the Price of Roadside Assistance Programs

This is a pretty all-inclusive road side assistance program. They will tow my car free of charge for up to 100 miles, and I can use my membership to get discounts on all sorts of things. It also gives me access to travel agents and insurance agents. They also help if you lock your keys in your car (something I do too often.)

Overall the quality is mixed. When I need to use the service for a roadside emergency, the quality depends on the luck of the draw. There's no telling who the nearest authorized service provider will be if you're far from a populated area. Mostly, I've had good luck, but not always. The phone customer service can really be lacking. I don't feel that I'm treated very personally when I have to call, and this includes when I use their affiliated insurance company.

Sure, most road side assistance programs offer lots of little perks, but are they really all that practical? The real value is in the main service, not the potential discount that you may get if you shop at specific places. In my experience, sales people use these things to entice you, but the real "meat" is in the size of the network and overall customer satisfaction.