Roadside Assistance - Can i fight this?

starrystarry

vicmorrow wrote: »

Try a bit harder, this afterall is a money saving site. This site promotes if it's easy to do yourself you should not pay for it...and changing a wheel ( as opposed to a tyre ) is easy to do.

I'm paying for breakdown cover anyway, so its not costing me anything to use that service to change a wheel. In fact I'm getting better value for money from my breakdown cover by using it for this.

texranger

goater78 wrote: »

I'm not sure that a driving test should involve changing a wheel. A driving test should be a test to ensure you can drive safely and legally not a test on whether you can perform basic car maintenance tasks!

I think a driving test should include basic vehicle maintainence like changing a wheel/changing a light bulb, checking water/oil etc.

vicmorrow

starrystarry wrote: »

I'm paying for breakdown cover anyway, so its not costing me anything to use that service to change a wheel. In fact I'm getting better value for money from my breakdown cover by using it for this.

But you'd have changed the wheel y ourselfand be at your destination with a cuppa in your hand and a smug smile on your face half an hour before the breakdown guy actually turned up.

What part of changing a wheel did you struggle with?

System

texranger wrote: »

I think a driving test should include basic vehicle maintainence like changing a wheel/changing a light bulb, checking water/oil etc.

Why? Knowing this stuff does not have any impact on your ability to drive.

They are completely unrelated aspects of owning a car.

When you train to be a doctor you don't also learn how to perform basic maintenance on the xray machine!

System

vicmorrow wrote: »

Try a bit harder, this afterall is a money saving site. This site promotes if it's easy to do yourself you should not pay for it...and changing a wheel ( as opposed to a tyre ) is easy to do.

You should always pay for a breakdown service to protect you if you break down far from home or on a motorway. Even if they could change a tyre themselves they wouldn't save any money as they would still pay for the service

starrystarry

vicmorrow wrote: »

But you'd have changed the wheel y ourselfand be at your destination with a cuppa in your hand and a smug smile on your face half an hour before the breakdown guy actually turned up.

No, I'd be filthy, tired and grumpy, the wheel still wouldn't be changed and my nails would be ruined.

If I was able to do it I wouldn't have a smug smile on my face. I see no reason to be smug about it, it's not brain surgery.

texranger

goater78 wrote: »

Why? Knowing this stuff does not have any impact on your ability to drive.

They are completely unrelated aspects of owning a car.

When you train to be a doctor you don't also learn how to perform basic maintenance on the xray machine!

it impacts on being a responsible road user. how many car breakdowns are because even though the car has a spare wheel the driver has no idea on how to change it or a breakdown as you never checked the oil/water as you have no idea on how to do this.

arcon5

goater78 wrote: »

Why? Knowing this stuff does not have any impact on your ability to drive.

They are completely unrelated aspects of owning a car.

When you train to be a doctor you don't also learn how to perform basic maintenance on the xray machine!

well considering vehicle breakdowns can be hazardous to other motorists, i'd consider it necessary not teach learners how to a) maintain a car b) ensure it is safe to drive.

being able to check/change lightbulbs may not be a necessity to driving a car -- but it your break lights are out because you don't know how to change them then there is a good chance of causing an accident.

arcon5

Back to ops situation though.

I really don't see how AA are at fault here. Op has car (a) covered, but wanted to use their service for car (b). For all they know op could have either a) owned more than one car or b) driving somebody elses car.

With regards to the price, I think £49 is completely reasonable. Try calling an electrician out for less than this (or a plumber, locksmith ect).

System

texranger wrote: »

it impacts on being a responsible road user. how many car breakdowns are because even though the car has a spare wheel the driver has no idea on how to change it or a breakdown as you never checked the oil/water as you have no idea on how to do this.

But none of this is relevant to a driving test. A driving test purpose is to see whether you can drive a car safely and legally. If you start including physical demanding tasks then you exclude from driving people who are unable to cope with them e.g. someone who is disabled.

Even if you know how to change a tyre if it bursts you still breakdown, you can just fix it yourself, in addition I don't believe many cars break down these days because of low oil/water as pretty much every car has the appropriate warning lights to warn you when this is going to happen.