Is it worth joining the AA

[sprag]

Hi Guys/Girls

Just after some advice, thinking about joining the AA, had a look over there website and see that there are 2 options,

Personal Membership for $90 odd (as i am in auckland)
or
AA Plus for about $140

Now I have looked over the website however it does not really say what it covers for motorbikes (its aimed more for car users)

So my question is, who has it, how many times have you used it (on a bike), what kind of membership people have (personal or AA plus) and what does it really cover when it comes to bikes.

Any help would be great

Cheers

[jrandom]

I have Plus.

Free flatbedding to and from anywhere in the country for cars and bikes when you need it.

It's totally worth it.

[pritch]

I was an AA member for many years. I used the AA to import a car in to this country when such things were done quite often. Apart from getting free maps I hadn't used their service for many years and was starting to wonder why I was still paying a sub.

One day my van broke down on the Paraparas. The tow truck driver explained to me that they can charge anything they like (and if you're stuck way up the Paraparas your bargaining position is not very strong...). As an AA member though there is a set rate and that is all they can charge. The towie told me I had saved several years worth of membership in one day.

I know none of that relates to bikes which is of limited help to you. Currently I'm not a member of the AA, I use the Honda Riders Club which has a 24/7 0800 breakdown service. I have only ever seen one report of anybody using the HRCNZ service and that was favourable.

[Swoop]

Have been a member for quite a few years and I'm sure that I pay around $70pa for membership.

Had the cage die on the side of the M-way. Callout boy couldn't fix it and a tow cost all of $15-. The rest was covered by AA.

Gotta love those alcoholics eh?

[90s]

I have only used them once for the bike.
They are not really set up to deal with bikes, and even giving the information to the call centre confuses them. They send someone out, but you will be lucky to get a mechanic that will touch bikes. From what they told me they just usually send the flatbed after the car has confirmed he can't fix it, so its a long wait.
Search the forum and there were some earlier threads about the AA and contractors picking bikes up and damaging them - pulling them up onto a flatbed, transporting incorrectly etc.

However, if you are not on a honda the options are strictly limited for alternatives, and stuck out in the middle of beyond they will rescue you in some way eventually.

Despite what it may read like, better to have them than not I reckon.

[Freakshow]

I have been a standard memeber for a few years and the subs and discounts start helping so it becomes less of a problem. I have just upgraded to AA plus for the cover when you are out of town. So if I breakdown they will pick up the vehicle (car or bike) and either get it fixed or take it home for me and give me a rental so I can finish the intended trip. So far I have used it for when I lock the keys in the car!

[judecatmad]

We've got AA standard membership (for me) and AA Plus (for Dave). We work on the basis that if I'm out and about on my own, chances are Dave's going to be somewhere local-ish so if anything happens, he can come help me. But if he's out and about on his own, and can't sort the car or bike out, he's screwed and needs the extra cover!

I did make contact with them when I read one of the threads on here about the AA not helping bikes out, and they confirmed that their membership DOES cover bike problems too. Altho like others have said, chances are it'll be a long wait cos they seem to always have to send the car before they'll send the truck - even if you know there's no help the car can give.

Also, with the standard AA membership, it's not true that towies can only charge you a fixed fee - the AA will pay a fixed amount towards your towing costs, but the towie can charge what he likes. We had a catastrophic water pump failure in the Mitzi one ANZAC day. We were on the way back to Takapuna from Pukekohe - we went the scenic route and broke down in the wopwops. We had a 4 hour wait for the car (even tho there wasn't a shit show in hell he'd be able to help) and even then it wasn't an AA car, it was an AA contracted guy. He then told us that our only options were to get the car home ourselves somehow or to have the AA call someone out - but cos it was a public holiday he had no idea what we'd be charged and cos we needed to go such a long way to get home it was likely to be stupidly expensive We ended up sorting it out ourselves through a family member.

Was a bit of a shock actually cos it was the first time I'd had to be towed over here. I was used to the UK where your membership covered all towing costs if towing was needed.

[DingoZ]

Hi ya, Was offered an AA membership when I got my licence, declined as my insurance company covers me (yes breakdown/accident recovery for bikes) in full. So thought kind of silly to be paying two lots of money for basically the same thing.

Have a really good talk with some insurance firms as most will provide breakdown/emergency roadside assist. Just got to find the one that will provide that for a bike....

[The Pastor]

I'd just get a mate to trailer my bike home for me _b

[sprag]

Hi ya, Was offered an AA membership when I got my licence, declined as my insurance company covers me (yes breakdown/accident recovery for bikes) in full. So thought kind of silly to be paying two lots of money for basically the same thing.

Have a really good talk with some insurance firms as most will provide breakdown/emergency roadside assist. Just got to find the one that will provide that for a bike....

Well i rang state the other night and said that there road side thing was only for cars, and dont really want to change from state as I get a good deal with them.

Might just have to go for the AA plus thing i guess, might just get it for my own xmas present lol.

but if anyone else has things to add please do.

[BevanPT]

Joined AA when I was about 18 after car broke down in Taihape. Organising tow and everything on a Sunday was a nightmare and cost a bomb. Since joining they've helped me with my car numerous times. Had to get a tow once from north of Waiwera to Whenuapai which cost $80. AA do only pay a certain amount towards towing and it depends on where you are and where you want vehicle delivered to. Been a member now for 10 years and entitled to unlimited callouts as well as discounts on annual fees.

I've only had good experiences with the bike as well. Broke down in Otahuhu one day with a faulty something or rather that was buggering the battery. AA guy did all the checks he could, but unable to fix. Transporter from Otahuhu to Red Baron cost $20. Have had them out in the middle of the night to transport bike home. No problems with their treatment of tying it down and transporting safely. Last problem was a month ago. After coming home from overseas, what little fuel I had left in the tank had gone stale. AA guy diagnosed problem pretty quick and fixed it. Helped that he was a biker himself as well.

All in all, AA has been worth it for me. Additional bonus is points earned for buying petrol turns into $20 gift vouchers every so often.

[Own3d]

Hey all,
I've had (standard) membership for 6 yrs, since I turned 15. I have used it many times for lock outs (till I bought a decent car with remote locking lol), flat batteries, also when a mates ute dropped the driveshaft along the Wellie motorway....

I have used them twice with a bike, both times for a flat battery, and while not very knowledgeable about bikes, they were keen to learn, and I knew how it all worked anyways.

They have in the past towed me 10km home for free when my old car suffered catastrophic engine failure at 10pm on a Sunday night.

Im only paying about $45pa now as I've been a member for over 5 yrs.

Highly recommend them!

Cheers,
Si

[UberRhys]

I have only used them once for the bike.
They are not really set up to deal with bikes, and even giving the information to the call centre confuses them. They send someone out, but you will be lucky to get a mechanic that will touch bikes. From what they told me they just usually send the flatbed after the car has confirmed he can't fix it, so its a long wait.
Search the forum and there were some earlier threads about the AA and contractors picking bikes up and damaging them - pulling them up onto a flatbed, transporting incorrectly etc.

However, if you are not on a honda the options are strictly limited for alternatives, and stuck out in the middle of beyond they will rescue you in some way eventually.

Despite what it may read like, better to have them than not I reckon.

Hey all,
I've had (standard) membership for 6 yrs, since I turned 15. I have used it many times for lock outs (till I bought a decent car with remote locking lol), flat batteries, also when a mates ute dropped the driveshaft along the Wellie motorway....

I have used them twice with a bike, both times for a flat battery, and while not very knowledgeable about bikes, they were keen to learn, and I knew how it all worked anyways.

They have in the past towed me 10km home for free when my old car suffered catastrophic engine failure at 10pm on a Sunday night.

Im only paying about $45pa now as I've been a member for over 5 yrs.

Highly recommend them!

Cheers,
Si

I have had membership with the AA since "Jan 1993" (just checked the card) and it does pay for itself over time. Most recently I got caught out and had to give them a call to come to help me out. The people at the call centre didn't even blink when I explained the situation - broken down Vespa on a Karaka back road. I helped the guy get it on the flat bed and strapped it down, showing the towie how to do it properly and he was stoked. He dropped it off at my home safe and sound.

I have seen another towie treat a buy back from an insurance write-off with no respect. He was huge, like he was training for a strong man competition and just picked up the bike and threw it on the flat bed strapping it down on it's side! Fluids leaking everywhere... Another time in the cage I had the brakes bind down in the Tron, call to the AA and they sent a towie who hauled me all the way back to Auckland free of charge. Now thats what i call service...

[cold comfort]

Sorry to be negative here. Was a member for yrs and still ended up fixing the problems myself on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere (no cell phones then). Had a car tested prepurchase. Detailed reports on paint condition,surface scratches, rattly dash, etc but they didn't heat the engine up long enough to spot that the cooling system leaked like a sieve (not visible) and overheated. Sigh,-back to DIY again!. Cancelled membership. Might look at insurance co. roadside assit cover b4 next trip tho.

[Mikkel]

Am a plus member myself and have called on them to help with car issues a couple of times (lock-out and flat battery coming back from overseas).
I can only say they have been prompt and their contracters competent.

Warmly recommend it.

Obviously, if you're on a trip some places will not have cell phone coverage and you'll have to walk/hitch to the nearest farm or town in order to get a callout.