Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral RAC ,AA v Breakdown Recovery

In case someone was thinking of it don't make my mistake
Fallen foul of going for cheaper Breakdown recovery through insurance company rather than AA or RAC.
In the past RAC and AA who have come to rescue have made a good attempt to diagnose and repair the problem if they can and take you home if they cant. RAC even did a roadside replacement of a defective coil pack for me as he had one onboard.
Just had a car breakdown- phoned insurance company to organise breakdown guys to come out. Not too long to wait. Couple nice guys but then realised it was just a recovery vehicle, no tools,no diagnostics, no petrol can. Just straight on back of tow truck to garage for fuel which I told them wouldn't be the problem (it wasn't) so they just brought vehicle back home --which I am very thankful for.
The insurance company use similar terminology to RAC and AA like roadside assistance etc but it obviously doesn't mean sending qualified mechanics out just a recovery vehicle.

Advertising blurb says roadside assistance as
"
However the small print and definitions reads


subtle difference--reckon complaint to advertising standards??

So it will be back to RAC/AA again next time.

Yeah you do have to be very careful and read all the small print stuff before you sign up. It also depends on which insurance company you use too of course, I am insured with Aviva, the RAC are owned by the same parent company, Avivas breakdown recovery is provided by the RAC at a cheaper rate than the RAC, unfortunately I had to test this out recently when I broke down on the Denbigh moors, but sure enough I got the usual, excellent RAC breakdown service who fixed the problem at the roadside.

I've always used insurance breakdown cover, and always got good service from them. Only on one occasion did it go wrong when I called them out to change a wheel and the fellow used a telescopic wheelbrace so enthusiastically that it stretched the studs and the wheel couldn't be removed until the nuts were split off.

I complained and they reimbursed me for the cost of the new studs and nuts and the garage fees for the work without any quibbling.

Otherwise they've been as good or better than the RAC or AA, doing their best to get the vehicle drivable before hauling it home.

My experience with the RAC has not been a happy one, although I admit it was so many years back that they may have improved. I got the strong impression that they were not really interested and failed to spot the fault which the garage rectified in minutes.

I use the RAC because they will tow to a place of my choosing (on some of their policies). I'm getting too old to hang around in three hours of rain with a flat phone battery trying to sort things out myself.

Likewise I noticed many rescue schemes state they will tow it to a garage where you could get ripped off for whatever charges they want to make (or words to that affect), no doubt there are backhanders to the rescue people as well.

Also beware of renewal prices, RAC ask for double what they will settle for with a bit of negotiation. They asked for £180 when they are willing to come down to £90 in my case. I am covered in any vehicle (mine or not), including old ones.

I should have done that DD and quibbled with RAC on price. Learnt my lesson...I got what I paid for.
The attempt at "getting it working" consisted of him turning the key in the ignition..doh. It was when I got "do you have a torch, do you have a screwdriver, we don't carry a fuel can" that I realised. Not blameing them they just recovery lads paid a pittance by their boss. Surprised my insurance company actually contracted with them as the recovery firms breakdown makes no mention of any diagnosis and very vague in its "attempt to get it going" wording

I've had one call out with the RAC, guy that came out was brilliant, well made up for the person on the phone.

He found me pretty quickly despite phone person telling him the wrong place, humoured and helped with my attempts to bypass the fuel pump relay (stock fault) making a lead to do this. Found out it wasn't relay fault, discovered cam belt had stripped all its teeth (thanks conti-belts!!!), tried his damnedest to get hold of replacement belt with numerous phone calls, he couldn't so he towed me from the very busy road to nearby carpark to load the car up properly, brought me home and pushed the car up the drive.

I'd only bought the car the day before and driven it up from Southend-on-Sea (250 miles/5 hours), 30 minutes out the next day and it died, normally I carry spare belts with me but hadn't got that organised yet (actually it turned out there was one in the car if only I'd looked), non-interference engine and I can replace the belt in less than 30 minutes roadside on a nice day.

Cam belt carrier hey DD..serious guy! Years back used to carry a few bits that with limited knowledge could have ago at but nowadays you come to do a job and find you need special tools. Even simplest things of unscrewing a component and its got star or other type head instead of your normal slot or Philips.

Just wait until we get a large population of battery cars full of hackable software. I expect we'll see a lot of 'have a go' repair merchants removing themselves from the gene pool!

Another drawback that I now realise is if you cancel your insurance policy like I may be doing as scrapping car you lose the breakdown cover. Marginally cheaper to amend policy for new vehicle