OT: another moan about customer service - the AA this time

[tim.....]

Wish I had this before I went to Europe (where I broke down :-()

The link to

is less than half that of the other Euro breakdown cover which insists on providing recovery back to the UK, which I don't want (I don't want to abort my holiday if I break down, I'll travel around without it until it's fixed and then go back for it)

tim

[alan]

With them you can get a policy for around £25 (depends on car and cover) with a £40 excess. You only pay the excess, via credit card, the first time you call them out. They operate in the same way as Green Flag with a list of "local" garages they contact to send out to you.

[Man at B&Q]

Checking, we have personal cover as drivers or passengers in any vehicle, roadside, recovery, onward travel, accident care. Costs about =A340 of Tesco vouchers (=A3160 cash) IIRC. Far less than the AA quote from the OP, and it's not an "introductory offer".

Service has been faultless so far, for a duff battery and SWMBO mis- fuelling her car. But don't take their recommendations for fixing the latter. Our trusted local garage did it for half the price after the RAC took us there.

MBQ

[Lobster]

Oh and another whinge while we're at it...

"RAC, why would you emblazon your membership card with a "free" 0800 breakdown number to call? Don't you realise that:

(a) it costs you money (paid for out of subscription fees) to provide an

0800 number;

(b) the vast majority of calls to your breakdown service will be made from mobile phones

and (c) in the vast majority of cases, mobile users will have to pay top whack to call an 0800 number since these are usually not only chargeable, but excluded from any inclusive-minutes deal.

So, a lose-lose really, isn't it?"

I expect AA et al are the same? Yes I know it's possible to find a standard landline number to call

but the RAC certainly don't make it public; and it's not really the point.

[unknown]

You need to change to giffgaff -free to 0800

me know if you wamt me to refer you ;-)

[Tom Pickles]

Have a look at autoaid. It's more breakdown insurance; you cover the costs = of the callout, then claim it back from them. I believe it covers you, rath= er than a specific vehicle. You also get your missus covered for free if yo= u're married.

[Mark]

I was with the AA for many years until they suddenly increased my annual membership by 50% at the same time giving a 50% 'discount' only to new members. Since they refused to give me the discount I left and have never used them again.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

ADAC Germany They offer cover for anything you drive, breakdown, roadside, homestart (iirc) and legal, etc. If you and your tart get cover it's a measly extra 20Eu for her for the same cover. Cost of this? ?80 to ?120, depending on what you choose.

Despite being based in Der Vaterland, they sub out to ... believe it or not, the AA, in UK and Ireland.

[Simon Finnigan]

Couldn't agree more. Just called them out today after the battery died on my car. Got a garage to me within 30 minutes who tried to fix the problem there and then. Got the car started, but it died ten minutes later and refused to star again, so took it to my local mechanic for me.

[Simon Finnigan]

Much better with AutoAids and there 0800 and real phone number both printed the same size, so you choose which is best for you.