Autoaid or Start Rescue

WLM21

My current breakdown cover runs out in a few days time (Autonational) and I've been looking on t'internet for some new deal.

Being a fan of 'cash back' I need to try a different company, although I am not sure at this stage whether any cashback would be available for these companies

My car is 3 years old and serviced regularly. I have never had a breakdown (touching my head at this stage)

I see Autoaid mentioned here, which seems very good. I've also seen Start Rescue, which i have never heard of.

Has anybody here used either of these companies and what are the thoughts.


thank you for any help

deanos

Kwik Fit is cheaper than start rescue and its a slightly better policy, i switched to them from start rescue but its exactly the same company providing the insurance behind the scenes , been with start about 3 hears but never called them out, was put off from pay and claim policys

attila_

To be to auto aid I slated them in a recent posts cos they made a !!!! up when getting recovery to me.

However they have been really quick and getting money back to me after breakdown.

I think I may use them again

Ebe_Scrooge

I've been with AutoAid for several years now, have used them 3 times and have never had a problem. It is, as Deanos says, a "pay and reclaim" policy which seems to put some people off, but personally for the price / level of cover, I don't think anyone else comes close.

Can't comment on Start Rescue as I've never used them.

hammylou

Having just received a letter saying that because you were called out my premiums have now doubled to £92 I have decided to write to yourselves.

If you can recall i was a lone female who broke down on the M6 on a pouring wet day in November, with a red warning light on my car reporting an engine fault. I phoned yourselves and you sent a local garage on the M6 who proceeded to recover my vehicle. I asked for them to take it to my chosen garage to which they replied they would take it to there own recovery garage on the M6 and if there was a fault that they would fix it, if they could not they would tow it to a garage in Carlisle,not to a garage of my choice. Those were not the terms i signed up to. I then phoned yourselves to be told by an operator that i did not have the total superservice recovery and could not be towed to the garage that I wanted to go to. This was untrue as i did have the total superservice on my agreement. Having been towed to Egartons garage on the M6, and waiting for 30 mins i was told nothing was wrong with my car and that it was the wash wipes had run out of water and that i could drive the car. As the garage recovery is on the M6 as soon as i drove off i was on the M6 the engine warning light came on advising me to stop. I continued to drive the vehicle as i had lost faith (and was cold and wet from being outside) in your recovery process and continued to a garage in Carlisle which was not my ideal choice. They rang me and told me that the CAM belt had gone and would cost me over £500. I rang yourselves and you then recovered my vehicle to my chosen garage who reported that i did indeed have a fault with my vehicle and that it was a fault with the water pump, and that any good mechanic would be able to see it. I missed half a day at work following this mess up and spent the next few days on the phone with yourselves. Trying to sort out the mess.

Quentin

Autoaid (or Autonational if that is who your beef is really with - see #11 below) are both covered by the FOS.


Assuming you have not done so, you need to first make a formal written complaint in line with their complaints system which will be set out in the policy docs.


Then if you are unhappy with their response you can escalate to the FOS at no cost to you for their adjudication.


(But if you have complained formally and received their reply note you may be out of time to escalate the issue which must be done within 6 months of getting their final response - though they must tell you this in their final response)

Ebe_Scrooge

hammylou wrote: »

Having just received a letter saying that because you were called out my premiums have now doubled to £92 I have decided to write to yourselves.

If you can recall i was a lone female who broke down on the M6 on a pouring wet day in November, with a red warning light on my car reporting an engine fault. I phoned yourselves and you sent a local garage on the M6 who proceeded to recover my vehicle. I asked for them to take it to my chosen garage to which they replied they would take it to there own recovery garage on the M6 and if there was a fault that they would fix it, if they could not they would tow it to a garage in Carlisle,not to a garage of my choice. Those were not the terms i signed up to. I then phoned yourselves to be told by an operator that i did not have the total superservice recovery and could not be towed to the garage that I wanted to go to. This was untrue as i did have the total superservice on my agreement. Having been towed to Egartons garage on the M6, and waiting for 30 mins i was told nothing was wrong with my car and that it was the wash wipes had run out of water and that i could drive the car. As the garage recovery is on the M6 as soon as i drove off i was on the M6 the engine warning light came on advising me to stop. I continued to drive the vehicle as i had lost faith (and was cold and wet from being outside) in your recovery process and continued to a garage in Carlisle which was not my ideal choice. They rang me and told me that the CAM belt had gone and would cost me over £500. I rang yourselves and you then recovered my vehicle to my chosen garage who reported that i did indeed have a fault with my vehicle and that it was a fault with the water pump, and that any good mechanic would be able to see it. I missed half a day at work following this mess up and spent the next few days on the phone with yourselves. Trying to sort out the mess.

This sounds very odd.


"i did not have the total superservice recovery " - AutoAid only offer one level of service, and they'll always take you to the destination of your choice.


" They rang me and told me that the CAM belt had gone " If the cam belt had gone you wouldn't just have a warning light on the dash - the engine wouldn't be running at all.


From my experience with Autoaid, they will take you to the destination of your choice - they're not really concerned with what the cause of the problem is. Indeed, that's one criticism that's sometimes levelled at them - they just recover you with little or no attempt at diagnosis. No bad thing in my book, I get the car looked at by a mechanic I know and trust.


Are you sure you've given us the full story here ?

SilverSaloon

another +1 for autoaid from me.

I dont like roadside repairs anyway - usually just a bodge since they wont have any of the specific tools/equipment/parts to fix the problem properly.

would rather get the car towed home (i do all my own work) or a trusted local garage to me for the work.

EdGasket

Still waiting to be paid. Claim sent two weeks ago. How long do they usually take to pay up?

Ebe_Scrooge

In my experience they've always paid within about a week - hence why I always have no hesitation in recommending them. If you're at all worried, give them a call - their staff are very friendly and helpful.

Norman_Castle

hammylou wrote: »

Having just received a letter saying that because you were called out my premiums have now doubled to £92 I have decided to write to yourselves.

If you can recall i was a lone female who broke down on the M6 on a pouring wet day in November, with a red warning light on my car reporting an engine fault. I phoned yourselves and you sent a local garage on the M6 who proceeded to recover my vehicle. I asked for them to take it to my chosen garage to which they replied they would take it to there own recovery garage on the M6 and if there was a fault that they would fix it, if they could not they would tow it to a garage in Carlisle,not to a garage of my choice. Those were not the terms i signed up to. I then phoned yourselves to be told by an operator that i did not have the total superservice recovery and could not be towed to the garage that I wanted to go to. This was untrue as i did have the total superservice on my agreement. Having been towed to Egartons garage on the M6, and waiting for 30 mins i was told nothing was wrong with my car and that it was the wash wipes had run out of water and that i could drive the car. As the garage recovery is on the M6 as soon as i drove off i was on the M6 the engine warning light came on advising me to stop. I continued to drive the vehicle as i had lost faith (and was cold and wet from being outside) in your recovery process and continued to a garage in Carlisle which was not my ideal choice. They rang me and told me that the CAM belt had gone and would cost me over £500. I rang yourselves and you then recovered my vehicle to my chosen garage who reported that i did indeed have a fault with my vehicle and that it was a fault with the water pump, and that any good mechanic would be able to see it. I missed half a day at work following this mess up and spent the next few days on the phone with yourselves. Trying to sort out the mess.

The total superservice from Autonational?. Have you complained to the right company?
http://www.autonational.co.uk/breakdown_cover_total_superservice.php