Smoky...

May 28, 2009 8:27 AM

As a non-AAA member, what are my cheapest options for transporting a broken vehicle 12 miles?

Radiator cracked and began smoking off the freeway last night. Car is basically undriveable, and having already put so much money into fixing it, it's past the point of further maintenance. I just want to get it home and sell whatever's left of it on craigslist. Issue 1? Most inexpensive method to bring her 12 miles.

Thanks.

posted by Christ, what an asshole to travel & transportation (21 comments total)

The cheapest way would involve a tow rope and a friend's truck. That's also a bit dangerous. You can try calling a few local tow truck companies and compare offers. Some of them may be willing to haggle with you if their trucks are just idling somewhere. You're probably looking at around $75.
posted by Burhanistan at 8:31 AM on May 28

AAA goes with the person, not the car. The cheapest way is to find a friend with AAA and buy them dinner in exchange for coming out to your car and waiting with you for the tow truck guy to come.
posted by jessamyn at 8:42 AM on May 28 [4 favorites has favorites]

Call tow truck companies and get quotes. FYI, it might be most cost-effective to sign up for AAA and then order a tow from them. They will charge $3/mile for each mile over 3. So in your case, they'll charge $27.
posted by lunasol at 8:42 AM on May 28

Or do Jessamyn's thing. I've used friends' AAA memberships with no trouble.
posted by lunasol at 8:44 AM on May 28

The cheapest way (that doesn't involve a tow rope...) is to borrow a friend's big truck and rent a car dolly or an auto trailer. In my area, u-Haul will rent an auto trailer for around $50. They'll be resistant to a round-trip rental rather than a one-way, but I know that such a reservation can be made online.

Replace "friend with a big truck" with "friend with AAA" and the cost will probably be similar.
posted by muddgirl at 8:48 AM on May 28

FYI, it might be most cost-effective to sign up for AAA and then order a tow from them. They will charge $3/mile for each mile over 3. So in your case, they'll charge $27.

This, plus you'll have AAA for the future.
posted by InsanePenguin at 8:49 AM on May 28

If you have roadside assitance on your cellphone, just give them a call at #tow. This service usually costs about 3.95 - 4.95/ month and covers, running out of gas, a tire chance or lockout service and usually will tow you to a shop or to your house.
posted by winks007 at 8:51 AM on May 28

The cheapest way (that doesn't involve a tow rope...) is to borrow a friend's big truck and rent a car dolly or an auto trailer. In my area, u-Haul will rent an auto trailer for around $50. They'll be resistant to a round-trip rental rather than a one-way, but I know that such a reservation can be made online.

This is what I have done but it cost more than twice that. I would vote for the friend with AAA.
posted by Big_B at 9:10 AM on May 28

i recently moved upstate and rented a uhaul trailer to haul my car. they only seemed to have the kind that's a platform where you have to drive the car up onto it, which may not be possible for you if the car's really literally undriveable. so keep that in mind if you're considering this route.

i'd just sign up for AAA if it was me, because it's nice to have, and plus you get the access-to-private-dmv-counter thing (may not be available in your area) which is so worth the cost of a membership.
posted by sergeant sandwich at 9:24 AM on May 28

Unless it's an especially valuable vehicle, you might consider selling it to a scrapyard and letting them worry about the tow. You may get a little more money for it on Craigslist, but the process of finding a buyer is likely to be a time-sucking PITA, and the car will be in your way for a while. You could just hand over the title, get a little money and be done with it.
posted by jon1270 at 9:35 AM on May 28

What kind of car insurance do you have? Some have road coverage. You may, and not even know it.
posted by horsemuth at 9:35 AM on May 28

Also, AAA has a waiting period for using towing services on new signups or upgrades, I believe (I don't remember how long - 3 days, a week maybe), so a new AAA membership would be helpful only if you could leave your car where it is for a few days.
posted by horsemuth at 9:42 AM on May 28

Also, AAA has a waiting period for using towing services on new signups or upgrades, I believe (I don't remember how long - 3 days, a week maybe), so a new AAA membership would be helpful only if you could leave your car where it is for a few days.

This hasn't been the case for me. The last time I signed up for AAA, I did so via phone the very day I needed their services. Another time, I signed up from my stalled-out car, and it was towed within the hour.
posted by katillathehun at 9:49 AM on May 28 [2 favorites has favorites]

Nthng just getting AAA. It really is quite a bargain overall. They have a AAA Plus version which is free towing/assistance for up to 100 miles. Costs more obviously (but not unreasonable - under $100/year I think). I can't even tell you how useful its been when I needed to have a rental truck (for work) towed 90 miles across Nevada's rural interior, over sagebrush and two-track roads, or needed them to drive out and jack a door when some idiot newb field crewperson locked the keys in the truck in the middle of nowhere.
posted by elendil71 at 9:53 AM on May 28

Huh. Maybe it's an individual branch thing. I had exactly the experience that I described about 5 years ago (CT. ) so I would ask. But I agree, it is worth it.
posted by horsemuth at 9:59 AM on May 28

Call your car insurance company and ask if you already have a roadside assistance plan.
posted by zippy at 10:16 AM on May 28

You can sign up for AAA over the phone while stranded and then they will send a truck. However, you probably already have some coverage with your auto insurance.
posted by caddis at 10:36 AM on May 28

If you do a U-Haul rental, just drop it off at the next closest location. Since they can't track the miles ont he trailer, they'll bill for the distance between the two locations. I once did about 300 miles on a 7 mile rental. I would feel bad about it, except for the fact that U-Haul keeps killing people.
posted by krisak at 11:43 AM on May 28

caddis - be warned, many insurance companies will add it to your insurance history if you use their coverage. That can often make it cost more to switch to another company.
posted by krisak at 11:45 AM on May 28

Nthing call your call insurance.
posted by doorsfan at 11:47 AM on May 28

call your insurance company. they might have a towing policy. i get free unlimited towing
posted by radioamy at 8:51 AM on May 29