Posts Tagged ‘battery’
Roadside Assistance: Better Than Just Towing
Car problems will usually occur at the most inconvenient time. With so many vehicles on road, every driver should think about what they would do if their car suddenly broke down and they were stranded on the side of the road. There was a time when the only resource a driver had was a local towing company. Local towing services are not always open and their location may be far away from where the car is located. Once a towing service arrives, people will usually have to get their car towed to the closest garage. Individual towing expenses can be expensive and you may end up paying more for a repair, especially if you are not familiar with the car repair shop. Fortunately, there are many companies that offer roadside assistant memberships that include towing fees with their service.
Depending on which road side plan and company you choose, they can provide a number of added benefits over the service of a regular towing company:
- Roadside plans will cover a variety of vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, company cars, SUVs, and RVs.
- Roadside assistance plans will usually cover you whether you are the driver or a passenger
- Many roadside assistance plans will reimburse for costs of repairs if you arrange for your own repair when the plan can’t find anyone to help you in a reasonable amount of time.
- Auto clubs provide 24-hour assistance and towing practically anywhere in the U.S. The service will cover any accessible road. Most auto clubs allow a certain numbers of roadside assistance tows each year. This service is a good investment because you will end up saving more money than if you used a regular towing company.
- Roadside assistance packages normally include: battery boost, tire change, parts delivery, towing or wrecker service, winching services, freeing a locked key, replacing lost keys, unfreezing “frozen” locks, replacing broken keys, delivery of emergency gasoline or other fluids, spare-tire installation, and accident or breakdown reimbursement.
- Manufacturer supported roadside assistance generally requires a tow to the nearest car dealership. This may not be helpful if the problem is not covered under a manufacturer’s warranty. For instance, tires are not usually covered. Auto clubs do not mandate what garage you can have your car towed. Your towing fees will be covered under the membership.
- Increased competition among auto clubs has kept costs low. If you have an older car, a membership can be an inexpensive method of protection. As an incentive, some cell phone and credit card companies offer roadside assistance plans.
- Auto club companies also offer members travel services, complimentary maps and guidebooks, and discounts for partner services such as hotels. You can often add bicycle roadside assistance coverage to an auto program You can also receive free road atlases, trip routing, travel assistance, and bereavement assistance. Free custom trip routing can include detailed trip planning, mileage guides, destination brochures, information on road conditions, camping locations, and more.
- If your vehicle is trapped in the mud or a ditch, roadside assistance will have someone come out and pull you out.
- Provide legal fees for speeding or moving traffic law violations.
- Travel assistance to reimburse drivers for vehicle rental and/or travel expenses when the vehicle is stolen or disabled due to an accident. This can include car rental, hotels, meals, and public transportation.
- Provide medical assistance such as doctor referrals and cover costs of a hospital stay.
Roadside assistance service plans are quickly becoming a popular choice for drivers. When traveling late at night or long distances, it will give you peace of mind knowing that help is only a phone call away.Member driven organization delivering Roadside Assistance, car insurance, travel, home and auto insurance.
Roadside Assistance: Not Only Necessary in Winter Time
With so much time spent in our cars, purchasing a roadside assistance membership has become an essential part of owning a car. Many people feel that having roadside assistance is only necessary if you live in an area where there is a lot of snow and it is very cold. Roadside assistance is not just necessary for winter time. The following details why road side assistance is necessary all year long:
Vehicle Battery Problems: Batteries do not die just in the winter. Batteries die for a number of reasons such as alternator failure, headlights left on, and the inside light not left on. Roadside assistance can help with a tow or even jump your battery.
Flat Tires: A tire can go flat at any time of the year. You might run over a nail or have worn tires. Roadside assistance will be there to change your flat tire to the spare.
Locked Out Of Vehicle: Each year, many people lose their keys or lock themselves out of their vehicle with the keys still inside. Roadside assistance can send someone out to unlock the door. Locksmiths are usually a part of a roadside assistance plan.
Vehicle Stuck: If your vehicle is stuck in the mud or a ditch, road side assistance will have someone come out and pull you out.
Out of Gas: If you are low on gas and traveling on a long stretch of highway with no gas stations close by, you may run out of gas. Roadside assistance will send someone out with enough gas to get you to the next gas station.
Towing: You never know what is gong on under the hood of a vehicle that may result in a vehicle breaking down. If you do break down, roadside assistance will provide you with a towing service. It is included in the price of the roadside assistance package.
Roadside assistance companies provide a toll free number that is listed on the membership card. Members can call for emergency roadside assistance 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They will even provide assistance on holidays. A membership covers emergency services that are listed on the providers contract.
Depending on which roadside provider you choose, a membership will have a number of other benefits that include:
Trip Planning: Many roadside assistance companies will provide free state, city, and regional maps. Current maps will be sent out free of charge. They will also provide driving directions for any trips you will be taking. They can send them to you by standard mail fax, phone, or email.
Hotel Discounts: Many roadside assistance providers will provide discounts on hotels and motels. Many of the discounts are for hotel chains such as Best Western..
Car Rental Discounts: If you need to rent a car, many roadside assistance plans will provide discounts for major car rental companies.
Emergency Travel Expenses: If you have a collision while on vacation, many roadside assistance companies will provide reimbursement for certain expenses.
Legal Expenses: There many roadside assistance providers who will reimburse you for attorney fees if you have to appear in court as a result of a traffic violation
Not all roadside assistance companies offer the same benefits. When searching for a roadside assistance provider it is important to learn about all of the benefits they offer. Once you have an understanding about the benefits offered, look at the cost of a membership. Prices will vary for each company. It is important to remember that roadside assistance will ensure that you are never left stranded on a road. It will give you peace of mind when you are traveling along the many highways and byways.Auto Club offering emergency roadside assistance, travel packages and caa insurance in Ontario.
Scooters 8 Times More Likely To Be Targeted By Thieves Than Cars
A recent survey carried out by the UK’s only independent manufacture of electronic bike security, Acumen, has suggested that scooter riders are either blissfully unaware that their scooter is more likely to be targeted by thieves, despite these machines being one of the top targeted groups for theft in the UK.
The Bike Theft Index shows that bikes are more likely to be stolen than cars. The lower powered machines, typically those less then 125cc are most susceptible to theft. This lower cc indicates that scooters and mopeds are most at risk and are twice as likely to be stolen than larger cc bikes and a staggering eight times more at risk then cars.
The figures are believed to be so high because the vast majority of scooter owners think that higher powered machines are the bikes which are more likely to be targeted by thieves. As such a staggering 40% of scooter owners had no immobilisers fitted, whilst a further 12% surveyed admitted to having no additional security measures on their machines.
If scooter owners fitted an electronic engine immobiliser it would be virtually impossible for their scooter to be hot-wired. Furthermore these devices are typically lower to buy than the theft excess on their insurance policy.
To help reduce the risk the manufacturer’s Acumen have designed and developed an engine immobiliser specifically for lower cc machines which automatically immobilises the machine 30 seconds after the ignition is turned off. This device is unlike other immobilisers in as much as it requires no power from the machine’s battery as it features an internal battery supply which automatically recharges every time the scooter is ridden. The unit is small enough to fit into the smallest of spaces and the microprocessor is fully waterproof.
Additional security measures can also be applied such as alarms and ensuring that the scooter is always securely chained when parked in public places. The relatively inexpensive deterrents from theft may well worth investing in as many insurance companies will offer discounts to riders with astute minds and have anti-theft devices installed, as well as using common sense by keeping their scooter in a securely locked garage when not in use.
Summer is the time of year when theft of scooters is most prominent. This could be due to more people taking advantage of the dry weather conditions, along with the lower running costs and cost effective mileage one gains from riding a lower cc machine.
Scooters have been the preferred choice of transport for many years. The heady days of hundreds of scooters descending on seaside towns in the summers may not be as prevalent as it was in the 1950s and 60s, however those who have older scooters, complete with the numerous mirrors and the traditional ‘tiger’s tail’ can still be seen on the roads and at specially organised scooter enthusiast meetings across the country.
Finding cheap scooter insurance can be achieved, especially if insurance companies are informed of any anti-theft devices which are installed, as this reduces the risk of the machine being stolen.Swinton offer Cheap Scooter Insurance