AA Breakdown changes

vax2002

Had the usual AA renewel with the Loyalty charge, £71 for non loyal members £89 for existing members ! :eek:

However change of terms !
AA will no longer tow your vehicle to a garage of your choice but ONLY to a AA garage and the nearest at that.
So GREAT !
they dump your car at an AA "approved garage" in other words, someone who charges around £50 an hour more than your own garage.
This is a very big change,I am sick of arguing to get the renewal down to the new member price, but if thats all they can do now, dump your car at the bloodsucking AA approved dealer, then the benefits over cheap breakdown insurance are over.
BYE BYE AA
Been a nice 29 years !

pinkteapot

Green Flag come highly recommended from me. Been with them for four years now and they have been cheaper than AA/RAC for equivalent cover every year. Called them out 5 or 6 times now and they've always been prompt* and got things sorted. They don't have their own vans (like AA/RAC) but send someone out from a local garage.

I do call them each year as their renewal price is higher than the new member price, but sounds like you're used to that process anyway!

* For one call-out they couldn't get to us until the next day, but we were on the Orkney Islands at the time and they did pay for a cab back to our accommodation and then back to the car the next day so I'll forgive them.

w211

Yes, when I broke down last September in the evening, they towed me home, then next day they towed me to my preferred garage 55 miles away, at no extra charge, because when I broke down the garages were shut at that time of night.

Now, when I broke down a couple of weeks ago on Sunday evening, they towed me home. Then when I rang up the next day, they charged me £167 to tow me to my preferred garage. When I queried this, they said "they will only take me to a place of safety" - which was my home. When I queried about the garages being shut, they just said they could have towed to me to a garage on Sunday night but I would have had to leave it there overnight. Change of policy apparently. They will only come out and recover you once.

I'm also considering changing come renewal time.

Crabman

I recently took out a policy with the AA but wasn't aware of the AA garage clause. I know they say they'll take it to their choice of repairer but they also say it can be taken to an alternative local destination (i.e. an alternative garage):

If, following a breakdown, a Patrol or appointed agent cannot fix Your Vehicle within a reasonable time, it, together with the driver and up to a maximum of seven passengers, will be taken to the AA’s choice of relevant local repairer or to a local destination of Your choice, provided it is no further;

http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/pdfs/breakdown-cover-policy-feb-2011.pdf (PDF)

I've not had time to fully read the terms and conditions (there are 28 pages ) but I'd want to cancel the policy (it isn't due to start for another couple of weeks) if they reserve the right to dump the car at one of their own garages so we can have our wallets drained.