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[tomoco]

Any idea which one to choose. AA tried to double premium after 1st year with out claims. Thinking of going to the RAC.

[Psychoca]

I am with the RAC and personally feel that they are generally very good...

However...  They both have fair usage policy and are IMHO very much better than Green Flag...

[TheBoy]

Call the AA, they will knock it down to the current webprice if you haven't used the service.  I have to do this every year.  Pain, but worth the call.

I chose the AA because they were cheapest at the time, and offered the best caskback

[tomoco]

Thanks guys. will check web for discount etc....

[Lazydocker]

I am with the RAC and personally feel that they are generally very good...

However...  They both have fair usage policy and are IMHO very much better than Green Flag...

That depends where you are in the country

When I worked for the garage in Basingrad we were the main Green Flag agent. My average attendance time was 17 minutes and my roadside repair rate was 97%. If we did work for the RAC it was normally only passed to us after the poor person had been stranded for more than 4 hours while they tried to get a patrol to them

Green flag do not have their own patrols, they are all local garages, so the wait is normally shorter

However, where I live now GF aren't particularly good but the RAC have been the only time I have called them (well... Arrived in a little over an hour but did come from 40 miles away  )

[mantahatch]

I used to work for one of the breakdown organisations aswell. I was given the top membership for free, value about £100 per year. I left in March 1999 and have not had any breakdown cover since. Saving me about £1300. If I breakdown now I would just use credit card to get me home.

May not suit everyone but I firmly believe if the aa/rac/gf can make money out of its insurance then I can save money by not having it.

[Psychoca]

I am with the RAC and personally feel that they are generally very good...

However...  They both have fair usage policy and are IMHO very much better than Green Flag...

That depends where you are in the country

When I worked for the garage in Basingrad we were the main Green Flag agent. My average attendance time was 17 minutes and my roadside repair rate was 97%. If we did work for the RAC it was normally only passed to us after the poor person had been stranded for more than 4 hours while they tried to get a patrol to them

Green flag do not have their own patrols, they are all local garages, so the wait is normally shorter

However, where I live now GF aren't particularly good but the RAC have been the only time I have called them (well... Arrived in a little over an hour but did come from 40 miles away  )

I have 2 very poor experiences with Green Flag...

The first was when I had them come to look at my old 1.8TD Mondeo, which wouldn't start...  When they came out, they fiddled about under the bonnet for a while, tried to start the car (which failed) and asked where they wanted me to put the car...  I had a quick fiddle and found that the fuel primer diaphram had split slightly causing an air leak, manage to prime the engine and start it...  Green Flag chappy was not impressed...

2nd Occasion was in Anglesey, on holiday with my Vectra 2.0 DI, which refused to start after the leak off pipes had been replaced..  The Green Flag prat turned up (with his bit of stuff in tow) and started implying that the diesel system was a closed system and that he wouldn't be able to get it started either...  After a lot of tutting and indicating that it was going to be costly to get it started he said he would try a tow start, which, started the engine...  He then undid the tow rope, said that it would be fine and buggered off so quick I didn't have the time to get back in the car, at which point the engine died and wouldn't start...  Leaving me stranded 2 miles away from where I was, with nothing around me (or phone signal)...  Strange thing was, when I did the same thing with another tow (and a little more fiddling, easy to spot problem) it ran fine...

[saltyone]

the AA don't give you any discounts for being a loyal member on renewal (well they haven't done so to me )the price always goes up . its cheaper to end your membership and rejoin again each year . i pay just over  £15 a month for home-start,relay.accident recovery,and parts and labour warranty up to £500 per claim so just one claim a year pays for its self and i get total peace of mind 
been with RAC and Green Flag in the past and they where fine just that the AA suit me better 

[Ken T]

I had been with the AA for a long time, but left because of rubbish service. They are incapable of changing an alternator.

Ken

[mantahatch]

I had been with the AA for a long time, but left because of rubbish service. They are incapable of changing an alternator.

Ken

On what car, at what time of day or night, was it a proper patrol in a van or a direct recovery driver ?

Some alternators are not roadside jobs, think audi A4 etc. where not even the drivebelt is a roadside job.

[Lazydocker]

I am with the RAC and personally feel that they are generally very good...

However...  They both have fair usage policy and are IMHO very much better than Green Flag...

That depends where you are in the country

When I worked for the garage in Basingrad we were the main Green Flag agent. My average attendance time was 17 minutes and my roadside repair rate was 97%. If we did work for the RAC it was normally only passed to us after the poor person had been stranded for more than 4 hours while they tried to get a patrol to them

Green flag do not have their own patrols, they are all local garages, so the wait is normally shorter

However, where I live now GF aren't particularly good but the RAC have been the only time I have called them (well... Arrived in a little over an hour but did come from 40 miles away  )

I have 2 very poor experiences with Green Flag...

The first was when I had them come to look at my old 1.8TD Mondeo, which wouldn't start...  When they came out, they fiddled about under the bonnet for a while, tried to start the car (which failed) and asked where they wanted me to put the car...  I had a quick fiddle and found that the fuel primer diaphram had split slightly causing an air leak, manage to prime the engine and start it...  Green Flag chappy was not impressed...

2nd Occasion was in Anglesey, on holiday with my Vectra 2.0 DI, which refused to start after the leak off pipes had been replaced..  The Green Flag prat turned up (with his bit of stuff in tow) and started implying that the diesel system was a closed system and that he wouldn't be able to get it started either...  After a lot of tutting and indicating that it was going to be costly to get it started he said he would try a tow start, which, started the engine...  He then undid the tow rope, said that it would be fine and buggered off so quick I didn't have the time to get back in the car, at which point the engine died and wouldn't start...  Leaving me stranded 2 miles away from where I was, with nothing around me (or phone signal)...  Strange thing was, when I did the same thing with another tow (and a little more fiddling, easy to spot problem) it ran fine...

Like I said... Depends where you are in the country

As for the Vectra. He was right, it is indeed a closed system (as are all fuel systems) and needs bleeding. A tow start is a way of doing it but may need a couple of goes to ensure all the air is out. Personally I would have cracked off the injector pipes and bled it properly to start with (unless it was under warranty )

[Psychoca]

I am with the RAC and personally feel that they are generally very good...

However...  They both have fair usage policy and are IMHO very much better than Green Flag...

That depends where you are in the country

When I worked for the garage in Basingrad we were the main Green Flag agent. My average attendance time was 17 minutes and my roadside repair rate was 97%. If we did work for the RAC it was normally only passed to us after the poor person had been stranded for more than 4 hours while they tried to get a patrol to them

Green flag do not have their own patrols, they are all local garages, so the wait is normally shorter

However, where I live now GF aren't particularly good but the RAC have been the only time I have called them (well... Arrived in a little over an hour but did come from 40 miles away  )

I have 2 very poor experiences with Green Flag...

The first was when I had them come to look at my old 1.8TD Mondeo, which wouldn't start...  When they came out, they fiddled about under the bonnet for a while, tried to start the car (which failed) and asked where they wanted me to put the car...  I had a quick fiddle and found that the fuel primer diaphram had split slightly causing an air leak, manage to prime the engine and start it...  Green Flag chappy was not impressed...

2nd Occasion was in Anglesey, on holiday with my Vectra 2.0 DI, which refused to start after the leak off pipes had been replaced..  The Green Flag prat turned up (with his bit of stuff in tow) and started implying that the diesel system was a closed system and that he wouldn't be able to get it started either...  After a lot of tutting and indicating that it was going to be costly to get it started he said he would try a tow start, which, started the engine...  He then undid the tow rope, said that it would be fine and buggered off so quick I didn't have the time to get back in the car, at which point the engine died and wouldn't start...  Leaving me stranded 2 miles away from where I was, with nothing around me (or phone signal)...  Strange thing was, when I did the same thing with another tow (and a little more fiddling, easy to spot problem) it ran fine...

Like I said... Depends where you are in the country

As for the Vectra. He was right, it is indeed a closed system (as are all fuel systems) and needs bleeding. A tow start is a way of doing it but may need a couple of goes to ensure all the air is out. Personally I would have cracked off the injector pipes and bled it properly to start with (unless it was under warranty )

Indeed, it was purely just his attitude, more along the lines of how can I get this guy to have hs car go to my garage...  I do agree with you in it being dependant on who comes out, sadly, on the 2 occasions I needed them (both different areas), I had bad experiences... 

[millwall]

the aa man who came out to my mates vectra the other day was top class  we broke down on the A20  he turned up in 20 minutes  towed us off the motorway to a safe spot and the spent 50 minutes fixing the car  couldnt fault him  turned out a wire had broke  needless to say he got a large drink for being so helpfull  

[r1]

google G.E.M recovery
i ve been a member for years used them a few times top class

[Lazydocker]

google G.E.M recovery
i ve been a member for years used them a few times top class

GEM, aka Equity Red Star, whose service is normally provided by local garages, frequently the same ones that Green Flag use

In fact... We used to get jobs faxed through from the GF control room on behalf of Equity Red Star