Car Breakdown Discussion
Comments
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I've just reduced my renewal quote from £93.03 to £77.52 for Roadside, Recovery, At Home plus accident and legal care. Just a short call did it. Can I do better? Any advice out there?!:j0
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I got their Arrival service. Full package with over £50 off.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0
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Phoned the AA today. I've been a member for 14 years and over the last few years have had to phone them to renew as their charges have just gone stupid. This year for joint membership, home start and relay they were quoting me £258.15!!! I went on line last night (Wednesday 5th Feb) and for the same cover it was £119 but as it was after 8pm I couldn't ring them. Rang them this morning and got the spiel about dedicated vans, mechanics and times and was then offered £134 (£15 more than yesterday). When I questioned this I was told that was todays price on line - I then checked online whilst I was on the phone to them and guess what - the price had gone up overnight! Bear in mind this is not a weekend or month end its just a Wednesday and Thursday with no comment on the website about the £119 being any form of special offer, so why has the price changed? So now I've had 3 prices - the £258.15 for automatic renewal, £119 yesterday and £134 today, both about half the price I was quoted for auto renewal - anyone getting an auto renewal letter take note. I was informed that I was a loyal customer who had been "upgraded to Gold Membership status" but why do I have to pay more than twice the amount they quote new members then! Apparently they can't quote anything other than the "full list" price on the auto renewal letters but if you phone they take account of whether you have made numerous calls over the year(s) or not and some customers won't get discount if they have made numerous calls. So again why can't they automate this as part of the renewal process so that their systems look and see if you've made more than x amount of calls in the year? Anyway I've decided that due to all this I'm going to not renew my cover and take a chance on AutoAid at £39 for my wife and I, based on the feedback on this site. AA members be warned!0
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Re Hinckley Tiger, your experience matches mine "AA taking the Mickey" posted on the previous page of this forum. The AA doesn't seem to care about its churn rate. As though they're doing us punters a favour by letting us continue as members.
After 32 years with the AA, myself and my partner are now with AutoAid. I'll only know how good they are when my battery won't work on some dark morning in six months' time. But before I joined two days ago, I emailed them with several queries and received an individually-crafted email from a named person in response. That's good customer service for a kick-off. Whereas, when I sent the AA a very polite letter telling them of my disappointment, I received a standard letter from an un-named person with a squiggle for a signature saying they would treat my letter as a complaint and investigate. Oh yeah? Well, it's too late. If they so appallingly treat Hinckley Tiger, with 14 years history, and myself with 32 years history, they need to review their business practices - don't patronise a paying customer.0 -
Left the RAC last year after over ten years of membership as the quote for me was sky high and they wouldn't budge. Went over to the AA through Quidco and got a good introdutory offer and the cashback. Just had my renewal for this year and they have upgraded me to Silver Membership but at over double last years cost. Just phoned them explained that I wasn't happy with the quote and wasn't bothered about all the Silver add ons and as I hadn't needed to use them this year it was just the peace of mind I wanted in case anything should happen. Got them down by nearly £8 a month to what they wanted and the lady said it would still be at Silver level (which as I said I wasn't bothered about). So all in all I am pretty happy. I know I could get it cheaper else where with introductory offers but this deal suits me fine.
So don't be affraid to phone your current companies and try. The worst they can say is nothing doing, then it is up to you to say bye bye and go elsewhere if that is your decision. Happy haggling....0 -
The only good price for the AA is first year with cashback sites.After that forget them they just want to rip you off.I'm now with Gem recovery.0
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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.
After dumping the AA after 32 years, I politely wrote to them to explain why I objected to their attempts to increase my subscription by 73% in 2014-15, 66% in 2013-14 and 33% in 2012-13.
A customer services rep with the grand title of "Special Investigations Executive" and with the unfortunate style of composition in reminding me of my complaints, fobbed me off.
He said they "sometimes" needed to increase subs. But that offering a discount did "not mean" I had been overcharged in previous years. He claimed the "Gold" membership - which I didn't want, didn't need and in my opinion was the cause for huge increases - was a "thank you." And he presumptuously concluded he had now "addressed my concerns."
My partner and I have now joined AutoAid for £39 x 2 instead of £187 with the AA.0 -
the article/details regarding RAC needs to be changed - going through quidco the home recovery is not a free added option and the total amounts to £109 w/ personal and national recovery.
quidco gives £35 cashback.
impossible to get the cost to £54 as described.0 -
Auto-Aid looks good, but I am unbelievably unlucky with breakdowns (Plus, old cars - I've broken down probably 15 times in the last 3 years, if not more)
Has anyone actually used it in anger? Is there a limit on your claims? I'd hate to face a £600 recovery cost and have them not pay out...0 -
Has anyone actually used it in anger?
Yes I've used them and anecdotally they are very good.
I would check the docs or call them for limits.
Sorry but have to ask - is this all down to luck?
Having old cars is a factor, but maintenance is a factor too.
I usually have old cars, but I only have break down now and again - say once every 5 years, which is 1/25th of your experience.
Apologies if I'm wrong but it's odd that some people have serial good luck and some people have continal bad luck. It's only natural to worry if it's related to bevaviour some how.0
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