Any suggestions for Retro-friendly breakdown cover?

[nomad]

We sold our semi-Retro daily recently, and as it was so reliable we've never bothered with Breakdown cover.

Now looking around to see what's available without spending a fortune.

Me + SHMBO
Driving :
My Retro
Her '51 new daily
Her semi-Retro motorbike
(maybe me on a semi-Retro motorbike soon)

Would be ideal we had cover for US - so we're fine even if a passenger in a car but would be ok with just the details above.

Any ideas? Over the years have used AA & RAC (both part of the sam parent?) and Green Flag.
No ideas what's available now or what's cheapest / best avoided / recommended.

Just noticed the RAC charge extra to cover vehicles over 10 years old - not sure I've ever had a vehicle that was LESS then 10 years old so it's not looking good for them

All suggestions & advice apreciated

[Colonelk]

Ive not heard the RAC extra charge, Ill need to check my coverage (I'm on one of their policies that cover the driver not the car)

As a person who used to work in recovery, its worth checking through and finding out how far they will tow you (so many people had 10 mile coverage and werent covered to take them home resulting in an extra bill)

As for which ones better, well the firm I used to work for subcontracted to all of them! So for recovery you basically got the same guys, cant comment on the men in the mechanics vans. Check policies on spare tyres too, if you don't have one (or yours is unserviceable) and have a flat and the car was originally fitted with one, there can be a charge.

don't expect many of the mechanics to know what a carb is... or points or anything like that heh.

[joem83]

For cover, id say AA, phone them up and try to get a better price - they WILL try to screw you at renewal but they will change that if you phone up.

Your best cover would be for yourself & your Mrs, covered at a personal level - not car.

I'm with AA & Greenflag (free with my bank account) but the Greenflag cover is basic - take it to the nearest garage type whereas I have Roadside Relay with AA, so even if I'm a passenger & the car breaks down in Landsend they will take all the passengers & the car back to Sheffield so it can be repaired up there.

But thats just my opinion.

[nomad]

The RAC "over 10 years old" thing bumps the price up on their website, and they are not covered by their basic policies.
www.rac.co.uk/breakdown-cover/uk-breakdown/?gclid=CPKCx_3997gCFWXKtAodoygAQA&gclsrc=aw.ds

Just found a compare site that lists a few companies that I've not heard of before - will have a look later
ukcompared.com/products/Breakdown+Cover/

Forgot to mention, I prefer to do my own repairs so recovery home is best for me, not recover to a garage and let them spend a couple of weeks walking around it before realising they don't have the knowledge or contacts to repair something made before they were born

Keep the suggestions coming

[Mr S]

The 'over 10 years old' thing on the RAC policy only comes into play if you cover a single vehicle, rather than the driver in any vehicle.

[kevfromwales]

AA relay cover has never let me down, they've brought some right wibblepoo some massive distances

- kfw

[Copey]

get personal cover rather than car cover, will cover you in ANY car, even if you don't own it

[gazzab1978]

i am with green flag, covers my van which is a huge iveco daily and covers me for any vehicle I'm in which includes my 90 mx5 which they picked me up in when i blew the diff no questions asked and took me home. ive called them out twice in 12 months and been very helpful and quick to get me both times all for about £10 a month. I was with AA but changed when they would come collect me when i broke a ubolt on the axle after going through a pot hole as this is classed as a rtc so not covered by their breakdown cover and have a friend whos wife had to pay to be recovered when she hit a pot hole and broke her wheel as this also is a rtc not break down.

[Imperial]

After having a stand up row with an ignorant AA , I went with green flag who were great. I only needed them once when my dynamo collapsed and they towed me home at my request no questions asked.

[ben711200]

AA roadside and relay joint membership for me and my partner. It covers us individually including any car we're travelling in and will recover you to a destination of your choice.

I've only ever had one bad AA guy since 2007 but that didn't come to anything as we fixed the problem in front of him having diagnosed it while he insisted that what we said wasn't the problem.. But as well as that one idiot, I've had probably 10+ positive experiences with AA and people the subcontract to.

I know it's expensive, but they are the only one that gives me absolute peace of mind in knowing that I'm adequately covered.

[hardtop]

Binned off the AA, after they decided they wouldn't take recover my car because it wasn't registered, basically import broke down whilst driving to its first MOT, completely legal, was insured, will never use the AA for anything ever again.

with Autoaid now, £38 per year, breakdowns and recovery are paid by you and you re-claim money spent within 14 days, haven't used them yet, and I hope not to.

[hairnet]

rac are doing personal for 29.99

i haz 96 reg bike and don't have cover thru ins anymore and they wont cover anything over 10 year old on vehicle only

they said itd be fine theyll cover anything via the personal cover

[adamwatson]

I tend to switch between RAC and AA and buy via quidco when they are doing a decent cash back offer

[rmad]

Aug 12, 2013 12:27:38 GMT joem83 said:

For cover, id say AA, phone them up and try to get a better price - they WILL try to screw you at renewal but they will change that if you phone up.

RAC do the same. Make sure you don't get put on auto renew! Once you phone up and suggest that you'll leave and re-join they'll match (or beat) the much cheaper new member rate.

[jader1973]

My brother is with the AA. When his lightweight Landrover broke down in a bus lane at rush hour (made the travel news!) the patrolman who turned up was ex-REME and was overjoyed at actually being able to fix something, instead of having to get it towed!

[Colonelk]

I think all places should tow you home if its within your mileage coverage.

Heard the pothole is an accident thing before.... will have to see what RACs position is on that.

[stretch]

lol I was with rac broke down man in van came told me that my head gasket had gone was only the dizzy jumped the timing chain just needed timing up I now use 1st call uk £32 a year recovery to ur home not had to use them yet they cover older motors

[popuptoaster]

Get in touch with your insurance company and see what they offer, I got home start, relay and European cover for an extra £50 on my policy and they obviously know how old the car is.

[HARDCORE]

If you're with the RAC make sure you car has a taxdisk in the window when you happen to brake down. Even if you can prove to them it's taxed, if the disk isn't in the window they WILL NOT tow it. Guess how I found that out? (yesterday)

[Colonelk]

I re-read the t&cs and its true /\ completely mad