Breakdown cover - choices

[TQS]

Now that my warranty's up and I've convinced myself not to renew I feel a bit like i'm tempting fate by not having any breakdown cover...

Anyone heard of these guys?

First Call

If the link doesn't work - it's worth a try – cost for the Premium service (covers just about everything breakdown related) is about £42...

Who do people use generally?

 

[god_thats_quick]

I'll be signing up with the RAC shortly, I've heard lots of bad things about the AA and it seems the RAC are the only ones that actually try and help anymore.

 

[TQS]

Well - apparently this is what you get for £42!!

Try to fix problem at Roadside: Yes
Call out and up to 1 hours roadside assistance by one of First Call's approved recovery operators to attend the scene of the breakdown. Where possible they will carry out emergency repairs due to an electrical/mechanical failure or an accident.

Recovery to the nearest garage only: Yes
If repairs to your vehicle, due to an electrical/mechanical failure or accident, cannot successfully be carried out at the scene of the breakdown then you will be covered for the cost of the recovery of the vehicle and up to 4 passengers to the nearest suitable garage able to effect a repair, or recovery to your onward destination or home address.

Roadside help: Yes
Recovery to any UK destination: Yes
If repairs to your vehicle cannot be successfully carried out at the place of breakdown (due to electrical/mechanical failure or accident):
- you will be covered for the cost of recovery of the vehicle and up to 4 passengers to the nearest suitable garage or,
- you will be covered for recovery to your onward destination or home address.
Recovery of up to 7 passengers: No
Home start up: Yes
Car hire/Train ticket/Accommodation: Yes
If repairs cannot be carried out within an agreed reasonable period, you will be offered one of the following options:-
- The cost of alternative road or rail travel for the member and up to 4 passengers from the scene of the breakdown to one destination within the *Territorial Limits stated. Also a return journey for one person to collect the vehicle upon completion of repairs.
- The cost of one nights accommodation (excluding food and drink) in the vicinity of the breakdown for the member and up to 4 passengers up to a maximum of £40 per person, subject to a maximum of £200 per claim.
- The recovery of the vehicle, the member and up to 4 passengers to any one destination within the *Territorial Limits stated.
- The cost of suitable car hire for two periods of twenty-four hours up to a maximum of £100 per claim.
The maximum payable for any claim from any one breakdown is £3,000.
* Territorial Limits: The United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Caravan or Trailer included? Yes
Average call out time: 30 - 60 minutes
Maximum number of calls per annum: 6
No claims discount: ---
Exclusive Features: 10% Discount when you purchase cover for a second vehicle.

FYI - the RAC equivalent was £125 and AA is £138...

Money Supermarket

 

[The Slug]

Money for old rope if you ask me, even years ago with crappy unreliable cars how many people actaully had anything like this, these days with cars as good as they are which have come along way too....unless you buy an alfa, lol.
3 years warranty comes with roadside anyways and how many people have had to use it.
Nope i'll just stick with saving 50quid a year in my pocket and ring a local to toe it to their garage, hehe. Which many will if your not too far from them anyways at no extra cost.

I remeber i lost my driveshaft in my old cavshedicnakker or cavalier to anyone else, lol, i lost drive and rang up the garage and he toed it back, done the work and wasnt ripped off either, lol.

 

[god_thats_quick]

[ QUOTE ]
Money for old rope if you ask me, even years ago with crappy unreliable cars how many people actaully had anything like this, these days with cars as good as they are which have come along way too....unless you buy an alfa, lol.
3 years warranty comes with roadside anyways and how many people have had to use it.
Nope i'll just stick with saving 50quid a year in my pocket and ring a local to toe it to their garage, hehe. Which many will if your not too far from them anyways at no extra cost.

I remeber i lost my driveshaft in my old cavshedicnakker or cavalier to anyone else, lol, i lost drive and rang up the garage and he toed it back, done the work and wasnt ripped off either, lol.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd disagree with that after being caught without any earlier this year, rainy cold saturday afternoon over 20 miles from home and no breakdown cover (also managed to leave my phone at home), the AA or RAC want a small fortune (£180, £135 respectively) to come out at all if you sign up there and then and only offer the very basic service which didn't include getting me home or getting the car to a garage of my choice.

If you are already a member of the RAC they will be very helpful and help in almost any situation from what I've heard, which is why I'll be signing up as soon as I can decide what level of cover I want - at the moment it's looking like the most expensive option as the only times I've really needed recovey have been when I've managed to get the car home ok.

Slug - Audis arn't f/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gifing reliable end of story, unless your only ever travel near a garage you know then you're pretty stuffed when something goes wrong.

 

[The Slug]

not saying Audi's are bomb proof, but compared to years ago, when engines where being replaced after like 30-40K, cars in general are much better mechanically.
Buy a diesel if you want better reliability, you know it makes sense, lol.

RAC = x-plumers. Most are ****** useless.

Example, had a bump once, Rad was broke, so lost all coolant, ie CANT DRIVE CAR ok.

Ring RAC, tells them rad has ****'d, no coolant etc.. cars none driveable.

As a matter of policy, they send out a tranny van with a guy to tell you exactly what you've already told them in the 1st ****** place, also waited over 2hrs for tranny and a further 5hrs for recovery truck.. Never again, sorry.

Also recovery truck wasnt even RAC, sent some guy out who was local??? wtf..

 

[InvestInDinar]

^ One bad experiance, but on the whole i'd say that having some sort of cover is worthwile, even if you only end up not using it. And no matter how reliable a car is, theres always the chance it could break down.

When i first started driving, i broke down on the A12, in torrential rain. The alternator got soaked (it was a fiesta) cos of all the deep puddles i went over, and car wouldn't start. I had AA cover, they came out within 20 minutes, towed the car to a local garage and luckily the guy had a scrap Escort which had the same alternator. Fixed it on for me and everything was fine, he charged me for the alternator but not the labour.

This guy was local as well, a private mechanic who also does jobs for the AA when he's in the area. I don't see anything wrong with this, it makes sense for the AA/RAC to do this, if he's closer to me then a 'proper' AA mechanic, i get quicker service. End of the day , what does it matter? AA/RAC's job is to get a mechanic out to you and fix your car, as long as they do that and the quality of the service is the same, does it really matter if they are 'real' AA/RAC or not?

To be honest i've only used the cover a couple of times in 6 years of driving, but i think just cos of my first experience (in the fiesta) alone and also for the peace and mind i'd pay £45 a year for it, regardless of how reliable my car is. Its not exactly expensive

 

[Mart]

I add mine to my car insurance policy, this way it's cheaper and you get lots included in the price! Have to say first call sounds very cheap!

 

[jojo]

As always, these things pay for themselves when you make use of them, if you don't actually make use of breakdown cover that you have, you will always think it's a waste of money IMO. I've only started to buy breakdown cover since owning a turbocharged car, and getting married etc., wouldn't want the family stranded in the middle of nowhere if the car broke down.

 

[hop2407]

[ QUOTE ]
As always, these things pay for themselves when you make use of them, if you don't actually make use of breakdown cover that you have, you will always think it's a waste of money IMO. I've only started to buy breakdown cover since owning a turbocharged car, and getting married etc., wouldn't want the family stranded in the middle of nowhere if the car broke down.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too.... outlook on life changes wi Family and kids.... They are top priority and if it means paying a little extra, then IMO, it's worth it.... Sods law - pay for it - never need it... Cancel - your gunna wish you hadn't

 

[robthehungrymonkey]

I've just bought a £700 car off ebay, so will be investing in car cover very soon!
I was going to go for the AA as they worded the basic cover differently on their website, i think....

"tow to the nearest garage" against the RAC's "tow to the nearest garage if it's within 10 miles" or something,

 

[robthehungrymonkey]

Just looked at the link first call does sound good, i think that could persuade me

 

[god_thats_quick]

[ QUOTE ]
I've just bought a £700 car off ebay, so will be investing in car cover very soon!
I was going to go for the AA as they worded the basic cover differently on their website, i think....

"tow to the nearest garage" against the RAC's "tow to the nearest garage if it's within 10 miles" or something,

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh go on, what have you bought?

The AA are far worse at doing this garage of your own choice from recent accounts I've read, as I've been in the situation that I need my car taken from home to somewhere over 20 miles away twice now and the AA just won't do it from what I've heard where as a mate with a TVR has had his car taken from his house to a garage of his choice (quite close) and they couldn't fix it so it had to be taken over 100miles away and the RAC did both journeys without question so I'll be signing up for one of there expensive services!

 

[TQS]

So back to my original point - sorry(!)...
Has anyone had any experience of First Call... they sound like another Green Flag to me (ie have a network of local garages) but I'd never heard of them before

For 42 quid it seems like a fair gamble to me

 

[robthehungrymonkey]

[ QUOTE ]


Oh go on, what have you bought?

[/ QUOTE ]

A volvo V40 Wagon!
It was a CAT D, but i think that's due to the fact it could do with 3 new panels (volvo parts are expensive, respray and labour) so, was just written off as the car was only worth £1000-£1250 anyway. It hasn't been repaired, and has some sctratches on the rear bumper as well as a small dent, the rest of the car seems fine, just some scratches etc. I don't think it's been that well looked after, but hey.

Picked it up on saturday and did a 200 mile round trip in it, seems to run fine. Pretty happy, seems like a bargain so far! And by my reckoning, i only really need it to last 6 months and when you factor is depreciation and running costs i'll have saved money over the S3.

Back on topic....

I think first call look very cheap, and I think i'll prob go with them, Ben's points about the RAC/AA swang me towards the RAC, but i think the sheer cheapness of first call has pointed me that way.
Time will tell wether it's sensible or not! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[god_thats_quick]

I'd say if your out and about pretty much any of them would be fine, I just know from after looking into it appears to be only the RAC that would have actually been of any help for me for the problems I've had.

I've used directline in the past and that was only something like £37 with the insurance.

Sounds like a bargain of a car there rob, does that mean the S3 is up for sale to fund a new toy?

 

[robthehungrymonkey]

[ QUOTE ]


Sounds like a bargain of a car there rob, does that mean the S3 is up for sale to fund a new toy?

[/ QUOTE ]

It does /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

If I had more money (and business hadn't been so crap for the past year), then I'd probably keep it. However, I can get the Wagon and the Westfield and pocket a few thousand (in theory!).
I'm a bit gutted I never got round to doing all the mods i intended, but that's the way it goes.
Still got a brand new Brembo GT junior kit (Cupra R ones) sitting upstairs if you're interested? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[god_thats_quick]

I would love to Rob, but I think I may be doing something very silly a bit later on this year so I'm trying to spend no more money on anything - especially when it comes to the car, I'm sure you'll get a taker in the trading post or on ebay!

Make sure you post some pics up of the volvo (well maybe not) and the westfield!

 

[robthehungrymonkey]

Yeah, I'll put them up when I get round to taking some photos.

The wagon....