|
I am thinking of renewing my AA membership but a Daily Telegraph writer, some months ago, wrote that the/a senior spokesman for the AA is a non-driver. Is this tue - the AA said they cannot confim it. If it is I will join the RAC. How he got through the job interview - God only knows.
|
|
Thinking of switching for different reasons. A common enough event as a motorcyclist is a dropped bike, usually when parked up, resulting in a broken clutch/brake lever. The AA will charge you for recovery on their definition that such incidents are 'accidents' and therefore chargeable to insurance companies.....Many bikers will vote with their feet.
|
When you look at what the ADAC offer in europe wide and what both the rac and the aa offer ,well they should be charged with robbery.Everything is covered for 149dm all the family ,holiday insurance no matter where you are in the world it also covers your hire car,hotels,air fares, non of this stupid "oh you are going to France for a week give me another X number of pounds"
Check it out www.adac.de
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the info - I will now avoid the RAC. Anyone got anything good to say about other breakdown services, Green Flag, CSMA etc. The two big ones are really quite pricey.
|
|
|
aa gone downhill since centrica (british gas) took over
i saw a senior spokesman on tv on the pro-speedcamera, pro-road thinning, pro- lower and lower limits side - so i didnt renew with them...
|
I have found the AA excellent.
Having broken down twice they turned up on both occasions within 15 minutes.
I also had a problem with a dealer and found their free technical and legal helplines of much use.
Suppose they are slightly pricey though.
|
|
Im in the RAC and my wife has called them out twice in 12 months,so when it came to renewal time they obviously wanted more money.Anyway i said no they said what do you want to pay?i said £38 they said 'wait a minute' and then how about £40,and i said ok,they want your business,tell them what you want to pay,or go elsewhere.
|
I've been with the AA for a few years, and I'm happy with their service. I have a 'banger' (Pug 305 'B' reg), and had seized brakes-needed recovery, which was very prompt, and once with a petrol leak at 11pm,-again, very quick response.
Also, when driving my wife's Renault 5, a patrolman actually took to pieces and repaired the cooling fan motor in (15 mins.), as I was on my way to work, and didn't have time to accompany a recovery lorry. OK, so they won't insure my car for European travel, but at 290K I don't blame them.
I may try the 'I'll go elsewhere unless you can renew my membership for £10' trick, though!
P.
|
Peter M
I can also confirm they will negotiate. We (well SWMBO actually) had an offer for a Green flag special deal through Marks & Sparks. I asked AA what they could offer and they tried to get close but in the end would not match it close enough. Plus the fact that Green Flag cover the car whichever of us is driving whereas AA/RAC is personal membership and I was never covered driving her car.
If you get a lot of lifts from mates with unreliable cars I might be tempted to go for such as the AA as you can have help even if you are just a passenger.
It horses for courses.
There have been quite a few threads on this over the months, I think GEM was one of the ones folks found pretty good, but do a search.
B rgds,
S
|
|
|
|
|
All this stuff about prices is all very well, but, if they are anti-motoring and anti real motorist, they should not be supported.
|
|
|
|
|
Anthony,
CSMA (BRITANNIA) are good on price especially if you are OR were, a Civil Servant or one of literally dozens of other similar(ish) jobs including BT. It's been said that SOME people tell them that they worked for one of the qualifying organizations when they, well, sort of, strictly speaking .....didn't. If you know what I mean. They sort of ...take your word for it and don't actually check. Look at their website www.csma.uk.com for details and a full list of occupations that qualify. I've got comprehesive cover including recovery for the Mrs and I, for two cars for £69, and any car I'm in is covered.
Still waiting to break-down , so can't comment on service though.
Even cheaper are AutoNational, in Brentwood Essex. www.autonational.co.uk
I used to be with them when they did a service where you called out your own contractor to help you and claimed the cost back from them. I think that's changed now, and it's now more like the other's, but with a no claims discount, and pretty cheap. They've been going since 1993 and are quite a big concern.
Hope that helped.
|
|
|
I wasn't aware that the CSMA - (Civil Service Motoring Assn.) or Autonational were anti motoring or anti real motorist. The CSMA is owned by Britannia who earn their money by fixing broken down cars, and AutoNational is part of a large Insurance group in Brentwood, Essex, who exist by providing car insurance. If I'm wrong then I'm sorry and will stand corrected. Anthony asked for info. about an breakdown organisation that I happen to belong to and I offered my opinion in good faith.
There's more to some contributors here than meets the eye. As an Independant Observer I don't want to give Bogush views and if my idea A piers Green, then I apologise.
I'll tell you what I do think though. If my wife breaks down in a dark lane or on a busy main road, I want it fixed and back home again as soon as possible. No arguments. No politics. Simple as that. Selfish - maybe, but that's the way it is. There are some odd characters ready to spring out from nowhere, as I'm beginning to see.
If I choose to use use OUR money to get MY wife back to OUR home safely without delay, then no amount of discussion of political propoganda is going to change that. And to the best of my knowledge, CSMA will do that.
|
|
|
KB Please note that Tomo isn't me.
And he was responding to a much earlier post than yours.
Click on "threaded view".
PS If you will insist on getting so het up and SHOUTING people will begin to think that you are me ; - )
On second thoughts you couldn't be me:
"If I choose to use use OUR money to get MY wife back to OUR home safely without delay, then no amount of discussion of political propoganda is going to change that."
I tend to stick to the speed limits, and often drive well below them!
|
|
|
Autonational Recovery are very good in my experience. But remember that the man who actually comes out to your breakdown may well be from another organisation anyway.
When my clutch link went a few months ago, it was actually an AA man who appeared. He fabricated a domed washer at the roadside and got the clutch working again.
|
|
|
