Smudge Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Just trying to sort out some breakdown cover for my husband's car and I can't decide which of these providers would be best to go for. AA and RAC are both very similar in price, and Green Flag is considerably cheaper than both of them, so on price alone you'd go for Green Flag. But... I'm concerned that as they don't have their own recovery network and use local garages for recovery, would they take longer to respond and be less inclined to do a roadside fix, with more of a vested interest in getting you to their garage. Does anyone have any good/bad experiences? Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Green Flag, everytime, don't be put off by them not having their own fleet, that's how they keep their price low! Hope you don't need to use them, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We were members of the AA for several years and they tended to our 22 year old Volvo a couple of time during that period including solving a timing issue which had given us trouble in damp weather, the young mechanic enjoyed tweaking a real car rather than playing with diagnostics I think. We left them because we got annoyed with the price going up each year and no discount for loyalty only brand new customers, we have now defected to the RAC for one of their brand new customers only deals half the price of the AA but as yet untested. No doubt we will have to go back to the AA to get a better deal next year, why can't companies give their loyal customers a break from time to time Years ago we were members of a small recovery club called Autohome and they were great again didn't have their own fleet but came out to mend our car when we had a fuel pump problem on holiday in deepest Dorset, they arrived within 40 minutes on a Sunday We only changed from them to get joint membership which covered all of our 3 cars rather than on a per car basisi which with an old car tends to be more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We have been with the RAC for years. My daughter had to call them out last year as she had a problem with a tyre. They arrived very quickly and everything was sorted efficiently. We buy our membership through Tesco Clubcard deals. It is a bit of a fiddle to do but I think it is worth it for the savings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Been with the AA for years - no complaints at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I have just collected my new car today and after comparing the deals I went with the RAC, it cost £99 for a year which covers recovery and home assistance too, it was the middle price of the three firms but a trusted name which personally gave me the reassurance I wanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We use AA and have not had any problems apart from the annoying post breakdown customer satisfaction phone calls They do have some great offers too. OH is covered and he added parts/repair to his cover for little extra. They wrote a few weeks ago to say that we could add ES's car for just £10 extra OH has already taken advantage by having a home callout and a new battery fitted for £25 excess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lydia Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We're with AutoAid which costs just £38 to insure both hubby and I. They're recommended on Moneysavingexpert. They are one of those where you pay and then they reimburse within 14 days. They arrange recovery and everything though in the same way as the others. Their feedback was very very good but we haven't had cause to try out their service as yet (thankfully). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We have Green Flag - It's just over £100 a year, but that covers the whole family for any car. We recently added son and his car at no extra cost. Have had problems with our Grand Espace and I can't fault Green Flag - they have come out to us at home and when we were in France they got us a hire car while ours went in for repair and when it couldn't be fixed, got us to the ferry on the back of a low loader (OK that took a bit of negotiation, but at least they did it!). I have no complaints about them whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We're with AA and have to call them out a few times over the years. Heroes in my opinion. You have to check the renewal price every year though. Two years in a row I said I was leaving for the RAC because they had their cheap new customer price. Both times the AA matched RACs prices for me so I stayed. Bit like car insurance companies I guess. AA Has lots of other services that they discount on if your a member although not 100% if that makes them cheaper rather than competively priced. One thing AA membership got me though was a discounted rate at LA Fitness (same as their discount for local companies, except my place of work is not local so that was a bonus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Been with the AA for years - no complaints at all. Ditto I never have to wait too long for their mechanics to arrive and the last one was so good looking it was worth the fee alone just to admire him We recently changed bank accounts and AA membership is included with the extras we pay a monthly fee for, the service is just the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoopsie Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 My family have been with the RAC after leaving the AA - we were left stranded for hours with small children in the car and voted with our feet) and have not been disppointed. In my opinion they have gone above and beyond the call of duty several times, both when my Mum became ill, and even when I got lost one night (I was a new driver, took the wrong road and ran out of petrol) they came and found me - bringing fuel AND leading me back to the right road! Wonderful. I've just persuaded OH to leave the AA and join me - so now we have just one policy and one price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuttle Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We're with AutoAid which costs just £38 to insure both hubby and I. They're recommended on Moneysavingexpert. They are one of those where you pay and then they reimburse within 14 days. They arrange recovery and everything though in the same way as the others. Their feedback was very very good but we haven't had cause to try out their service as yet (thankfully). We're with AutoAid too and I'd definitely recommend them. Unfortunately OH had to try out their service last month and they were excellent. They arranged for his car to be towed home and then arranged for it to be towed to the garage a few days later. Both tow trucks arrived within about 30 mins. We used a credit card to pay the driver on both occasions and AutoAid reimbursed us in full within a couple of days of sending off the receipts. Excellent service for £38 a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeramaSilly Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 We're with Brittania Rescue and have always found them excellent - very quick and always cheerful. Years ago I had an expensive deal with the RAC that would supposedly give me priority because I was a woman driving alone (used to have a round journey of 50 miles to work) but they would still take an hour to turn up! Sophiex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 My Dad spent his entire working life with the AA (in the office not on the road) so family loyalty dictates we use them. My mother has probably been with them 50 years and no problems - she had to be rescued on Xmas Day last year and they arrived very quickly and escorted her until they knew she was OK. I have always found them 100% excellent, particularly as I am often driving alone although admittedly I don't use them often, they arrive quickly, no hassle, very professional, very trustworthy, very nice all round. I would agree on the pricing tho. They now belong to Centrica or some other large organisation and I do sometimes feel they take existing customers for granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 We use RAC, who have been brilliant on our only call. I have friends that use Green Flag and are very impressed. Did use AA but on my only call out, it took four hours for them to get to me in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, eventually arriving at about midnight. OH discharged himself from hospital, complete with drip, and got a taxi from his Brum hospital so he could sit with me and make sure I was not alone. It wasn't the AA who came, but someone they had contracted, who cheerfully told me he hadn't slept in over 24 hours as the weekend had been so busy with his AA calls. Then he peed up the side of his rescue van - didn't say excuse me or turn away or anything, just coughed and held his hand out to ask for my keys . We eventually got home at about two in the morning. I wrote to the AA, who refused to apologise and simply said they often used contractors ... no comment on the 48 hour weekend or his, erm, habits! Mrs Potts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
