Best Breakdown cover these days?

[Turn7]

BreakdowN cover is one of those things you hope to never have to use, but you do, it needs to be fit for purpose.

I have been an RAC customer for many more years than I care to remember. Very rarely had to use them.

Few weeks ago, MrsT7 got caught in traffic after an accident ahead of her. Traffic was stationary for that long she switched the car off and it wouldnt then start when required.
This left her stranded on a live DC. Luckily a car stopped and helped push her Car into the layby that was just ahead.

RAC took nearly 5 hours to recover. This was a lone female at about 2.45 am when they finally arrived.
I dont think that is acceptable service.


So.....looking to maybe sack them off after that. Ive heard they were bought out by VC in '21 and standards are slipping.

Whos the best company to use these days ?

[limpsfield]

Turn7 said:

RAC took nearly 5 hours to recover. This was a lone female at about 2.45 am when they finally arrived.
I dont think that is acceptable service.

That is shocking service. I'm with the RAC but haven't had to call them for years. I was with Green Flag many years ago and they seemd to be prompt.

I think it's all a bit of lucky dip to be honest. But I understood that they all prioritised lone females, so can understand your feelings

[LeeM135i]

That’s terrible service from the RAC.

I use the ‘free’ recovery that’s included with my Nationwide bank account. They sent out a local company when I had a tyre blow on the BMW and they were on site in 35mins after I found out it didn’t have a spare. I think the account is £8 or £10 a month and includes travel insurance along with other things.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Turn7 said:

BreakdowN cover is one of those things you hope to never have to use, but you do, it needs to be fit for purpose.

I have been an RAC customer for many more years than I care to remember. Very rarely had to use them.

Few weeks ago, MrsT7 got caught in traffic after an accident ahead of her. Traffic was stationary for that long she switched the car off and it wouldnt then start when required.
This left her stranded on a live DC. Luckily a car stopped and helped push her Car into the layby that was just ahead.

RAC took nearly 5 hours to recover. This was a lone female at about 2.45 am when they finally arrived.
I dont think that is acceptable service.


So.....looking to maybe sack them off after that. Ive heard they were bought out by VC in '21 and standards are slipping.

Whos the best company to use these days ?

There was a piece on Rip off Britain this week about RAC breakdown and with very similar stories to yours OP.

[QJumper]

I don't know about the best, but in the past I've used Gem, and they always seemed pretty quick to respond, although I guess a lot will be due to area.

[alscar]

Have been a member of the AA for years both stand alone and also when the provider for various new cars and have always found them pretty good for both turn out times and service then provided.
I think the longest time waited was an hour once but in the snow and my car was parked up with a screw in it.
5 hours is utterly appalling - I hope you made a complaint afterwards.

[Trevor555]

Called the AA this morning.

Less than 30 mins wait.

Last time I called them pre covid, about 20mins.

[A500leroy]

Im thinking about start rescue.

[monthou]

LeeM135i said:

That’s terrible service from the RAC.

I use the ‘free’ recovery that’s included with my Nationwide bank account. They sent out a local company when I had a tyre blow on the BMW and they were on site in 35mins after I found out it didn’t have a spare. I think the account is £8 or £10 a month and includes travel insurance along with other things.

£13 a month now, and you get AA with all the bells and whistles. We broke down in Devon last summer - they relayed the car back to the midlands and gave us a Tucson for 3 days to finish our trip / get home.

[df76]

monthou said:

LeeM135i said:

That’s terrible service from the RAC.

I use the ‘free’ recovery that’s included with my Nationwide bank account. They sent out a local company when I had a tyre blow on the BMW and they were on site in 35mins after I found out it didn’t have a spare. I think the account is £8 or £10 a month and includes travel insurance along with other things.

£13 a month now, and you get AA with all the bells and whistles. We broke down in Devon last summer - they relayed the car back to the midlands and gave us a Tucson for 3 days to finish our trip / get home.

We have the same through a Nationwide account. Full AA cover for any vehicle the family are travelling in, and worldwide travel insurance as well. Seems an ok deal.

[Turn7]

Bumping this as its renewal time, and I am not giving the Orange ones any more money...

AA seem expensive at face value, but should one of the best ?

[Shaw Tarse]

Use Quidco ?(other cashback sites available)

[Turn7]

Just been checking through the bank account extras.

If we upgrade the account, we can get Family AA cover plus other benefits for £120/year.

Seems like a no brainer to me, AA want £240 direct.

[A500leroy]

green flag..

[r1ch]

Recent years I’ve been with AA and Greenflag, both very good. But I agree it feels like a lucky dip with breakdown cover.

[Speed Badger]

I was with the RAC for a good few years in the past and I had to use them on two occasions. One took around 3 hours to come out, I stated it was a broken alternator and to either bring a spare battery or a tow/flatbed as I was only a couple of miles from home. They said wait for the patrol to diagnose the problem. I said it is 100% the alternator packed up, but no. 3 hours later van came out, oh dear your alternator has gone. Cue another hour of them charging my battery up with enough juice to get me home.

The second time, car wouldn't start after me and Miss Badger had been to the cinema. Called them at around 11pm, they eventually arrived at 2am, we were absolutely frozen as we were at a retail complex that was shut with nowhere else to go. Never used RAC since, but ironically never had to call anyone out since!

[Mr-B]

I've always gone without cover for years (and got away with it) but when I renewed my insurance for an ageing car I curiously ticked the breakdown cover just to see the cost, £20 (for the bare basic cover), was really surprised how cheap it was so included it. It was supplied by the RAC. About a month before the policy was due to renew the car died on me so called them and they arrived within 45 minutes, Easter weekend as well which I was pretty impressed with. Towed me to a local garage and then a lift home. Can't complain for that.

I've renewed directly via quidco as I have an aging MINI now but seeing the horror stories here seems like I got lucky.

[vikingaero]

I've said this many times - Autoaid.

If you must have AA/RAC buy via TopCashBack/Quidco to roughly halve the price. Never renew. Cancel and take out via a cashback website with the opposition. Rotate each year between them.

The AA will make you believe that renewing each year for silver/gold/spanglybks level is worth it each year - it just appeals to the terminally stupid.

[Coletrain]

My partner broke down the other day, pulled up to a roundabout and the car just died and wouldn't start. A very kind gent stopped to help push her car off the road. She rang the RAC and was told it had been logged and a recovery team would be in contact with her directly. A few moments later she got a text saying they'd be with her in 4 and a half hours!

It was in the middle of the day, so I get that she wasn't stranded in the middle of the night on a country road or something but to expect her to wait for 4 and a half hours at the side of the road, on her own, is terrible service. I rang a recovery guy I use to collect cars and he was with her in 30 mins and recovered the car home. Apparently he's heard that the RAC has taken on Green Flag but hasn't put on any extra vehicles. Whether that is true or not I don't know but would certainly explain various peoples poor service.

[James_N]

I signed up with emergency assist via groupon for my shed. Just over £20. Everything included.

Never had to use them (surprisingly!)