You're overpaying. State Farm tries to push that on me all the time, $5-6 a year per vehicle. NOPE!
Interesting Experience with Toyota Roadside Assistance Tonight
- Thread starter john_pifer
- Start date
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Unfortunately 180 degrees from my last roadside assistance experience. FCA sent one of our two large local tow outfits. The guy was courteous and professional and in an properly equipped vehicle (full-blown tow truck).
I carry a small floor jack and several 4 to 6 inch boards in case the side of the road is soft. Carry contractor bags to lay on and put dirty tire in or on. Long half inch breaker bar and impact grade long 6 point sockets. Jumper cables and wire ties a few hose clamps and garden gloves. Also a 12 volt air compressor. My daughter has changed many tires for 20 year old friends that had no idea how to do anything. Dads please teach your kids the basics of how to safely stand on the left side of the breaker bar while vehicle is still on ground. How to use a small hydraulic jack and where to put it. Put a few red paint marks on your frame. Wont hurt anything.
Now the op. I am not saying your pregnant wife or anyone watching kids needs to be crawling under cars on the side of the road.. but having a few tools and flashlights can be just the ticket in an emergency..
I keep the name of a very professional towing / road service outfit in my phone. Needed a tow twice when ford fuel pumps gave it up.
Comes down to this.. its your car.. its your responsibility to be able to get things fixed on the side of the road.
Now the op. I am not saying your pregnant wife or anyone watching kids needs to be crawling under cars on the side of the road.. but having a few tools and flashlights can be just the ticket in an emergency..
I keep the name of a very professional towing / road service outfit in my phone. Needed a tow twice when ford fuel pumps gave it up.
Comes down to this.. its your car.. its your responsibility to be able to get things fixed on the side of the road.
Supposedly, Lexus uses AAA for roadside assistance during the car’s basic warranty period - shocked that Toyota won’t do the same to keep things simple on their end.
I’ve seen too many fly-by-night operations in the Bay Area as “roadside assistance”. My favorite one to see is Auto Rescue - they usually pull up in a beat up truck or SUV with little in the way for tools or supplies.
I’ve seen too many fly-by-night operations in the Bay Area as “roadside assistance”. My favorite one to see is Auto Rescue - they usually pull up in a beat up truck or SUV with little in the way for tools or supplies.
Toyota's brochure (does anyone actually use brochures anymore?) or ad copy probably says somthing like:
"A well-trained, qualified, competent, professional will quickly show up to assist you ."
"A well-trained, qualified, competent, professional will quickly show up to assist you ."
Imagine how this might have played out if your wife drove a Supra. 
trained contractor? LOL. most of the guys i have seen are just doing this as a side gig. its like uber, you have a bunch of guys in the area that are in the network. they get paid per job. have read its $15 to $20 . if its gas, tire change or jump these guys will probably show up. if it needs a tow they will call a tow company . locked out then if your lucky a real locksmith .
the only company that seems to have real staff is AAA and that is usually only in big areas .
the only company that seems to have real staff is AAA and that is usually only in big areas .
My gf called kia for a similar experience, they sent some 18 year old kid with the same type of jack but it would work on with an optima. He first jacked on the wrong point and completely busted the side skirt loose at one point where it clips in the front right, lucky it didnt snap in half. We both looked at each other like ***. Lucky the car was a lease otherwise I wouldve been pissed. AAA in my experience provides better service than who the car companies go through.
AAA, at least the NorCal/Nevada/Utah arm has been buying up tow operators and having contracts with others.
That’s why, if I can make it to my wife’s side, I go.
Screw the free roadside.
It’s like a free oil change. Most on here wouldnt use it. Why use free roadside with a loved one?
Screw the free roadside.
It’s like a free oil change. Most on here wouldnt use it. Why use free roadside with a loved one?
Incompetence in such a 'service' is unacceptable. I'm not one to go out of my way to complain, but Toyota would definitely be getting a call. I'd also suggest some compensation for your having to leave work, to correctly do the job their contracted 'expert' couldn't handle.
I hope the wife and kiddo weren't too stressed over the situation.
I hope the wife and kiddo weren't too stressed over the situation.
Sounds like it worked out for you. I recently locked my keys in my car at the gas station and used the progressive service. It said estimated 45 minutes. I waited over an hour and the phone number I was given went right to voicemail.
Fortunately I have keyless entry but of course my door lock actuator is busted on the driver door (so i have to use the key) and I’d never gotten the keyless entry code to work for all the doors before, just the driver. Well I guess it was my lucky day I tried it a bunch of times and it eventually popped the passenger doors! I cancelled the service and let them know they never showed.
I used to be a real pro-Toyota guy. But my personal experiences have soured me on their vehicles and their support. I wrote about this before, but make sure the jack and lug wrench and tow hook are all in your vehicle. My tow truck driver friend says many vehicles need special sized lug wrenches or need that special tow hook or they can't even put the car on the tow truck. He talked about how normal it is for people to not have any of this stuff in their cars. Most of this was with used German vehicles where the new owners never even bothered to look and see if this stuff was in the trunk.
Nobody made ‘John’ leave his job that was by his own choice. A tow truck was offered, and declined.
I guess we'll agree to disagree.
Similar threads
