You drive, we’ll keep an eye on the road

When Gilbert Loomis purchased the first auto insurance in the United States for $7.50 in 1897, he got coverage adapted from carriage policies written for horse bites and kicks. Today, AAA members have access to auto insurance that’s specific to everything from vandalism to damages caused by uninsured drivers. And discounted rates are available for student, mature, and safe motorists. Driving risks have changed, but what Loomis knew more than 100 years ago still applies: The road is no place to horse around.

Through July 31, get a quote on auto insurance at any AAA branch office and receive a free gift. To learn about other AAA insurance products, visit AAA.com/viainsure.

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AAA meets the iPhone

Folks with iPhones can now download two free applications: Roadside Assistance and AAA Discounts. AAA Discounts finds the nearest businesses that offer savings to members and provides directions. Roadside Assistance (available in late July) pinpoints your location and lets you report car trouble without needing to make a call. Both apps are offered through iTunes.

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Let Magellan be your copilot

The Magellan RoadMate GPS unit not only gives you spoken driving directions, it also features information from AAA TourBook guides as well as the locations of Approved Auto Repair facilities and AAA branch offices. Save 15 percent on three new models, each designed to be ultraslim and easier to use. For details, visit AAA.com/gps.

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Postcard: The Statue of Liberty

By Kristina Malsberger

Since 1972, UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre has identified 878 sites around the globe "considered to be of outstanding value to humanity." AAA Travel is a World Heritage Alliance member, and Postcard will feature a different one of these sites in each issue.

She’s our national cover girl, a gift from France to celebrate democracy, a 151-foot-tall supermodel prowling the New York Harbor catwalk in robes that are always in vogue. Consisting of 310 pieces of hammered copper assembled around an iron skeleton, Liberty Enlightening the World (Lady Liberty’s official name) was dedicated on October 28, 1886—in plenty of time to greet Albert Einstein, Irving Berlin, Cary Grant, and 12 million other immigrants who arrived at nearby Ellis Island.

On July 4, visitors will again ascend to the statue’s crown for a democratic view. (It had been off-limits since 9/11.) That she has survived countless lightning strikes and the indignities of a deodorant commercial is surprising for a woman of such thin skin, thin enough—3/32 of an inch, the height of two stacked pennies—to allow her to sway as much as three feet in strong winds. But that’s Liberty for you: bending to the forces of opposition but still standing strong. You go, girl.

The AAA Sojourns tour New York City Your Way departs year-round. For details, call (888) 586-4222 or visit AAA.com/sojourns.

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Travel Planner: July and August

July

Save Through August 31, get a 60-point vehicle inspection for just $19.95—a $40 savings—at participating Approved Auto Repair and Car Care Plus facilities. For details, call (800) 645-4288 or visit AAA.com/viacar.

Plan ahead Make cruise reservations early to savor the colors of New England’s fall foliage.

Don’t forget You can save up to 35 percent and enjoy the lowest guaranteed price on hotels when you book through AAA.com/viago. Or book your hotel and flight together and save up to $315.

August

Save Through August 16, sign up for AAA Preferred Best Western Rewards and earn a free night with two stays at any participating Best Western.To learn more, visit AAA.com/bestwestern.

Plan ahead Purchase season ski lift passes before Labor Day. Prices tend to go up in September.

Don’t forget You’ll find free road trip itineraries, discounts, and access to AAA maps and TourBook guides at AAA.com/autotrips.

Let AAA help you get where you’re going safely and on budget. Call
(888) 586-4222 or visit AAA.com/viago.

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Easy car maintenance

By Adam Ashton

Every dollar spent on car upkeep can save you $2 by warding off roadside emergencies. Start with an annual inspection and the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual. Then follow these steps to make the most of your tune-ups and to prevent a budget-busting breakdown.

▪ Stop, look, listen Repairs cost less when you catch problems early, so pay attention to signs that something is wrong. Don’t ignore the engine light if it comes on. Listen for squeaky brakes and be sure to get them inspected.

▪ Remember the Tin Man Checking your oil is one of the easiest things you can do to make sure your car runs efficiently. Going too long without changing it will make your engine wear down more quickly than it otherwise would.

▪ Watch the tires President Obama was right—properly inflated tires give you better gas mileage, and they’ll last longer. Check them at least once a month—don’t forget the spare—to be sure that they’re set at the correct air pressure.

▪ Consult with Washington Take a quarter from your change holder and press it into the center tread of your tire with George going in headfirst. If you can see all of him, it’s time to re-tire.

▪ Scrub it Looking good never hurts, and clean cars hold their value better than dirty ones. Washing and waxing yours will protect the exterior paint, too.

AAA Car Care Plus and Approved Auto Repair facilities offer one-year warranties on most repairs. For the shop nearest you, call (800) 645-4288 or visit AAA.com/viacar.

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Follow that car: a history of the rental

By Megan Mansell Williams

1916
Joe Saunders rents out a used Model T in Omaha, Neb., for 10 cents
per mile.

1918
In Chicago, Walter Jacobs, 22, starts a 12-car agency. Soon he’s making $1 million a year.

1932
Hertz opens the first rental office for air travelers at Chicago’s Midway Airport.

1954
National offers one-way rentals: Drivers can pick up a car in one city and return it elsewhere.

1986
The number of cars and trucks for rent in the United States moves past
1 million.

2009
Borrow Beverly Hills Rent-A-Car’s Bugatti Veyron for $25,000 a day.

Your AAA card saves you up to 20 percent when you rent a car from Hertz. For information and reservations, visit AAA.com/hertz.