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Breakdown Services - Dave H
I am a member of the RAC but the subscription seems a bit steep.

Which other similar breakdown/rescue services do members of this list use, and have they found them OK?

Dave
Breakdown Services - Dynamic Dave
Similar subject cropped up a while ago. If you feel brave enough to tackle the "search" feature, you might find it? Personally I have found its not the friendliest thing to use.

Anyway, back to the subject, try Britania Rescue.
www.britanniarescue.com/
Breakdown Services - blank
I changed from RAC to AA this year, because I had two long waits for response followed by tows in three years and both times got picked up by 20-year old privateer trucks and suffered an agonisingly uncomfortable and noisly ride home. The AA subscription was also a little cheaper.

When I broke down a couple of weeks ago, called AA, was on the phone no more than 2 minutes, patrolman arrived within 20 minutes,diagnosed the problem and towed me with his own vehicle - one of the strange looking VW vans with a towing extension on the back. I was well impressed.

I think there was an article in this Sat Motoring Telegraph commenting on letters received from disgruintled RAC members. In their experience and mine I would buy cover from anyone else in preference. I like the AA because I perceive that they have more of thier own towing vehicles, which tend to be newer and in better condition than the private boys the others call on.
Breakdown Services - BMDUBYA
I used to be with the RAC until about three years ago, then changed to the AA, I have been very impressed with response times, and I agree I managed to get the cover I wanted slightly cheeper.
Breakdown Services - doctorchris
About the cheapest has to be GEM on www.gemrecovery.co.uk they are a bit different in that it is really an insurance scheme so you pay the garage or mechanic and claim the money back. However you are given a number for emergencies and they do send someone out to you. I'm afraid I don't know how efficient they are as it is a long time since I have had a breakdown.
Breakdown Services - BravoDriver
I recommend the AA. I know they are not the cheapest but the service is very good on the one or two occasions I have used it over the five years I have been a member
Breakdown Services - Doc
GEM Recovery are very efficient and at an unbeatable? price.
Breakdown Services - borasport20
We use green flag, and we've not had any problem with the breakdown services but the admin is appalling

my initial membership came as part of a deal when i bought a new citroen. seven years and three other cars later (none of them citroens, and all changes logged with green flag) they decided my cover was invalid because Citroen Plus cover couldnt cover a VW bora, but they had no problem with my partners Astra, and this was when whe had a joint membership

which is why, when she bought a new astra which came with breakdown cover, she patiently explained she wanted to cancel cover on her car but leave cover on mine, they said 'yes, we'll do that' and promptly cancelled cover on both cars (no refund 5 months into the cover year) and refused to reinstate it - if i wanted cover i'd have to pay again !

since that happened, i've take out a new car insurance policy, which includes free .... green flag cover, so odds on, when i don't renew the policy i'm paying for, they'll cancel the free cover as well


p.s. - if you have a joint membership, you have to have the same name on the membership cards, but the call centre operators dont know this. The time we wasted trying to get two cards with two names on before we realised no matter how many times they said they could do that, we just got another set of 2 cards with one name or the other on them.

when you've got tired of driving ...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
Breakdown Services - borasport20
p.s.

when the RAC (breakdown) was part of the same group of organisations that included the RAC MSA (governing body of motorsport), club members got 50% reductions -

full membership RAC - £90

membership of RAC as club member - £45
membership if Wigan DMC - £5


when you've got tired of driving ...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
Breakdown Services - volvod5_dude
I use the RAC because its free for the first year when you buy a new Volvo and discounted after then. I pay a bit more to get the Land Rover covered as well. I've called them out twice once for the Landie and once for a previous Volvo and both times the patrolman came on time and fixed the fault. No problem. Previously for many years I used Green Flag and found them very good as well, but not so good at fixing faults as the RAC IMO.
Breakdown Services - Cliff Pope
Autonational Rescue seem very reasonably priced, and worked well on the 2 times I have had to use them.
Remember the truck that actually comes out to you may have nothing to do with the organisation you belong to. The first time it was a local freelance who appeared. He came within minutes because he lived local to the breakdown, and was willing to drive 200 miles on Christmas Eve to recover me.
The second was actually an AA truck, and the driver fabricated a clutch linkage by the roadside to get me going again.
Breakdown Services - MarkyMarkD
I also use Autonational Rescue. They are good value with the no claims discount but not without it, and this is the only reason I won't renew with them this year. We've used them 3 times in 2 years (once for an accident write-off and twice for breakdowns) and generally they have been good.
Breakdown Services - GJD
I use Green Flag which comes free with my insurance. I have used them twice recently - one home start and one dead CV joint on the motorway - and had no problems. 45 minute response (exactly what it said on the tin) and the mechanics were fine. Not their fault it started pouring with rain on the M40 just as I got out of the car.

Green Flag treat the car as the member. Anyone driving my car can use them, but I can't use them if I'm stuck in someone else's car. AA was the other way around last time I checked - dunno about RAC. This isn't a problem for me, but it obviously depends on your circumstances.

HTH
GJD
Breakdown Services - martint123
I'm with RAC and I'm the person covered. Handy when having a car and a couple of bikes.
Breakdown Services - A11DNL
I recently had need of roadside help from Mondial, the contracted operator of my car maker's free assistance scheme, and can't speak too highly of them.

David
X-Type 3-litre Sport
Breakdown Services - tim c
My partner and I both have cars over 10 years old (Renault 5 and Alfa 164). We call out Brittannia rescue occasionally, although the cars are serviced properly. They have no penalty for repeated use. They use local subcontracters and because of this have always been prompt. I pay a little extra and we are both covered as people, no matter what vehicle we are in, even a friends. Despite this they are still the cheapest by some significant amount. In the past I have had to wait two hous for the RAC. Not going back there!.
I would be interested to know if anyone knows any cheap breakdon cover for driving in the EU.
cheers
tim c
Breakdown Services - terryb
Tim
You probably won't do better than Britannia Continental for the EU.

Terry
Breakdown Services - keithb
I pay £42 for full cover (incl. relay and at home) in the UK and Europe.

From www.morethan.com (Royal Sun Alliance).

I believe the RAC charge £90 just for the foreign extension. MoreThan varies its charges according to the car, annual mileage and age of driver. No experience of their service but they use local garages.

Breakdown Services - BrianW
I've stuck with the AA, having found the service acceptable, whilst not brilliant.
Like Martint123, I have access to two cars and four bikes/scooters, my wife to two cars and two scooters, so it is essential that it is the member that is covered and not the vehicle!
In addition, our Lloyds Platinum card now gives AA cover as part of the package, so we only had to pay an excess of about £50 to add on Home-start.
Breakdown Services - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}
I agree with all that has said about the AA.
I've been a happy member since 1973 when running bangers at University.
They have been flexible in helping us at home, fitting a new batery, when we were not stricly covered.
AA are as cheap as anyone for travel insurance but don't want to know, for personal cover, if there are any pre-existing medical conditions.
Breakdown Services - keithb
The AA are expensive for personal travel insurance, at least for annual cover.

Have a look at www.moneysupermarket.com/TravelInsurance for many companies offering much cheaper cover.