Recovery Which One ?

[cyborg]

I hope am not tempting fate fingers crossed am off to scotland on friday on a 370 mile jolly to relatives etc. obviously i need some sort of breakdown cover more than a rabbits foot and a horse shoe .last year i did it through moneysupermarket only to find out they messed up long story but i ill not use again.

 

anyway i saw this advert online http://www.icbreakdown.co.uk/compare.php and wondered if anyone has used them or what they have used and was cheap and great value.

 

 

hope you can help

[RADIOTWO]

I hope am not tempting fate fingers crossed am off to scotland on friday on a 370 mile jolly to relatives etc. obviously i need some sort of breakdown cover more than a rabbits foot and a horse shoe .last year i did it through moneysupermarket only to find out they messed up long story but i ill not use again.

 

anyway i saw this advert online http://www.icbreakdown.co.uk/compare.php and wondered if anyone has used them or what they have used and was cheap and great value.

 

 

hope you can help

 

Hi cyborg

 

I think the best advice is "you get what you pay for"

 

I my self have never heard of them, so you have to think if you break down how long will it take to get to you ?

 

why not go for the big names, as they are more efficiant and have more vans etc.

 

Radiotwo

[Gareth Noble]

Just to offer some balance to this. I previously took out breakdown cover with a major player and agreed to go on a rolling credit card payment to get a discount.

 

Then some time later needed to make use of their services (after having not had to use them at all in the first year), only to discover that that had not in fact automatically taken payment as agreed, and had instead discontinued my cover. even after this I would have been quite happy to have paid the renewal fee even backdated to the time it was due. but they were insisting on me paying the full new member fee (much higher). Needless to say I did not renew with them and would never go back to them again.

 

Just goes to show that bigger isn't always better.

[gregers]

phone up your insurance company and see what they offer,a lot of the time it is cheaper to have the package tacked on to your insurance rather then taking out a stand alone breakdown cover,well i have found it to be.

[turk90210]

Some good posts here , Bigger is not always better but having said that on their day all of them can be as good or as bad as each other, it all depends on the mechanic who comes out, some are knowledgeable and some are justs muppets/monkeys who don't even carry any basic tools in some cases, some of the pitfalls are the smaller ones use independant garages (some with liveried vehicles to look the part) and only pay the garages a menial amount hense they only spend so long with you before putting it up for recovery ( unless its a simple job) which is when they might get more money with the bigger ones its again all about money ie bonuses, the larger company patrol's who comes out might be on a bonus so the quicker he can sort you by whatever means is benificial to him. Over the years I have seen both sides so it's a case of you pay your money and takes a chance

As Gregers says though check your insurance policy as breakdown cover is sometimes added so if it meets your needs why pay extra

[Saif Rehman]

Been a member with AA now since 2003, manage to get mega discount on renewal this year. Also, i had my money's worth from them been recovered 280 miles on 2 ocassions in the past which no doubt would have cost me a fortune.

But before you decide on anyone one of them check all the small print.

[sparky Paul]

I would also recommend checking with your insurer for a discounted policy, and some companies are now including a basic recovery service in with the insurance.

 

I've just renewed mine, been with the same company now for many years - GEM Motoring Assist. I check every year, but still can't find anything cheaper for our particular circumstances, including those supplied by our insurer.

 

GEM came top out of all the recovery services in last years Auto Express Driver Power Survey.

Edited August 26, 2009 by sparky Paul

[Bigjeeze]

I have been using Brittania Rescue and so far found them good - But I haven't renewed this year as my Bank offer recovery using the RAC as a benefit of the account that I have. They also provide travel insurance - a combined saving of over

[jkspoff]

I have the basic breakdown package with the AA (roadside) this has cost me just Edited August 27, 2009 by jkspoff

[seatkid]

I was told by an AA man that even with the full recovery cover package, recovery is free only for the 1st 100 miles and then its

[Saif Rehman]

I was told by an AA man that even with the full recovery cover package, recovery is free only for the 1st 100 miles and then its

[Saif Rehman]

I was told by an AA man that even with the full recovery cover package, recovery is free only for the 1st 100 miles and then its

[cyborg]

well thank you all i made an informed decision unfortunately am not covered for

 

Direct or indirect loss, damage or liability caused by, contributed to or arising from:

 

1) Ionising radiation or contamination from any radioactive nuclear fuel, or from any nuclear

waste from burning nuclear fuel;

 

2) The radioactive, toxic, explosive or other dangerous property of any explosive nuclear

assembly or nuclear part of that assembly or;

 

3) Pressure waves caused by aircraft and other flying objects.

 

 

seems that most webb policy's lead to equity red star :wacko: ROME ?

Edited August 27, 2009 by cyborg

[turk90210]

regarding AA Relay

 

If you are already in the relay service when you breakdown you can be recovered to ANY destination of your choice full stop

 

What seatkid is reffering to but slightly miss informed about is if your NOT in the relay service, in this instance they will allow you to upgrade to the relay( pay the premium + a surcharge) but with the restrictions of only moving you for the first 50 miles for free, after that it is

[sparky Paul]

Which is why i got the full package considering the distance i travel with all seven seats occupied.

 

That's a very good point. If you read the policy carefully, many of the cheaper offerings limit transport to driver and 4 or 5 passengers. I also occasionally travel long distances with 6 or 7 in the car, and it rules out these providers.

 

You have to watch out for some of the small print. Some only cover cars up to 5 years old, and I have seen some which insist on proof of maintenance/servicing from a VAT registered garage. As I do my own servicing, repairs and even tyres, this is no good to me.

 

I also need something which will recover me wherever I want to go. If I'm local, I need to go home. If I'm going on holiday, I would prefer to be taken to my destination, I can then organise any repairs from there - I don't want to be stuck in a crappy hotel halfway there, while the 'nearest suitable repairer' fixes the car.

 

Don't overlook the 'pay & reclaim' services either. GEM do a fully inclusive service, or offer a pay & reclaim service at a discount. This might seem like a bit of unnecessary hassle, but they will still organise recovery in the normal way... alternatively, you have the option to use any recovery service or garage you choose, and they will reimburse the cost. This can be particularly handy if you have a problem close to home. My dad used a local garage when his clutch cable snapped locally a few years ago, GEM paid up immediately and without quibble.

Edited August 28, 2009 by sparky Paul

[cyborg]

As you know i have just been to Scotland .

on the way back i thought i might get an extra mile to gallon if i checked my tire pressures and oils so i duly put a thimble of air in the tyres and filled up a quart of a litre of oil .

when i took the lid off the oil it had one of those plastic covers as well so i pressed it, it went every where spent 5mins using the for court tissues to clean it up anyway i gets stuck in Glasgow for an hour the engine temp goes to 115 :rolleyes: and got me thinking the oil i just put in must be pants and it must be hell getting to work in glasgow traffic,so dialed 65mph and drive through torrential down poors stopping off three times as rain was so bad 378miles covered i crept into bed wondering why i only have 10miles of petrol left.

 

 

so this morning i thought i would open the bonnet only to find i hadn't put the oil cap back on the engine :DOH:

 

seems that the knackered felt liner had acted as a plug :lol:

 

all seems well car runs colder than before i went and more power bizarre

[gregers]

you donut :rolleyes: :lol:

 

i done this in my old laguna checked the oil and added some,the missus uses the car and goes into a multi story carpark with smoke billowing out of the car,fearing the worst phones the breakdown co,they turn up and tell her its missing its oil cap and the contents of the engine oil are everywhere,CAN YOU IMAGINE THE BOL...... TELLING OFF I GOT :46:

 

so easily done m8,glad its all ok now.