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Free Towing Is Possible with These Easy Tips

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If you drive, I can almost assure you that there will come a point in your life when you need to call a tow truck.  Heck, I’m only in my early 30’s and have called a tow truck at least three times.

Whether it’s a dead battery, flat tire or your car just wants to die, a tow truck will be needed, and the costs won’t be pretty.  The average tow truck can cost $2 to $4 per mile with a minimum $75 hook-up fee.  So, doing the math, it could cost you upwards of $125+ to travel 10 miles.

But, what if I told you that there’s a way to almost get free towing or maybe you can already take advantage of it right now?

Yes, it’s possible, and I promise you that there are no strings attached!

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the many ways you can get free towing, whether it be a membership or through a service you may already have.

Take a gander at the many options below to see if you qualify and/or want to consider a few to get free towing the next time you need a tow.

How to Get a Free Car Towing Service

NOTE:  Not all of these options aren’t 100% free, per se, but it could save you a ton of cash in the near future.  I just wanted to share these tips with you to help you save big as always.

Check Your Car Warranty

All brand-new cars sold in the United States come with some of warranty.  Even if you have a used car, your warranty could still be in tact.  It really depends on the mileage and the manufacturer’s rules as to when they cut you off as they are all vary.

Usually, after your car hits 36,000 to 50,000 miles, they no longer will cover you with roadside assistance, but this isn’t always true.  Again, it depends on the manufacturer.

The cool thing about these warranties is that they often include roadside assistance, which means a service will rescue you in the case you’re stranded, including a free tow.

To know if your warranty includes roadside assistance, refer to your paperwork, visit the manufacturer’s website or even contact your dealer.  When you purchased your car, the dealer should have told you about everything your warranty includes.  You can also find information online as well.

In the table below, I included the roadside assistance your new car warranty should include, but only use this as guidance as it could change at any time.

MakeRoadside Assistance (yrs/mile)
Acura4/50,000
Alfa Romaoe4/unlimited
Audi4/unlimited
BMW4/unlimited
Buick6/70,000
Cadillac6/70,000
Chevrolet5/60,000
Chrysler5/100,000
Dodge5/100,000
Fiat4/unlimited
Genesis5/unlimited
GMC5/60,000
Honda3/36,000
Hyundai5/unlimited
Infiniti4/unlimited
Jaguar5/60,000
Jeep5/60,000
Kia5/60,000
Land Rover4/50,000
Lexus4/unlimited
Lincolnunlimited
Mazda3/36,000
Mercedes-Benz4/50,000
Mini4/unlimited
Mitsubishi5/unlimited
Nissan3/36,000
Porsche4/50,000
Ram5/100,000
Smart4/50,000
Subaru3/36,000
Tesla4/50,000
Toyota2/25,000
Volkswagen3/36,000
Volvounlimited

Again, use this table as a reference.  Always confirm with the car manufacturer before calling a roadside assistance company if your car is within that mileage/year range.  In any case, even if you were active, you would have to use their service of choice to not pay a fee.



Join AAA

AAA can offer up to 200+ miles of free towing, depending on the membership you choose.  Even if you need the tow right now, I did read that you can sign up on the spot and qualify for the tow.

For as little as $56 a year, you can be assured that you would be covered in the case you need gas, a locksmith or even towing.  It’s less than $6 a month, after all.

I know, it’s not FREE, but this membership offers so much more than just free towing.  Research the cheapest way to tow your car online and you will see so many people recommend this service.  Other perks include additional roadside service options, mobile battery service, auto repair discounts and much more.

To learn more about your membership options and how you can get up to 200 miles of free towing at any time, refer to the official link here.

Auto Insurance

If you own a car, then you’re probably paying for car insurance.  It’s the law after all.

Well, did you know that for less than a few dollars a month, you can add roadside assistance to your auto insurance policy.?

I know, it’s not free, per se, but treating it like an auto insurance bill, it can almost feel as if you were getting free towing in the case you need it.  Picture it almost like a slight increase in your bill.

Generally, as long as you have comprehensive and collision auto insurance, you can add towing assistance for less than $5 per month.

Check with your auto insurance company today to see how much it would cost you to add this add-on to your current policy.

Costco Gold Star Executive Membership

If you’re a Costco Executive member, then you automatically earn free roadside assistance only if your vehicles are covered through the auto insurance program.  It will cover up to $75 per occurrence.

If you have a membership but have yet to check out the auto insurance program, I recommend you at least do because many members do find the rates to be much cheaper, sometimes offering even more coverage for a lower cost.  It’s free to at least get a quote!

To find out more information as to how you can take advantage as a Costco member, you can do so via this link.

Check Your Credit Card

Yes, some credit cards include free roadside assistance just for being a cardholder.

Like the car warranties mentioned prior, the list is always changing, so it’s best to refer to your paperwork or even talk with the credit card company directly.

In my table below, I did some more research, but again, only take it as a reference as it may not be up to date.

Credit CardWhat You Get
American Expressdiscontinuing roadside assistance on January 1, 2020
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- United MileagePlus Club Card - - United℠ Explorer Card
towing up to five miles as well as other services up to four times a year ($50 each)
All Visaup to 5 miles (must pay $69.95 per call, so not free)

If you see your card on here, again, refer to your documentation to know how you can take advantage of free towing.

Your Cellphone Carrier

This one is odd, but your wireless provider, such as AT&T, Verizon and even Sprint will allow you to add roadside assistance to your cellphone bill.

Much like the auto insurance tip, this option isn’t free per se, but seeing it will only cost you less than $5 per month, you can treat it almost like your cellphone bill overall.

You do get towing privileges, with distance restrictions, but hey, if you use this service every two years, you’re going to come out ahead.

As I write this, AT&T charges $2.99 a month, Verizon charges $3 a month, and Sprint charges $4 per month.  At this moment, T-mobile, one of the big four, doesn’t provide roadside assistance options.

Consider the Better World Club

The Better World Club is said to be the best AAA alternative with green values.

They are the only provider for nationwide bicycle roadside assistance, but they also offer roadside assistance as well.

It doesn’t come free, unfortunately, but for as little as $58.95 a year, you can get up to five miles free towing.

Other services are provided as well, such as a battery jump start, flat tire change, lockout service and much more.

Again, I know this isn’t free towing, but this membership can easily save you cash, even if you only use it once every two years.  Picture it almost like a peace of mind while on the road since you won’t have to call a random tow truck company and pay $200 on the spot.

Final Thoughts

In the end, free towing is very possible, but it’s going to come at a small cost.

Seeing some plans only cost a few dollars a month, that’s almost as good as being free, right?

Think about it.

If you pay $3 a month and get towing for free, it would take you almost four years to break even on a $150 tow.  That’s a long time!

If you were to sign up, you can always be assured a tow truck is only a call away and it won’t cost you a cent.  Trust me, if you don’t have a roadside assistance package, you will then have to research the tow truck company, pay $150+ and then kick yourself for not paying the $3+ in the first place.  Find a two truck scam and you could pay more than double that $150!

With a roadside assistance company, they already have ties with very reputable companies and will send out the truck on their dime, saving you a lot of headaches and cash.

As always, if I’m missing any tips and/or you want to comment on what I already mentioned, you’re more than welcome to do so in the comments below.

For now, if you don’t have a roadside assistance package for free towing, I highly encourage you to do it right now so that you can save hundreds in the near future.  Trust me, it’s 100% worth it!

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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