RAC Breakdown Cover (Automotive)

2007-08-06 13:24:13

Which is better for Breakdown cover...AA,RAC or Greenflag?

Answer (by tessie two):
Lots of factors to consider, firstly is your car of an age where it is likely to breakdown often? Some motoring organisations will penalise you if you call them out excesively. Do you require home start cover? Most motoring organisations encourage you to pay extra for this, but sometimes it is not necessary, for example the most common thing a home start is needed for is a jump start - so if you have more that one car in the family, you may be able to achieve a jump start that way. Alternatively if you have a good relationship with your local garage, you could call on them if you found yourself in that situation. A non-start at home is rarer than you think. So if watching the pennies, it may be an option to rule out home start. If your main concern is long distance cover (AND IT SHOULD BE - THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT TO COVER) the AA will not in every case take you the whole duration of your journey in one-hit so to speak, if it is a long journey. This may then involve a (long) wait whilst your vehicle is transfered to another recovery truck. The RAC and GreenFlag will take you from the scene of the breakdown to your chosen destination. Remember the full recovery option will pay for itself ten-fold if used only once say from the motorway as a call out to be recovered off it can be well over £100.00. If you choose the rescue only package from any motoring organisation you will be towed to the nearest garage of their choise if you do not have a prefered option - but there is a strict mileage limit on this - varying but averageing 10 miles - not helpful if you are in the middle of a long planned journey - so that is why the recovery option is vital in my opinion. As to who is best, the area you live in is also important. In the cities the Companies will have alot of Patrols to cover the area, with approved garages backing them up (Green Flag is the exception as it is all approved garages). If you are more rural, there is a tendancy for them to rely on approved garages. The plus side of the approved garages is that it is in their buisness interest to look after you (each job is monitrered by the motoring organisation and they have targets to meet on arrival time / fix rate etc) and if the vehicle needs repairing, they can often help out quickly back at their garage. Oh yes, the RAC covers the vehicle, whilst the AA covers the person - which can be an advantage as for example if you are traveling as a passenger in a friends car and that breaks down, you are entilted to use your membership to achieve assistance! GreenFlag as far as I know covers the vehicle (but not 100% on this?). As mentioned before - check out the websites for best offers, also in supermarket car parks etc and your car insurance or bank account sometimes offer "free cover" that can easily and cheaply be upgraded. Confussed? if not before, I bet now you have a little more to think about! But hope I have helped a bit! Good luck - whatever you decide on will be good as cover is a must!!

2006-11-23 02:36:37

i need breakdown cover as my car is bad in winter- cant see any difference btwn RAC and AA - can anyone help?

Answer (by Mark W):
I'd recommend Greenflag as well. I had to be recovered the other day and they sent a local garage out to me (arrived within 20 minutes of my call). The recovery fella then spent an age telling me how bad the AA are (and he does work for them as well!!).

2006-09-06 02:22:57

Which would you reccommend?? AA or RAC for breakdown cover please?

Not just on price but, the time they`ve taken to get to you,the general service you received etc.....

Answer (by alan c):
Have been with the RAC now for a few years and receive discount on renewal for no call outs. Had to call them out this year for the first time and was impressed with the speed and expertise of the service. Would highly recommend the RAC. Was with a friend once on the M25 and we broke down. He was with the AA and called them for assistance. We waited for more than an hour before they arrived and they were unable to repair at road-side, and as the car was an automatic they said they could not tow it very far. We were then towed off the motorway and left in a lay-by to await a recovery truck. As it was well past mid-night and the lay-by had no lighting it was a bit scary for the kids, to say the least. We waited again for some 45 mins in this unlit lay-by awaiting the recovery truck.I wonder to this day what dangers could have befallen us in this lay-by, as certainly we could not be seen by any passing vehicles. Also wondered if this action would have been the same had it been a lone female.