OGDB
Part of things
Posts: 544
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Hello once again members of Retro Rides.
I am in need of some guidance and recommendations from some of you possibility more experienced than myself.
For many years I ran a Retro with no breakdown cover. Thought it was a waste of money, however as I started traveling around the country a lot more I decided to invest in a decent level of break down. I took out personal cover with the RAC. Reputable company I thought and with that should come a decent level of service, which I doubt is the truth.
I run multiple vehicles and change them regularly, so a personal policy is most fitting. All cars are easily over 10 years old and in some cases past the 20 year old mark.
I have been with the RAC for what will this year be my 5th consecutive year. I’ve never made a claim with them and yet my renewal every year goes up and I am now at the point of paying over double what my starting policy was, despite never claiming. My renewal came through this morning and I think I’ve had enough of them and their inflated prices.
So my questions are.
Who do you use?
How do you find they compare price and performance wise to other company’s you may have used?
When you’re in your hour of need, do they perform as they should?
Thanks for any help in advance.
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,948
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Like you I used the RAC for many years, they rescued my 56 a few times without question not bothering to send out a patrol just straight to low loader (I threw the pumpkin ouT of my 9inch when leaving a meet in a ‘spirited fashion’ they arrived in 30mins and the driver even offered me a new centre section) but the price just kept creeping up. Then went to the AA - what a difference. Bloody awful, insisted on sending a patrolman out when I broke the input shaft on my gearbox resulting in no gears obviously, kept me waiting at the side of the road for hours whilst they organised a low loader and eventually got me home 8+ hours after the patrol guy turned up. Then went back to the RAC but, as I had not been with them for a year the premium was a very acceptable £99. So, from my experience the RAC is the better service. It is just expensive once you get past the initial buy in. Don’t bother with green flag they won’t touch anything over 10years old. Interested to hear if there are any other options. P.
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gryphon
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 330
Club RR Member Number: 157
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I use AutoAid. £60pa covers you and your spouse in any car as driver or passenger, no limits on the age of the car.
Between me and my partner we've called on them twice. One huge recovery from Birmingham to Cornwall, one very short one 20min from home. Long one involved a 4 hour wait for them to actually arrive (first truck went to the wrong junction after they misheard on the phone), second call they arrived in about 20min. They don't run their own fleet but contract out to local recovery drivers.
Never had to call any other service, so I've not got much to compare to!
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jmsheahan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 681
Club RR Member Number: 121
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I'm on a family policy with the AA. I've used them multiple times over the years and the service has generally been pretty good. I think sometimes having something retro adds a little interest. Admittedly I've only ever really called them for a tow.
The few bad ones have been local breakdown services nominated to come out on behalf of them (less said about that the better).
It's a pain but if you call them with other quotes they usually do you a much better deal (half the renewal price last time). Same as insurance really.
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We use the AA.
3 or so years ago a heater hose burst on the MX5, the patrol turned up in 30 minutes and as I had a new set of hoses on the car spent the next hour changing both of the awkward hoses on the rear of the engine - brilliant service.
Subsequently though, when the range rover auto trans burnt out it's main clutch and was clearly going nowhere they as above insisted on sending a patrol which took about 45 minutes to arrive, obviously all he could do was call recovery which took another 3 hours.
Then last week the minor cut out about 2 miles from home, my wife called them and it was going to be at least 3 hours before even a patrol turned up, I managed to walk home, strip the ignition amplifier and coil out of the TR return and repair the minor (it was the coil) long before there was any sign of them ever turning up.
Over the last few years the price seems to have doubled and the service gone down hill, the only reason we stay with them at the moment is they let us add the kids for virtually nothing (I think it's a fiver each), so our £250 covers 4 people in any car of any age.
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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I have mine through my bank account which is then done through the AA. I used to call them a lot and never any issues. Always arrive in an hour and always either repair the fault or take me home (I think they’re supposed to leave me at a garage).
Generally I’m just calling them to jumpstart a car I’ve taken out that I suspected might have had a dead alternator 😆 . But have had them out for a failed slave cylinder and a snapped fan belt.
They once subcontracted a job out and it was awful, took 3 hours to recover me a 20 min journey home. I wasn’t very popular getting a low loader on the drive at 2am.
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Last Edit: Jun 4, 2020 9:40:10 GMT by Ryannn
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Been with brittania rescue through the CSMA for several years, not the cheapest, but never waited more than 90 minutes, get recovery first every time ( I like to think that if i can’t fix it at the side of the road then neither will they) and never had a problem with getting anything recovered, even my six wheel rrc, or when I’ve pulled a flanker to get something recovered home on someone else’s behalf Probably shouldn’t admit to that on a public forum!😇
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neil85
Part of things
Lenny Laguna
Posts: 77
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I use my brother’s company Warden Rescue & Recovery limited. Based in Telford, Shropshire, covering the midlands but will go anywhere. Adam is a petrol head so the car always comes first, fully insured and competitively priced. A local job would cost £40 (within Telford) and he’s cheaper than the larger recovery companies. Warden Rescue & Recovery: www.warden-rescue.com
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Ring up to cancel - they will reduce price.
RAC but they seem curse word these days - not enough staff. I'm only with them as my dad insists on been a member and gets me added on for free.
I don't expect to have to wait 3 hours for a jump start. This one annoyed me as it was cold, said they would be out within an hour, so i waited...waited only to get another call saying its going to be at least another two hours. I got a mate to come, which i would have done in the first place if they hadn't said within the hour.
The last time my dad needed them they couldn't even come out that day, despite him partially blocking a road - again only needing 10 minutes of time to tow him out from the curb and bump start the car to free a stuck start motor.
The days of RAC and AA offering a great service in my opinion are gone. They will get you home but don't expect great efficient service.
Over the years though.
P100 id bought with a snapped crank - recovered home, decent wait but to be expected. landrover with its rear broken free at 90' angle stuck under the middle of it half under and half sticking out. mk1 golf - rear end wrapped around post. mk1 caddy after engine and cab fire beetle with a snapped balljoint - i was stuck in the m1 services for about 8 hours, recovery firm gave me a courtesy car and delivered the beetle home the next day.
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I've got a Nationwide FlexPlus account which includes a breakdown service. I've used it a few times now and it has been excellent. They send local recovery firms so the response has always been pretty quick. I'm covered for any vehicle I am in at the time of the break down. For the money I don't think it can be beaten to be honest.
James
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Another AutoAid member here.
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I'm currently with Autoaid but I don't drive my classics or my daily very far for medical reasons. I've not had to call them so I can't comment on their service.
When I used to drive a lot I was with the AA and can confirm what was said above, they have to send someone out to look at the car before sending a tow truck even when you tell them it can't be fixed at the side of the road. I blew the headgasket on a Frogeye Sprite just outside gloucester, it went between two cylinders and was making a hell of a row.
The AA man turned up looked at it and said well if you can't fix it and you built it what chance have I got? Then had to wait another three hours for tow truck. If it hadn't been a sunday afternoon I would have tried to get a headgasket and changed it by the side of the road.
My dad was a member of the AA from before they kept records and every year they used to put his premium up, then he had to call and argue with them and they reduced it to around what it was the year before. Most organisations now don't look after loyal customers and just see people who stay with them every year as a cash cow.
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I'm with Start Rescue for my 1990 Trabant. They've been out to collect it once before, so they definitely cover it. I paid £48 for this year.
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Project - 1990 Trabant 601 Daily - 2006 Saab 93
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I get full RAC cover through Barclays as part of their Travel Pack, £12/month for Travel Insurance & Breakdown cover.
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1993 Rover 220 Coupe 1972 MG Midget
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I normally just play RAC and AA off each other each year, would never pay the renewal price. They will normally match what the competitor is offering at the time including any cash back deals (see quidco etc).
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If at first you don't succeed........ ....Don't try skydiving!
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Mrs Crockpot was with the AA long before I met her, as a result I got tagged onto her membership. Used them a few times and can't complain about the service. I have on one occasion insisted on going straight to recovery truck unless the guy with the van had a block without the holes in it onboard and they accepted my layman's diagnosis . Every year they put the cost up and every year we argue and they put it down again. Ten minutes work, not worth worrying about.
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-( 2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap V8 Humber Hawk 1948 Standard12 pickup SOLD 1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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I have been with the RAC since Gods dog was a pup, but, as it gets more expensive and my daily is always under the manufacturers scheme, I have dropped the RAC this year and will see how the recovery included in my Classic insurance from Haggerty works out.
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74 Mk1 Escort 1360, 1971 Vauxhall Victor SL2000 Estate.
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Another one with Nationwide. We took out a separate account just for the Breakdown, Travel and Phone cover. Considering the annual fee net of the interest on the balance it was by far the cheapest. Only used them once so far - recovered from rural Herefordshire to Pembrokeshire on a Sunday afternoon after the header tank failed. If you are over 60 the worldwide Travel cover is the cheapest so the others are free. The Breakdown cover is for the account holders in any vehicle. I haven't checked any age limits, but there is a vehicle weight limit - 3.5 tonnes I think.
Edit: Used to have Family Cover with the AA but once they de-mutualised (with the profit going to management not the members) the service deteriorated and premium increased. Final straw was when they refused to recover No 2 son's MX-5 from the M5 after he holed the radiator by running over debris flung up by an HGV. They claimed that was an RTC and wasn't covered.
Haven't used the Travel insurance but SWMBO broke her mobile somehow. It was an elderly third hand hand-me-down but they paid for it to be repaired without demur.
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Last Edit: Jun 4, 2020 15:34:30 GMT by theoldman
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About 20 years ago I was a 5 years + AA member. I remember having to call them out as my Classic Mini died on the slip road near to my GF's house. The patrolman had obviously had a rubbish day (it was peeing down and cold), he was rude about my car, rude about my GF and rude in general. I was coming up for renewal as well the following month. I put a complaint in and asked to not renew my membership as a result. 1 month later I got the AA Membership magazine. Turns out they'd given me a year's free membership as an apology but not told me... A fantastic display of really dreadful customer service. I took their year's freebie, then...
I went with the RAC as they gave me a really good intro discount, and was with them for about 19 years. I barely had to use them but when I did they've been superb. I stopped using their main service as it started getting really expensive. I now simply add a breakdown service to my daily's insurance at renewal at about 1/4 of the cost. You don't get the "any car" extension but it does for me whilst my Retro is still being rebuilt.
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