AutoAid Car Breakdown Discussion

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  • RL11
    RL11 Posts: 177 Forumite
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    Amorgos: What on earth happened within 14 days, that you decided to cancel?? Scam??? - doesn't seem likely that MSE would recommend a scam!

    I am thinking of signing up with them as it's recommended by MSE and it's just so cheap!

    I'm being put off by some of these recent posts but I don't think there is any breakdown company out there, that wouldn't have some customers having had a bad experience during a call out. The RAC want to charge me a ridiculous amount to renew with them, so I will be trying someone else but who will guarantee me perfect service? Unless I hear stories of them not attending a breakdown, I don't think taking a while longer than I hoped to attend or charging tiny admin fees to cancel is going to put me off.
  • EdGasket
    EdGasket Posts: 3,503 Forumite
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    Not recommended as now owned by RCI. Do your own research.
  • RL11
    RL11 Posts: 177 Forumite
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    I am doing my own research! Not recommended by you, you mean? - purely because owned by RCI now? Or because you have experience of poor breakdown service since takeover? It's still top pick on the MSE breakdown cover page.
  • EdGasket
    EdGasket Posts: 3,503 Forumite
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    Read recent autoaid reviews since RCI takeover; read reviews of RCI itself; then decide yourself.
  • zagubov
    zagubov Posts: 17,886 Forumite
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    I've read about RCI so I know what's being referred to. I haven't heard bad reviews of Autoaid since the takeover. It was working swimmingly for me in recent years and I'm due to renew soon.

    If I don't find recent negative reviews I'm happy to stick with them.
    There is no honour to be had in not knowing a thing that can be known - Danny Baker
  • tbickle
    tbickle Posts: 1 Newbie
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    Have been using Autoaid for a number of years, as recommended by MSE.

    However, with the change of ownership/administrator, the experience seems to be now completely different, and quite a deterioration of service altogether.

    For one, they now cheekily charge a "cancellation fee", and they have introduced a number of other fees. As I understand it, both the underwriters and the administrators intend to charge you on cancellation. What's more, there is no real cooling off period, so they will effectively charge you most of the amount even if you change your mind within the first two weeks.

    They claim that all these charges are sanctioned by the Financial Services Authority -- as if that somehow justifies that kind of fee-grabbing and makes the whole thing reasonable.

    Moreover, the company's telephone attitude is very unhelpful, unfriendly, and unaccommodating; very argumentative, rude (disrupting) and patronising.

    Very disappointing, and I am quite put off by this new setup.

    TB
  • scotsbob
    scotsbob Posts: 4,632 Forumite
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    Just renewed with Autoaid for another year. Been with them for 10 years now. Only had to use them three times, never a problem.


    I belong to two car clubs and virtually all the members are with Autoaid, never heard any complaints.
  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    edited 6 January 2017 at 7:35PM
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    The problem with Autoaid now is the company who bought them.

    So all previous good reviews count for nothing.

    The long running thread on RCIB gives an insight into their ways of dealing with customers!


    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2330305

    Compare that with the feedback Autoaid used to get prior to the sellout
  • oligopoly
    oligopoly Posts: 389 Forumite
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    Call me a cynic ("You're a cynic!") but a high percentage of recent posters above criticizing Autoaid are also first-time posters. Makes you wonder...
    Increasingly money-conscious
    :cool:
  • indesisiv
    indesisiv Posts: 6,359 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
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    tbickle wrote: »
    Have been using Autoaid for a number of years, as recommended by MSE.

    However, with the change of ownership/administrator, the experience seems to be now completely different, and quite a deterioration of service altogether.

    For one, they now cheekily charge a "cancellation fee", and they have introduced a number of other fees. As I understand it, both the underwriters and the administrators intend to charge you on cancellation. What's more, there is no real cooling off period, so they will effectively charge you most of the amount even if you change your mind within the first two weeks.

    They claim that all these charges are sanctioned by the Financial Services Authority -- as if that somehow justifies that kind of fee-grabbing and makes the whole thing reasonable.

    TB

    Most places now do charge a cancellation fee. However, not many people would actually be cancelling this cover. The only time you would cancel it is if you decided to stop driving. Its not car specific so you wouldn't need to cancel if you change cars.

    For something that is only £40 a year any admin fees are going to outweigh the yearly costs when cancelling in most circumstances.
    “Time is intended to be spent, not saved” - Alfred Wainwright
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