# Roadside Assistance



## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

We have a 1996 Astro van, and, although it's in good condition we are considering buying CAA or something similar for a big road trip we will be doing this summer (cross country most likely crossing the boarder).

For regular commuting we have no prepaid roadside coverage. I am also aware if I did break down I can phone CAA and sign up instantly for their basic coverage and they will apply the tow or boost towards the new membership. For our trip we want something more than basic so we have more choice on what shop they tow us to if need be.

Anyone here have any suggestions, advice or comments?


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## GeniusBoy27 (Jun 11, 2010)

CAA Plus then, perhaps?


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

Why not just rent a car for the trip? Most rentals include this type of assistance and you'll get a nice new car without putting on all that extra mileage and risking something breaking on your old vehicle when your family is trying to enjoy their vacation. This will be extremely costly and difficult to fix when you in unfamiliar territory.

That's what I would do.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

Well, rental car for such a long road trip will be expensive and problematic, esp. since cross-border travel is involved.
You'll need to rent at least a mini van (given that you use an Astro van on a regular basis).
So you are looking at at least $50 a day rental.
For cross border travel, you will get hit with over-mileage charges, which are usually $0.15 per Km.
You will also want to take the rental car insurance.
Overall, this will end up costing thousands of dollars.

In terms of roadside coverage, you have two options - do you have a credit card that provides this?
If so, call them and get the details.
Some cards don't include this service, but you can sign up for 1 month or 3 months of service through your credit card.

Then there is always CAA.
A one year membership is about $65 (in Ontario, at least).
That is approx. equal to _one day_ of rental car.

Of course, if your own van is in a shape where it simply cannot undertake the trip, then you have no choice but to rent a vehicle.


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

Also consider if something happens, say the steering pump goes and MUST be replaced during the trip.

1. cost of extra hotel nights while you await delivery and installation of the new part
2. cost of towing
3. cost of any missed time by returning to work later than expected
4. general spoilage of part of the trip due to a failed vehicle (think of the kids)
5. cost of any missed reservations as a result of being stuck someplace

Just ask anyone who has gone through necessary car repairs on an old car when on trips faraway from home. A friend of mine went through it recently and it was not fun. It cost them a lot of money.

Consider these costs and hassle if it's really worth the risk. Renting a car is costly as well but that's the price you have to pay for peace of mind in this case. Going on a long trip with the entire family in a 15 year old car is very risky IMO.


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks everyone! I should clarify our cross country trip is moving - so we will be bringing our van with us. I am looking forward to the road trip, and ensuring we have roadside assistance will help give us peace of mind if something does break down.

I find it interesting about the worry about old cars breaking down... I'm sure it happens more often than with newer cars, but I have seen a BRAND NEW, fresh out of the factory, break down on a road test only a few km off the lot. My ex was a mechanic and he said this isn't as uncommon as most people think! 

My point is, don't assume just because your car is new it means no break downs! Our van is older, but we maintain it extremely well so I think the chance of break down is reasonably slim, but I'm also not naive enough to think it will not happen; in fact it has happened to us before... alternator went in +35 degree heat, and we didn't freak out, just went with the flow. We had CAA at that time and it really didn't cost us much more than it would have to get towed and repaired at home. I rather enjoyed exploring the town we were "stuck" in overnight. 

I'm thinking CAA plus is the way to go for us, I'll be double checking their coverage first. I don't think our cc's cover roadside assist, but I'll double check (we only have citibank M/C and a TD Infinite Travel Card which may but I somehow doubt it) before assuming!


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## Pigzfly (Dec 2, 2010)

Canadian Tire also has North American roadside... not sure how it compares to CAA.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

Addy said:


> Thanks everyone! I should clarify our cross country trip is moving - so we will be bringing our van with us. I am looking forward to the road trip, and ensuring we have roadside assistance will help give us peace of mind if something does break down.


It depends on the plans you have for your road trip - how many side trips you are making, where you are stopping for nights, etc.
If your side trips are concentrated in certain parts of the country, you can use a few selected towns as your "base", while you venture out on the side trips.
If that works for you, you can drive your van between the "base" towns, park it there, then rent a car/van locally for the side trips and sight-seeing.
That may be the best of both worlds.
It will reduce your overall car rental costs and at the same time won't over-stress your own van.

Canadian rental car agencies (unlike their parent branches in the US) usually do not offer unlimited mileage for cross province travel.
In Ontario, I can get unlimited mileage only for travel within ON and Quebec.
If I plan to go out of these two provinces, I am limited to only 200 kms. per day.

So if you use a few major areas as your base, you can rent locally and venture out anywhere within that province.

In any case, I'd recommend CAA.
The yearly membership is only about $65, which is probably less than what it costs to fill up that Astro van one single time.


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

Oh. I didn't realize you were moving. Good luck! In that case then I wouldn't bother with a rental car. Things happen with new cars but the likelyhood is much higher with an older car. Regardless, this is where you are at, so the roadside assist is certainly a reasonable precaution to take. Can't speak for any specific ones but I would want to ensure they have service coverage in remote areas between your two points. Ask them what their target response time is if you get stuck in between small towns x and y.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Addy said:


> I'm thinking CAA plus is the way to go for us, I'll be double checking their coverage first. I don't think our cc's cover roadside assist, but I'll double check (we only have citibank M/C and a TD Infinite Travel Card which may but I somehow doubt it) before assuming!


Some do, but not for free. You have to pay extra for that.

Bear in mind that if you decided to join CAA, you can't just call them when
you have a breakdown and expect them to provide service as if you were
already a member. 

*There is a waiting period (7 days) after you join them.*

I found this out when I had a brake failure on the road. Fortunately I was
able to crawl into town and have a garage replace the seized caliper without
incurring a tow call..but it was just the luck of the draw. I joined CAA as soon
as I got home from the garage..and the online membership mentioned
that I couldn't use it right away.


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

carverman said:


> Some do, but not for free. You have to pay extra for that.
> 
> Bear in mind that if you decided to join CAA, you can't just call them when
> you have a breakdown and expect them to provide service as if you were
> ...


Wow, when did this change? Only two or three years ago we broke down and phoned CAA and paid for the membership there and they came and gave us a boost.... you can only get the basic membership this way though. Are you referring to the plus membership? I know you have to wait to use that one. Have they changed it now so you can't just call and get the basic service anymore? I was always surprised you could mind you, so if it's changed then so be it.

Oh, some credit cards are free (one at TD is for sure), but I have to pay $39 extra it appears for the TD Deluxe, but from what I've read it's worth the full price, so at $39 it's probably a deal. Still have to look into it more.

Things I do to save a buck heh.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Addy said:


> Wow, when did this change? Only two or three years ago we broke down and phoned CAA and paid for the membership there and they came and gave us a boost.... you can only get the basic membership this way though. Are you referring to the plus membership? I know you have to wait to use that one. Have they changed it now so you can't just call and get the basic service anymore? I was always surprised you could mind you, so if it's changed then so be it.


My membership is CAA+, so maybe that is why they have the 7 day waiting
period. This includes dead battery replacement (that they can't boost)
and tows up to 200km. In the summer time I travel on a stretch of
trans-Canada that isn't built up as much as in some parts of southern
Ontario, so I figured that if I have another brake caliper seizure or
some other kind of breakdown..at least with the CAA+ they will tow me
HOME if need be, to make a decision which garage to take it to..and of
course to take the cat home that stays with me at the trailer park.

I haven't used the CAA+ so far, so this may be wishful thinking on my part, 
but the trailer park is only 90km from my home, and if it broke down there, 
I can ask them to tow me all the way home. 

It is expensive though at $120+ taxes, so I may decide on the BASIC this year..
but after that unexpected brake failure, I figured that it might be worth it to have the extras
in case the OTHER caliper failed, as it was going to cost me around $150+
to have the other caliper changed as well on speculation... that it might fail.

The annoying fact was that I had both calipers changed by a garage a
year earlier after one of the originals failed after 10 years. One
of the replacements seized up after 8,000 km...I will never go back to that
garage again! 



> Oh, some credit cards are free (one at TD is for sure), but I have to pay $39 extra it appears for the TD Deluxe, but from what I've read it's worth the full price, so at $39 it's probably a deal. Still have to look into it more.
> 
> Things I do to save a buck heh.


Yes, if it's free then it's a good deal. The PC Mastercard roadside assistance
is another $70+....definitely cheaper than CAA+..but as I mentioned, would
PC tow me all the way home if need be??

If I decide to go with another Roadside assistance, I would definitely consider the CTC one..
as they will tow you to the nearest CTC garage regardless of mileage (and there is usually
a CTC garage in every town on most major highways ..but the question is?
..would the CTC garage be able to service the vehicle while
you wait?..or require booking the service for next day..and then it also depends on
the hour of the breakdown. In the evening, most garages are closed by 6pm,
so you would have to wait until next day. That would be the main
issue..getting a tow home at least I don't have to worry about finding
a motel for myself or my cat, if it is in the vehicle with me.

If I had to wait until next day, the motel costs would be more than the
difference between the CAA+ and the basic roadside service.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

carverman said:


> If I decide to go with another
> Roadside assistance, I would definitely consider the CTC one..as they
> will tow you to the nearest CTC garage regardless of mileage..but the
> question is..would the CTC garage be able to service the vehicle while
> you wait..or require booking the next day.


Ah, so it's a self-serving service then.
They are basically ensuring that they get the exclusive business of repairing your car in addition to the roadside assistance membership.
I have a very, very low opinion (and past bad experience) of CT auto service and would never go to their garage.
And for that reason, I will never sign up for their roadside assistance service.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

HaroldCrump said:


> Ah, so it's a self-serving service then.
> They are basically ensuring that they get the exclusive business of repairing your car in addition to the roadside assistance membership.
> I have a very, very low opinion (and past bad experience) of CT auto service and would never go to their garage.
> And for that reason, I will never sign up for their roadside assistance service.


According to their CT road service website...they limit the mileage on the
tow UNLESS it's to their own CTC garage, in that case the "mileage and
number of tows are "unlimited". Yes, you can say that it's in their
best interests to tow your disabled vehicle to one of their associate garages,
and I would presume the nearest one.

As far as bad experience, I don't generally use CTC garage as a rule, except
for the emission test, and so far my vehicle has passed, so there is no issue.

I suppose it depends on the garage, the quality of their mechanics and
service reps/managers. I had a brake rotor/pad issue on the way to my
son's in Keswick a couple of years ago, and again managed to "limp in"
but one of the front brakes was marginal at stopping. I took it in on a 
sunday to CTC there and they did a complete brake inspection and replaced
the rotors/pads at a reasonable price. I didn't have any problems with
their parts, but a when a caliper seized here in Ottawa the next spring,
I decided to take it in to a local garage known for it's brake service
at reasonable rates, and I paid for that decision AGAIN about 13 months
later. The parts that they used were probably not of the best jobber quality and the same caliper seized again, just after their 12 month warranty
(parts and labour) expired, so I had to have it replaced AGAIN on the road practically.

It's the luck of the draw as far as parts. About the only way you can be
sure of OEM quality is to get the parts from the actual dealers that
sell the vehicles. There seems to be a spread in quality of aftermarket parts..especially re-furbished/remanufactured parts. 

Years ago, I had a water pump fail on on a Chev because of a broken fan
belt. . Drove the car to the nearest service station just off the freeway. 
The engine had overheated by then, and the water pump seal cooked, so it had to be replaced.
The local service station ordered a replacement water pump from a jobber
and installed it..drove the car around the block and I heard a clank clank
as the water pump fell apart internally. 
I insisted on genuine GM parts for the replacement,
as the labour was not guaranteed.... because they claimed... it was not their
fault that the pump failed, so I had to pay for labour again, but at a
reduced amount. I got full credit for the pump..but not for the day of work
that I lost.

So, having the option of towing your vehicle to a garage that you can trust is
paramount in reducing the amount of headache(s) you can get from a
breakdown.


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

Interestingly, kijiji daily deal is $39 for a regularly priced $99 membership for roadside assistance with http://www.accessroadsideassistance.com/

Anyone here have any experience with them?


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## Charlie (May 20, 2011)

For the price, the CAA membership gives me good peace of mind. Probably not worth it solely on tows, and I could jump start the car myself if I had to, but overall I find it good value. 

And I like the free maps and books -- esp for road trips. A proper map on the coffee table is easier for me to digest then a GPS screen. I plan with the map -- and use the GPS in the car...

I view my CAA membership as quasi insurance...against a tow, a jump start, or fixing a flat in the rain. Something that given the price is worth it to me...but that I hope I don't need to use. (except for those wonderful maps).


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

HaroldCrump said:


> In terms of roadside coverage, you have two options - do you have a credit card that provides this?
> If so, call them and get the details.
> Some cards don't include this service, but you can sign up for 1 month or 3 months of service through your credit card.


I think we covered this before...above? 
Most CC charge extra for this service. I know the PC Financial/CIBC card
does..and it's very basic service. Tows up to 40km and after that you
have to pay out of pocket on some plans. 



> Then there is always CAA.
> A one year membership is about $65 (in Ontario, at least).
> That is approx. equal to _one day_ of rental car.


and that's very basic service for that rate.

here's a more uptodate comparo..
http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/roadside-assistance-comparison.htm

I have CAA plus. because I want get towed home (up to 200km) if
I break down and the truck can't be fixed in a local garage at the
time of breakdown. The other problem is getting a tow truck depending
on time of day. With CAA, there are enough affiliated garages that
response is very reasonable from any area you are broken down or
have a flat. With other plans, the wait could be much longer..and
there is nothing worse than waiting for hours for a tow truck at the
side of a highway..not fun, especially in winter months. 

This is the main problem..not the towing. Most garages only have mechanics
available 8-5pm and mon-friday. Not all garages can look at the vehicle as soon
as it's towed in, never mind trying to get parts, which can take several hours
or even next day... so you may also be faced with Motel charges if you have
to spend overnight in the town you get towed to...so those few dollars of
"savings" on road side assistance can be very frustrating and costly in the end.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

carverman said:


> I think we covered this before...above?


dude, you quoted a message from 6 months ago


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

HaroldCrump said:


> dude, you quoted a message from 6 months ago


Sorry, you are right..as they say..the mind is the SECOND thing to go!


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## fraser (May 15, 2010)

I would NEVER use CTC for any auto repairs. Last time I went in to get a headlight lamp replaced I was told the brakes were shot. To quote...'if this was the car that my wife and children used I would not let her drive it". They offered to order the parts and get it repaired by the next day. 

Unknown to them, I had just had it serviced by my own mechanic. I took it back. He checked the brakes and laughed when I told him what had transpired. He told me that everyone is on commission and this is what drives their behaviour. This happened several years ago. Now, I won't even buy gas there.


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## jerryhung (Mar 28, 2011)

since this was brought up... If you have Select Service ($5000 min. in TD), you can get FREE TD Gold Elite VISA CC, which has free auto club

I just used it to tow like 120km so want to spread the good word

http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/tdvisa/elite.jsp



> Exclusive Deluxe TD Auto Club Benefits
> 
> Automatic membership in the Deluxe TD Auto Club to all TD Gold Elite Visa cardholders
> Unlimited Service Calls — 24 Hours a day 7 days a week
> ...


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