Car Breakdown Cover - RAC

Caporegime
Joined
17 Jul 2010
Posts
25,658
I'm with AutoAid too. I haven't needed to use them since 2008. But on that occasion they recovered me from the top of the Stelvio pass, took me to a nearby garage and onwards to a hotel. My car was fixed (it had lunched the alternator) the following day and they paid for the hotel room too.

Couldn't have been any happier with them.
Without quibble or complaint? Seems fantastic if that’s the case!
 
Associate
Joined
24 Mar 2011
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623
Location
Cambridgeshire
Without quibble or complaint? Seems fantastic if that’s the case!

I would say it possibly somewhat 'normal' - surprisingly! I didn't use Autoaid but I took out some European breakdown cover for a roadtrip holiday once. Car below a hole in its intercooler in the middle of Europe and went into limp mode, and being a diesel it started to very quick lunch its DPF too. I managed to drive myself to a local dealer but they were struggling to find the root cause and we were 2 days from driving home. A call to our cover got us a taxi arranged to a local hotel from the garage, 2 nights in said hotel, flights booked for myself & the other half and all our luggage back home, a taxi to the airport, a hire car from the airport we landed at so we could get ourselves home and they arranged recovery of my car from Italy back to my local dealer in the UK.

I think I paid around £30 for that cover and the total claim was close to 3 grand all in. They didn't bat an eyelid. Was genuinely quite shocked at how relatively easy it was handled.
 
Soldato
Joined
2 Nov 2013
Posts
4,095
Without quibble or complaint? Seems fantastic if that’s the case!

Yep. I was very pleased. The hotel cost being covered was a nice surprise. I saw a mention that it could be covered so asked them about it. They asked if I would have been staying at a hotel that night anyway and I replied (truthfully) that while we had been staying in hotels as we drove across Europe, that night we had been due to stay at my sisters house in Austria. They immediately said they would cover it then. I think I had to send them a receipt and that was it done.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Aug 2009
Posts
7,728
I was previously an RAC member. On the single occasion I did break down 25 miles from home I never got an RAC man, they sent Wakefields Recovery to relay me home.
The renewal price became unreasonable and this time they wouldn't haggle so I cancelled a couple of years later. Checking bank statements I later found they took payment after I'd left and I had a hell of a job getting refunded.
I joined Autoaid afterwards and on the one occasion I've needed to use them they sent Wakefields also so I couldn't agree with the argument there is a better service from the big outfits.

I used to be with AA they get you in with a low price and when it comes to renewal its double the price, used to cancel before and open a new account each year but got tired of that especially when I actually needed them they basically said they were too busy to come out (I mean what the **** am I paying you for then?!)

Been with Autoaid since or is it green flag? I've forgotten, either way its not the AA.
 
Associate
Joined
15 Sep 2008
Posts
2,477
I kicked the RAC to the kerb earlier this year because they upped the price to over £260 and wouldn't haggle. They have few recovery vans in my area so use local recovery firms as I discovered when the undertray fell down on the other half's car. They did provide a discount ages ago when they she broke down and left her stranded in 0c weather for 3 hours, I managed to get to her quicker 60 miles away! The discount wasn't offered, I had to complain first.

With the AA now at £14pm but haven't used them yet. AutoAid sounds like a great option but I opted for the bigger company because of their reach. If the AA up the price next year I'll try out AutoAid.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,116
Location
The Land of Roundabouts
My insurance company, cost ~£25 on top of the premium for the year, seemed stupid not to and more so considering i've since had to use it, local firm (CMG, same guy who was on the tv show about rescues not long back, useless bit of info there!) came out and recovered the car no problem. Pretty sure it was AXA rescue.
Gotta watch the wording as they may not all include services you'd expect ie actual recovery just road side assistance.
 
Soldato
Joined
12 Jul 2007
Posts
16,316
Location
South East
I use Start Rescue. It's about £20 a year for me, for nationwide roadside and recovery and home start. The AA and RAC just seem massively overpriced to me, while resting on their laurels as the 'traditional' breakdown companies.

A few people made the valid point in a similar thread a while ago that you might as well just stick a couple of hundred quid away and be ready to spend that on an instant callout fee as a new customer on the offchance that you ever need it, but I figured £20 a year is bugger all for peace of mind.
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Jan 2007
Posts
4,862
Location
Warwickshire
Hi guys,

Who do you use for car breakdown cover? I've been with the RAC for years and each year I have to haggle them down as they try charging me extra (over £100 in total).

I've noticed much cheaper companies but have been told (by someone at RAC) they don't have as many recovery vans on the road and therefore can take quite a bit longer to get to you if need.

How many times have you used them? Seems like a mugs game unless you drive crazy miles, have you add up how much you have spent in your life time on this service? And then compare what it would cost you to call someone out once in a blue moon
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Oct 2004
Posts
18,300
Location
Birmingham
It's a fair comment, some of the smaller companies might sub-contract out to RAC/AA vans but they'll likely be bottom of the priority list. If you only use the car for local journeys, then it might not be a massive inconvenience if it's going to be a 4-hour wait - could always have someone pick you up and then return later on. But if you do some long motorway journeys or long distance from home then having someone turn up quicker is likely worth the few extra quid.

Conversely, if you're limited to RAC/AA vans and there are none nearby then you're in for a long wait, whereas the smaller companies who subcontract to local firms might well have someone closer.
 
Caporegime
Joined
17 Jul 2010
Posts
25,658
How many times have you used them? Seems like a mugs game unless you drive crazy miles, have you add up how much you have spent in your life time on this service? And then compare what it would cost you to call someone out once in a blue moon
Given the complexity of modern cars and many not even carrying a spare tyre having some sort of breakdown cover is almost required unless you want to be stranded and have to sign up on the spot for hundreds of pounds.
 
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