dirtychicken Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 My AA membership is due for renewal and they've quoted £97 Considering that my home and car insurance is also with the AA, I feel that's a tad over the top. I've been with the AA almost continuously since I passed my test nearly 20 years ago but now they can whistle for loyalty. I've been having a read around and I can get RAC cover for £69 or Green Flag for £68 (I only want roadside assistance and relay) including online discounts. I can also get some MUCH cheaper options from about £30 but these are "pay and claim" companies where you cover the cost of repairs, labour, towing etc then claim it back from the breakdown company Given that I am horrendously poor most of the time, I just don't think that's going to be an option. So does anybody have any good reports on a decent breakdown company for a reasonable cost, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyspaniels Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 cant fault the RAC and I will always have the one that that comes and takes you home no matter where you are after needing it a few times this year, plus needing the homestart when I ran out of petrol in my own driveway - alot of problems with the fuel pump and now a faulty petrol guage. RAC have always been quick to come out, especially if I am on my own, and always been great at towing me home or to my mechanic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Oh has AA the whole package and we have had many occasions to be grateful for this. We were on the Heath with the dogs and came back to find both tyres flat and as oh cannot change a type anymore (no strength) the AA were brilliant. The chap went to get a new tyre for us, put that and the spare on the car and because the car was making a noise followed us home. (noise was plastic bag caught up under the car). Personel choice is what it comes down to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I've been with Morethan for quite a few years now and mine is £72.72 and that includes EuropeAssist, have a look here . Hope everything ok with you and yours. Rocky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Dirtychicken, not sure if you've looked at Martins article http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/roadside-recovery not sure if that helps good luck! M xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Greenflag are cheaper than the AA and I've found them to be reliable. I left the AA because I used them twice for a car battery that kept dying and got a sh*tty letter telling me I had used up part of my 'quota' of call outs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Round here it doesn't seem to matter who you use, you never actually get someone from the organisation, you get whatever local recovery firm they sub it out to. We used to be with RAC, now with Britannia, doesn't seem to make much odds. I moved to Britannia because when I asked them, they said that they would not leave me in the position that I was in once with the RAC, where I had to leave my dogs stuck in the boot of the car and go with the RAC man to buy a new tyre. RAC man would not allow me to take dogs with us, would not recover car, would not pay for tyre and allow me to go back and pay for it later. The only way I could get rescued was to leave the hounds. Thankfully, it was not a hot day, but what if it had been? Britannia told me they would recover car and dogs in that scenario. However, we later discovered when the immobiliser wouldn't turn off that this was not actually true: if you are somewhere where there is a Britannia presence, and they have a vehicle nearby that can take you, they will take car, dogs and all, but if you are in a 4WD vehicle (4wd vehicles can't be towed by a normal tow truck, you need a car transporter thing) and somewhere where you need to be recovered by whatever local garage they can get hold of, you are stuck. Thankfully, we managed to reset the immobiliser (without their help) and get home, but otherwise we would have been faced with a 6-mile walk in the dark, along narrow unlit roads with no pavements and people barrelling along them at 60mph, in the pouring rain and high winds. With a dog with a bad leg. We no longer have a car with 4WD, but I no longer have confidence in Britannia to provide help when I really need it. Basically, my message here is 'don't come to Cornwall and break down if you have dogs, you might have a long walk home' . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 We are with Endsleigh, might be worth a try as they seem reasonable. I pay £90ish but that's for the whole caboodle homestart package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incapuppy Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Missus Chook, was the AA renewal price by letter? Whenever I get a renewal I check the price online (which I think is around 20-25% cheaper) and phone them to match the online price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyspaniels Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 my first time with the RAC the man asked if my dogs wanted to ride in the back of the van, I said they were happy in the car so they stayed in the back, but we dropped my car at the garage and he gave me and the 4 dogs a lift home, and the most recent time I was towed the guy asked if my dogs wanted a lift home in the van, but they are happier in the car so they stayed in their dog box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClazUK Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Been with the RAC 21 years but looked around this year as I'm almost skint. RAC were £130ish, Endsleigh were £69 for the same deal. Can't fault the RAC, they've been fantastic, but the prices have gotten silly lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elefan Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I'm with Green Flag and they have been excellent. I left the AA as they used arthritic Anne the one remaining UK circus elephant in a advert 2 years ago.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtychicken Posted May 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Missus Chook, was the AA renewal price by letter? Whenever I get a renewal I check the price online (which I think is around 20-25% cheaper) and phone them to match the online price It was and I'm going to give them a call. There is up to 34% discount online and I'm pretty sure I'm meant to have a discount because my car and home insurance is with them Thank you for all the help and don't worry, Victoria, I have no intention of breaking down in Cornwall I don't need homestart because my dad is very clever with cars so can help out if I break down locally. Why can't they offer cover for a single journey? That would be helpful! Thanks for the link Murtle I had read it and that was how I found out that there are 2 types of recovery I've only had 1 incident of having to leave the dogs in the car whilst being towed but it was enough. I had Bailey (+ his separation anxiety) and my foster Zara (who had only arrived the day before) and had been on my way to collect Jacob from his friend's in Cheshire. Car broke down and we had to be towed home and the recovery guy refused to have the dogs in the lorry. I was told by him that it is up to the individual drivers as to whether they allow dogs in or not and because he'd had a bad incident previously he wouldn't let them in. Bailey howled all the way home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 don't worry, Victoria, I have no intention of breaking down in Cornwall If you ever do plan to do it , I'll give you my phone number and we'll pick you up so you can come have tea while you wait endlessly for the Only Repair Van In Cornwall to get round to your breakdown ... If there is anyone out there that is thinking of setting up a local rescue garage, please come here, we neeeeed you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4LeggedFriends Posted May 16, 2008 Report Share Posted May 16, 2008 I am with the AA, I don't renew my cover, I let it lapse and then start over as a new customer, always cheaper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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