Who's the best for roadside recovery cover

T

trickyhicky270

New Member
I have been thinking about getting AA or similar cover but dont know who is the best to go with, I dont need home start or "tow to the nearest garage service" (not many modern garages would be able to help a dead P6 anyway, nowhere to plug in laptop!). I just need a tow home if for instance the auto box packs up 50 miles from home. I would need cover for 4 cars in total, 2 being well over 10 years old and 2 modern jelly moulds.
 
Get free classic cover with your insurance!!
Most good companies offer it these days!
I have a fully comp agreed value multicar policy for my 2 classics,and it has EU recovery included! All for £130pa!!!
Or get yourself some personal cover for whatever car you are in!
AA relay,RAC,Green flag,etc, all offer a bring your car home service!
A P6 auto will need to be trailered and not towed,or if its a suspended dolly tow the rear wheels must be off the ground!
 
I use AA recovery and used twice for my 2000SC(clutch master and then slave!) Came back on a AA recovery truck first time and then escorted by AA patrol. I do it on the back of my 'modern' cars and whilst expensive I have found it a godsend, particularly with the other half and dog less than supportive to my predicament! I have full confidence in that service. But,(like a lot of others here including Pilkie) I have a Footman James Classic car policy which inludes free breakdown and recovery cover for both classics. I am a bit sceptical of its effeciency and wonder if they turn up and do the job. Do other have experience of Footmans in this respect?
 
Fortunately I have never had to test the cover on my policy out!!!
I have wondered about giving it a little test run to see how efficient it is though???
Just enough of a fault to prevent the chap fixing it,and have to transport me home!! :wink:
But!! A few weeks ago while going to look at,and buying a P6 for Moe and Ess from Wolverhampton,a good 250 mile round trip!
My P6V8 gave up about 8 miles from home due to a knackered manual fuel pump,and the backup electric one I had fitted overheated,and then the battery went flat trying to start it!
Its true that things happen in 3's!!!
This was the very first time I have ever used a recovery/breakdown service!!!
Before I knew it,and could get my details out of the glovebox,Moe had whipped his personal cover AA card out courtesy of Lloyds bank,phoned them,and they turned up within the hour!
Luckily the fuel pump had cooled down,as I poured the screenwash water over it to help! :wink:
All we needed was a good jump start to get us going!
 
I use Auto Aid. It costs £37 per year and covers all your cars that you or your partner are driving. The level of cover, I believe, is as good as the top schemes from the big names. It is cheap because it is a pay and claim service. You have a special phone number to ring, and you pay the chap who helps you with your credit card, fill in a form and claim your money back.

I found this provider on Martin Lewis' website - MoneySavingExpert http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/roadside-recovery, and in my mind, if he recommends it, it's a good one. AutoAid is backed by Boncaster Insurance.

I chose this route, and removed the breakdown cover that they always include in classic car insurance policies, because the one included with your classic car policy will generally only cover your classic car, so what about your modern car? This way I'm totally covered for a fraction of the cost.

I also checked out the forums on MoneySavingExpert and they all seem to have had a very good service. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=4396563

Brian.
 
I have to give the AA a thumbs up. For me relay to home is very important living on the isle of Wight. The ferry operators cane you big time if you are a low loader + something on the back. Well over £120 (if not more now)!!! For £100 a year I get full cover and I have about two more years before the AA get the money back for the two occasions I've called them out. 8) This includes my bike, like my Rover would not like to leave broken down on the side of the road.

Once I was taken home from the M3 to my front door. This trip would have been close to £300 if I paid for it my self. The second time was when the cam chain came off, I was on the island but again still a pain to organise a trip home, being an auto can't just ring a mate for a tow. They have come out fast and on both occasions could see that I know more about the old girl than them and conceded that taking home is the best option instead of trying to fix there.

Funny story about the first time I was taken home. Whilst on the ferry I got the AA man some cake and a coffee, he was a very nice chap. Used to be a lecturer at a collage and know he's cars. Anyway whilst enjoying the cake a little girl sat a few seats away asked her mum, "Mum, does the AA get you cake when you brake down?" :LOL:
 
you pay the chap who helps you with your credit card, fill in a form and claim your money back.
Click to expand...

Never been too keen on schemes like that .Firstly you have to find someone to come and get you Secondly there's always the possibility of the scheme operators arguing the charges were excessive/unreasonable
 
They can't argue that the charges are excessive, you ring AutoAid, and they send the recovery truck to you so it's their choice. Which also answers your first point, you don't do the looking, they do.

Bri.
 
I did say "schemes like that " There was no mention who to ring on a similar scheme I was in . You were left to find someone to come and rescue you
 
I'm currently with GEM who were the cheapest for multiple vehicles. My biggest fear with these smaller companies, that contract out to local recovery agents, was that you would probably wait longer. This was resolved through experience however.

I was an AA member last year and managed to get a claim in 15 minutes before the membership expired after my rad blew in spectacular fashion on my HB (all over the windscreen). As this was in Newtown Linford - a small village in the sticks - they subbed it out to a local company anyway. I waited three and a half hours for help in the early hours and it wasn't warm either :?
It have been quicker to push it the 10 miles home!
Before that I was in the RAC when a accelerator cable snapped on the way to a wedding - again the middle of nowhere. Turned up 2 hours later and used my idea and tools to fix it. He did have a nice torch though :roll:

It's probably a differnet story in the smoke, where there are more patrols, so possibly worth shelling more out on one of the major companies but I won't bother again.
 
I've been with the AA for years, so long I get free home-start as a bonus....
Haven't used it very often, had a recovery when a clutch release bearing colapsed, also when my car was written off by a biker. Couple of times I've rung them, then rang back to tell them I've fixed it ! :LOL:

Last time I used it I was in somebody else's car and the head gasket blew (mentioning no names, Pete), they quoted my 1 hour before somebody would be there, but they turned up in 5 mins... and took the car home, almost as quick as driving it home !

I have a cautionary tale, when I was 17 I took out AA cover, didn't use it, and decided "I can fix anything" so didn't renew it. Shortly after I broke down on the M62 with what turned out to be a holed piston, I had to pay to get recovered home, which was £150 (20 years ago), since then I've always been a member, just in case.

Another one to look at is Britania Resue, they've sponsored our local rally a few times so I feel I should support them, however I have no experience of their service. http://www.britanniarescue.com/
 
I'm with Britannia Rescue and have been since I got my first car. It used to be part of the Civil Servants Motoring Association which my Dad was a member of so I joined too. We have 3 cars included plus personal cover and European cover for my modern for just over £100 which I don't think is bad.

I've used them a few times (never for the P6 though) and found them to be efficient even though they use local subcontractors. They've been sold off to LV Insurance now so I don't know if the level of service has changed or not.

Like Pilkie I've got free cover for the P6 through the insurance and it even entitles me to 30 days European cover too. Can't say I'm keen to try it out when I go to the Alps in it this summer though.
 
I'm with the AA (personal cover) and find them excellent. So far I've had a my old mondeo recovered (after I ripped the bottom off the rad coming out of a building site) and was rescued when I tore the lugs off one of my de dion elbows (not a pleasent experience at 50mph). They sent a subcontractor with a battered tilt and slide on that occasion and dispite his comment about my car when he jumped out of the truck ("I thought all those pieces of s*** were gone") he was very careful and professional in what was a very difficult recovery. He also igonred the fact that I had no tow me home cover and took me back to my workshop rather than the nearest garage. I've also found their response times remarkable, considering the places I chose to break things.
 
I had to wait 90 mins on the M20 when I blew the engine of a Rover 214 years ago
If I'd been a woman and/or had kids in the car they would have made it a priority
 
I am with Britannia rescue with the CSMA.

I think I pay £75 which is the csma membership and the car recovery is £60? That is for me and my partner and any car.

I like just use the recovery and not the repair but found them excellent. I phone and they let you know an approximate time. I always tell them that the car needs to be taken on a truck and not suspended tow. I use the AA or RAC with the works vans and they seem to be more prepared to fault find and rectify where the local guys only seem to do recovery but then that may be down to me telling them to send a truck.

Colin
 
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