Best Breakdown Cover for Retros?

[fad]

Who do you use for your retros and day to day? I'm a bit "out of the loop" since I've had cover with my bank account for aaaages, but just switched accounts and no longer have it.

So, when last I checked, Green Flag were just emerging as good, AA were always pretty decent and the RAC were good too. Looking recently, the RAC are now car battery retailers... I'm reading up as I type but I'm curious about your experiences...

For me, I have a slammed turbocharged Volksrod that is registered 1973, an early Octavia VRS and I sometimes tow.

[Paul Y]

Not up to date but was with the RAC for many years and never had an issue with the 56. Recovered me numerous times over the years and didn't have to do the "send out a patrolman man before we can recover you" dance.

P. : D

[BenzBoy]

RAC for me. The times I've had to call them out they've been absolutely great. I just got a renewal quote from them and refreshingly they didn't try to shaft me.
I've found some of the breakdown policies tied to bank accounts have a caveat that the car must be under 10 years old, which is no real use to me. I've also found that to be the case on some vehicle-based breakdown cover, but the "personal" cover (where you're covered and not a specific vehicle) doesn't have this clause.
I did look at Green Flag some time ago but I had to give a ridiculous amount of personal info in order to get a quote so I just didn't bother in the end.

[kevfromwales]

The AA have always been brill for me! I have full relay, and they have only quibbled when I have been doing something I shouldn't. Like a framing a non road legal drift nail with the f250 and it killing the trucks front wheel bearing. They took the truck, but I had to drive the BMW. From strensham.

To North Wales


Allegedly

[droopsnoot]

I'm in the RAC, but for next renewal I'm considering switching either to "Auto Aid" or "Start Rescue". If I break down, I really just want someone to bring a truck and get the car back home so I can sort it out - if I can't fix it on the side of the road, it'll be because I don't have the spare with me and given the age of my classics (and my daily, to a lesser degree) it's unlikely the breakdown guy will. So what I don't want to do is call them, wait an hour for someone to come and agree that it's broken down, then wait another hour or two for a recovery truck. I am reading that those two companies above are more concerned with recovery than trying to diagnose or do roadside fixes, which sounds ideal for my needs.

I should add, though, that I've never had to call the RAC, so I'm only going by other peoples anecdotes here. I picked the RAC because their cover was for me in any vehicle, and at the time the AA were vehicle-based. I recently heard an AA man talking to someone and it seems they also now to personal cover in any vehicle.

I need to make a note to check there is no vehicle age limit though, that's a good point I hadn't thought of - my "modern" car is now 17 years old, so a limit of ten is no good to me either.

[ChasR]

I have Green Flag cover through my bank account.

With the Escort RST they fixed the car well enough for it to be limped back home and came out very quickly. I was surprised at their speed!

I used to pay the RAC around £100 4 years ago. I was in a trade where I worked during the day. Maybe this is unfair but I'd wait for a few hours at times, but they generally towed the car back etc. without question. If the pace of them is quicker now I'd consider them again if I didn't have the deal tied to my bank account.

Green Flag through your bank do have an age limit but it is only in place when you drive abroad. They wanted £90 to upgrade my policy. That's alot cheaper than RAC's £170 European cover for 2 weeks ; I am not joking there. That was for the M3.

[rude]

I don't know who I'm with. When my 635 has it's annual catastrophic break down I ring my insurance hotline and cry and they come and save me. I think they use whoever the local firm is to wherever I am laid up. It's funny, there was this one time when I was about 60 miles from home and the dude that arrived... I used to work with. How random is that right?

The land rover doesn't need cover as I have gaffer tape, bits of wire, a house brick and cable ties in it and if the E36 breaks down, I'll just cover it in bits of the nearest foliage and walk home.

[astranaut]

Touch wood I've never had to call them in my car but have done 3 times in my friends. First time was AA who were frankly useless, took 3 hours to come out, then another 2 to get the car off the m56, then had to walk home to Conwy from Chester services...

Other 2 times, Green Flag, both times arrived within half an hour, both times arrived with a flatbed off the bat and took us and the car home. Very pleasant chaps as well.

[retrolegends]

If it wasn't for the AA I wouldn't have made it home from RRG16, they've always been very good in my experience and the patrols I have had (which is a lot over the years) have always been old car enthusiasts, which helps.

[Mercdan68]

AA for me never any problems with them

[sarkie83]

AA for me as well - quite a few times they've just recovered me back home using a 3rd party (but that's all i've really needed).

[joem83]

AA have given me free key cover upto £1k, I'm covered on any vehicle, any car my son is in is covered and thats all with relay. Last year I paid £45 for the year because I didn't like the £150 renewal, this year it was £120 because I forgot to tell them I had moved lol, it should have been £160 but they refunded me £40 because I said I wasn't happy with the price. Apart from 1 nobby responder I have never had a problem with the AA even when (many years ago) I called them out at 11pm because my headlight fuse had blown lol

[waynedear]

After the rac massively bumped up the price to me I went with Gem.
The aa, rac, gf all had restrictions

[fad]

See, rusty memories of some cover I used to have, but can't remember which company it was. I remember when the ball joint broke on my Bug and needed recovering. The phone conversation was hilarious...

"Is the car lowered?"
"No. But the front suspension has collapsed, so a standard recovery truck won't do it, it needs a tilt bed."
"So it is lowered?"
"Well, it is now, technically..."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it wasn't lowered, but the front suspension is now sat on the bump stops."
"So you've lowered it?"
"No. The ball joint has popped. Look, just treat it as lowered."
"Well, no, if it's not lowered then it needs a different sort of recovery truck"
"I'm aware of that. Please listen to what I'm telling you, it needs a tilt bed NOT a beaver tail or an A frame, neither will work."
"Ok. Someone will be with you soon."

2 hours later, a truck turns up. The wrong kind, a beaver tail. He left. Three hours later, the SAME truck turns up with a different driver. Still can't get it on the truck but buckly my front valanve trying to drag it up backwards. Finally, they sent out a tilt bed that can actually scoop it up. I have relay service. They forget. Car is "in the ether" for a full three days before it arrives at my house. So, awfully miffed about the busted valance, I set about repairing the front suspension while they are considering my complaint. Drove to work the next day, electrical fault caused an engine fire, bye bye car.

[edk83]

Greenflag for me, I've got the personal cover for me and the wife, it was £10 a month and used it twice in the last few years, no change in price - tow you all the way home cover, has come in handy. Now the small print says the car has to be under 30 years old.

I've gotten around this by adding my Allegro as the 'covered' car even though it doesn't matter what car I'm in. That increased it to £14 a month.

Still good though it would cost much more having a separate policy or more one each.

[LowStandards]

I get mine through Brentacre with my insurance, its a full, get you home type affair and i think it was £24

[shielsy68]

am in AA . They say your covered, not the car , so i take it it covers any car am in .

[edk83]

Check the small print though there might be an age limit

[space goat]

I asked a pair of traffic officers who was the best a few years ago. they said the RAC without any hesitation. i don't know if things have changed but Iv been a member ever since and fair play they have been good to me,

- Stripping and rebuilding carbs on the side of the road
- Re-inserting engine after falling out
- bending the "rules" to get me or the car home safe.
- taking stuff home for welding/bodging
list goes on ....

[simes]

AA for me and the family.
Years ago We bought an1953 Austin Somerset from York.
After 30miles the "brakes started to bind".
Called them up and asked to be relayed to Portsmouth Garbour.
The car then went on a ferry and continued to my folks house in Normandy.