Motoring Discussion > Breakdown cover Miscellaneous
Thread Author: MD Replies: 33

 Breakdown cover - MD
What is the panels view/choice of provider. My AA renewal has come through at a P taking price again. I'm fed up with bartering with them.
 Breakdown cover - Bobby
www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/
 Breakdown cover - The Melting Snowman
I'm with AXA this year for breakdown including homestart. I paid £53

Be aware that some policies exclude recovery following an accident.
 Breakdown cover - Falkirk Bairn
Greenflag - I have been £57 +/- for the past 4 years - top cover but no European Cover
They up it by £10 every year and I phone and they knock it back to the new customer price.
 Breakdown cover - Robin O'Reliant
I cancelled my AA cover on 31 Jan when the year was up after 48 years membership. The RAC were doing an offer of the full works for £124 per annum which is 50% off and the AA couldn't come close to it.

Just checked and the offer is still live.
 Breakdown cover - Runfer D'Hills
Funnily enough we were just talking about this last night. I’ve paid for breakdown cover for all my driving life and so has my wife. Latterly, my son has had it for 4 years. Apart from those dreadful two years with an Espace when I certainly got my money’s worth none of us has ever otherwise actually used it.
 Breakdown cover - John Boy
Heard of Sod's Law?
 Breakdown cover - Duncan
Stick it on the car insurance when you renew. You'll get it for around £30 - £35.
 Breakdown cover - Clk Sec
At that price I would expect the level of cover to be quite basic.
 Breakdown cover - Duncan
>> At that price I would expect the level of cover to be quite basic.
>>

Roadside cover, home cover with the RAC. What's wrong with that?
 Breakdown cover - MD
The AA do cover my 3.5 ton master van. I'll have to see if the others will. Last time I enquired the RAC wouldn't.
 Breakdown cover - PeterS
>> Roadside cover, home cover with the RAC. What's wrong with that?

The only thing I’d check is that roadside cover includes taking you to where you want to be / where you want the car to be fixed, rather than being dumped at the nearest garage to where you breakdown if it can’t be fixed at the roadside.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 15 Feb 21 at 12:53
 Breakdown cover - Haywain
We had never given a great deal of thought to our breakdown cover - we always said 'yes' when renewing our vehicle insurance and, as we both have youngish cars, had questioned ourselves as to whether we needed it all.

Then, on that cold, rainy, rush-hour, November evening on the M6, when the tyre blew, we were EXTREMELY GLAD that we had breakdown cover.
 Breakdown cover - No FM2R
I am much of the same mind. Breakdown cover seems a bit OTT until that time you breakdown late at night on a motorway. Or worse, in rush hour.

Consequently, I want it and don't stress over a few quid here or there.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 15 Feb 21 at 19:22
 Breakdown cover - Mr Moo
...and with so many cars having a can of gunk now, rather than a spare tyre; I suspect more of us will have need of a recovery truck for that than as a result of an actual mechanical breakdown.
 Breakdown cover - Duncan
>> ...and with so many cars having a can of gunk now, rather than a spare
>> tyre;

However, we do have the choice whether or not to buy a car than has a can of sealant rather than a spare wheel.

The choice is ours.
 Breakdown cover - Bill Payer
I don't know how much of a faff it is, but you can emergency join the AA when broken down (and maybe others too). Strikes me there might be an imperitive on them to provide good service as people that do such a thing are probably quite likely to try and get their money back.

Son-in-law did it when his car had a flat battery. Not quite the same as being stuck at the side of a motorway, I suppose.
 Breakdown cover - CGNorwich
You cadn indeed but you will pay the full price. Don't look for a discount!

www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/instant-cover
 Breakdown cover - Bill Payer
>> You cadn indeed but you will pay the full price. Don't look for a discount!
>>
>> www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/instant-cover
>>

Yes - he paid around £250. The amount makes me feel sick, but he doesn't care.

I guess if you've avoided 10yrs of paying it, then there's some justification. Borrowing a set of jump leads would have been my solution though.
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Tue 16 Feb 21 at 11:39
 Breakdown cover - Bromptonaut
>> However, we do have the choice whether or not to buy a car than has
>> a can of sealant rather than a spare wheel.
>>
>> The choice is ours.

If you're clued up on such things and it's a matter of principle for you then you can rule out cars with no spare. Not so easy if spare is not even an option on a car that otherwise ticks all the boxes or you've not been aware and only find out when you've wrecked a tyre.

Both my cars have a full size spare. When I bought the previous Skoda, a Roomster, I asked for a spare and jack vice the gunk as a condition of the deal.
 Breakdown cover - CGNorwich
I used to think a spare wheel essential but now happy to live without one. To be honest with a slightly dodgy back its longer a job I relish and certainly not by the side of a busy road let alone a motorway. Should the eventuality arise, and it hasn't done for over ten years, I am happy to wait for the RAC.

Ah you say but I don't want to be carted away to the nearest garage. Fear not, the RAC (and I think the AA carry universal spare wheels. You can drive to a garage at your convenince, get the tire sorted and leave the spare there.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Tue 16 Feb 21 at 10:48
 Breakdown cover - Haywain
"However, we do have the choice whether or not to buy a car than has a can of sealant rather than a spare wheel.
The choice is ours."

A friend and his wife were touring Scotland in their new, goo-equipped Qashqai - and a tyre blew in the middle of nowhere; the tyre was ruined. They had breakdown cover so, when the breakdown chap arrived, all he could do was phone for a pick-up lorry ...... and the whole recovery process took ages. At least, if they'd had a space-saver, he could have changed it for them and they could have gone on their way.

Twice, I have been out at night to swap wheels for the space-saver on my wife's car; she was fortunately able to pull over on a not-very-busy country road. We could get her home (only 4 or 5 miles), then get the tyre changed next day. BUT .....

Even if you have a space-saver that you know is perfect 'cos you pumped it up the previous day - you don't want to be changing it at night at the side of a loony motorway. When the breakdown chap arrived, he was able to park his truck with its 3 massive flashing orange lights behind, and work with the light of his headlights. He was also able to shield us with his truck when we pulled out back onto the road. Without the space-saver, we would have needed a full recovery job but, as it was, we were only delayed by about 1hr20m - which I thought was very good going.
 Breakdown cover - Duncan
Well, what about the third side to this particular coin?

How many cars have, (or indeed, the space for) a full size spare wheel?
 Breakdown cover - Haywain
"How many cars have, (or indeed, the space for) a full size spare wheel?"

I would be tempted to buy a spare, wrap it in a plastic bag, and place it on the rear seat.
Anyway, a space-saver is enough to get you home.

;-)
Last edited by: Haywain on Tue 16 Feb 21 at 11:34
 Breakdown cover - bathtub tom
>> "How many cars have, (or indeed, the space for) a full size spare wheel?"
>> I would be tempted to buy a spare, wrap it in a plastic bag, and
>> place it on the rear seat.
>> Anyway, a space-saver is enough to get you home.

I think what Duncan is saying is: What do you do with the full size, wet and dirty puntured wheel and tyre that's too big to fit in the space of the space-saver when you've a car full of people and a boot full of luggage?
 Breakdown cover - Haywain
"I think what Duncan is saying is: What do you do with the full size, wet and dirty puntured wheel and tyre that's too big to fit in the space of the space-saver when you've a car full of people and a boot full of luggage?"

Somebody's going to get their suit dirty, aren't they!

;-)
 Breakdown cover - Manatee
Way back in the early 80's an acquaintance bought a 911 with a space saver the size of a pram wheel. Porsche supplied a plastic bag, I don't recall whether it had the badge on it, to put the large dirty wheel in before it went on the front seat or the passenger's lap.
 Breakdown cover - Bill Payer
>> Way back in the early 80's an acquaintance bought a 911 with a space saver
>> the size of a pram wheel. Porsche supplied a plastic bag, I don't recall whether
>> it had the badge on it, to put the large dirty wheel in before it
>> went on the front seat or the passenger's lap.
>>
I forget the story now - perhaps a bulge in the tyre? - but a lady in a BMW Z3 was killed when the spare she had on her knee exploded.

ETA: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8600833.stm
Last edited by: Bill Payer on Tue 16 Feb 21 at 17:41
 Breakdown cover - tyrednemotional
>>They had breakdown cover so, when the breakdown chap arrived, all he could do was phone for a
>> pick-up lorry ...... and the whole recovery process took ages.

www.rac.co.uk/innovation/universal-spare-wheel
 Breakdown cover - MD
I've just signed up with Auto Aid. Thank you and thanks to everyone for their input.
 Breakdown cover - maltrap
Does this include Homestart, or is that an optional extra ?
 Breakdown cover - MD
I'll look and report.
 Breakdown cover - MD
Their website is not playing ball and I'm busy I'll look when I can. Cheers...
 Breakdown cover - No FM2R
www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/faqs/



Does AutoAid cover home breakdowns?

Yes. If your breakdown occurs at your home, AutoAid Breakdown will arrange help. If your car can’t be repaired quickly, we will tow the car to the nearest available garage.

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