Breakdown Cover - Rant!

[David Hallworth]

I've had AA membership now for 3 years. The original guy caught me off guard when I came out of B&Q one Sunday afternoon and it seemed like a good idea so I signed up at a discounted rate for the year as a special promotion.

Last year I got the renewal through and it was about £50 more then it would of been for a new customer so I rang them up and they price matched the special offer I'd of had should I have been joining again.

This morning the renewal landed on the doorstep and upon opening it the price has jumped up to £244, up from the £130 I paid last year.

I've done a bit of shopping around this morning and found that the RAC are offering the full package, Roadside, Relay and Home Start for £119. Out of interest I went to the AA website and found that they are offering the same package at the same price as the RAC, £125 cheaper then I was quoted for the renewal.

I rang the AA and asked them why as an existing and loyal customer who had one call out this year they are trying to take the proverbial and they dropped the price from £244 to £160.

Companies that do this really hack me off. They rely on people not reading the paperwork and paying the higher price yet if you call them on it they will reduce the price. Admiral did it to me with my insurance this year on the Range Rover and the 407 Coupe. When I challenged them they dropped the price by over £100! I still ended up leaving mind you as Direct Line were over £100 cheaper again.

In the end the AA still wanted £40 more from me to renew as an existing member then they did for a new member so I've cancelled my membership.

According to the "membership consultant" I can't rejoin as a new member for 6 weeks after leaving however the website has just accepted my application for a new membership.

Just makes you realise you get nothing without asking/challenging people these days.

David.

[White Exec]

I gave up on the AA years and years ago. Joining was equivalent to taking out a lifetime subscription to Readers Digest. Breakdown cover indifferent.

Switched to RAC, and stayed with them for 27 years. Brilliant service. Interested in drivers/cars, rather than marketing. Green Flag and Caravan Club also offered realistic and professional cover.

[captainhaddock]

Same everywhere. I swap my home insurance every year from my own name into my wife's name and vice versa. For exactly he same house. That saves me 40 euro each year. So much for rewarding loyal customers...Only because I can't find a cheaper insurer yet, or I would have said good bye to this insurer long ago.
Worth wile checking out maybe, if you have car insurers with road side assistance in the policy. I have but it's only valid in Ireland and the UK. It leaves me 'on my own' in France and Holland but I've still think I'd survive without help. Stranded once with a Ford in Holland, was towed away by a garage and including the repair it around 160 euro's.

[russ92xmsed]

I never rely on automatic renewals for anything.... they are always more expensive. I have had similar problems with Admiral where the price they send is always more than going to a comparison site and getting a better price with the same company!

I get RAC cover via Tescos, Full family cover worth over £200 for something like £90 all in. I ignore the RAC renewal they send every year..again always outrageous and start a fresh. They really do rely on you not looking and reading the documents properly, and being lazy and going with the renewal price. Very rude of them!!

[Richard2cv]

Companies selling break down cover will always try to overcharge loyal customers. Every year its best to take out cover even with the same company as a new customer rather than an existing/ loyal one. My RAC membership this year cost me only £5 (yes really) for personal cover including recovery. The cover cost £80 initially and I got £25 cashback on quidco and £50 on a fuel card.
My xm's been taking advantage of this though and I've only got 1 callout left

Its always best to have a look on cashback websites and see what offers they have. I would never recommend green flag, The first time my xm's alternator went and I called them out to give me a jump start it took them 3 hours to arrive. Second time when the Dolly's points went on the motorway....... Another 3 hour wait. At that point i gave up and took out cover with RAC and they've been great, Always arrived within the hour (usually around half an hour), very polite and always put a lot of effort into getting the car going again.

[Eddie nuff]

I'm with Autoaid, £39 yr for everything - the snag is if I need their services I have to pay up front and claim it back. Paid within 14 days.

[White Exec]

In similar vein, we also discovered a couple of years ago that a Hertz UK (rent-a-car) loyalty card (issued to existing customers) actually secured more expensive car bookings than for new customers!!! So much for loyalty...

[citroenxm]

Urrrmm gonna tempt fait now, but with ALL the Xantias Ive had Ive NEVER had a breakdown.. HAND ON HEART never had it!

Even with the HDi xantia and the 107k we have done in three years. NEVER had breakdown cover.

Is it the fact cars are looked after well?? I dont beleve a TD needs breakdown, what to go wrong with a Mechanical TD? Once all pipe work is in solid order, I feel confidant enough to go anywhere.

Maybee its "Fearless" or just damm brave Im not sure. Im VERY pleased, no, overjoyed with the amount of money I have saved not having breakdown and not needing it.

[White Exec]

You're right of course about TDs (and diesels in general) - breakdown rates are acknowledged by the roadside assistance outfits as far lower. In the early days of recent diesels (late 80s and early 90s) friends who worked for the AA often commented on how seldom they got a call to a diesel, in marked contrast to the endless calls to failed petrol ignition systems, particularly in poor weather. Obvious choice, really.

Our BX19RD (177k miles) and present XM (96k) have never - so far - needed rescue, but have 'rescued' a good few other folk. We felt confident with both of them to regularly drive across Europe and beyond, with no more than normal continental cover on 2000-3000 mile holidays, often towing. ZX and Xantia diesels at work were similarly reliable.

[citroenxm]

I always rigeriously carefully check as much of the cars pipe work, EVEN to the point of lowering the Rear Subframe to check and be sure no ticking time bombs are under me....