I just got my friendly warning letter from the RAC... under the terms of "Fair Use" I only get one more free callout before August. :rofl:

LOL I got one of those from the AA last year 6 months into the year, after a speight of water leaks - luckily I havent broken down since :cool: Now with the RAC as the AA bumped the price up for renewal :xxx:

 

Gonna be a long 7 months for ya hehe ;)

 

Pete

who would be best to go with

 

AA or RAC?

 

what package would you take out and how much .i.e relay etc

 

cheers

AA and RAC looked pretty much the same to me, I went for the one giving you roadside assistance, and relay anywhere in the UK IIRC. AA were always good to me.

 

Not had to call RAC out so dunno about them ;)

 

Just under £100 joint with the missus, in any car.

THE RAC SUCK - BIG TIME!!!

 

I broke down at Xmas on the M25 - I told them to send a flat-bed transporter - they sent a van. They then kept me waiting for 2.5 hours on the freezing bloody motorway, before some bunch of ANIMALS from KarTek in Watford came along with no tools, no intelligence and no time! I had to ARGUE with the bloke to stop him damaging my car any more, and when they got it back to their depot (they refused to take it to my garage or my house) the manager said - "just rip it off the back and slam it on the ground, I want that truck out asap"!! :mad: :eek: :mad:

 

End result........ a dented and scratched up car, and a taxi bill for £50.00 to get home.

 

I complained to the RAC who wrote back to me and said......"sorry". Not fuggin good enough!!! I'm awaiting their reponse to my latest letter!

 

*******S!!

 

(I'm just waiting for this to be moderated now that I've slagged off 2 companies!! :xxx: )

AA then Jay ;):eek:

 

I'd have stayed with the AA but they wanted an increased premium of £155.

I've been with the A.A for years now and been very helpfull when I've called them out (twice). Although the first time when the guy turned up he had no idea of what to look for so towed me to the garage, and the second time I broke down in B'ham they got a low loader and took me all the way home to London.

 

No real complaints about the AA. They were also very helpfull with their legal time following an accident.

Vijay

Im not impressed with the RAC and I have only used them once.

 

I broke down on Chorley Road in Horwich. Firstly they said there is no such place as Horwich. Then I was told there is no such thing as Chorley Road and that I must be mistaken. I actually broke down next to the road sign.

When asked what happened, (My PTU failed, so lots of bangs, pops and a few flames) I told them and I later found out the woman put it down as an exhaust problem.

When trying to tell here where I was, she very abruptely and rudely said that she does not live there so I dont know where you are talking about. I that asked her if she had a map on the screen, she said yes, I said use that, I am just off junction 6 off the M61. But she couldnt find the M61.

 

At the end of this conversation I was told it will be 40 mins until a flatbed would be there.

 

30 mins later, my mobile rang and some man from the RAC asked me where I was, I told him and he said, they will be 40 mins. I have already waited 30 mins, so it should take 10. Anyway, I go a pub for a while and return to my car after the 40 mins. I wait ten mins and my mobile rings. It was the RAC saying that some one is on the way and will be 40 mins. I had already waited an hour and 20 mins. I wait 40 mins. Nothing. Another 20 mins later my mobile rings and it was the person in the tow truck. Asking where abouts on Chorley New Road I was. I told him I was on Chorley Road and not Chorley New Road, he cursed a few times about RAC as he had to pass Chorley Road to get to Chorley New Road, which was about 4 miles away. 10 mins later the truck arrived. It was not a flatbed. It wasnt even a RAC van, but a Green Flag.

 

So my experience with the RAC was, they didnt know where I was and said I was mistaken where I was dispite breaking down next to the road sign and knowing the area very well, diagnosed my problem over the phone as an exhaust problem when it was electrical, the 40 mins wait turned into nearly 3 hours, the tow truck was not a flat bed as promised and wasnt even a RAC one.

 

So,

 

They got the time wrong,

They got the location wrong,

They sent the wrong type of truck,

They didnt even send a RAC truck.

 

0 out of 4.

 

Well done.

hmm, AA certainly looks promising then :)

I might just join em when I get me car back

I'm with the RAC and had them out twice this year. Both times they turned up at my home within the hour. One time was to pick up my Z to take it to SE for some work. Even though I explained the car had been off the road for 18 months they said it wasn't a problem. They even gave me a courtesy car for 3 days :)

 

The other call was to start my wifes mini which was buggered. He had it going in about 10 minutes.

 

I've been with the AA and they were just as good.

 

Someone told me and I don't know how true this is:- The AA relay service doesn't take you all the way to your destination if you break down. They relay you from region to region and you might have to swap into another AA vehicle. Where the RAC take you all the way in one vehicle.

 

Either way I think they're probably as good/bad as each other but I would recommend shelling out for the top package becuase you only have to get them out once, have your car towed and get a courtesy car or hotel bills paid and it's paid for itself.

 

Jonno.

I've been a member of both at various times in the last 17 years, currently with the RAC, have been since 1994.

 

I've never had a problem with the RAC, always turned up quickly (never waited more than 35 mins) and sorted the problem out too.

 

The AA fekked me around a couple of times when I called them out, but that was a long time ago. Their service has improved somewhat since then. Personally I think they are as good as each other. It's the other cheapo organisations (Nat Breakdown etc) that I wouldn't touch.

 

I get the full membership (including hotel/courtesy car etc) with my wife included, in any car, driver or passenger for just over £100 - discount from either MBNA credit card or Virgin-one (whoever gived more at renewal) so it works out way cheaper than AA for me. They wanted over £140 for the same cover.

 

Richard :smw:

When I used to do heavy recovery, I have to recover the AA tranporter. Still had some blokes car on the back, he was not a happy man.

 

cheerz, mickey

Well, im with niether, but when I did break down (starter motor) I called a mate with the RAC, he then rang the RAC, and sent them to me, and yep, they guy turned up in about 30 mins, and was more than happy to get me going... he spent about 30-40 mins removing corrosion, creating a new earth connection etc and getting my starter going, couldnt of been more impressed!

 

I think as with most services, it's totally down to the area you are in, the manner in which you speak, and the time since engineers last meal.

 

:D

I'm with the AA. Had to call them out just the once. They turned up in twenty minues with a low loader and took me straight home. The guy told me that they only send low loaders out to our cars now as they won't even attempt to try and fix it.

 

Was only half an hour late home in the end.

When I called out the RAC when I broke down after filling up (no starter motor turning - broken corroded wires as it turned out), the guy who turned up fiddled for about 30mins before finally blowing my main maxi fuse and rendering me with no dash electrics c/l or alarm.

 

Fixed by Bob on the trader section here & report from him sent to the RAC complaints dept - recent reply said that they do not see how it is the RAC's fault.

 

I am about to write another letter, but the is absolutely no chance I will ever get cover with them again - might try Green Flag instead.

Just as long as you don't go with direct line. Had the cheapest car breakdown cover, and my car windscreen shattered on the A3. Phoned them up first time, and then they passed me off to a new windscreen company. Phoned again, and they passed me to insurance. Phoned a third time, and finally got through. Took them another 1hour 20 mins to turn up, and when the bloke loaded me on the van, he told me my address didn't exist :confused: Anyway, they also charge for anything they have to deliver 5 miles away and I was about 17 miles away :( . When he was just about home, had to remind him that I lived near a place called Morden and not New Malden, so he did not take the wrong turn. Bloke was nice still, but in the time I was broken down I saw at least 3 AA vans go past me....so I went for the AA - option 200, roadside and relay.

It's all luck really... nothing between the AA and RAC. I've only had good experiences from both. Can't join Green Flag because it's on the car not the person, what good is that? :xxx:

 

The RAC navigation system is a bit shite - they seem to have the road number when you give them the road name or vice versa... like "where are you?" "Junction 6 M61" "What's the road called?" "Haven't a clue, it's the bleedin MOTORWAY innit, does it matter what the A road it meets is called" "Yes, I need to locate you" "Well, J6 M61 pinpoints it to the nearest six inches, what's the problem here?" and so on, as Stu says...

 

They do also get upset when you tell them what the problem is on the phone, I've learned not to do that! Classic was the cracked block, told them there was 4 litres of oil on the ground under the car could I have a flatbed please, so the chap in the van turns up, looks at it, says "why didn't you just ask straight for the flatbed?" :xxx:

Can't fault the AA. I have been with them for five years now and have had at least one call out a year, so it's more than paid for itself. Not all ways the best mechanically but they turn up quick and get you home...

 

They even towed my mates car home off the M20. He was following me on the home after picking up the Z. You can't get better service than that as I wasn;t even in the same car

 

:bow: to the AA

I am with the RAC & have been for past 9 years. Well pleased with them.

I live in folkestone & visited sister in torquay. Whilst visiting I broke down on A38 Plymouth road auto box failure!

RAC picked us up on low loader & back to Torquay. Next day RAC picked car up & took it to a local transmissions firm. Or the night before they offered to bring car & me back to Folkestone!

My RAC comes with my insurance company & its called club gold. Covers home start,relay,road assistance,overnight accommodation & european recovery too!

Arthur