I've been thinking a lot about past purchases over the past few months, looking at things that I've bought that perhaps weren't the best choice for me. After all my car trouble last week, I've been thinking about my current car battery.
As I mentioned I am an AAA member, and in the summer of 2007, while I was studying for the bar exam, I left bar review courses to find my car dead in the parking lot. I called AAA and they showed up to jump my car.
A quick diagnostic test showed my battery was dead. My options were then to go get a battery and install it myself (after first learning how to install a battery), find someone who could install it for me, have the car towed to a shop and get a battery there, or have AAA install a battery right there.
AAA clearly wins for the convenience factor, but what about the price?
The Price of AAA Car Batteries
AAA car batteries cost upwards of $115.
Yes. $115. I believe car batteries run in the $50-$75 range, with some outliers.
This battery did come with a three year free replacement warranty, and then replacement at a discounted price for the three years after that. So really, I paid $115 for a three year battery. But really, what I paid for was the convenience.
At that time, I was under enough stress with studying for the bar exam and focusing on moving to the D.C. area and everything else going on in my life. I didn't need any more stress. So paying the extra money for the quick fix was worth it.
Would I Do It Again
Would I make the same choice today? It would depend on where I was when the battery died.
If my car wouldn't start in my parking lot, then maybe not. If I were out running errands, the answer might be different. Part of it depends on whether or not I can find someone to help me change the battery. If I have to get it towed, that price has to be factored in.
Of course, if my battery dies in the next few years, I'm calling AAA simply because of the warranty. I paid for the service and I am absolutely going to be sure I get it.
So this past purchase? More expensive than it could have been, but probably worth the extra price. If only I could say that about all of my past purchases!
Have you ever bought a AAA car battery before? How'd that go for you?