xcore
Part of things
Posts: 123
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Dec 10, 2008 11:36:05 GMT
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rac are legends, broe down afew times with the AA they all seem to be moody and glum but the RAC was enthusastic and really seemed to be into his cars,
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Dec 10, 2008 11:50:20 GMT
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I was with the AA for 10 years or so (I believe that only the AA and the RAC offer cover for the person, not the vehicle, so the others are no use for multiple vehicle owners).
Mostly the AA were ok, but I had a few bad experiences with them, or mostly with their contracted companies. The worst one by far was when they sent some right berk with a lowloader to pick my bike up after I'd crashed it. Basically, if I hadn't grabbed the bike as he was manhandling it onto the lowloader (I didn't realise at this point I had a broken wrist - I soon did after I grabbed it...!), he would have just dropped it on the other side, the bloke had clearly never handled a big bike before....
Having said that, I've had good experiences with them too - my 190e broke down on the motorway, the alternator wasn't charging the battery. He came, diagnosed what it was replaced the regulator on the end of the alternator with a part from his truck, cost me the grand sum of about £7 and he was on his way.
The main reasons I changed to the RAC is because they (a) Wouldn't recover my 420SEL after my Mrs spun it off a wet roundabout and bust the rear suspension - fortunately it was only a mile from my sister's house so we drove it there, in a crablike fashion. And (b) it turns out that they don't cover vehicles as large as my pickup (too wide) or the Merc (too long!), so weren't much use. The RAC however do cover them.
I've only had to call the RAC out once so far, they were with my far quicker than they said they would be and they not only sorted out my wiring problem on my bike, they replaced a few other connectors and boshed some new fuses in where they looked a bit iffy. Big thumbs up to them here!
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Suzuki GSXR1000 K2
BMW R1150GS
BMW K1200RS
Chevy K5 Blazer
Chevy Suburban LT
Jaguar XKR
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Dec 10, 2008 12:04:43 GMT
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The general consensus is the RAC is better than the AA then.
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1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.  |
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,649
Club RR Member Number: 1
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A vote of thanks to the RACNathan
@bgtmidget7476
Club Retro Rides Member 1
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Dec 10, 2008 12:10:23 GMT
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I have green Flag for the Cappa and thats Car cover, so anyone driving it is ok. Never broke down so unsure on their service.
With the RAC for the Coupe and the BGT, again never broke down so unsure.
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Tim
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,340
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Dec 10, 2008 12:22:22 GMT
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bad experience with RAC sadly - 2.30 hrs stranded on rural back roads in freezing weather - was initially told 45 mins. Was not amused as they kept extending it by half an hr each time - there wasnt much point me ringing anyone to be collected as no-one was within half an hour of me.
They even had the gall to tell me that it was 'freezing cold out' - yeah thanks for that - i thought numb feet were normal
I'm afraid I lost my temper with the call lady over that one :-(
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Last Edit: Dec 10, 2008 12:25:52 GMT by Tim
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filmidget
East Midlands
Mostly Lurking
Posts: 1,652
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Dec 10, 2008 12:31:54 GMT
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Been with Britannia a few years and found them good (I just want a straightforward recovery to my place or F-in-L's garage)
Can vary with the contractor they use though: Most have been fine and one chap, where the wife ran out of petrol then managed to flatten the battery, went way beyond call of duty to make sure she (and out kids) got home OK.
Bit soured by last experience though... When the HG went on the Cinqy (again) the recovery bloke was fine and chatty until I told the missus to turned down the £50 he wanted to give her for the car.
Bearing in mind this was when I would have got over £100 just pushing it over the weighbridge, nevermind the literally brand new tyres (on alloys), battery, alternator, etc we both knew he was trying it on, but then the **** gets all mardy, and then refuses to unload the car on the drive, or even help push it from the road onto the drive.
Be interested to know whether he is still one of their approved contractors.
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'79 MG Midget 1500 - Still patiently awaiting attention
'02 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Elegance(!) - Better than you might think
'03 Mazda MX5 - All new and shiny looking (thanks to Antony at Rust Republic)
'09 Renault Clio - Needs to go.
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Dec 10, 2008 12:37:39 GMT
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An Anti-AA rant follows....
My sister is with the aa and has been seriously let down twice by them
She got a flat in her Punto years back and couldnt get the nuts undone. She was in a slightly iffy position at the end of a slip road and told the AA this. Woman alone in bad weather in a dangerous position? should be a priority...nope, took them nearly three hours to turn up. He wouldnt fit the spare as he reckoned it was illegal so towed her to a garage. It was a chuffing 4x4 specialists - unsurprisingly, they didnt have punto-sized tyres in stock, so more waiting while tyres were sourced....all in all, a complete farce.
Second time was when a balljoint let go on her old granada spinning the car 180degrees on a tricky bend in a city centre urban dual carriageway. The guy refused to touch the car as it was "in a dangerous location" despite his van blocking the lane anyway. He just sat there twiddling his thumbs, refusing to do anything till the police closed the road. The police turned up, said the road didnt need closing and went on their way. She called me and I reversed the granny up the carriageway with one wheel banana`d under the car to a layby, which raised the aa guy from his stupor. he then proceeded to have a quick look under the car, declare it unrepairable, called for a flatbed and curse word off.
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1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
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filmidget
East Midlands
Mostly Lurking
Posts: 1,652
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Dec 10, 2008 12:44:42 GMT
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Was with the RAC years ago, and the only thing I found fustrating was the insistance in sending a patrol out when I could tell them 100% that would need to be lifted, which it did, as confirmed when the patrols turned up. Happened three times.
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'79 MG Midget 1500 - Still patiently awaiting attention
'02 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Elegance(!) - Better than you might think
'03 Mazda MX5 - All new and shiny looking (thanks to Antony at Rust Republic)
'09 Renault Clio - Needs to go.
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A vote of thanks to the RACBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Dec 10, 2008 14:05:17 GMT
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I have green Flag for the Cappa and thats Car cover, so anyone driving it is ok. Never broke down so unsure on their service. I thought Green Flag had an age limit for the cars they'll assist? 10 or 15 years old max. I thought. I could be wrong, but it might be worth checking the small-print.  |
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Dec 10, 2008 15:27:31 GMT
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I have had good and bad experiences with both, so I would say just go with the cheapest! If you join it doesn't matter what car you are in, so don't ever pay for cover for a car over 10 years old. I never have and don't have a car under 20 years old....
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A vote of thanks to the RACBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Dec 10, 2008 15:30:34 GMT
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Yea the AA hacked me off when they tried to charge me almost £60 for their basic cover, which cost me £36 12 months previously. I called them and asked them why they wanted to reward my customer loyalty by doubling the price. Surprisingly the price tumbled to £40 after that. I still didn't renew as I was quite offended that they would try to fleece me like that.
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rysz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,558
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Dec 10, 2008 15:35:55 GMT
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I get the RAC through Asda as it was cheaper than the AA for the bestest cover they do and have only had awesome service from them - much better than the AA in my own experience.
I even had an RAC geezer out at 5 am to try and fix the rad hose on the 306 I had! Homestart FTW!
Rysz.
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Dec 10, 2008 16:36:12 GMT
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Can't fault the RAC,always been fantastic.When my mk2 popped a driveshaft (which was my fault,changed box but didn't torque em up properly) they came out,tried to A-frame it but it wouldn't go on!So they found me an uber low loader,from a company they don't usually deal with,and took me straight home.Was only about 2.5 miles too.Wa massively impressed.
The AA are pap.Thats nothin against any of their drivers or anythin,just the company themselves!
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Dec 10, 2008 17:20:34 GMT
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i use these too , great value and loads of good comments on other forums |
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91 golf g60, 89 golf 16v , 88 polo breadvan
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Dec 10, 2008 17:28:11 GMT
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the AA, a few years ago now, tried (after 3 hours) to put the austin 7 onto a loader. of course, the ramps were a foot wider than the width of the 7's track. we pointed this out and the recovery driver (contractor BTW) pushed the bottom ends of the ramps together. the tops were still attached to the same place on the truck.
for a £10k vintage car.
You work out why my dad lost his rag. Totally.
Ended up mum towed us on a rope for 20 miles.
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miaspa
Part of things
Posts: 829
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Dec 10, 2008 18:28:13 GMT
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RAC always been excellent for me, even managed to blagg a couple of jubilee clips to fix a fuel line leakage from a patrol man parked up eating his lunch a few weeks back.
When I had my old Alfa they used to get the the covered wagon from the local bentley dealership to transport it, if you going to break down do it in style.
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Found my flashing Pao again.
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Dec 10, 2008 19:27:30 GMT
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My dad used to have AA, Only ever used them once, and they did well, Recovering the Volvo 940 we had AND caravan at the time from the M42 home. I have the RAC, Generally good only two issues, Firstly i siezed a gearbox on a Sierra 4x4 Estate on the M1 late at night! I told them on the phone it's a non fixable transmition fault and would need a FLAT BED. Now to be fair it was a contractor and not the RAC them selfs, they sent me a Suspended tow. I told the chap that'll be no good it's a 4x4 with a knackered box.... to which i got a very snotty "they never made a Sierra Estate Ghia 4x4, only cossies and XR's were 4x4 so stop talking rubbish" only for him to take a peek under the car, return very red faced and say.... "we'll send a flatbed" But then the flatbed driver was great... even tho it was 11pm at night on a very cold M1 in Jan! Other time with the RAC i was literally 2 miles form home when the (JUST fitted) exhuast fell off at the Downpipe (thanks ATS). The estimated waiting time was 2.5 hours. So i made a quick fix and drove it home. I tried to cancel but the phone que was so long i hung up and waited for them to ring me..... to say i'd be another hour! But other wise they've been great. Even when i forgot to tell them my new home addy they still took me there  |
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skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,617
Club RR Member Number: 11
Member is Online
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A vote of thanks to the RACskinnylew
@skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member 11
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Dec 10, 2008 20:15:38 GMT
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Never been with the AA but the RAC have always been good for me. Broke down in the Ax on the M23 slip onto the M25 (anti clock) with dead battery and the guy was with me withing the hour, did a few checks then hooked up a temp wire from starter to alt to remind it to start charging. Worked like that for months Also had a blow out at 80 odd the other month just after the M23 M25 junc going anti clock (hmmm not avery lucky stretch for me is it!!) and they didnt even send the patrol out just a contracted flatbed, who instead of towing it to the local garage, let me use his tools to put a 16" very borderline spare on (Toledo V5 is on 17"s). Saved him the hassle of towing me and let me get all the way home at 1am on a saturday night/sunday morning. Most other call outs have been electrical related and fairly local but still brilliant service. The other breakdown recovery i use is Father Recovery. In the 8 years i've been driving i must have called him out 20+ times to mine and my mates cars and he normally just slaps the tow rope over his towbar and I connect it up and tows me home. Once he came all the way to east London to get me home after i broke down in the entrance to the Leyton tunnel on the A13 (Ax electrics again lol). A police BMW 5 series estate towed me through the tunnel top the next lay by and the old man towed me from there home via the Rotherhithe tunnel as the Blackwall was shut. Legend. I will do the same for my kids no doubt |
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The Doctor
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 3,441
Club RR Member Number: 48
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A vote of thanks to the RACThe Doctor
@thedoctor
Club Retro Rides Member 48
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Dec 10, 2008 21:47:09 GMT
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seems that Father Recovery works worldwide, i've used him too, only once.
Sunday evening/monday morning 02:30 , with a very broken engine, 1,5 hour from home.
He came (was 4:00 by then) towed me back home and went straight to work.
and i only have to pay a 'thank you daddie, goodnight and good luck at work!' ;D
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Dec 11, 2008 20:11:44 GMT
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Agreed ! I too thought that Green Flag AND Britannia Rescue have 'age limit' fees / 'provisos'. - - - - - - To me this thread actually proves that it is NOT whether you are with RAC or AA or any other breakdown cover company BUT ... ... How enthusiast / decent / helpful / keen the actual chap is who comes out to 'save the day'! - - - - - - - Supprised nobodys started on about ' overseas' breakdown cover with RAC or AA - for this really is at present a dangerous 'can of worms' ... ...they have a clause ... "If 'market value' of vehicle exceeds cost of repatriating / transporting back to Great Britain said motor vehicle then Persons will be repatriated but vehicle will NOT"!  ^ As someone who takes many an old jalopy on European holidays this has really concerned me - the amount of times I've thought "so waht if a break down me and the old banger will be brought back to blighty" ... but now I wounder 
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Last Edit: Dec 11, 2008 20:14:56 GMT by TwincamGTi
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Ax GTi Turbo
