Roadside Recovery: AutoAid Feedback

bulktrans

I get the general feeling that the garage or the local co will take the vehicle to their garage rather than fix it roadside? The local garages might not be equipped to handle roadside repairs and you would end up paying for even the smallest repair. If that's the case the is AA/RAC not better?

can some one please advice - Me and my wife are looking for a basic car cover we recently bought a second hand 7 yr old car - looking for home start and roadside repairs - we use the car mainly for commuting to work and shopping etc, and an occasional trip in Scotland. Is the Autoaid polciy good our circumstance or the AA/RAC more suitable for us? thnx

Skint_Catt

bulktrans - Autoaid callout local breakdown services which do exactly the same as the AA/RAC. The one that was called to me didn't have a garage he was a breakdown van only. He didn't fix it as I stated that my husband would be able to (new starter motor which he wouldn't have had on him anyway) so he just got me going again. If the car needs to go to a garage the AA/RAC will do this as well as any Autoaid callout.

bulktrans

Skint_Catt wrote: »

bulktrans - Autoaid callout local breakdown services which do exactly the same as the AA/RAC. The one that was called to me didn't have a garage he was a breakdown van only. He didn't fix it as I stated that my husband would be able to (new starter motor which he wouldn't have had on him anyway) so he just got me going again. If the car needs to go to a garage the AA/RAC will do this as well as any Autoaid callout.

thnx - my only worry was that the small local garage wud try to make money by just taking to the garage rather that fixing it roadside. but i agree with your point - will def. go ahead and get the policy then..

carpy

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

Autoaid are not as strict as they make out. We also had problems getting a receipt posted to us and eventually the recovery firm faxed it to Autoaid.

same here.

my experience is the local 'recovery' firms they send out are too keen on 'recovering' you to where you want to go instead of fixing the fault at the scene....or maybe they don't have the expertise of fault finding and fixing??

my experience is the AA do spend more time trying to fix and tend to only recover as a last resort.

you get what you pay for i guess....and i'm a cheapskate!! :rotfl:

bucknet

Concidering all of the above. If you want to be a part of a major beakdown service then pay your money and sign up to one of the two well known big two.
If however you are like me and carry a small tool kit, first aid kit and breakdown safety equipment and just want the reassurance of knowing your car and passengers (or your spouses car etc) wont be left stranded hundreds of miles from home AutoAid is just the job.

Over the years I have been recovered twice by AutoAid, on each ocasion spare parts were needed (fuel pump and clutch) so fixing at the road side would have been impossible anyway.

If your looking for 5 star service pay a 5 star price!

On the other hand, save a packet and still have peace of mind. AutoAid have give me, and many others, excellent service at a very low premium. I know which I prefer.....

The cash I have saved over the years would easily cover the cost of the parts and repairs of my two breakdowns let alone just the recovery and the service has been very good.

Speak as you find !

cmmcl

I used AutoAid for the 1st time last Thrusday (14/04/2011) and I rang at 10 past 8am, got a text at 8.21 sayin i would be collected at 9.21 latest, i was collected at 8.57 and the guy who came was fantastic. I have printed off the claim form & now I'm just waiting for my receipt to arrive in the post but so far so goo, they seem very organised

LankyMoneySaver

I've used them 3 times over the last 2 years now. The local companies they send out have always got there in an hour or less, once it was 10 minutes after I rang as the guy had just finished the job when he picked up mine.

The only issue I've had is with the companies that attend sometimes taking a while to post the proper invoice through or the one time it got 'lost in the post' (I think they just forgot to send it!). I've tried claiming with the job sheet they give you after picking you up but they only pay out once they get the proper invoice, so I had to phone the company that attended and get them to send me another copy. All three times it's taken around a week for the cheque to come through, not bad considering the claim form and cheque both come through the post. They don't even seem to be too strict about claiming within 1 month of the call-out as the time I was waiting for the invoice to come through it was longer than a month before I claimed and they still happily paid up once they got the invoice.

In my book definitely a good alternative to the big names.

snozzleburger

Was unlucky enough to need the services of AutoAid on two consecutive days earlier this year. Excellent service, no quibble and rapid repayment on both occasions. Can't fault them and at a bargain price too!

davemidd

I'm just renewing for the 2nd year running & have had no problems at all with them.

My car broke down one evening and 5 minutes after calling Autoaid, I received a text saying that recovery would be there in 40 minutes. A few minutes after that I received a phone call from the recovery agent confirming that they were on their way. They actually arrived within half an hour and loaded the car on to the truck. I had originally asked to be taken home as it was so close (~1 mile), but as the the recovery agent's garage was also in my home town and they said could replace the alternator the next day, we went there instead and the garage owner then dropped me off at home. As they were also going to do the repair, I had nothing to pay until the next day, when I picked up the repaired car. They gave me two invoices; one for the recovery and one for the repair. I submitted the recovery one to Autoaid one week and received payment the next week. Great service all around.

Seawolf

Just to say I've been with them for three years. They once rescued me about 150km from home and organised a towback. This year they sent someone to help me restart a flat battery. Thank you very much Martin and Autoaid.
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