Breakdown Cover - Has anyone had a good experience?
Discussion
Today I found myself stranded at the side of the road in my car, for the first time in 20 years. My breakdown cover offered a possible wait of 3 hours, I assume this is for the first patrol to arrive, plus any delays and then another wait for recovery. My mates cover said the car was over 16 years old so no assistance offered 
In the end I got a lift home and arranged for a local recovery guy to pick it up and take it to my chosen garage. It got me thinking though, I have only ever heard bad things about peoples experiences of recovery by the usual big companies. Hours of delays and waiting, lack of organisation and general incompetence.
Has anyone out there had a good experience in the situation of a breakdown?
In the end I got a lift home and arranged for a local recovery guy to pick it up and take it to my chosen garage. It got me thinking though, I have only ever heard bad things about peoples experiences of recovery by the usual big companies. Hours of delays and waiting, lack of organisation and general incompetence.
Has anyone out there had a good experience in the situation of a breakdown?
I’ve been with Autoaid a few years now on the recommendation of PH.
Each time I’ve called them they’ve been out in a reasonable time and they’ve always been realistic when it comes to recovery. If you give them the info they need they will send a truck straight away rather than waiting hours for a van to turn up to then say it’s several more hours for a truck to come out like the AA did.
Each time I’ve called them they’ve been out in a reasonable time and they’ve always been realistic when it comes to recovery. If you give them the info they need they will send a truck straight away rather than waiting hours for a van to turn up to then say it’s several more hours for a truck to come out like the AA did.
SAS Tom said:
I ve been with Autoaid a few years now on the recommendation of PH.
Each time I ve called them they ve been out in a reasonable time and they ve always been realistic when it comes to recovery. If you give them the info they need they will send a truck straight away rather than waiting hours for a van to turn up to then say it s several more hours for a truck to come out like the AA did.
That has been the experience of me and my family. My daughter calls them out at least once a year and always receives great service. I called them once and was very happy with how things turned out.Each time I ve called them they ve been out in a reasonable time and they ve always been realistic when it comes to recovery. If you give them the info they need they will send a truck straight away rather than waiting hours for a van to turn up to then say it s several more hours for a truck to come out like the AA did.
About 4 weeks ago I knew my 2022 Defender was without any breakdown cover. I went online and paid for 12 months cover. Sod’s Law the car broke down the next day. I didn’t want to call the company I had taken the cover out with as I felt a bit f a fraud….i wasn’t. Did some digging and I had AA cover on a Lloyds Premium account.
Called them at 17:00 hrs on Saturday evening and they were with me 30 minutes later. Car was on my drive but had lost all power. I had opened it with the blade key pooped the bonnet and attached a jump pack to the jump posts under the bonnet. The 12v is under the electric drivers seat (there’s good design for you). When I connected all hell let loose and the alarm sounded for 30 minutes.
Anyway AA man turned up jump started it from the Transit he was in and put it on a trickle charger before he left. Great service top man.
At 0100hrs the tracker company at LR called me to check the car was at home as it had died again, the car was there but it was not charging.
09:00 on Sunday morning I called AA and they sent a low loader. He couldn’t start it and didn’t have leads. I started it off my son’s Fiat 500 but it died when leads detached. He then called HQ to get a third party contractor with a robot to pick the car up and put it on his truck. HQ suggested they send last nights guy out. He turned up attached a jump pack and drove it onto the truck with it attached. They then removed the pack and secured the Defender.
We then in convoy delivered it to LR 30 miles away, me in my other car, the transit and the low loader.
The service was absolutely outstanding.
Called them at 17:00 hrs on Saturday evening and they were with me 30 minutes later. Car was on my drive but had lost all power. I had opened it with the blade key pooped the bonnet and attached a jump pack to the jump posts under the bonnet. The 12v is under the electric drivers seat (there’s good design for you). When I connected all hell let loose and the alarm sounded for 30 minutes.
Anyway AA man turned up jump started it from the Transit he was in and put it on a trickle charger before he left. Great service top man.
At 0100hrs the tracker company at LR called me to check the car was at home as it had died again, the car was there but it was not charging.
09:00 on Sunday morning I called AA and they sent a low loader. He couldn’t start it and didn’t have leads. I started it off my son’s Fiat 500 but it died when leads detached. He then called HQ to get a third party contractor with a robot to pick the car up and put it on his truck. HQ suggested they send last nights guy out. He turned up attached a jump pack and drove it onto the truck with it attached. They then removed the pack and secured the Defender.
We then in convoy delivered it to LR 30 miles away, me in my other car, the transit and the low loader.
The service was absolutely outstanding.
I've used the AA, Autoaid and Rescue My Car over the years and all have been first class, Rescue My Car are very competitive on price, we recently covered a car for my son when he was home from abroad, only £17 for all inclusive cover for a year. I only use the AA as it's free with our bank account.
SAS Tom said:
I ve been with Autoaid a few years now on the recommendation of PH.
Each time I ve called them they ve been out in a reasonable time and they ve always been realistic when it comes to recovery. If you give them the info they need they will send a truck straight away rather than waiting hours for a van to turn up to then say it s several more hours for a truck to come out like the AA did.
My daughter was with Autoaid, which I chose from PH reviews. What I did not realise was that they simply get the car home, or to nominated address, but do not get involved with roadside repairs. In one case, it was simply a flat battery caused by stopping to make phone calls, but leaving headlights on, with a tired battery about which I had warned her. The ‘ contracted out’ recoverers were courteous and chatty. We as a family have now gone to AA ( discounted in posh Sunday papers) but untested so far.Each time I ve called them they ve been out in a reasonable time and they ve always been realistic when it comes to recovery. If you give them the info they need they will send a truck straight away rather than waiting hours for a van to turn up to then say it s several more hours for a truck to come out like the AA did.
Hit a pothole on the way home from Mallory Park in 2022.
Broken bearing on the steering arm, and it was undriveable above 20 mph.
Had about 100 motorway miles home, so I opted to use my AA membership.
I guessed it would be several hours before they got to me as I’d made it to a service station, so was safe and well fed.
Looking at the time stamps on the photos, I was strapped down on the back of the AA truck in just over an hour.
I guess I lucked out and the AA patrol and recovery truck were in the right place at the right time for me!
I've used the AA for over 20 years and had quite a few call outs (high power temperamental cars and cheap French heaps) and not had a "bad" experience yet, but I've definitely had some "unique" ones, like breaking down at the northern tip of Scotland and getting low-loaded back to Ellesmere port via 4 different drivers over 12 hours, to doing a 3 point turn using the entrance to a farmers field and getting stuck literally 500m from my front door and needing to get pulled out just 6ft or so onto the road from the downhill slope on wet mud.
It's never been cheap TBF, but when I've needed it its been reliable for me, but I realise everyone has their own stories of good/bad so just because I've had no issues, doesn't mean the AA are "the best" by any means.
It's never been cheap TBF, but when I've needed it its been reliable for me, but I realise everyone has their own stories of good/bad so just because I've had no issues, doesn't mean the AA are "the best" by any means.
Pizzaeatingking said:
Today I found myself stranded at the side of the road in my car, for the first time in 20 years. My breakdown cover offered a possible wait of 3 hours, I assume this is for the first patrol to arrive, plus any delays and then another wait for recovery. My mates cover said the car was over 16 years old so no assistance offered
In the end I got a lift home and arranged for a local recovery guy to pick it up and take it to my chosen garage. It got me thinking though, I have only ever heard bad things about peoples experiences of recovery by the usual big companies. Hours of delays and waiting, lack of organisation and general incompetence.
Has anyone out there had a good experience in the situation of a breakdown?
Yes, flat tyre at the side of a dual carriageway (managed to limp the car up onto the slip road but still protruding into lane 1). Thought it better to phone AA to sort it than sit there and try to do it myself/sitting duck situation etc. In the end I got a lift home and arranged for a local recovery guy to pick it up and take it to my chosen garage. It got me thinking though, I have only ever heard bad things about peoples experiences of recovery by the usual big companies. Hours of delays and waiting, lack of organisation and general incompetence.
Has anyone out there had a good experience in the situation of a breakdown?
Rang AA, middle of the day on a Saturday, think they said it would be up to an hour, must've arrived within 20 minutes, chucked the spare on for me to head onto the local tyre place.
Had to drop off a football game I was heading to officiate on due to the perceived delay, turned out I would've actually made it in time!
I've been with start rescue several years.
It's variable-sometimes there within 20 mins, usually an hour, and one time, at the top of the M23, the guy missed me and went all the way to Crawley and back (I was on the hard shoulder, not in a live lane).
I have been stuck in a live lane- not nice. You will get removed by highways and charged £200 for it regardless- you then get your breakdown people to meet you at whatever service station, garage or layby you've been left in.
Anyway, back on topic I was with the aa for several years - mediocre I would say apart from one chap who was their electrical expert and spent time tracing (and fixing) my electrical fault - a vanishingly rare exception.
But the AA were over double the price of start rescue so it had to go.
Final breakdown anecdote- my wife and her team went to a meeting with their boss driving, who broke down on the m25. The cheeky git asked if anyone had breakdown (my wife did under personal cover) and he used it to get recovered for free.
The guy made twice what I did - I think she should have left him to pay for his gamble, given the truck that comes out is whatever truck is nearest anyway.
Ian
It's variable-sometimes there within 20 mins, usually an hour, and one time, at the top of the M23, the guy missed me and went all the way to Crawley and back (I was on the hard shoulder, not in a live lane).
I have been stuck in a live lane- not nice. You will get removed by highways and charged £200 for it regardless- you then get your breakdown people to meet you at whatever service station, garage or layby you've been left in.
Anyway, back on topic I was with the aa for several years - mediocre I would say apart from one chap who was their electrical expert and spent time tracing (and fixing) my electrical fault - a vanishingly rare exception.
But the AA were over double the price of start rescue so it had to go.
Final breakdown anecdote- my wife and her team went to a meeting with their boss driving, who broke down on the m25. The cheeky git asked if anyone had breakdown (my wife did under personal cover) and he used it to get recovered for free.
The guy made twice what I did - I think she should have left him to pay for his gamble, given the truck that comes out is whatever truck is nearest anyway.
Ian
I have BMW recovery and home start. Used to have warranty as well but as the car got older it got too expensive to justify. A mile or so from home the Low Coolant Level warning came on. Drove home, left it overnight, topped up in the morning and set off for work. Light came in again after 2 mins so went home. Engine temp ok but water dripping from underneath.
Called BMW and 45 mins later, he arrived. Diagnosed a split hose from the expansion tank, had one on board so he fitted it and I just paid for the part, no labour. £55.00
The service cost a premium but a normal recovery would have taken the car across Bristol, maybe a day or so wait and a labour bill upwards of £150 I would think. Therefore worthwhile for this year at least
Called BMW and 45 mins later, he arrived. Diagnosed a split hose from the expansion tank, had one on board so he fitted it and I just paid for the part, no labour. £55.00
The service cost a premium but a normal recovery would have taken the car across Bristol, maybe a day or so wait and a labour bill upwards of £150 I would think. Therefore worthwhile for this year at least
I've been with RAC for decades but didn't need them for years, until in 2018 my BMW 325i electric water pump died.
But I made it to a layby on the A31 with a panoramic view on a sunny day in May so waiting about an hour and a half wasn't a problem. And after a call from the responder I fitted the towing eye ready for when he arrived. Got towed to my BMW Indy before they closed and it had a new water pump the next day.
Then in December 2018 the battery died when I wanted to go out, but I had Homestart cover so I just watched TV and had a cuppa until the van arrived with a suitable replacement battery on board which I obviously bought!
Thankfully I haven't needed them since but I thought the service I got was fine.
But I made it to a layby on the A31 with a panoramic view on a sunny day in May so waiting about an hour and a half wasn't a problem. And after a call from the responder I fitted the towing eye ready for when he arrived. Got towed to my BMW Indy before they closed and it had a new water pump the next day.
Then in December 2018 the battery died when I wanted to go out, but I had Homestart cover so I just watched TV and had a cuppa until the van arrived with a suitable replacement battery on board which I obviously bought!
Thankfully I haven't needed them since but I thought the service I got was fine.
surbiton said:
Always had good service from the AA over the years.
I do alternate membership each year between my name and the wife s name to get new customer pricing and use top cash back, so it s less than £100 a year.
We do the same. I do alternate membership each year between my name and the wife s name to get new customer pricing and use top cash back, so it s less than £100 a year.
Great shame they dont honour loyalty.
Touchwood I've had very few calls outs over the 20 years I've been driving. But when you need it you need it and even without knowing they are the best they are certainly well known and not the worst.
Had RAC cover as part of my classic insurance on my Mini and had to call them out just the once in 5 years of ownership. The guy was with me within 30 mins, correctly diagnosed the fault (crap in the float bowl of the carb), cleaned it out and had it up and running again in under 10 mins. He followed me for a few miles to check it didn't reoccur then left me to it. Couldn't fault the service but I must have got lucky he knew old cars! Would have fixed the issue myself as I knew what was wrong but I didn't have any tools with me and I had switched the screws over on the carb to allen heads as that was what came in the rebuild kit so couldn't use a key to unscrew them!
The experience meant I switched to RAC for my winter daily the next year but when I needed them they were useless and managed to break the car and make it worse while fixing a coolant leak by dropping it off the jack and ripping a brake line. Haven't needed to use a breakdown service since but I'm now with Rescue My Car for the silly low prices.
The experience meant I switched to RAC for my winter daily the next year but when I needed them they were useless and managed to break the car and make it worse while fixing a coolant leak by dropping it off the jack and ripping a brake line. Haven't needed to use a breakdown service since but I'm now with Rescue My Car for the silly low prices.
I have breakdown cover through my bank and it's one of those things that I never looked into but assumed it was the bare bones policy etc.
I hit a pot hole, which blew a tyre 5 minutes into my drive home from a 12-hour nightshift. I was roadside on a 70mph road with no hard shoulder.
I had no idea how to even use the cover through my bank, having never checked before. I can't remember how, but I found the method to do it, which turns out to have been with the AA.
It was around 4am, and despite my dangerous position, I was told 90-120 minutes. I think it was about 2 hours total, where my car was narrowly missed by other cars multiple times.
The cover only allowed for 10 miles of travel and I lived 13 miles away - but they kindly took the car home for me anyway.
I have a tyre place literally around the corner, so after I'd had a bit of sleep, I drove the car at about 2mph to the tyre place to have a new one fitted.
Overall, it was a positive experience with the recovery in the sense that they were within the window they advised, and it was reasonably easy to arrange.
Spending 2 hours watching other drivers miss my car by inches was not positive, though - especially as I'd only owned it for a week!
I hit a pot hole, which blew a tyre 5 minutes into my drive home from a 12-hour nightshift. I was roadside on a 70mph road with no hard shoulder.
I had no idea how to even use the cover through my bank, having never checked before. I can't remember how, but I found the method to do it, which turns out to have been with the AA.
It was around 4am, and despite my dangerous position, I was told 90-120 minutes. I think it was about 2 hours total, where my car was narrowly missed by other cars multiple times.
The cover only allowed for 10 miles of travel and I lived 13 miles away - but they kindly took the car home for me anyway.
I have a tyre place literally around the corner, so after I'd had a bit of sleep, I drove the car at about 2mph to the tyre place to have a new one fitted.
Overall, it was a positive experience with the recovery in the sense that they were within the window they advised, and it was reasonably easy to arrange.
Spending 2 hours watching other drivers miss my car by inches was not positive, though - especially as I'd only owned it for a week!
I worked for the AA back office for 18 months or so. If you compare it to other lines of business Recovery firms live on the brim, it's a service that we all need in some capacity but customer sentiment is only ever in the negative when it comes to customers.
I've never used a recovery firm and at the moment I go with an aggregator quoted firm now just to give me peace of mind and a to probably experience what OP did.
I notice RAC advertised "We charge EV's now".....is that all we'll have in the future? Roaming jump leads.
I've never used a recovery firm and at the moment I go with an aggregator quoted firm now just to give me peace of mind and a to probably experience what OP did.
I notice RAC advertised "We charge EV's now".....is that all we'll have in the future? Roaming jump leads.
I’ve only had recently good experiences via manufacturers cover, I suspect there is a KPI element and you seem to get priority while cash buyers get to the end of the queue.
Green Flag left my 20 year old daughter on her own at the side of a dual carriageway for 14 hours. Obviously we intervened, but they didn’t know that.
Green Flag left my 20 year old daughter on her own at the side of a dual carriageway for 14 hours. Obviously we intervened, but they didn’t know that.
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