uncle silvia
Posted a lot
Datsun Club UK - Devon & Cornwall Rep
Posts: 1,492
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Aug 12, 2011 11:38:31 GMT
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Hi all Well as Ive now started to drive old cars again as dailys Ive decided to be better safe than sorry and get some recovery membership! Ive never actually had any membership in my 12 years of driving so I have no Idea of what to look for really?? I guess Ive just been lucky and managed to fix any minor mishaps at the side of the road myself so far...... Also I'm driving my 1978 Datsun that Ive only had a week to RRG so I thought I'd better get some ;D Any thoughts on the best one (particularly for modded old cars) and what I should look out for?? Anyone know of any special offers at the mo?? cheers................. and have some Retro Recovery Vehicles for your troubles
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1981 KE70 Corolla - 1978 B310 Sunny Coupe - 1977 Pink Clubman Mini Shorty
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Aug 12, 2011 11:44:52 GMT
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Never had any problems with RAC myself. Not had to use them often but they've been good when I have needed them.
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,789
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Aug 12, 2011 11:53:46 GMT
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I haven't had independant recovery cover for years. Most classic policies have it included anyways, and on a semi modern policy I just get it added for about £30.
Never waited more than 45 minutes to be dragged home
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Aug 12, 2011 11:56:19 GMT
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I've got RAC and they've always been good. Some classic policies include breakdown cover, are you sure you haven't already got it?
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uncle silvia
Posted a lot
Datsun Club UK - Devon & Cornwall Rep
Posts: 1,492
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Aug 12, 2011 12:10:26 GMT
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I've got RAC and they've always been good. Some classic policies include breakdown cover, are you sure you haven't already got it? Its a £30 option with my policy but don't know if there is any better offers first
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1981 KE70 Corolla - 1978 B310 Sunny Coupe - 1977 Pink Clubman Mini Shorty
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Aug 12, 2011 12:12:50 GMT
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A few years ago my Dad added me to his RAC policy.
You generally won't wait more than 45 minutes for a patrol to come and have a look, and they are generally very good at fixing simple things.
However, if you have a more involved problem and require a tow, you might well wait a couple of hours for that, especially if you have a significant distance to cover. Also, even if you say that there is no way that the problem can be fixed by a patrol - say your head gasket has blown - they will insist on sending a patrol out first.
On the upside, with the level of cover that we have, they will recover you home from anywhere in the country, and you're covered for any vehicle which you are in, be it as a driver or passenger. Not cheap, but the flexibility makes it reasonable value IMO.
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kevfromwales
Posted a lot
the conrod's REALLY out the block now!
Posts: 3,909
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Aug 12, 2011 12:13:39 GMT
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double A's for me - the yellow lorry has fetched I think almost all of my fleet home at some point!
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Almost on the road: b11 sunny breadvan, e36 tds, 325i skidcar,
nearly there: ford f250 tathauler, suzuki alto, u11 bluey
not for a while: ford pop, 32 rails,
not in this lifetime: ruby, '29 hillman
''unfortanatly I'm quite old and scruffy and in need of some loving. my drive shaft needs a new boot....''
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Aug 12, 2011 12:14:53 GMT
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IMO go RAC or AA. Used both and never had any real bother, just check the small print who ever you go with as some exclude cars over 15 years old, modified, lowered, etc. The worst time to find out about that exclusion is when you need help!
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Copey
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,845
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Aug 12, 2011 12:24:25 GMT
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with the RAC have had the capper recovered by them in the past, no bother if you can, go for personal cover and not just car cover as then say you have a rental car, or borrow a mates car etc etc you can still use your recovery service as it covers you in ANY car, not just the car you state
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1990 Ford Sierra Sapphire GLSi with 2.0 Zetec 1985 Ford Capri 3.0 (was a 2.0 Laser originally)
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uncle silvia
Posted a lot
Datsun Club UK - Devon & Cornwall Rep
Posts: 1,492
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Aug 12, 2011 12:24:43 GMT
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IMO go RAC or AA. Used both and never had any real bother, just check the small print who ever you go with as some exclude cars over 15 years old, modified, lowered, etc. The worst time to find out about that exclusion is when you need help! Well looking at the above pic it doesn look like the AA Exclude anything haha ;D
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1981 KE70 Corolla - 1978 B310 Sunny Coupe - 1977 Pink Clubman Mini Shorty
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rob0r
East of England
Posts: 2,743
Club RR Member Number: 104
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Aug 12, 2011 12:55:12 GMT
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I've always been with the AA, sometimes they have been utter toss, other times utter greatness! Toss: E34 touring. They "lost" my membership and demanding I pay membership + a recovery fee of around £150. My Dad ended up coming out with our trailer and doing a 140mile roundtrip to get me. When I got home I double checked our papers and I was covered. Great: Every other time I've used them. When they actually come out to see me I've never had a bad experience. Most of them have been proper petrol heads, one of the guys who helped me out at RRG'09 filed down a pair of Vauxhall brake pads to fit my E28, sourced from the autojumble! That didn't stop my E28 cracking it's cylinder head on the way home though... My RRG09, illustrated by AA men. #1 Brake pads #2 Cracked cylinder head, extensive testing by the roadside #3 Fail, low loader 180miles home
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E30 320i 3.5 - E23 730 - E3 3.0si - E21 316 M42 - E32 750i ETC
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paul4be
Part of things
'86 Capri Laser, Frontera 4x4
Posts: 395
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Aug 12, 2011 14:31:50 GMT
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AA here. Had to call them out when the Capri died. He stripped the carb and cleaned out the curse word that had blocked the jets, job sorted.
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Aug 12, 2011 14:38:38 GMT
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I get full-whack AA cover (inc. Relay, Homestart etc) free with my bank account, and they've always proved to be brilliant. Also, they have an iPhone app that geographically pinpoints you, so you don't have to go through all that 'er, I'm, on a country lane, somewhere north of the A12, I can see some pylons, er...' business.
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Aug 12, 2011 16:01:01 GMT
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Gem motoring assist, covering me and the wife for any vehicle we happen to be in for £80, bargain! And they have been excellent, quick to respond, the last time I used them I was picking up a car I just bought, it broke, there with a low loader within an hour and he even offered to put the missus KA on the spectale lift to save juice on the way home!
J
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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Aug 12, 2011 16:39:30 GMT
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If you do your shopping at Tesco, you can get RAC cover very cheep using their club card points. That's pretty much why I'm with then, I've got everything but home start, including them sorting travel to my destination if I'm on my way somewhere, I don't have to go home with the car, and they'll take the car anywhere I choose.
Only thing that might put me off them, is that as James has said, they insist on sending a van out first, even if you know it'll need towing, and you know it won't go on the dolly. This is because the flat beds they use are external contractors, so they don't trust them to check your membership, so they send a van out first. I'm not sure what the AA's approach is in these situations, but I think that they will send out a flat-bed if your request it, as they do have their own. (As you can see from this thread.)
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Aug 12, 2011 16:41:49 GMT
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AA have been FTW with my breakdowns. They are good about following you to see if they really did fix it or whatever. Also had one of their guys change a cam belt a the side of the road for me. I get full pop AA cover for free with our joint bank account at Llyods TSB
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Aug 12, 2011 16:43:21 GMT
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I'm not sure what the AA's approach is in these situations, but I think that they will send out a flat-bed if your request it, as they do have their own. (As you can see from this thread.) I've found that they pretty much do what you ask; for example, when I said 'my car's parked at home, the suspension's collapsed, I need it taken to a garage', they sent out a flatbed straight away.
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Aug 12, 2011 18:04:35 GMT
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Often the call centre people won't believe you when you say its terminal, they do like to send a van first as 95% of times they can get you going again at the side of the road.
I blew up an engine and had no compression and they still sent a van first to check. Very annoying.
Another time the Buick let me down and the chap said "Damn, I don't know where to even start on that" and when I moaned about haveing to wait for the flatbed he towed my home with his Maestro van!!!
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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kevfromwales
Posted a lot
the conrod's REALLY out the block now!
Posts: 3,909
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Aug 12, 2011 18:14:09 GMT
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yeah, I think it's standard proceedure to send a van first- when the f100 lunched it's autobox they sent a van, then a spec to move me 300 yards off the carrigeway to the services, then a beavertail to brum (halfway home) then another beaver home
- kfw
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Almost on the road: b11 sunny breadvan, e36 tds, 325i skidcar,
nearly there: ford f250 tathauler, suzuki alto, u11 bluey
not for a while: ford pop, 32 rails,
not in this lifetime: ruby, '29 hillman
''unfortanatly I'm quite old and scruffy and in need of some loving. my drive shaft needs a new boot....''
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Aug 12, 2011 18:18:18 GMT
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I've had many good experiences with the AA, and one tosser but I firmly believe he was the exception.
Roadside and relay with the good lady added for a £10. Adding a second person suddenly makes it much better value if you both spend out of the same pot of money anyway.
My experience is that out of hours, they run a skeleton staff and use external contractors and I've been really happy with the ones I've had. As above, they all appear to be proper petrol heads (AA Patrol and contractors..) so are pleased to get something interesting to play with rather than putting the spacesaver on someone's '09 Megane.
Standard roadside and relay covers the person, not the car and they will deliver you to the destination of your choice.
EDIT: I've been lucky enough not to have to use the Relay part of my cover. It seems to be the only bit that lets the service down a bit because they do relay you across the country, meaning that journey times can be hugely increased. Still, for the price, I'm more than happy with that.
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Last Edit: Aug 12, 2011 18:20:37 GMT by ben711200
...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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