Breakdown Options

miller

I usually go for the cheapest base cover which will get the car towed to a local garage to be fixed.

On the more expensive policies they usually take you and the car to a destination of your choice (presumably where you were going before you broke down). However, the car is still broken down and you would need to arrange further recovery (at your cost) to a garage/mechanic later?

Just struggling to see the benefit. Maybe someone could explain it.

[Deleted User]

I'm looking for a breakdown service that will take my car home or to a local garage of my choice near home. Most of the breakdown services that will take your car home only seem to offer it if they can't fix it that day at their "approved" garage. Which means having to pay inflated rip off prices to get my car fixed while being stuck miles from home.

Notmyrealname

miller wrote: »

I usually go for the cheapest base cover which will get the car towed to a local garage to be fixed.

On the more expensive policies they usually take you and the car to a destination of your choice (presumably where you were going before you broke down). However, the car is still broken down and you would need to arrange further recovery (at your cost) to a garage/mechanic later?

Just struggling to see the benefit. Maybe someone could explain it.

OK....

My father was bringing home a Morris Minor he'd bought one Sunday. We got about 50 miles into the 150 mile return journey home and it broke down. Because I have an onward travel policy a recovery wagon turned up and took us all the way back to the town we lived at, dropped it off at the garage he wanted it to go to and then we walked home. Had I had the policy you had, we'd have been taken to the nearest garage which would have been closed, it being a Sunday, leaving us stranded 100 miles from home having to either have someone come and collect us and then take us back the following day or book a hotel.

mikey72

The AA recovery will give you one trip on a recovery truck. If you break down on the way out, they'll either recover you to your destination, or recover you back home. First instance you'll be with a brokendown car, but it can be fixed locally, and you'll have it to carry on your holiday, or whatever, then be able to drive home. If they bring you back, you'll get it fixed at your local garage, or diy, then you can carry on again.
Last time I broke down the AA recovered me home with the car. When my wife broke down, they actually dropped her off locally at work, then took the car without her to my regular garage, and offloaded it there.
Never had any attempt to repair it other than roadside, and tbh, if I can't repair it, neither can they. No attempt to use a preferred garage at all.

EdGasket

AA or RAC (better than AA imho) recovery option will take you home or to any destination. AutoAid (£38) will do the same but you have to pay the recovery service and claim the cost back; cheap option though if you don't mind paying initially.
The reason to be taken home for me is simply that I do my own repairs. As previously mentioned it also means you could have it dropped off at your local garage rather than the one nearest to the breakdown. The choice/cost is yours.

davidlizard

My brother in law had breakdown recovery as part of his bank account. He maintained it was great value.

Until ...

One day he broke down approx 40 miles from home. The recovery driver made barely any attempt to repair the car - did not even open the bonnet - and instead took him 10 miles to the nearest approved garage. This garage was unable to repair his car immediately and had to order some bits. These took over a week to arrive. In the meantime they charged him £20/day storage fees. And when the repair was done, it was over £500 for something that should have had change from £300.

bazster

I use these people:

http://www.insurancechoice.co.uk/

Roadside fix if poss, then local garage, and if still can't be fixed same day, recovery to destination of your choice.

£39.

Called them out just once in a number of years, they arrived promptly, got it running at the side of the road (battery was flat due to electrical fault and I had nothing to jump it from), and I was able to drive home where I fixed the underlying fault myself.

scotsbob

Another vote for Autoaid. The most cover for the least cost.

miller

When I last broke down a long time ago (cambelt went so no chance of fixing that), I had the basic Green Flag policy (up to 10 miles recovery). Fortunately I wasn't that far from home so they did the extra mileage for £20.

There seem to be some "convenient" arrangements going on with garages. Presumably the kickback is then made up for with storage fees (!!!!!!!!! what garage would do that under normal circumstances?!) or big parts/labour markups.

rev_henry

bazster wrote: »

I use these people:

http://www.insurancechoice.co.uk/

Roadside fix if poss, then local garage, and if still can't be fixed same day, recovery to destination of your choice.

£39.

Called them out just once in a number of years, they arrived promptly, got it running at the side of the road (battery was flat due to electrical fault and I had nothing to jump it from), and I was able to drive home where I fixed the underlying fault myself.

I was with them last year. Was once recovered home about 100 miles, no problem. Ended up scrapping the car.
But when I did trawl the terms and conditions it appeared that they would actually take you to a local garage near home, then take you home, which I thought was pretty good!

Now with startrescue because IC became more expensive at renewal for a car as old as mine (they changed their prices for everyone, not just inflated at renewal) and I got everything except Europe for about £30.

miller

rev_henry wrote: »

But when I did trawl the terms and conditions it appeared that they would actually take you to a local garage near home, then take you home, which I thought was pretty good!

That does seem good - as far as I understand it the big boys (AA/RAC) technically do not have to do this (with the recovery option), but have done so for some.