AAA agrees to come and install your usable spare, or tow you up to X miles (varies with membership) to a place that can fix the car. As others state, the towing can be risky, especially if the driver isn't careful. Bent suspension bits and damaged spoilers seem to be too common. The closest place that can fix the car may or may not be the place you'd like to end up. It may not be a name-brand tire store, and the place may not be open when you get dropped off. They may need to special-order the tire from "their warehouse", with rush delivery costs for same-day service. No cost caps for this part.

I have never needed to use the spare on my car. I tested the jack once, carefully, with a rubber pad to protect it and the jack point during the test. But as my luck would go, the time I decide to take it out would be right before I managed to damage a tire more than 100 miles from home. Might be out of cell range and well outside the normal AAA operating area. A whole day could be trashed easily just with logistics.


I remember a certain Bill Ball that used the factory jack and some handy nearby rocks to get the rear of his S4 up high enough to remove part of the exhaust on a hot and lonely desert roadside. This after rolling over some road trash that bounced around underneath and -completely- flattened one of the exhaust pipes. I don't particularly want to use the jack for that, but it's nice to know I could if needed.

 

You use 2 nice wide ratchet action tie downs and depress the valve while you cinch them down - take your time...

I have used my 928 jack and spare twice - I too find it more convenient than waiting for
"Professional" help... Just be careful.

On all my cars I have a spare tire, tire repair kit and inflator - in my truck I could be in the middle of nowhere (and often am) - and I only have one spare tire - just try getting AAA towing to visit you in 4x4 territory...

Alan