AA breakdown cover - parts and garage coverage

placeholder · 14 Jan 2012 at 14:41

Hi folks. Does anyone have any experience of the above?

It would seem that it entitles you to up to five claims per year of £500 towards parts and garage work should your car break down.

Now i have just bought a Nissan 350z and while i have set money aside for garage bills as they could be chunky this seems very good value. The annual cost for this and all their other coverage (Radside assistance, at home and national recovery) is £160. It seems like a good deal to me but i have little experience of it so was wondering if anyone could offer any advice as to its worth?

Many thanks

[TW]Fox · 14 Jan 2012 at 14:53

I have it. It only covers things which stop the car completing its journey. I have made one claim, an alternator, and it was fine. Excess is 35 quid.

Irish_Tom · 14 Jan 2012 at 14:55

I think this came up in a thread recently where the OP had taken his broken-down car to a garage and then the AA refused to pay out.

So bear in mind that this isn't a warranty — it will only cover you if you break down, call out the AA who then determine that the car will have to go to a garage to be repaired.

As long as you go into it with this understanding, I think it's a good deal. A mate of mine swears by it.

Usel · 14 Jan 2012 at 17:54

I have and it's been worth while for me. Year 1 the thermostat went, and dropped all it's coolant, year 2 nothing happened and year 3 the battery died. Year 4, nothing yet and I am still just about even as thermos was £270 and battery around £80.
Another point worth mentioning is that if you start the policy before the 100,000 mile mark you won't get charged extra in later years when the car ticks over. My car is on 120,000 and it's still only £70 a year.

placeholder · 14 Jan 2012 at 18:29

Ah right, thanks guys. So basically if the car breaks down and i call them out the £500 covers the fixing of that fault if required but there would be no payout if, for example a garage found something during a service.

It still seems good to me. Im looking for that extra bit of security should something happen to the 350z and for £160 it gives a bit of added piece of mind.

If its £160 a year with no claims made i would still be happy because it means the car hasnt broken down!

blueboy2001 · 15 Jan 2012 at 01:25

A work colleague had this a few years ago. His Saab 95 had a dodgy turbo for ages. He ran it until it gave up and caused a breakdown and called the AA. They towed him to a garage and they fitted a new turbo - but I'm sure back then there wasn't a £500 limit or an excess.

Irish_Tom · 15 Jan 2012 at 10:35

blueboy2001 said:
A work colleague had this a few years ago. His Saab 95 had a dodgy turbo for ages. He ran it until it gave up and caused a breakdown and called the AA. They towed him to a garage and they fitted a new turbo - but I'm sure back then there wasn't a £500 limit or an excess.

Even so, £500 towards the cost of a replacement turbo would make it ever-so slightly less painful.

garak112 · 15 Jan 2012 at 11:33

My mum had this and tried to use it when her cambelt failed, but was rejected.

She had a Vauxhall Zafira which according to the service manual had an 8 year cambelt interval, at some point this was reduced downwards to 4 years. She had the car from new but never received notice of this change, and was never told about it when she took it for services.

The belt went about 1 month after the lowered interval and the AA refused to pay out on the policy, in the process of the claim they required detailed evidence of all previous services - so it would be no use if you had not followed the manufacturers schedule to the letter and could prove it.

ca9phoenix · 15 Jan 2012 at 11:38

I used it once with my old SEAT and once with my Focus.

I had an oil leak outside my house, called out the AA and they paid the £180 to have it repaired, i think it was an over tightened oil filter to be honest.

The focus had it's service and MOT and the stupid garage flicked the lights to parking, i left the car at work for 2 days and never noticed cos it was daylight and i never touched the lights and it never beeped.

They came out to the dead car and replaced the battery as it was flatter than a flat thing.

I had to pay the first £25 for both the repairs.

Good service to be honest.

CA9