Car Breakdown Discussion

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Comments

  • I have had auto aid for two years (£39 for myself and spouse covering 3 vehicles). Great value and used only once for clutch problem. Could not be fixed but had attendance within one hour with tow to dealership garage. Fixed same day with parts by garage. I paid by card for call out and recovery and got cheque in post in 2 weeks. Would definitely continue to renew.:)
  • I've been with the AA for 32 years and had enough of being punished for it.
    Every year, they remind me of how "valued" I am as a long-standing member - and in the same renewal letter try and sting me for increases of up to 73 per cent.
    I argue with them on the phone and they eventually but begrudgingly slash the rise by invoking a "loyalty discount" which they never offer me in the first place.
    Now I find that a new, 18-year-old driver would be charged less than me for the same service and without all the hassle of haggling - and that 32 years means nothing.
    2012: AA demanded £155 for myself and partner. Argued and paid £103.
    2013: AA demanded £170. Huffed and puffed and paid £106.
    2014: AA demanded £183. I asked for £106 and was eventually offered £120 after two phone calls of complaint.
    I checked their website, clicked the usual three services of Roadside, National Recovery/Relay and Home Start for myself and partner to find we would be offered £119 - not £183 - as a new member.
    No haggling, no disingenious "loyalty discount," just a few mouse clicks.
    When I pointed out this apparent anomaly, I was told the website offer was for a new member and for one year only.
    So what? They keep telling me how "valued" I am and I only wanted to pay for one year.
    Cuts no ice.
    I'm further told that I am now a "gold member" with seven extra benefits - but none of them are any use to me, I didn't ask for them and I am not allowed to opt out to try and get a cheaper rate either.
    So much for three decades naively staying with the same outfit, eh? And how many other "long-standing and valued" AA members are there who have not haggled every year and unknowingly pay massively more for joint membership at £183 than newcomers at £119?
    It's all smoke and mirrors from the AA which I'd previously respected - for the quality of its patrols. Now, at least for me, it has lost its reputation. No integrity.
  • remrats wrote: »
    I joined Autoaid last year - a bit doubtful about it as it sounded too cheap. Anyway I didn't have to claim, so still wasn't sure if it was a good buy. I joined again this year, and unfortunately had quite a bad breakdown. I let them know what had happened, then phoned our local breakdown man who sent out a recovery truck. I filled in Autoaid's claim form and sent it off. 2 weeks later I received a cheque for the full amount, with no trouble at all. It seems to be an excellent service as it covers the person, rather than the vehicle and my husband is also included in this. For £39 for the year, I think it is a great deal. All power to their elbow!:T

    i am also with auto aid and haven't claimed in the first year i am going to renew now on the strength of your comments thanks !
  • den169
    den169 Posts: 278
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Kev9b wrote: »
    I've been with the AA for 32 years and had enough of being punished for it.
    Every year, they remind me of how "valued" I am as a long-standing member - and in the same renewal letter try and sting me for increases of up to 73 per cent.
    I argue with them on the phone and they eventually but begrudgingly slash the rise by invoking a "loyalty discount" which they never offer me in the first place.
    Now I find that a new, 18-year-old driver would be charged less than me for the same service and without all the hassle of haggling - and that 32 years means nothing.
    2012: AA demanded £155 for myself and partner. Argued and paid £103.
    2013: AA demanded £170. Huffed and puffed and paid £106.
    2014: AA demanded £183. I asked for £106 and was eventually offered £120 after two phone calls of complaint.
    I checked their website, clicked the usual three services of Roadside, National Recovery/Relay and Home Start for myself and partner to find we would be offered £119 - not £183 - as a new member.
    No haggling, no disingenious "loyalty discount," just a few mouse clicks.
    When I pointed out this apparent anomaly, I was told the website offer was for a new member and for one year only.
    So what? They keep telling me how "valued" I am and I only wanted to pay for one year.
    Cuts no ice.
    I'm further told that I am now a "gold member" with seven extra benefits - but none of them are any use to me, I didn't ask for them and I am not allowed to opt out to try and get a cheaper rate either.
    So much for three decades naively staying with the same outfit, eh? And how many other "long-standing and valued" AA members are there who have not haggled every year and unknowingly pay massively more for joint membership at £183 than newcomers at £119?
    It's all smoke and mirrors from the AA which I'd previously respected - for the quality of its patrols. Now, at least for me, it has lost its reputation. No integrity.
    I managed a good deal for first year with AA with quidco cost me £40 for recovery after quidco paid out.Used them once when my alarm went dicky and wouldn't let the car start,Called them out and after messing about for an hour,The aa guy took the keyfob apart and put connectors from a 12volt battery through the keyfob battery thinking it was flat.The bloody keyfob has never worked since renewal was a rip off so now i'm with Gem around £80 for me and the wife any car.And will not think of going back to AA.
  • David42
    David42 Posts: 33 Forumite
    Do you have experience of being rescued by any of the Pay as You Go breakdown recovery services? I am considering this solution, but I cannot find any user reviews for the cheapest companies. So maybe we could collect some reviews here?

    The two companies with no annual fee that I have found so far are:
    Two companies offer pay as you products for an annual fee:
  • Eranu
    Eranu Posts: 12 Forumite
    edited 14 January 2014 at 8:49PM
    I don't think it's really fair to compare the RAC and AA with anyone else. They have their own fleets of 1700 or so patrols driven by their own staff which should in theory mean that you get a more consistent service.

    The so called budget operators (including Green Flag) rely on a network of contractors so it's pot luck as to who you get and what vehicle turns up. For instance I'm currently with Start Rescue and called them out recently for a flat battery. A scruffy looking chap arrived in a flat bed recovery truck which couldn't fit down our road so he parked up the street and walked down with his jump pack. Unfortunately the jump pack didn't have enough charge left in it to start the car so I told him to get another one but he refused to do anything else! Luckily my neighbour turned up in his car and we were able to jump start it ourselves!

    Now, I'm not saying this is a problem specifically with Start Rescue but it's really the luck of the draw you get with a budget provider using local services.
  • Sor
    Sor Posts: 135
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Hi All,
    So, looking for car recovery cover. Would be looking for 'at home' + ('Roadside') + 'Recovery to a destination of my choice'. I live in N.Ireland, so having something that covers me in Republic of Ireland as well as UK would be particularly useful (perhaps more useful than 'mainland UK'!).

    Anyone got any suggestions or am I looking at AA or RAC, both of which are £95 for a year (without going through any cashback/points website).

    Many thanks
    #96 of the Norn Iron Club
    :A
  • zcacmxi
    zcacmxi Posts: 136 Forumite
    I've just found the AA Standby Breakdown App on the App Store. It provides basic pay as you go cover for 1 year for the cost of the App (69p) and then £80 per call out if it is used.

    Has anybody used this service? What happens after the first year? Will they renew, how much is it to renew?


    Considering this, or may just go for QDOS which is £25 annually for the basic cover.
  • This is "personal" breakdown cover which I understood to mean that you had to be driving or a passenger in the car at the time of the breakdown. The RAC said it would be 3 hours to get to the car. How they knew I don't know since they didn't even ask where the car was. They then said that because it was personal cover that I had to be physically there when they came ( I couldn't because of business commitments ). This isn't stated in the pages and pages of T & C. I wanted to send my son to the car but they refused to come out if I wasn't there. I complained to Smile but they said this was reasonable. I'm assuming since they no longer sell this bank account Smile is trying to get rid of customers. I can think of lots of scenarios where you can't hang around or turn up 3 hours after a breakdown but the RAC were adamant about not turning up so I no longer feel any confidence in their service. In 40 years of motoring I've never had a problem with the few breakdowns I've had. My son did take a taxi to the car and the very nice taxi driver called in to a friend and got a charge box and started the car. There are some helpful people out there - just not the RAC !
  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    You are being unreasonable.

    RAC help is for their paid up members, and you clearly didn't need ther help as you weren't stranded!

    According to your reasoning everyone but you should cancel their membership and get you to ring in for them (even though you aren't stranded with the breakdown)
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