Roadside Recovery: AutoAid Feedback

We have used AutoAid for years, and they've been fine on the couple of occasions we've had to call them out.

But, and this is a big but, I would caution anyone against using a "pay and claim" type recovery operator unless they can guarantee always having a credit card on them with sufficient credit available to pay a bill of a few hundred pounds.

Bear in mind that, if you have a major vehicle problem miles from home, the costs of recovering your vehicle hundreds of miles could easily be a few hundred pounds or more.

With AutoAid, you will have to settle this on the spot and then claim it back.

I have no quibble at all with their service, and they pay up within a week, but you do need to have the credit available to avoid getting stranded.

So, if you feel you will always have a few hundred pounds credit available in an emergency, choose AutoAid. If you are worried that your breakdown may happen when you are all spent up, go with a non "pay and claim" operator.

Hope that helps.

MarkyMarkD wrote:

But, and this is a big but, I would caution anyone against using a "pay and claim" type recovery operator unless they can guarantee always having a credit card on them with sufficient credit available to pay a bill of a few hundred pounds.

With AutoAid, you will have to settle this on the spot and then claim it back.

I signed up to AutoAid a few months back after reading Martin's guide on here. Thankfully I haven't had to claim yet but I thought I remembered reading on one of the discussion threads before that you could ask them to send out a recovery operator that would be willing to invoice rather than pay on the spot? I tend to always have a credit card with me anyway but thought the invoicing option might be appealing for some people if I'm correct - can anyone confirm?

Cheers

Alan

Interesting point, Alan. I thought that paying at the time was compulsory but, to be honest, it didn't bother me much either way.

I've been with the AA since I started driving up until last year when through this site, I discovered Autoaid.
In my time with the AA, I called them out a handful of times; the last being last year when they left me standed for 4 hours! Service up until then had been a mixture of good, ok and bad.
The last one was too much and thought nothing to lose by switching to autoaid.
During the last 12 months, I've used them 3 times! First, my immobiliser packed up, and they sent someone within the hour who managed to get me going again.
Second, on holiday in a different family car, the diesel pump packed up.
Couldn't fix it so towed us back to our holiday accommodation where we were due to leave the next day. They then came back the following day (different firm) to recover us 110 miles home! Both covered under the policy.
Finally, last Friday in yet another car (replacement for the one with the dodgy immobilser!), the under engine cover fell down (after garage work on my LPG system) on the Dartford bridge. Limped to the tolls and called them out as I didn't have the tools to remove the cover myself (and not dressed for crawling under the car in a suit!). 25 minutes later, a truck turns up, removes the cover and I'm on my way again.

All occasions have been paid up quickly and in full. Must be in excess of £500 over the year and they even invited me back for renewal
I posted my last claim last saturday for fridays breakdown and the cheque arrived on Wednesday.

It covers your spouse too.

I would recommend them to everyone without hesitation. No long waits, generous cover (two stage recovery) and very prompt payment. All for £32!

If you are thinking about joining, do it now; before I bankrupt them