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[Mister Rog]

I've been with the AA since 1983 (says so on the card), but the car has always been for business use, always been able to have somebody else pay. Not so now.

AA want £374 renewal, now this is for a whole pile of stuff, breakdown, relay, SWMBO, home start etc. I called them and they got it down to £221 . . . . . by cutting down the cover. I'm thinking of shopping around, but concernmed about quality of service. I've used AA quite a bit ( 4 x Omegas !) and found them to be generally pretty good. What are the others like ?

[Andy B]

My break down is via Green Flag's May Day (Caravan Club) IIRC it was about £120 last year & that covers both me & SWMBO with personal cover ie cover for any car we're in as either driver or passenger. More importantly,  it'll take car & caravan to destination no matter which has failed,  and if it's  the car that needs repair, then take that to a garage. And my daughter is covered in her car.
Only called them out without the caravan  in tow (crank sensors on the Omega when I had it & on the Smart) and No 1 daughter a few times over the years.  Any recovery service is only as good as the local agent that's sent out to you.

[Bigron]

I'm on the same May Day deal, Andy and I've found them excellent. A few years back I went to Cornwall via my own stopoover caravan in Swanage - core plug popped at Swanage and was recovered to my holiday site in Looe, where the site owner recommended his garage for the repair.
Later on in the holiday,, I had another breakdown, and they counted that as all part of the same callout - they get you there and if unable to be repaired, they get you back home; so that's exactly what they did - Cornwall to Essex in one go!
Yes, I'm satisfied with Green Flag!

Ron.

[Keith ABS]

  I will be finding out if my aA will cover me in the Monza for later this year as I am planning a trip to holland in early sept for the big opels car show there

Keith, ABS

[YZ250]

I find with the AA that you have to phone them up and say that you are leaving them, as their prices are creeping up, and can they not automatically renew your membership. I add that I may return to them in the future as a 'New' customer but I'm annoyed that an 'incentive price' for a new customer is much cheaper than my renewal. I usually comment that I'm dissappointed that my loyalty to them over the past twenty years counts for nothing.
So far this tactic has got me somewhere near to the incentive price for 'Relay'. It starts off around £100 but gradually creeps up again so I have to give them a call to negotiate or 'leave' again. My renewal has just come in at £134 for Relay. I don't need Home Start, I'm not bothered about that as I'm already home and getting home is my main concern. I am covered as a passenger in any car as well.
I've only called them out three times in all those years.

[Lizzie Zoom]

I am a Gold Member of the AA being also with them, in the early days on a company membership, since the 1970's, but with an interruption whilst going to the RAC covering a then new Carlton for two years. 

I have always found the AA great on the few occasions I have needed them, even though once they failed to give me the service I expect when an air conditioning compressor failed in Manchester on one of my Omega's. They were slow getting to me and there were problems with the relay home, but afterwards I complained and they readily compensated with a full years refund of my membership fee.

Yes I have also haggled down the renewal price, and now enjoy a "complimentary" home start cover with my Relay and Roadside due to my long membership which has kept the cost down for a few years now.  I will be staying with them

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I'm with Autoaid. Costs about £40 p.a. If you break down, they send a recovery truck to take you home, or to your destination.
Used them twice in the last three years and cant fault them.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Covermybreakdown.com 

About £18-20 for full cover including recovery for cars under 16 years old and whenever I've called them I've had someone with me in an hour.    You do pay a £40 excess if you call them out though. 

I switched to Autoaid as they were cheaper for older cars, but havn't called them out so can't comment on their service. 

I'm sure that Nick W will be along soon to slag off all cheap and cheerful breakdown services. 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I am a Gold Member of the AA being also with them, in the early days on a company membership, since the 1970's, but with an interruption whilst going to the RAC covering a then new Carlton for two years. 

I have always found the AA great on the few occasions I have needed them, even though once they failed to give me the service I expect when an air conditioning compressor failed in Manchester on one of my Omega's. They were slow getting to me and there were problems with the relay home, but afterwards I complained and they readily compensated with a full years refund of my membership fee.

Yes I have also haggled down the renewal price, and now enjoy a "complimentary" home start cover with my Relay and Roadside due to my long membership which has kept the cost down for a few years now.  I will be staying with them

Lizzie has been an AA member since the reign of her avatar.

I use the AA but I also have something called 'Jaguar assist'. I called them and they were very helpful when I mentioned the central locking had a mind of it's own. We'll send somebody out straight away, sir, they said. They did, and he arrived in a big van with AA on the side.

[tunnie]

AA cover here, comes free with my bank account. But it's just the basic cover.

I've chosen to pay an extra £60 to get full relay cover for UK.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Imo, the household name breakdown companies are a complete rip off. I don't really see what they provide that's worth paying more than the £40 I already pay.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Imo, the household name breakdown companies are a complete rip off. I don't really see what they provide that's worth paying more than the £40 I already pay.

Agreed.

It's the same old 'British Gas Syndrome'......

"Well we've always been with British Gas...... "  

[Andy B]

Imo, the household name breakdown companies are a complete rip off. I don't really see what they provide that's worth paying more than the £40 I already pay.

Depends what your £40 covers. ie if you want home start etc or to recover your trailer too in the event the trailer is at fault .... most of the others don't.

[Nick W]

Imo, the household name breakdown companies are a complete rip off. I don't really see what they provide that's worth paying more than the £40 I already pay.

Simple, you phone them up and they provide the service you paid for.


The cheaper ones sometimes do that. I've spent too many hours waiting for them to authorise even short recoveries to recommend them.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Imo, the household name breakdown companies are a complete rip off. I don't really see what they provide that's worth paying more than the £40 I already pay.

Simple, you phone them up and they provide the service you paid for.


The cheaper ones sometimes do that. I've spent too many hours waiting for them to authorise even short recoveries to recommend them.

Absolutely right

As a "vulnerable" woman on her own I do not want to be kept stranded on a dark and lonely road longer than I have to.  With the AA I know that they will respond quickly and efficiently, even prioritising my case in recognition of the situation.  That is what I willing pay for. But with the others I am not sure they are capable of giving me that service, and so I can also avoid carrying my tool collection around I know the AA have a van loaded with everything for a satisfactory recovery.