Here in NSW Australia we call the NRMA {National Road Maintanance Association}
In Victoria they call the RACV { Royal Automobile Club of Victoria }

And they will come to meet you and fix your car so you can continue on your way.
for a fee

If julies car breaks down she calls me and I get her car going again.

quote Originally posted by proff: And they will come to meet you and fix your car so you can continue on your way. for a fee

What fee? If you are a member it is free. In fact if you are not a member they wont even call out. Well they will if you join. It ha certainly gone up over the years though. I remember it being $20 then $25 then NRMA went private and the next jump was to about $45. Now it is $80.

Puffs up Chest
I dont call anyone, I push it home if I have to.

I have done all kinds of repairs on the side of the road, unless its something I cant fix with hand tools or its not safe I will fix it where it broke down. I have been towed home once and to a garage once. I was not in my car when I got towed home and I was out of state and broke a timing gear and couldnt fix it beside the road. I had everything except the timing gear but they wouldnt let me order it and leave the car sit.
Not saying I havent walked my share of times but calling assistance is the last step.

Now my wife will call and I think I will be gettting her some road insurance again next year, she has never used it but she has used her moms.

quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: Puffs up Chest I dont call anyone, I push it home if I have to.

Yeah, but they were talking Australia. Just their driveways are 200 miles long.

Puffs up chest......
My cars don't break down on the road......., only in the driveway .
Nah, I carry tools and most breakdowns are minor. Anything inconvenient and I do have roadside assistance through my insurance company. The last time I used it, I had them deliver me parts. It is also available from most cell phone providers. Usually I will call my wife to come get me and then I will go after it with my tow dolly.

If I was a member it would be AAA. American Automobile Association.

Road side assistance.

I have used them in the past, and it beat pushing the vehicle home. Especially when I am 1200 miles from home .

Brad

I call AAA. Two 'free' calls per year, they'll pop your lock or jump start/diagnose a no start, or tow you home twice a year for about $50.00.
You can even have a friends car towed, if you are there at the time.
Plus there are some other benefits.
If you drive an older car, its a must have.
Caution, for you political types: They are a lobbying organization for motorists.

Before I had AAA, my Fiero sheared a distributor rotor out in the middle of nowhere, and a sherrifs deputy drove me 10 miles to an auto parts store and back to get what I needed for a roadside fix.
That was probably a once in a lifetime lucky break, even here in the friendly city of Orlando.

[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 10-20-2008).]

quote who do you call when your car breaks down on the road?

Ghostbusters! (really my wife, but don't tell any of the guys here on the forum)

Jim

If I cant fix it myself with the tools I carry, I call a friend with a rollback. My insurance company reimburses me. If I dont want to do that for some reason, I call another friend who picks up my tow dolly (has key) at my house and brings it where I am. I do the same for him if he breaks down.

I used to carry no cell phone until 2005, I couldn't call someone if I wanted to back then. I remember lots of roadside fixes I did myself. I walked to the nearest house and asked to use their phone, called my folks once because I was 15 miles from there and the car I was driving has sprung a spontaneous oil leak and I had no oil to add. It had leaked out while driving until the dash light came on (didn't leak previously).
I called a friend of mine once because it was -15 degrees F without the wind chill in January, and I was leaving work late and my 88 S10 didn't want to start, used the phone at work for that, luckily the building was warm and I didn't get locked out. Cell phones are great for safety!

Interesting responses, I have tow in insurance for my own but most of my friends call me.

Ron

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-20-2008).]

I have AAA. Its on every vehicle including the work trucks.

I'd call the fire department, cause if it breaks down i'm going to torch the Damn thing for leaving me stranded!!

Thats why I drive the fiero so it doen't happen-LOL!!

~ Derek

quote Originally posted by Derek_85GT:

my step-dad harry! Almost every single time, even if I know what the problem is, just so I can complain to someone who gets what I'm btching about =D

Matthew
101st

AAA.

Three free tows (50 miles or less) per year, they'll bring you gas, jimmy your lock if you lock your keys in your car, they give you free maps if you go to their office, and your membership card gets you discounts just about everywhere...

My mom pays my membership for me for Christmas every year.

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 10-20-2008).]

My insurance pays tows (3 per year), emergency road service (lockouts, gas, flat tire). Costs $5.00 @ 6 months on my car coverage. With 3 vehicles, thats 9 svc calls @ yr. I dont know why people use like AAA at their prices. For all the extra money all they do is plan your trips, which Im going to plan myself anyway.

AAA.

but (beating my chest) i once replaced Polly's starter, in a parking lot of a gas station, in the snow, while my leg was in a cast and i was on crutches.
top that

I whip out the tool box and try to fix whatever the problem is if small. I have a few spare parts of the most common things that go ka-blewey! If it is bigger than that, AAA. Worth the price of admission for sure!

quote Originally posted by OKflyboy: AAA. Three free tows (50 miles or less) per year, they'll bring you gas, jimmy your lock if you lick your keys in your car....

sounds kinda kinky lol.

Last night my wheel fell off while driving through town. It was late/dark out and not exactly the type of place I wanted to be stuck. A police car showed up quickly and called the tow truck company for me. I told the officer I had AAA. They came and towed the car to their lot. The officer was nice enough to give me a ride across town so I was closer to home.

Today I go to pick up the car and have it towed to the local shop only to find out it's $166 (which I don't have and can't borrow from anyone).

Apparently the issue with AAA is that the cop called the tow truck and they say in order for them to cover it I have to make the call. Grrrrrrrrrr.

Now every day the car sits there it cost another $32. by 4am I will have probably have about $140. But come tomorrow the price will have gone up to $198.

[This message has been edited by Gecko (edited 10-20-2008).]

I think most people call God and Mother.

If i cant fix it, i get a free tow from my insurance company. Guy down the street ( works for a tow company ) has a flat bed carrier so it wont destroy my car.

Never been stuck out of their acceptable range.

If it's just a flat, I'll throw the donut on it and take it to the shop. Otherwise I call Don. I think we have roadside service with our insurance now.

Jane

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Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality

quote Originally posted by calamityjane: If it's just a flat, I'll throw the donut on it and take it to the shop. Otherwise I call Don. I think we have roadside service with our insurance now. Jane

My wife does the same thing. Im AAA, in effect.

quote Originally posted by AusFiero: What fee? . It ha certainly gone up over the years though. I remember it being $20 then $25 then NRMA went private and the next jump was to about $45. Now it is $80.

if you are memeber or not you still get a fee, depending on the distance.
i did a ingnition moudule one day and i didn't have anyone handie to i got charged $90 for a tow home at a distance of 35 km

quote Originally posted by cliffw: Puffs up chest...... My cars don't break down on the road......., only in the driveway . Nah, I carry tools and most breakdowns are minor. Anything inconvenient and I do have roadside assistance through my insurance company. The last time I used it, I had them deliver me parts. It is also available from most cell phone providers. Usually I will call my wife to come get me and then I will go after it with my tow dolly.

Ditto here Cliff mine only brake in the driveway.

But I am of course roadside assistance to my family and friends. There ain’t much I can’t fix offsite than I can here.

I hate waiting for someone else to do something to my cars.

Steve

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Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

Forget fixing something on the side of the road. Ive got triple A, i get it towed home or to the nearest family members house and fix it there.

i am the one who gets the calls. ive broke down once in 4 years. didn't have much choice, cept limp 30 miles home doing 10mph, you do the math. but anyway, i called a friend of my dad's. dad drives truck so didn't have him to call at the at particular incident.

otherwise i can call my dad and he can bring my trailer to the rescue. haha, glad i bought that baby, if i should need it.

quote Originally posted by MonteC: Forget fixing something on the side of the road.

I agree, and since I am the AAA guy in my family, I bring the car dolly with me just in case it isn't a quick fix.

quote Originally posted by proff: if you are memeber or not you still get a fee, depending on the distance. i did a ingnition moudule one day and i didn't have anyone handie to i got charged $90 for a tow home at a distance of 35 km

You got ripped off. Contact head office. I have had cars towed, cars unlocked, break downs fixed. Has never cost a cent. Hell on one tow we even got a lift home after the car got dropped at the garage. You don't pay to join roadside service to have to pay as well.

Now I don't take any car out unless its Ok
If it breaks down I call julie and tell her to bring the car trailer

quote Originally posted by AusFiero: You got ripped off. Contact head office. I have had cars towed, cars unlocked, break downs fixed. Has never cost a cent. Hell on one tow we even got a lift home after the car got dropped at the garage. You don't pay to join roadside service to have to pay as well.

I am Not a member of the NRMA

[This message has been edited by proff (edited 10-21-2008).]

AAA Plus. Because 3 100 mile free tows a year are worth it. It has saved me and my wife lots of money in the last few years of having it.

quote Originally posted by MonteC: Forget fixing something on the side of the road. Ive got triple A, i get it towed home or to the nearest family members house and fix it there.

Big Family?

I didn't have much choice in my early 20s. I went to the library and copied what I needed and fixed my own car. Sometimes hopefully before it stranded me on the roadside. I couldn't afford a tow. A family member would tow it to my place for me and tell me what I needed to fix. My uncle Sonny. He was the best.

Jane

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Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality

quote Originally posted by calamityjane: I didn't have much choice in my early 20s. I went to the library and copied what I needed and fixed my own car. Sometimes hopefully before it stranded me on the roadside. I couldn't afford a tow. A family member would tow it to my place for me and tell me what I needed to fix. My uncle Sonny. He was the best. Jane

if i was over there in the USA near your area i would be happy to help you

Perhaps we should setup the 'NFRS' ( National Fiero Rescue Service ) with some sort of central hotline to call.

1-800-dea-dcar Heh.

Got you beat.

Just Thursday night, I and a friend changed the fuel pump in my '99 Silverado. Had to drop the tank with 30 gallons of gasoline in it. Did it in a parking lot of a grain elevator with a couple of 4X4's and a 2X4 lever and basic hand tools.

Oh yeah, it was well after dark.

I don't want to do that again.

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: AAA. but (beating my chest) i once replaced Polly's starter, in a parking lot of a gas station, in the snow, while my leg was in a cast and i was on crutches. top that

quote Originally posted by 2.5: Big Family?

I travel out of state alot to see my family(ies) The wife and i were on our way to see her parents in NC and our cars timing belt broke 40 miles from her parents house, 200 miles from our house. We had it towed at 10 at night on a friday the 40 miles. Im a mechanic and her dad is a retired mechanic so we BS'ed around saturday and drank beers while we fixed the car. Then left sunday night as planned.

If i or any of my family that lives around me break down around town i just borrow my dads truck (next door) and hook on to my tow dolly. I mainly have Tripple A for out of state drives. 100 free miles is handy.

I've got AAA, used them a couple times, locked keys in car, left the lights on (darn early miata's don't a buzzer), and I had the a/c recharged and the alternator somehow got disconnected.

I can remember everytime my dad took either his Corvette or Camaro (both '69) out, half the time, they would leave under their own power and comeback on a flat bed, it was really kind of amusing.