Cost of AA renewal !! - long standing member

Brian_Urinal

I've just made my phone call to the AA for the renewal reduction, and have saved £73 on joint gold membership with roadside, relay and home start.

When the renewal notice arrived, the £183 looked expensive, so I checked by looking back over the old records.

Last year's renewal notice, the first time they'd offered me "Gold membership" was for £158, but that renewal date actually slipped by and the DD was paid. However, when I phoned them up just after they'd taken the money to say it was a bit more expensive than I would have liked, they refunded £50 so I got the cover for £108.

The year before that, the notifed amount was £148, and a pre-DD phone call got the cover for £99.

Today's phone call wasn't at all difficult or unpleasant, so I didn't have to "stick to my guns", threaten to leave and take my custom to The Unknown Roadside Rescue Co, or get stroppy at all, as some comments in these AA renewal threads recommend.

I simply explained the routine: I'm ringing, as I usually do, because the renewal fee is expensive, and because you offer me the same cover for a lower price.

The young man on the other end was chatty and good natured. He did read a little bit of script, but for the most part he was extemporising and we exchanged pleasantries in addition to carrying out the business. He offered me the same level of cover for £110, which I found agreeable.

I could have changed to the RAC for similar cover (for £120) or one of those other companies, but I was happy to stay with the AA. It would be nice though if they kept a record of who calls in for a price reduction and simply automated it instead of sending everyone a renewal notice with an over-inflated price.

NormalforNorfolk

My husband and I have joint AA cover and have done for many years because we both have a long drive to work and both work places are in rural areas. We have been guilty of allowing the cover to auto renew in previous years, but no longer. I have just received the renewal notification which renews in October and apparently for the pleasure of having their Gold level membership we will be charged £308 - outrageous!!

jcb208

spacey2012 wrote: »

This year I left the AA after 22 years of service.
I had had enough of having the pish taken at renewal time.
Every year I would ring up and beg to pay the same price as a new member, this year I thought do you know, this company have blown it.
Why should you beg to have the 50% existing member tax waived .

If anyone has any good idiots guides to cheap breakdown post it up, I dont understand the cash back sites very well or how to work them.

I will be doing the same .Every year I have to phone them to get the renewal price down .At renewal time I will be going to who ever gives the best deal with cashback and will just cancel the AA, who now just seem to be pricing themselves out the market , adding extras to cover that I don't want or need

NormalforNorfolk

NormalforNorfolk wrote: »

My husband and I have joint AA cover and have done for many years because we both have a long drive to work and both work places are in rural areas. We have been guilty of allowing the cover to auto renew in previous years, but no longer. I have just received the renewal notification which renews in October and apparently for the pleasure of having their Gold level membership we will be charged £308 - outrageous!!

What a result! My husband needed to change his car and as part of the deal, he gets free roadside assistance and recovery from the dealer we are buying it from - for the life of the car (up to the age of 30 - the car that is!!). This meant that I was going to reduce the membership back to single. However, I have now discovered that I can now get free roadside assistance and recovery at the garage where I get my car serviced too! The decision was obviously a complete no brainer - £308 saved!!

hadenoughtoo

17 years membership, no call out in 7 years - renewal quote (Roadside, Relay, Home Start) - £212.69. Checking online, RAC price as a new member for the same: £105.99. AA price as a new member for the same plus Stay Mobile all for £109.99!

I called the AA this morning - and got the quote down to £109.99 (but they wouldn't throw in Stay Mobile - fair enough).

When I asked about cancelling and becoming a new member (there is nothing I want from 'Gold' membership, so nothing to lose), I was told I would not be able to re-subscribe online for 6 weeks after cancelling because my details would still be held on record - the lady I spoke to (very polite and helpful, by the way) did not know if the same condition applied if subscribing by phone.

Anyway - I took the £109.99, and we're good for another year )

I still think it's a shoddy way to treat loyal members - I'm incensed enough to type this, but I guess these businesses are all at the same game, and that's just modern life. Thank God I've got access to the internet to keep things in check and publish the occassional howl of protest...

Getting_There_Slowly_2

I had to reply to this thread, not sure if anybody will believe me but here goes...

I had the most basic £50 roadside cover for one car, and cancelled my renewal telling them I simply didn't have the money and was going to do without cover.

They gave me a years cover FOR FREE! It is valid for one use only but still, happy days, I haven't used it yet and that was about six months ago. So, give that a try! Maybe they were just having a quiet week or something?

londonTiger

just phone up to cancel and tell them you got an introducry rate with rac they'll give you an unbeatable offer that is almost the same as regular rate less cashback. Can't beat that - cashback dont always get pushed through - if you can get that guaranteed it's a no brainer.

Nodding_Donkey

Last year I fell for the 'give you a discount after trying to rip you off' but this year I just thought "You know what, they've now tried to mug me off twice. Bye bye."

loveabargain13

Was just going to renew my Mums AA breakdown however there is a clause that states car must be under 10 years old, her car reg is 2002, so I gather the last 2 years she wouldn't have been covered? Where do I go to get breakdown for an older car? Was trying to get it done tonight. Thanks!

Nodding_Donkey

Try Aviva, that's where I went.