agent99 said:


> Spent some time on net searching for others who have experience with HT Roadside. It doesn't sound good. None of them seemed to have my problem with their communication. But what I gleaned, was that they use small contractors to provide service. Some not too competent, it seemed. Probably best to be avoided!
> 
> So getting back to decision making. I have concluded that HT Roadside is next to useless. Other "free" services don't seem better. Other paid services like CanTire's have limitations - I don't want to be towed to a crappy tire
> 
> ...


I think you have analyzed it fairly well. At the end of the day, you generally get what you pay for and a known brand name with a good reputation is likely to work MOST of the time better than a lesser brand. No different than buying a no name brand TV vs. a known brand like Sony etc.

I would say though that if someone's EXPECTATIONS are in line with what they should expect from a free service, that may be enough to suit them. It's usually the difference between someone's expectations and what they actually get that are out of line. Like paying for an economy seat on a plane and expecting a comfortable flight in terms of space. Then they complain about it when that doesn't happen.


----------



## Longtimeago (Aug 8, 2018)

Now for a lighter note on vehicle travel. I rented a car in the US southwest. On returning it to the rental company, I was in a hurry to get to the airport.

So I dropped off the car and paid the bill in their office. The person serving me asked as I'm sure a standard question, 'any problems with the vehicle?' As I was in a hurry and not really focusing on what was being asked or my answer, I replied honestly, 'it has a bit of a shimmy at around 120.' Then I took my receipt and left.

It was only after I was on my flight home and more relaxed, that I realized what I had said and how the rental agent would have interpreted it. I was talking kilometres but the agent would have assumed miles, 120 miles per hour! LOL


----------

