AA or RAC?

[imadoofus]

I've decided to ditch Direct Line insurance because since they were bought by RBS they've become a usless bunch of disinterested gits.

Going to Admiral Multi-car, and saving 39%

Anyway; my breakdown cover was with D/L so I need to move that too. I'm not going to GreenFlag, becasue they're owned by RBS , so that leaves AA or RAC.

I drive in Europe a lot, using both cars, so the quality of that cover is as important to me as UK cover.

Anybody got any opinions? (silly question )

PJ

 

[Will]

Rac

(Won't let me type it in capitals)

Will

 

[lotusmark2]

do RAC cover the car or the driver?

 

[Will]

I'm covered as a driver or passenger in any vehicle

Will

 

[imadoofus]

do RAC cover the car or the driver?

Both AA & RAC cover the person as a driver or as a passenger

PJ

 

[Will]

I suspect most people will be biased towards the organisation of which they are a member.

I'm a member of the RAC and I've also been a member of the AA. The AA annoyed me so I've voted with my feet. I've never had bad service from the RAC though

Will

 

[Rob77]

Hasn't Direct Line been owned by RBS for donkeys?

 

[imadoofus]

Hasn't Direct Line been owned by RBS for donkeys?

Yes, but the recent addition of one new and one used car to our 'fleet' highlighted just what a bunch of f*ckwits they are. It's been a matter of attrition over the past couple of years, and this last three months have proven to be the final straw!

PJ

 

[imadoofus]

I suspect most people will be biased towards the organisation of which they are a member.

I know. That's why I asked

I'm a member of the RAC and I've also been a member of the AA. The AA annoyed me so I've voted with my feet. I've never had bad service from the RAC though

That's the kind of thing I wanted!

Thanks

PJ

 

[C43AMG]

I suspect most people will be biased towards the organisation of which they are a member.

I'm a member of the RAC and I've also been a member of the AA. The AA annoyed me so I've voted with my feet. I've never had bad service from the RAC though

Will

That's what i did in 1986.

 

[jeremytaylor]

RAC, also with annual European Cover, which is not much more than 2 weeks 'holiday' cover.

Only used them once over here (service OK), but never had the need to use them in Europe so can't say how good/bad/ indifferent they are when you need them.

 

[Silvertank]

RAC upset me after about ten years of being a loyal customer, so I swapped to the AA about two years ago - no snags so far.

 

[Alps]

Ive got RAC family cover, basically covers 6 members of the family, ANY car!, something like £150 for roadside and recovery.

 

[elpeterol]

Brittania rescue always come out well in "Which" reports, I have used them for continental cover and they have proved to be very good.

 

[SilverSaloon]

I'm with AA for last 10 odd years. Called them out several times in that time and always been pretty good.

Only slight downside i see nowadays (never used to be like this) is that they contract the work/recovery to a local garage, which means instead of a nice shiney AA truck with friendly AA-dressed guy you now often get oily-greasy mechanic from the local small garage with an older truck... service is still good though, but i think their adverts on telly are a bit decieving.

Never been with RAC though.

GreenFlag has been pretty good for my brother over the past few years.

Sorry i cant be much more help. For a private individual though i would say they are much of a much-ness. Hope u never need to use them, and when u do it all depends on how busy they are at the time & where you break down.

derek

 

[prprandall51]

The AA is fantastic. Never been a member of the RAS, but they would have to be pretty sharp to match the AA.

My two Land Rovers are like old friends to the patrols in my area - and so, rather disppointingly - was my BMW 5 Series (hence the MB ). The patrolmen never fail to amaze me. An example story:

VW Golf Mk2: Intermitently misfiring / breaking down (fuel problem, I knew that much) over a 18 month period. Would always re-start after about 1/2 - 1 hour. Went in to 3 separate VW garages and spent £300 odd in diagnosis charges. All of them either drew a blank or told me to replace the carb. No way.

Eventually it died and I couldn't hang around to see if it would self recover. The AA man said those immortal words "I think I know what the problem is" after I had described my 18 months of pain and before we had even lifted the bonnet. He fixed it permanently - properly - inside 10 minutes.

That level of knowledge seems typical of all the parolmen I have met.

Philip

 

[imadoofus]

I think I'll go with the cheapest then Sounds like "six and two threes" as somebody I once knew used to say...

Thanks for your input everyone!

PJ

 

[Silvertank]

I'm with AA for last 10 odd years. Called them out several times in that time and always been pretty good.

Only slight downside i see nowadays (never used to be like this) is that they contract the work/recovery to a local garage, which means instead of a nice shiney AA truck with friendly AA-dressed guy you now often get oily-greasy mechanic from the local small garage with an older truck... service is still good though, but i think their adverts on telly are a bit decieving.

Never been with RAC though.

GreenFlag has been pretty good for my brother over the past few years.

Sorry i cant be much more help. For a private individual though i would say they are much of a much-ness. Hope u never need to use them, and when u do it all depends on how busy they are at the time & where you break down.

derek

I've always had a nice shiny AA van that comes out - I guess it depends how busy they are and where abouts you break down.

Tank

 

[lotusmark2]

Just joined RAC today, think its 6 and two 3's really
just read your post Ima....great minds

 

[glojo]

Hi Imadoofus,
I have never had the privilege of meeting you so do not know the age of your vehicle, but in your signature it looks like you are talking about a vehicle that does not qualify for Mobilio? That would be a worthy consideration, but of course if the vehicle is too old, or outside the terms then disregard my post.

Brian WH has posted an excellent thread on the benefits of this breakdown cover when travelling htroughout Europe.

Good luck with your decision, oh and a quick question: Who does the AA and the RAC use for customers when they breakdown in Europe?

Regards,
John