Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: cam2502 on 06 April 2009, 13:05:48

Title: Breakdown cover
Post by: cam2502 on 06 April 2009, 13:05:48
Any ideas on the best kind of cover? I mainly drive local but couple times a year head to isle of wight so thought i better get cover of some kind,so before i go filling in endless forms online,anyone happy or unhappy with their own cover? What you got and how much?
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 06 April 2009, 13:08:15
I have been with the AA for years now and when needed they have always been there with excellent service and operatives who seem to know what they are doing. :y :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: zirk on 06 April 2009, 13:13:19
Ive never had any cover at all, untill last year, broke down inside the short term car park at Stanstead, The NCP called the AA who basicly said he would tow me out of the Car Park for free and thats it.

So I joined there and then and got 20% discount as well. Reckon Ive had them out about 4 times now, mainly when its been dark and p*ssing down, so well worth it in my book.

Every time Ive called they have always turned up within 45 mins and have found all the Mechanics to be really helpfull.  :y

£80 a year, any car Im in, plus Relay (Home or Garage). Didn't bother with Home Start though.
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Pippin on 06 April 2009, 14:01:49
I've been with the AA for years, only ever had to use them a couple of times, both times the service was excellent....towed me off the motorway to a local Vauxhall dealers and when the dealers said it would take 3-4 days to get a turbo replaced they towed me back to Birmingham to my local dealers...
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: stuart30 on 06 April 2009, 14:04:11
Quote
Any ideas on the best kind of cover? I mainly drive local but couple times a year head to isle of wight so thought i better get cover of some kind,so before i go filling in endless forms online,anyone happy or unhappy with their own cover? What you got and how much?

Theres a brilliant deal currently being offerd...something like £150 worth of cover for £60. :o

I"ll find the link for you this afternoon.
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Dusty on 06 April 2009, 16:00:27
Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 06 April 2009, 16:02:43
I am with RAC and they were excellent, recovred the car within 50 minutes the other Friday evening.

Forget Green Flag, shite and very unhelpful
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: bertiecbx550 on 06 April 2009, 16:10:43
RAC was the choice for after the AA left me at the side of the A34 just outside oxford for nearly 8hrs next to my motorbike with a puncture...Since then i`ve never had a prob with the RAC always prompt always helpful even towing a mondeo back from telford that i had bought with a knackered cam belt for £40 (after i had told it let go on me  ::))... Mind ya i have got the top line membership  :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 April 2009, 16:18:31
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I am with RAC and they were excellent, recovred the car within 50 minutes the other Friday evening.

Forget Green Flag, shite and very unhelpful


Agreed................they don't even have their own fully equipped vans.........they just use the nearest local garage....................which often lacks any specialist equipment. :-/ :-/ :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 April 2009, 16:34:08
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Quote
I am with RAC and they were excellent, recovred the car within 50 minutes the other Friday evening.

Forget Green Flag, shite and very unhelpful

Agreed................they don't even have their own fully equipped vans.........they just use the nearest local garage....................which often lacks any specialist equipment. :-/ :-/ :y



Although I don't do it any more I would like to say that breakdown services tend to vary from area to area.

When I worked in Basingstoke we were the main Green Flag agent in the area. My average attendance time was 21 minutes and roadside fix rate of 97%

RAC and AA were useless... I'd often get a call from the RAC with a job they've sat on for 3-4 hours :o :o :o Even leaving a couple and their young child stranded on the M3 for 4 hours one summers evening and neglecting to tell them that they were liable for the tow costs after 10 miles!

Personally I don't know what other local garages are like but we were very proud of our Green Flag reputation and did everything to keep it good. That said, I'm told that in this area G/F are crap... I've experienced the AA here and they're shite so I'd have to plump for RAC :o :o
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Black Knight on 06 April 2009, 16:34:09
I've been looking recently myself.

I know a lot of older bikers who won't use the AA. Can't remember the exact reason, somthing to do with them not supporting the BMF over a cause maybe..??

Anyway, trying to find some uber cheap but reliable cover.

Found basic cover here from £29 (RAC)

http://www.rac.co.uk/uk-breakdown/vbm/?coverType=vbm

Still not purchaced yet, i'm holding out for them to start paying me!

Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Black Knight on 06 April 2009, 16:38:46
One thing that does annoy me, though I can see the obvious reason for it is preferential treatment for women.

Of course I'd want them to assist asap if my loved one was stranded but I'd also be pretty narked if I was but to the bottom of the list because some silly bint hasn't realised you need to put fuel in a car.

Personally i'd avoid companies that protitise their customers.
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 April 2009, 16:46:58
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One thing that does annoy me, though I can see the obvious reason for it is preferential treatment for women.

Of course I'd want them to assist asap if my loved one was stranded but I'd also be pretty narked if I was but to the bottom of the list because some silly bint hasn't realised you need to put fuel in a car.

Personally i'd avoid companies that protitise their customers.

Best not bother with cover then... It's standard practise ::) ::) ::)

TBH, I would prioritise my own work as they called a mobile at night for the out of hours service and anyone stranded somewhere got priority over someone who was indoors, regardless of sex :y :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 06 April 2009, 16:56:41
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Quote
One thing that does annoy me, though I can see the obvious reason for it is preferential treatment for women.

Of course I'd want them to assist asap if my loved one was stranded but I'd also be pretty narked if I was but to the bottom of the list because some silly bint hasn't realised you need to put fuel in a car.

Personally i'd avoid companies that protitise their customers.

Best not bother with cover then... It's standard practise ::) ::) ::)

TBH, I would prioritise my own work as they called a mobile at night for the out of hours service and anyone stranded somewhere got priority over someone who was indoors, regardless of sex :y :y


Absolutely right, just as the police prioritize treble-nine calls on the basis of the circumstances involved. :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Vamps on 06 April 2009, 17:00:53
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Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*

That's cheap for both of you :o :o How did you manage that, I keep thinking of re-joining the AA. Left a couple of years ago now but seemed to get dearer to renew than to join ::) ::)
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: TheBoy on 06 April 2009, 17:01:37
AA, as their policy meant I could easily have all 3 cars covered, despite they were over 10yrs old.  Costs £90 for me and Mrs TheBoy iirc for Relay (no Homestart, as not reqd).

No idea how good they are, never had to use them.

When I was at BT, we used RAC, and must say they were bloody awful. 6hr waits for things like punctures was not unusual. That was a few years ago now though...
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Dusty on 06 April 2009, 17:11:34
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Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*

That's cheap for both of you :o :o How did you manage that, I keep thinking of re-joining the AA. Left a couple of years ago now but seemed to get dearer to renew than to join ::) ::)


It is the most basic cover,so no relay or homestart.But it is fine for us and is based on the car,so whoever is driving the car is covered.
My Miggy needed to be less than 10 years old in order to be accepted. :-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Vamps on 06 April 2009, 17:17:31
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Quote
Quote
Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*

That's cheap for both of you :o :o How did you manage that, I keep thinking of re-joining the AA. Left a couple of years ago now but seemed to get dearer to renew than to join ::) ::)


It is the most basic cover,so no relay or homestart.But it is fine for us and is based on the car,so whoever is driving the car is covered.
My Miggy needed to be less than 10 years old in order to be accepted. :-* :-* :-*

Thanks, so what do you get then? they rarely fix anything at the roadside now. :( It's the relay / recovery bit that we would want, don't need home start either. :) My daily car is separately covered. :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: TheBoy on 06 April 2009, 17:18:39
Watch the AA - they have a habit of putting up price after first year. Cancel it, and they always back down  :-X
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: TheBoy on 06 April 2009, 17:19:26
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*

That's cheap for both of you :o :o How did you manage that, I keep thinking of re-joining the AA. Left a couple of years ago now but seemed to get dearer to renew than to join ::) ::)


It is the most basic cover,so no relay or homestart.But it is fine for us and is based on the car,so whoever is driving the car is covered.
My Miggy needed to be less than 10 years old in order to be accepted. :-* :-* :-*

Thanks, so what do you get then? they rarely fix anything at the roadside now. :( It's the relay / recovery bit that we would want, don't need home start either. :) My daily car is separately covered. :y
The cheapest is a tow to the nearest approved AA garage.  Thats why I wanted Relay, as I want it towed home...
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Lazydocker on 06 April 2009, 17:23:19
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*

That's cheap for both of you :o :o How did you manage that, I keep thinking of re-joining the AA. Left a couple of years ago now but seemed to get dearer to renew than to join ::) ::)


It is the most basic cover,so no relay or homestart.But it is fine for us and is based on the car,so whoever is driving the car is covered.
My Miggy needed to be less than 10 years old in order to be accepted. :-* :-* :-*

Thanks, so what do you get then? they rarely fix anything at the roadside now. :( It's the relay / recovery bit that we would want, don't need home start either. :) My daily car is separately covered. :y
The cheapest is a tow to the nearest approved AA garage.  Thats why I wanted Relay, as I want it towed home...

I've been searching high and low for a company that will let me have nothing but relay... I don't like letting people I don't trust work on my car ::) ::) ::)

At the moment I've just got cover through my Bank account so it'll do :y :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: Dusty on 06 April 2009, 17:24:33
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Mr Dusty and I have just rejoined the AA.
Cost only £29 on line.Well worth it for peace of mind. :-* :-* :-*

That's cheap for both of you :o :o How did you manage that, I keep thinking of re-joining the AA. Left a couple of years ago now but seemed to get dearer to renew than to join ::) ::)


It is the most basic cover,so no relay or homestart.But it is fine for us and is based on the car,so whoever is driving the car is covered.
My Miggy needed to be less than 10 years old in order to be accepted. :-* :-* :-*

Thanks, so what do you get then? they rarely fix anything at the roadside now. :( It's the relay / recovery bit that we would want, don't need home start either. :) My daily car is separately covered. :y
The cheapest is a tow to the nearest approved AA garage.  Thats why I wanted Relay, as I want it towed home...

Yes.If they can not fix the car roadside ,then they will tow it to the nearest garage.Pretty basic but good value.
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: webby23 on 06 April 2009, 17:33:26
I am with the AA, and have been for a few years.

Have "The Works" plus the parts and labour policy and it costs me £18.29 a month.

Parts and labour policy means that the first £475 worth of work needed to repair an AA diagnosed problem is covered and paid for by them

Can use it up to 5 times a year as well, as its thanks to the AA that our previous Omega, an x reg 2.0CD, had its headgasket repaired quickly and professionally when it failed last June

Highly recommend the AA and the extra policy.

 :)
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: willyboy on 06 April 2009, 17:50:40
My daughter was in the AA & got me to share duo cover with her, when she lived at home thats about 6-7 years ago we bothe paid half the policy . anyway some time last year I got a letter from AA saying you left us sometime ago ??? so why not try us again, so rang them & because my daughter had changed her address they reckon I wasn't covered (get my own card annually) so after discussing this with a stroppy woman on the phone decided to pack it in told daughter seems its something to do with not being under same roof,actually runs out this May.. (but they didnt know that) but as never used them never had reason to see if the card they were sending me was of any use...bye bye for now AA :y
Title: Re: Breakdown cover
Post by: TheBoy on 06 April 2009, 18:41:29
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My daughter was in the AA & got me to share duo cover with her, when she lived at home thats about 6-7 years ago we bothe paid half the policy . anyway some time last year I got a letter from AA saying you left us sometime ago ??? so why not try us again, so rang them & because my daughter had changed her address they reckon I wasn't covered (get my own card annually) so after discussing this with a stroppy woman on the phone decided to pack it in told daughter seems its something to do with not being under same roof,actually runs out this May.. (but they didnt know that) but as never used them never had reason to see if the card they were sending me was of any use...bye bye for now AA :y
The joint policies are for people living at the same address, which was made quite clear at signup, and at renewals in my experience