One of the basic services nearly every auto club provides is roadside assistance. With just a quick phone call, the auto club can send help to change a tire, bring you gasoline, jump start your engine, or tow you to a garage if your car experiences a serious mechanical problem or is involved in an accident. Generally there is no extra charge for most of these services, they are paid for out of your membership fees.
For those hitting the open road, many auto clubs offer free roads maps and customized highway guides. If you order a guide, simple tell the auto club your departure point and your destination. They will assemble a guide to get you there safely over the shortest direct route, which helps save money on gasoline. The guide will also point out areas of highway construction, list detours, elapsed mileage, and other helpful information
Many auto clubs offer their members the added benefit of discounts at hotels, theme parks, rental car agencies, and movie tickets. Some auto clubs also rate hotels and motels based upon the quality of their facilities and provide this information to their members. As auto club members may account for a significant portion of their business, hotel, motel, and resort owners make extra efforts to ensure their accommodations earn favorable ratings.
Many large auto clubs also offer auto, life, and homeowners insurance to their members at specially discounted rates. By leveraging their huge membership base, some auto clubs are able to exact substantial rate reductions from many primary insurance providers.
Another benefit provided by auto clubs is driving instruction. Classes are offered for beginner teen drivers, senior citizens whose driving skills may have become a bit rusty, and defensive driving courses as well. Completion of a defensive driving course can often result in a reduction in a member's auto insurance rate, as well as point forgiveness by their home state's DMV.
The larger the membership of an auto club, the more pricing leverage the club has with retails. Some auto clubs even negotiate discounts on eye glasses, convenience store coffee, museum admissions, and even cell phone service. Many auto club members insist that the value of the benefits they receive far exceeds the annual cost of membership.
