AAA membership?

[matt4EV]

I am a new Tesla Model 3 owner. Currently I have the basic AAA membership with 3 miles towing. I used it a couple of times in the last few years for jump up an ICE car when I forgot to turn off the light. I also used it once to open a rental car when I locked myself out without the key. I never had a flat tire, only slow leaking a few times.

The closest Tesla service center is 80 miles from my house. I am considering to purchase an AAA Plus membership, which give me up to 100 miles tow. Is it a good idea?

What is the chance of me using the service? I saw that people tow their car to a service center for flat tire. Can't you just tow it to a nearby tire store? Tesla roadside service do cover 50 miles tow for flat tire.

 

[TORQU3]

I don't think AAA is getting you much until your factory coverage runs out.
Read here: Roadside Assistance

 

[socal_suburbanit]

Looking at older threads about this the consensus (that i took away) was that if you can afford it AAA is a better bet to get a quick response to a stranded car needing a tow than the Tesla service has been. No spare tire could strand you fast somewhere.

 

[Snow Drift]

I think the question is what is the annual fee vs. the cost of towing 80 miles to the Service Center.

You need to be careful about taking a Tesla anywhere that will lift the car as the jack-points are different than a standard car (they are internal and need to be inserted, or use a hockey puck), and if an untrained place accidentally tries to lift via the battery pack there could be damage.

 

[TORQU3]

You may want to also considering doing what I do, keep a 12v compressor, some plastic to lay on, gloves, a pair of snips and needle nose pliers, and a tire plug kit in the car. Replace the rubber cement in the kit every year or so since it drys out. It's nice to be able to top off air or put in a quick plug until a proper internal one is done. I carry this same kit in all of my cars. I haven't needed it much, but when I did, I was back up and running in just a few minutes vs waiting around for a flat bed and then the subsequent tire removal and repair. You are also not at the whim of whatever tire place that is close by that will likely cause some sort of cosmetic damage to your wheels. Very few tire shops care at all about wheels.

 

[Tam]

...What is the chance of me using the service?...

Low. Very low. Until it happens to you then it's 100% high at that time.

Notice that Tesla does not cover towing for collisions while AAA does.

...Can't you just tow it to a nearby tire store?...

Yes you can but I would have jack pads ready for non-Tesla technicians so they don't damage your main battery located at the bottom.

 

[SMAlset]

We’ve maintained our AAA Plus membership after buying our Teslas. There have been other threads on this subject on TMC so you may want to search out and get more opinions on people’s reasoning one way or another. Suppose it depends on your travel and of course unless you end up with an issue it’s not needed , true of any insurance. On another thread I read on here some said his tow without AAA was super expensive, but of course there are so many variables.

If you decide to up your AAA membership look into what other benefits it offers like hotel discounts and make use of them if you are able so you at least get more out of your membership fee. Might make you feel better about the increase.

 

[run-the-joules]

I was recently stuck after heavy rain turned a dirt parking lot into a mud parking lot. Tesla roadside wouldn’t cover it, so keep in mind that AAA covers a lot that Tesla won’t. Fortunately I was able to get pulled out by alternative methods, as I had dropped my insurance roadside due to thinking it overlapped with Tesla’s. I have since signed back up for AAA

 

[jamessmooth007]

I will also say it depends on where you live. I had a battery replaced in an ICE vehicle recently and asked the AAA guy about Teslas since I'm looking to buy. He said there are only certain shops in the area that are certified to deal with Teslas. Takes a long time to tow one also. I recommend AAA, but suggest you call/chat with them to see if there are certified shops in your area.

 

[mobilesuit818]

The hack for AAA is as follows
- Buy Basic membership and dont touch it for 24 months and you will be rewarded with getting an invite for Premier.
- 1x 200 Mile tow
- 4x 100 Mile tow
- There are other perks as well but nothing is as good as the tows.

 

[Silicon Desert]

I don't think AAA is getting you much until your factory coverage runs out.
Read here: Roadside Assistance

Well, I am glad I had that membership. Like someone else said, when Tesla isn't going to tow it in an accident. There was minor damage to my front wheel area by another car in a parking lot and I had to have it towed a really long distance to a Tesla certified shop. The tow would have cost me about 8 times the cost of a one year Plus membership. I made sure that AAA sent a flatbed truck to put it on.

 

[MountainJedi]

Another option for AAA is to get the Basic and the get an upgrade as necessary if you require a longer tow. They make you wait 24 hours or you have to pay a same day charge, but if you can get your car to a safe place and wait a day, it can be a big cost savings. I just had to do this with my F150 before I bought my Tesla and it saved me several hundred dollars versus paying for a tow.

 

[mspohr]

We’ve maintained our AAA Plus membership after buying our Teslas. There have been other threads on this subject on TMC so you may want to search out and get more opinions on people’s reasoning one way or another. Suppose it depends on your travel and of course unless you end up with an issue it’s not needed , true of any insurance. On another thread I read on here some said his tow without AAA was super expensive, but of course there are so many variables.

If you decide to up your AAA membership look into what other benefits it offers like hotel discounts and make use of them if you are able so you at least get more out of your membership fee. Might make you feel better about the increase.

To me, the DMV service offered by AAA is worth every penny of the membership. DMV always has a long wait. AAA never.

 

[golfnut]

I asked this same question here a few years ago and decided after the feedback, that for less than $10/month, plus the several AAA discounts, the added peace of mind was worth it. If the price increases later, we'll make that decision then

 

[OCR1]

I purchased a spare tire that I can throw in the trunk on long trips. This gives me the option of using AAA if Tesla roadside assistance is not able to get to me quickly.

For anyone who has purchased the hockey pucks, can you recommend a specific one. Also, is there any reason to need more than one for AAA? I would assume they are just going to use an individual jack to replace a single flat tire, right?

 

[C141medic]

I purchased a spare tire that I can throw in the trunk on long trips. This gives me the option of using AAA if Tesla roadside assistance is not able to get to me quickly.

For anyone who has purchased the hockey pucks, can you recommend a specific one. Also, is there any reason to need more than one for AAA? I would assume they are just going to use an individual jack to replace a single flat tire, right?

I purchased a set of 4 from this member. Great price and decent quality.
No_petro

 

[jkoya]

I have the AAA Premier service with 200 miles of towing....but it's mainly for my 22.5 year old Acura.

 

[Silicon Desert]

To me, the DMV service offered by AAA is worth every penny of the membership. DMV always has a long wait. AAA never.

That's an interesting comment and I forgot about that. It did come in really handy when I lived in the SF bay area. Up here in Sparks, I never need to go to the DMV as I do everything either online or at one of those kiosks in the grocery store.

 

[rockdmyk]

Just a heads up i work for AAA as tow operator in the bay area unless your EXTREMELY lucky and get a certified Tesla tow operator then and only then will AAA will tow your Tesla but most likely they will tell you to go through Tesla roadside assistance to avoid any damage and if its not towed by someone who isnt Tesla certified then your warranty with them is void.

 

[jkoya]

Just a heads up i work for AAA as tow operator in the bay area unless your EXTREMELY lucky and get a certified Tesla tow operator then and only then will AAA will tow your Tesla but most likely they will tell you to go through Tesla roadside assistance to avoid any damage and if its not towed by someone who isnt Tesla certified then your warranty with them is void.

So, there are no AAA tow operators in the bay area that are Tesla certified ?