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Friday, February 3rd
Based out of New York, Auto Road Service has been in business since 1979 providing roadside assistance and automotive extended warranty coverage. They handle over 4 million roadside assistance calls annually and pride themselves on their customer service and professionalism. With a simple online request or a quick phone call, Auto Road Service can help you in a roadside emergency 24/7 if you live within the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
Great leadership
Auto Road Service is a sister company to Auto Advantage Inc. and The Warranty Center, two companies that offer auto insurance. Their website gives us more of a "we might steal your credit card information" vibe than a "call us if you're stranded on the side of the road and we will save you" vibe. Nevertheless, the sister company that runs Auto Road Service has an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau with all customers giving them a 5 out of 5 star rating for their services. As it turns out, one of the best things about the business is the CEO, Hal Moses, who has gained the loyalty of many customers who have nothing but great things to say about him.
Basic plans
There are two Roadside Assistance plans offered by Auto Road Service. Unfortunately their website is wordy and not straightforward, so it's not easy to get clear details on each plan. From what we can tell, there is a basic plan that gives a 35 mile towing allowance, battery jump, flat tire assistance, fuel delivery, vehicle winching, and lockout services. The premier long-distance plan is the second option and offers all the same things, but you get a 100 mile tow allowance. Both plans come with 3 roadside assistance membership claims per year. Once you sign up for a membership, there is a 72-hour processing period before it goes into effect.
Too many pricing options
Pricing isn't listed on their website unless you go to "Purchase Now" and begin the checkout process. There is a drop-down list of coverage options that include:
Call customer service for clarity
You are likely just as confused as we are about each of these plans and exactly what they entail. Luckily, when we reached out to customer service, they promptly answered, so we recommend giving them a call and getting more details on whichever tier of Roadside Assistance you're interested in and what it covers.
Overly specific refund policy
In the event that you call Auto Road Service and they are not able to reach you in your geographical area, the membership program offers a $100 reimbursement. If at any time you decide to cancel your policy with Auto Road Service, you can get a refund...sometimes. New monthly memberships and new annual or longer memberships need to be cancelled within 72 hours to be eligible for a full refund. If an annual or longer membership is cancelled within 30 days, but after the 72 hour period, you'll be refunded the annual fee minus one month's membership. After 30 days, nothing is refundable. Did you catch all that?
Has heart, but lacks organization
We feel like this is a small company run by great people who could use some help on the business policies and plans side of things to make things more clear for customers. Their Roadside Assistance plans are very basic and you also get some car rental discounts, travel discounts, and theme park discounts with your membership. If you like the prices and what customers have to say about Auto Road Service, give their customer service team a call and work out a policy with them that is right for you.
Whether you're just running errands around town or you're cruising along on your family road trip, having your car break down is an extremely frustrating event. It completely throws off your day and sometimes even leaves you in danger. Having a reliable Roadside Assistance plan takes a load off by having someone quickly come to your rescue and help you figure out the next steps to get your car back up and running.
Sometimes we don't think about unfortunate circumstances like a car breaking down until they happen and we are left without options. It's important to plan ahead and evaluate which of the many Roadside Assistance plans fit your circumstances so that you don't have to worry about unforeseen car troubles that will inevitably happen. Plans might include towing, jump-starts, fuel delivery, theft protection, lockouts, tire changes, and more.
You can customize your plans with additional add-ons like trip interruption coverage or even financial assistance with legal defense help if you get a speeding ticket. The cost for Roadside Assistance will depend on the plan you choose. Most plans allow for you to use your coverage regardless of who owns the car you're driving and you can easily get protection for the whole family.
When shopping for a Roadside Assistance provider, here are a few important things to consider:
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