Breakdown Cover

[JeffR]

OK so fell out big time with the AA after wife  crashed the car (well used a car transporter as a brake would be more accurate) so now need recommendations for an ethical, competent, affordable (none of which apply to the AA these days) breakdown/recovery company.

[neil110]

According to the adverts, Green flag seem to think they are quite good.

If you are a simple serpent you always have the option of the CSMA and their dedicated recovery organisation.

The only occasion I needed the AA, they spent an hour and a half looking at the V8 before pronouncing they couldn't work out what was wrong with it and why the engine would not start. Luckily I was only a couple of miles from homer and in a Sainsbudgies car park.

[Bowie69]

I get RAC through my Barclays bank account, called them a couple of times been good each time.

Works out cheaper than buying outright, you pay monthly and get travel insurance thrown in.

[FridgeFreezer]

53 minutes ago, neil110 said:

If you are a simple serpent you always have the option of the CSMA and their dedicated recovery organisation.

CSMA is now called Boundless and their recovery is Britannia. I've been with them for years and they've never let me down, recovered all sorts with no grumbles.

[JeffR]

Cheers folks, just avoid the AA their incompetence is simply staggering, they tried talking to my wife whilst she was in hospital after the crash and off her head on painkillers and shock. As a consequence I ended up having to drive from Northumberland to Nottingham to get her, then shell out a small fortune to have the car recovered, I really wouldn't p£@s on them if they were on fire (sorry mods).

[Happyoldgit]

3 minutes ago, JeffR said:

.... I really wouldn't p£@s on them if they were on fire (sorry mods).

No, no, p£@s away but remember we need photos!

[JeffR]

The most amusing thing is that the car transporter driver (fully loaded with new Transits and parked in a lay bye) is claiming whiplash..... Car submarined under the rear chassis...

[Stellaghost]

Personally I have been with the AA for nearly 40 years and have never let me down for car or bike although I have had to tell them to put me in touch with their local recoverer as not all roads are named also last year they diverted a van to help my wife  get dogs out of car in very hot day arrived within 10 mins and had dogs out in 5 really earned their keep that day but I must admit they are getting a tad expensive 

Edited December 13, 2018 by Stellaghost
Add info

[JeffR]

1 minute ago, Stellaghost said:

Personally I have been with the AA for nearly 40 years and have never let me down for car or bike although I have had to tell them to put me in touch with their local recoverer as not all roads are named also last year they divertef a van to help my wife  get dogs out of car in very hot day arrived within 10 mins and had dogs out in 5 really earned their keep that day but I must admit they are getting a tad expensive 

They have cocked things up 4 times in the past 3 years for me. Been with them since mid 90's, they do not give a tinkers cuss these days.

[smallfry]

Been with the AA and the RAC. Never again.

Now with Brittania Rescue. Will recover the car to anywhere if you wish, or a local garage if you must. Only needed to use them once (Freelander) Birmingham to Kent. Took my word for it what the problem was, so didn't have to go through the charade of taking it to a local repairer to be assessed, so they can have you over a barrel over cost.

I only want my vehicle taken home, as I don't want anyone else touching it.

[Tanuki]

I was originally with Green Flag: over the years [with 100% no claims] they ramped the annual cost up as my Defender got older. When it got to £125-a-year for 'basic' cover on a ten-year-old vehicle I phoned them and asked to be put through to their 'retentions' team. They refused to budge [I'd have expected them to come down at least 50% because of my no-claims history] so I told them to stuff it.

Now with RAC at around £45/year.

I think most of the cheap deals are really aimed at covering the easy-to-fix callouts to people who don't know how to change a flat tyre, need a jump-start because they've left their lights on overnight, or have run out of fuel/put-petrol-in-a-Diesel-at-the-filling-station.

How they'd deal with a dead Defender with a 3.5-ton trailer in-tow is a different matter.

[qwakers]

britannia every time.

 

bearing collapsed on my trailer. recovered the trailer to their depot (and then home)and the load home separately, held on to both until i could be available for delivery and didn't quibble at all.

 

only slight downer is they took a couple of hours to get to me.

[lo-fi]

20 minutes ago, Tanuki said:

How they'd deal with a dead Defender with a 3.5-ton trailer in-tow is a different matter

RAC got me home with a dead 109 and sankey. A trailer with a normal hitch, they'd tow apparently. In my case with the nato hitch they sent a truck big enough to put landy and trailer on. No fuss, just a bit of a wait while they found a contractor with a large enough truck. Fair enough really. 

[rebel_eddie]

The RAC are the best, they even recovered me when I broke a couple drive safts whilst Green landing. Admittedly it took a lot longer but they managed the situation amazingly. 

If you sign up at a show there is usually a good discount too.

[SPendrey]

Just to add a little balance to this - I have had what I consider great service from the AA!  I suspect it comes down to the driver in some cases.  I've had a wheel bearing failure where the driver tailgated me a couple of miles home (at slowish speed) so I could fix the issue myself.  And more recently, the aux tensioner went on my 300TDi Disco; with no belt driving the coolant, power steering etc. the AA chap agreed to follow me home, again at slow speed, although only just over a mile.

Finally, I failed to renew with them this year because the payment card had expired.  When I realised and called them, they gave me 25% off!  £80 per year is acceptable to me for recovery to any location of my choice.

[Jon W]

Which ever breakdown you choose to go with check the small print as many now only cover cars under 10years old. 

I am now covered on any vehicle I am in with Britannia rescue through LV,  both me and my wife on the policy £108 recovered to anywhere in the UK.

i used to do it through my insurance but to many vehicles now and fell out with flux rescue, after being left for 4+ hours at the side of the road, yes not immediately their fault as they used subcontractors who kept letting me down but they didn’t handle it very well at all.

however previously when my wife broke down the girl on the end of the phone was so good and helpful and even rang before she finished her shift to make sure all was ok with the recovery and the horse etc. So it very much depends who is on the phones I think

[smallfry]

4 hours ago, Jon W said:

Which ever breakdown you choose to go with check the small print as many now only cover cars under 10years old. 

I am now covered on any vehicle I am in with Britannia rescue through LV,  both me and my wife on the policy £108 recovered to anywhere in the UK.

i used to do it through my insurance but to many vehicles now and fell out with flux rescue, after being left for 4+ hours at the side of the road, yes not immediately their fault as they used subcontractors who kept letting me down but they didn’t handle it very well at all.

however previously when my wife broke down the girl on the end of the phone was so good and helpful and even rang before she finished her shift to make sure all was ok with the recovery and the horse etc. So it very much depends who is on the phones I think

That's the same policy I am on Jon, and I think you will find it covers both you and your "partner"(I do hate that word) in ANY vehicle too. Handy as we have four vehicles between us plus the Renault Master van.  They are also not vehicle ageist

 

[Ratty43]

I would back the comments that it depends on the patrol driver. I had an awful experience with the RAC where the nearest 'help' was a local garage that tried to tow me in for a flat battery when a jump was just as good. The AA in my experience have been superb. On Wednesday my ignition barrel on the Discovery 3 failed and 20 minutes after I called them I was on my way. Half of that time was the chap explaining how tumblers and immobiliser rings work. Luck of the draw with all of them I suspect but vans on the ground wins every day for me. 

[Cynic-al]

I'm with green flag. Took it out through the caravan club as I had a caravan at the time and they promise to get you and your van home. 

They sent a 3rd party who recovered me very quickly when I needed them although we did have a small fall out as they kept telling me it was my in tank pump that was broken - the car doesn't have one. 

My only complaint is that they won't come out twice in 30 days for the same complaint. This annoyed me as I had already had my car to a reputable garage 3 times to get fixed, it's just the first 2 times I was in a position to recover it myself. As far as I'm concerned if I have taken the car to a reputable garage who return it to me as fixed I shouldn't be left high and dry, I've acted in good faith. 

I will try Britannia when it's due

[Cynic-al]

My vw went into limp home today, took me a mile to get it upto 60 mph 🙄

Called the dealer, couldn't get me in until Thursday so decided to call vw assist which is run by the aa. Guy came to my house with in 20 minutes in a vw assist branded van but with an aa lanyard. Needs the dpf regen forcing, aparantly it's a common thing on that car that they forget to do it sometimes by themselves. There wasn't enough diesel in the car for him to do it, has to be over 20 litres and takes an hour, so he's coming back in the morning when I've filled it. Can't fault the service there. 

[Retroanaconda]

Most subcontract anyway so I guess it depends on luck of the draw as to who you get to come out to you.

I’ve been with AA for years but keep meaning to switch to Britannia through CSMA as its much cheaper for more coverage.

[Simon_CSK]

I have to admit I have the AA quite a few times in the last year alone 🙄🙄🙄 Mainly have had a S&£t load of punctures and weird things going on with my Mini and my Disco. Never once have they grumbled even when  firstly I had water leak and then two weeks later when I blew the Turbo an they had to lift the car and a 3.5t trailer in the dead of night. 

[cackshifter]

Was with the RAC for decades, and generally they were ok, but had to switch, as they won't recover a horse if it happens to be in your trailer when something happens. NFU do ( probably subcontracted to RAC) so with them now.