Just after a few opinions, I am in the AA and my car would not start yesterday, I phoned them at 13.26 (my phone time) and reported it and was informed that someone will be with me before 14.25. About 13.55 I got a call saying they are busy and would not attend but have sent a RNW vehicle to help instead.

Am I being unreasonible to be unhappy, I pay for the AA to help me not RNW . . . eventually RNW turned up at 14.27 which is on the note I recieved and they recieved the call from the AA at 13.51. So 25 minutes of wasted time for them to find someone to help.

Maybe I am being a grump but I do feel that if I pay for the AA I ecxcpect them to attend within the hour as they state online when joining up . . . surely it's like shopping online at asda and them sending tesco's stuff as a replacment ?

Yeh I know what you mean.I had a similar thing happen with the AA sending someone else.They are not as helpful or as knowledgable either. They put my car on a low loader to take me from Liscard to New Brighton.The garage that fixed it said that an AA man would have done a temp' job on it so that I could drive it home and then to the garage the next day.

You could complain and as for compensation,
but i guess there is a white weather clause in there.

My Brothers car Broke down near nottingham, on a bank holiday.

1st AA Mini Response vechicle (To see if it was knackard)
2nd Other company Lowloader.
3rd Stopped at that companys premises to wait for AA Low Loader.
4th waited 1hr
5th AA Low loader driver was at the end of his max drive time.
6th Stopped at M6 Service. Waited 20mins to swap AA low loaders.
7th Stopped at M6 - M56 for 1hr ? As the Drivers Hours were up on that one too.
8th After 8hrs from the first call we got home.

Moral of the storey.
Even if you pay for the full service - your day is screwed.

My advice - ask for compensation as you waited longer than the hour.
If no Joy. At least you know for next time.

Personally, I think you are being unreasonable.

Clearly the AA could not commit to helping you within the hour & therefore they send RNW to assist. Okay, they were 60 seconds late but lets put that down to the rescue services being busy due to adverse weather.

Look on the bright side & here's to 3 points for the Toffees today!

Nil points, very worried now about toffees.

A few years back I asked for AA to help when I broke down on the M62 just past junction 5 heading towards Liverpool in the pitch black, in the rain, as a lone female in the middle of winter and I was classed as a priority. It took them over 2 hours to reach me. All this time I was standing on the embankmenk with only my mobile phone to keep me company. Yes, I was a member at the time. The guy who eventually came said he was on his way home to Garston when he got the call out and "didn't have the heart to let me down". More like he went home then rang in to find out how much overtime he would get!
If you ask me, getting assistance, whoever it is from, is better than nothing, and they came damn quick if you ask me.

we had to use the AA this summer

My father in law fell and broke his hip in weston super mare, and was hosiptalised down there. My mother in law has very poor eyesight and is deaf and has never driven in her life. So we had the added problem of bringing the vehicle back. Its a big van and having never driven a van before i was a bit uneasy about doing it tbh.

After some lengthy phone call dicussions from wallasey with the AA team they offered to recover the vehicle and bring it back to the wirral on compassionate grounds, but they couldnt bring the mother in law back with it. They explained it may take a few days as they will have to piggy back it from AA depot to AA depot but it would be brought back to the door.

We drove down to pick up the mom in law and before we left the AA turned up and towed the van away. After a visit to see how dad in law was in hospital we headed back to wallasey. As we pulled up outside her house, there was the van parked out front !

Awesome service from a company that didnt actually have any legal obligation to do this for us as the vehicle was in perfect running order.

They will be getting my money next year .

AA / RNW - doesnt really make much difference IMO, at least youre getting someone who knows what they are doing, and RNW generally turn up with something big enough to transport a car on a flatbed, rather than tow you with a bar, or put you on one of those spec lifts that drop out of the back of the van.

Whilst the weather is like this, im also sure they get a lot of calls..... As your car wouldnt start I guess you are a lower priority than someone that has broken down on the motorway etc....

Try complaining, you may get a discount on next years membership.

Also try a breakdown company that is independant - ie, doesnt have its own fleet. The AA will, where they can use their own fleet, RNW must have really been the last effort as time was running out, as getting RNW out will cost the AA money!

If you join a non fleet based breakdown company, you will get a local contractor (like RWN / A1 etc) first time round, and they are generally more abundant than AA / RAC patrols.

Thanks peeps, decided to leave it after calming down.

You know what! Your right,I withdraw my post and say,God bless the AA!!!!
With this weather I may need them any day now.
He's a very nice man!!!