Is it worth buying vehicle recovery (e.g. AA, RAC) for a reliable car?

powerbooksub

Hi

My renewal is up and for the first time I am wondering should I bother? In the 20+ years I have been driving I have only called them out once and that was to repair a puncture as I don't trust myself with a jack!

I guess I need to know:

1. say I broke down on the motorway and needed a tow, if i ring up AA/RAC and join on the spot will it be expensive?

2. say i break down outside my house, i am lucky enough to take the train to work. i could therefore join up at my lesiure and then call them out after a day or so. or would they smell a rat? is there a time period from when you first join when they won't come out?

sorry if these questions have already been asked but i searched on the forum and couldn't find them!

thanks
PB

rev_henry

Read Martin's guide to breakdown cover. There's a company called something like AutoAid which is £40 a year for you and your spouse (must be married not just partner unfortunately), they cover you for absolutely everything I understand - home start, recovery, onward travel etc, but its so cheap because YOU pay the recovery firm on the spot, then send the receipt in and they send you a cheque. Can work quite well if you hardly ever use it.

Alternatively, look on moneysupermarket breakdown comparison. There are companies there (smaller than AA/RAC) that charge about £50 a year I think for breakdown, home start, and recovery. Much cheaper than RAC.

wealdroam

Some answers here for RAC.

Have a look at the AA site for other info.

powerbooksub

thanks but that doesn't really answer my questions. i know how to get the cheapest deals but what i don't know is what are the costs if i have not joined and i'm not a member and then ring up AA/RAC and say "can i join please as i've broken down on the m25". will it be £30 a year to join?

if i have this info i can weigh up how it compares to me paying £40-50 quid a year for 25 years!

thanks
PB

rev_henry

powerbooksub wrote: »

thanks but that doesn't really answer my questions. i know how to get the cheapest deals but what i don't know is what are the costs if i have not joined and i'm not a member and then ring up AA/RAC and say "can i join please as i've broken down on the m25". will it be £30 a year to join?

if i have this info i can weigh up how it compares to me paying £40-50 quid a year for 25 years!

thanks
PB

If you call up to join there and then they'll charge a fortune. If you need towing off the motorway I think its £150 or something. A local independent breakdown company may be a bit cheaper but it'll still be a lot. Having said that its still less than 20 years x £50 a year so you just need to weigh it up really.

onejontwo

Why not join through a "cashback" site as I did whereas it cost me £34 minus £23 cashback = £11 per year for RAC breakdown for any vehicle I happen to be travelling in. Well worth it.

powerbooksub

thanks for the links, it says

---

Broken down but not an RAC Member?

4. Join RAC for the year - prices will differ from those online and we'll add an emergency callout charge.

---

anyone know a typical cost?

wealdroam

Typical cost? Ask them.

Did you not see the free phone numbers in those links I supplied earlier?

For the AA...

Contact us
Broken down now? Immediate cover
0800 88 77 66

For the RAC...

Don't worry - we can help even if you're not an RAC Member yet.
Call 0800 197 7815

opinions4u

Very simple.

Buy RAC via Top Cashback this year.

The buy AA via Top Cashback next year (remembering to cancel the payment authority to RAC).

It'll cost you a net figure of £5-£10 a year, which makes the answer to your question a resounding "yes". Unless you have an added value bank acconut that includes breakdown cover!

mick307

Typical additional premium for AA/RAC is around £75 on top of their basic cover cost. That will only get you a 10 mile tow or nearest garage.
Police/Highways Agency facilitated recovery off a motorway is £150 for a car on its wheels, not substantialy damaged and not off the carriageway. that will get you to the recovery companys yard.

I was an AA man for 17 years, now run a team of Traffic Officers so talking from a position of knowledge.

The only reason i am in anything is having seen loads of situations where people broke down a long way from home, unrepairable car, wife and kids and luggage in there too. Recovery costs are around £2.50 per mile return, so if youre 100 miles from home it will cost between £250 and £500, lot of money.

Hope it helps you decide,

Mick.

Tigsteroonie

I am a member of the AA (relay only), having thought I didn't need home start anymore as I commute by train to work. Then I went to start the car one morning in anticipation of a busy weekend, only to find that the battery had completely died.

I phoned the AA to ask whether I could have Homestart added, and they did me an offer, but it wouldn't take effect until 24hr after "start of business" on Monday morning - so Tuesday morning would be the earliest I could use them. I was also asked whether my car was functioning at the time of upgrading, and was warned that any callout in the first week would be the subject of further investigation to ascertain whether I had upgraded with a known fault in place.

I upgraded anyway because of the offer, and instead called my handy local garage on the Monday morning. They came to the house, jump-started the car, took it to the garage for testing, fitted a new battery when the first one wouldn't take a charge, and then returned the car to my house - all for the cost of the new battery (no call-out, no labour).