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[omega2018]

Topcashback currently offering 20% off Resuce My Car and 15% off Start Rescue.

[Sir Tigger KC]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12748325/Businesswoman-fined-council-van-enters-Clean-Air-Zone-pick-truck-breaking-down.html

 

[Andy B]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12748325/Businesswoman-fined-council-van-enters-Clean-Air-Zone-pick-truck-breaking-down.html

 

Probably why you often see the number plate of the recovered vehicle with tape over it while it's sat on the recovery truck.

[Nick W]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12748325/Businesswoman-fined-council-van-enters-Clean-Air-Zone-pick-truck-breaking-down.html

 

Probably why you often see the number plate of the recovered vehicle with tape over it while it's sat on the recovery truck.

You're not supposed to show more than one number plate at any time, so the recovered vehicle ought to be covered whenever it's on the truck. Nobody actually bothers doing this without additional  good reasons.

[STEMO]

The RAC's reputation suffers another blow 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-12779003/My-car-broke-RAC-LOST-CRANE-CASE.html

[Lizzie Zoom]

Been an AA member almost the whole time since owning a car.

Only had an issue in 2001 when my Omega 3.0 of the time broke down in Manchester with jammed A/C compressor.  Waited for almost 2.5 hours for an AA sub-contracted mechanic to arrive.  Then waited another 1.5 hours for an AA relay truck to turn up and my earderly parents and I back to Southam in Warwickshire, arriving there at 0130 hours.
Very unhappy, so complained to AA who promptly refunded my whole year's membership fee.

Never had another problem with the AA. 

The other week I had the alternator problem with the Omega 3.2 after just completing a local journey. Called the AA and a friendly man arrived 20 minutes after initial phone call and diagnosed the problem. Helped me get the car into my garage tlawait a booking at my local Vx dealer.  On the morning of the garage appointment another very friendly and helpful AA man turned up at the appointed time and fitted a temporary battery to last long enough for me to take the car to the Vx dealer. Once there, took thier battery off and offered to take me back home.

All for no charge beyond my usual membership fee.

Staying with the AA.

For one company Carlton we had RAC cover. It broke down with a snapped cam belt on the M4 40 miles from home in Bristol.  Sat beside the motorway for almost 2 hours, only for them to tow me to a service centre. From there a sub-contracted truck relayed us all to home. So after about 4.5 hours we eventually got home.  Complained, but no compensation.

No, I will be sticking  with the AA.

[Boatboy]

Gem motoring assist has worked for us over the years. Two people, whatever normal car or bike we happen to be driving.

Guess it depends on the agent used. Called them three times in probably 15 years. Normally quick response, but often prefer to drag it onto a flatbed rather than fix it.
Omega - carried home, even when I put the new crank sensor in his hand. To be fair it was blocking a dark narrow lane and stopped over a puddle)
Wife’s Pug - exhaust put back in place with zip ties. Probably because he couldn’t get the recovery truck into the multi-storey.
 Nissan Patrol, recovered 30 miles after misfuelling (not by me)

I think the price even went down this year by a couple of quid

[omega2018]

Some good black friday deals - just renewed mine and went with RAC this year.

Car not person, national recovery:
Start Rescue wanted £46 renewal
RAC £38.25 (after £25 topcashback)
AA £48 after cashback
Also got cheap quotes for Emergency Assist (£27.39) and Rescue My Car (£24.85) but on checking their small print their 'national recovery' is a joke - its their decision whether to do it or give you a contribution to accomodation.  Rescue My Car wouldn't recover you to your home if your destination was nearer!  Those clauses are new and disappointing, Rescue My Car used to be a good breakdown company.

If you want personal cover rather than car cover it was £5 or so more.

[Doctor Gollum]

Just renewed my car insurance. Ignoring the fact that it's doubled for no apparent reason beyond 'because it can' I have European RAC cover included for £36 and I have AA cover via my bank, so pretty well covered.

[TheBoy]

Some good black friday deals - just renewed mine and went with RAC this year.

Just checking if there is still a hole in my backside, because whilst there is, I ain't going with the RAC.  Its faster and less effort tops the car home than wait for those retards to get you recovered.

[omega2018]

Called out the RAC a week ago - no crank on my Merc CL500, 1/2 mile from home.

I can't believe how much the RAC have declined (as TB warned!).  Help line is crap - you need a computer or smart phone with internet connection to just log a call, otherwise they make it very difficult to do it just by voice phone.

Warning message on phone line wait gives it away - "RAC won't tolerate abuse of its employees  blah blah..  may refuse to provide the contracted service etc.." Sure give away that they are crap and they know it.

Waited 6 hours for a 'mechanic'.  Luckily not a big issue for me as I could walk home and wasn't in a hurry.  Very nice youth, we got on well but he'd been on duty since noon and wouldn't finish till midnight. He didn't contribute anything that I didn't already know.  Didn't attempt any repair.  His scanner was crap - didn't even pick up the faults mine did.  They use 'Haynes' manuals - these are not the ones from my youth, they are all online now.  His 'Haynes' didn't know which fuse or relays were involved with the starter - info I already had from a simple internet search.

He decided to ignore all his own warnings about towing and towed me home 1/2 mile rather than call in a pick up truck. We went very slowly but I hope my trans is OK. He was so tired he forgot his expensive RAC tow bar and would have left it if I hadn't noticed it standing against a wall.

He recounted how RAC has changed and they take ages to get to customers, who are then understandably irate with him. 

It seems they have been taken over by Private Equity and are the process of being asset (and reputation) stripped.

I only use these breakdown services for national recovery so I don't expect any actual assistance apart from that.  Normally I would just use  RescueMyCar or Start Rescue but went with RAC because it was cheaper this year. 

Frankly I'd rather go with a simple 'no repairs, we'll just send a pick up truck' which couldn't have been slower.

Incidentally was in ATS a few days ago to get an exhaust on SWMBO's car and a couple came in with a nice new VW beetle - "Tire pressure monitor keeps flagging a low tire, we don't know which one it is and annoyingly it won't tell us",  "No problem sir we'll check them all for you."  ATS proceeded to put the car on ramp and check every tyre.  God knows what it cost.  How difficult is it to buy/use a tyre pressure gauge???  These are the sort of people who need what RAC purport to offer (and don't). Would they notice?

[TheBoy]

Sorry to hear of the hassle they caused, good job you were near home.

[Rangie]

I'm with Mayday through the caravan club ( green flag ) covers everything ,used them a couple of weeks ago to get take the Range Rover to my indi , I didn't want to drive it to Peterborough as it was losing brake fluid, rang them up explained the problem & a low loader arrived within the hour excellent service from them.

[Andy B]

.....

He decided to ignore all his own warnings about towing and towed me home 1/2 mile rather than call in a pick up truck. We went very slowly but I hope my trans is OK.  ....

it's ok to tow an auto 1/2 mile 

[Doctor Gollum]

.....

He decided to ignore all his own warnings about towing and towed me home 1/2 mile rather than call in a pick up truck. We went very slowly but I hope my trans is OK.  ....

it's ok to tow an auto 1/2 mile 

Upto a certain speed.

In theory you can tow start an auto but you need to have your wits about you.