Joining with RAC/AA just before calling them – is this unethical?

stg123

Hi,

My car’s not starting and I’m fairly sure it’s the battery.

I haven’t joined AA/RAC – but I’m aware if join via the net it’s really pretty cheap; and that if I just call them out without being a member it’s really expensive!

I don’t need my car too soon – is it fair to join as a standard member and then pretty much immediately call them up? Are they wise to that? It’s feels a bit wrong but is that what people do?

clever_username

I've never heard anyone talk about 'ethics' in relation to joining a breakdown organisation!

They will charge you a hefty premium for joining once you've already broken down so that should balance out your moral compass.

Or if you're planning on joining then waiting twenty-four hours then I don't think they'll be convinced that your battery has failed a day after you joined, I would imagine that they'll chalk that up as an 'existing fault' and see right through you.

zzzLazyDaisy

Is your car parked at or near home? When I joined the RAC there was a condition that home start would not be available within a given period (from memory I think it was the first month, but I can't be sure of that).

So it is worth checking that the breakdown cover would actually cover the incident anyway.

clever_username

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Is your car parked at or near home? When I joined the RAC there was a condition that home start would not be available within a given period (from memory I think it was the first month, but I can't be sure of that).

So it is worth checking that the breakdown cover would actually cover the incident anyway.

I doubt it was a month!

Forty-eight hours maybe to stop exactly the type of 'scam' we're talking about here but surely not a month! That'd be very extreme!

motorguy

Please dont jump in and join the AA / RAC.

Read Martins board on Breakdown cover - there are companies who will do it for a fraction of the cost.

ioscorpio

Don't forget to go through Quidco or Topcashback

boyse7en

I did it years ago. Car broke down on teh motorway, about 50 miles from home. We left it in the car park of a service station, joined the AA with the man at the nearby Kiosk (this was in the days before the internet) got my dad to collect us and drive us home. Next evening, got a lift back to the car, phoned AA and got relayed home - no bother at all.

I did feel a bit guilty, but I soon got over it.

Quentin

stg123 wrote: »

Hi,

My car’s not starting and I’m fairly sure it’s the battery.

Don't you have anyone who could help you try a jump start(or lend you a charger), all for free?

If you get it going, then go and get the battery tested (that will be free too)

balletshoes

Quentin wrote: »

Don't you have anyone who could help you try a jump start(or lend you a charger), all for free?

If you get it going, then go and get the battery tested (that will be free too)

thats what I would do too - ask a neighbour if they have jump leads, if its the battery a jump start is worth a try, then straight off to a garage to get the battery checked.

zzzLazyDaisy

clever_username wrote: »

I doubt it was a month!

Forty-eight hours maybe to stop exactly the type of 'scam' we're talking about here but surely not a month! That'd be very extreme!

Yeah, you could be right... I just remember hoping nothing would happen during the 'waiting period'

Hintza

So what do yo want the breakdown company to do? Take you to Halfords to buy a new battery?

Borrow a set of jump leads and get it started or even better buy a set.