Comparing Road Assistance Services

The red battery light on your instrument panel starts to flicker ominously and takes longer to go out once the engine has started. Your engine turns over slower than usual or the car suddenly stalls during driving. These are some of the tell-tale signs that you have a faulty battery on your hands.

A flat or faulty battery is by far the biggest cause of vehicle breakdowns around the world. And this is not just a problem in older cars but in newer ones, too. Battery failure is the biggest complaint among new car owners especially in large luxury cars, cars that are not driven long enough, and in some models with smaller batteries. Battery failure frequently happens with little warning, and can catch you completely off guard. This is where a 24 hour car battery service comes in handy.

AAA vs. Insurance Companies

If you are like the average Singapore driver, racking up 13,476 miles per year, AAA is often a better roadside assistance option than an insurance company. AAA provides all basic assistance services including towing, battery jump start, mobile battery replacement, extrication and fuel delivery. But what sets them apart from most road assistance services are the perks on offer including numerous discounts and rewards for car repairs, shopping, dining, hotels and entertainment. All AAA membership tiers—Basic, Plus and Premier—are eligible for these rewards.

AAA members might not necessarily save money since there’s no guarantee they will use the service. However, they have the benefit of more predictable out-of-pocket costs since the majority of the basic services are free or come with reasonable limits.

Roadside Assistance through Vehicle Manufacturer

Majority of vehicle manufacturers offer various roadside assistance services including flat tire changes, fuel delivery, battery jump-start, lockout services and towing. The duration of the coverage varies, and can be 2-5 years of the life of the car or up to 100,000 miles.

The major limitation with this type of service is that you are restricted to getting serviced only at the manufacturer’s auto shops and dealerships. If you have an older car or need more flexibility, a third-party roadside assistance service is a better option. For people with specialty cars like a Tesla or hybrid EVs though, this might be the best option since other auto shops might not be equipped to service their particular model.

Lastly, it is worth noting that you can also get a 24 hour battery service through a credit card. Yes, some major credit cards offer free roadside assistance services for the first few miles. Hopefully, you now know where to turn to in case of a car battery issue.