Advantages of Having an Auto Club Membership

There are a number of auto club memberships available these days and a common question for the consumer to have is, 'Will the benefits of having a membership offset what it costs me to be a member?' Figuring out whether an auto club membership will be worth the cost can be tricky because you may never have to use some of the benefits, but like an extended warranty plan on a major appliance - if you do end up needing it, you are sure glad that it's there. Let's take a quick look at what often comes as part of an auto club membership to get a better feel if they are worth your out of pocket cost to join.

Roadside Assistance

This is, in most cases, the single best benefit of an auto club, and you may never even have to use it. Most auto clubs offer twenty four hour assistance if your car breaks down for any reason. If you run out of gas, if your car overheats, if the battery is dead or if you blow out a tire and are stranded on the side of the road, day or night, rain or shine, you just call the number on your membership card and a representative from the auto club will be out to provide assistance. Whatever your annual membership fee may be, if you are stranded in the middle of no where in sub zero temperatures having someone come out to rescue you is well worth it.

There are some things you should look into about your auto clubs roadside assistance before you buy though. With some auto clubs you need to pay additional money for certain services provided or you end up paying a premium for the parts needed to get your car back on the road. You want to make sure that you are getting the most out of your membership money when it comes to the roadside assistance.

Travel Discounts

If you fancy yourself a world traveler, but you don't have quite the disposable income that many world travelers do, a membership in an auto club could be a dream come true. Many auto clubs, like AAA for example, offer their loyal customers incredible discounts on all phases of travel booked through the club. As a member you're entitled to big savings on vacation packages, plane tickets, guided tours and hotel rooms. Even if you don't log a ton of miles in your car every year, if you plan on doing a good deal of traveling then an auto club membership could certainly be worth the cost.

Other Amenities

If the roadside assistance and the travel discounts just aren't enough to convince you that an auto club membership is worth the cost, there still may be a few things to change your opinion. Many auto clubs offer their members special discounts at auto repair shops, some offer free tour guidebooks, maps and have representatives that will help you plan an upcoming trip.

So is an auto club membership worth it? The simplest answer is absolutely, if you are going to use it. The amount of money you can save on the travel, as well as all of the other potential discounts certainly make a membership in an auto club a good investment. If you book a trip or two, use the reps to help plan your travel route, purchase your plane tickets and make use of the discounts to repair your car you should be able to save much more money than the memberships cost you, but the biggest advantage you'll get from the auto club membership is the piece of mind that comes with being taken care of regardless of what trouble you encounter on the road.