Who can recommend a replacement breakdown provider to the AA

[LarryH57]

It seems to me that the AA is getting very expensive for breakdown call-outs and homestart.

For the most part the AA have been used to help with my Lightweight Land Rover, rather than my car so I am looking for suggestions and any experiences or exclusions to look out for?

Thanks in advance

[norseman 02]

Try some of the independent organisations. Both the AA & RAC are not only becoming very expensive but I've heard several reports of below average service expectations, some of them from car owners known to me personally. 

[10FM68]

I'm very happy with Green Flag.  They cover me and my wife not just our vehicles and, sadly, I have had to call them out several times in the last couple of years!  But, each time, they have met expectations, their 'app' for the phone works well and generally I think they're value for money.  Just make sure, if you have several cars, that you don't get cover included in the insurance - that's a very expensive way of doing it, as well as being confusing trying to remember which vehilce is looked after by which breakdown agency!  Speaking from experience?  No, never!!

[fv1609]

Once I used to be with AA & RAC but the problem was the 3.5 tonne weight limit with 3 armoured Humbers & 2 Shorlands this was a problem. I joined a Green Flag scheme where the weight limit was I think 7.5 tonnes.

I used Green Flag once about 20 years ago where I was in a dangerous position & needed to be moved to a safe place to change my ignition coil that I thought was overheating. The choice was to take me home or a safer place but if it didn't start there then I will have used up my recovery options. So I opted for home recovery.

I showed the mechanic the engine bay with the suspect coil. Bearing in mind the Shorland had a normal 4-cylinder engine with no fancy military embellishments, I was rather surprised by his comment "To be honest I'm rather lost on this old stuff"! 

The problem for my wife & I is these days the requirement to use an app, in an area where getting data across on a phone link is not reliable. I changed to Britannia who have a person to answer the helpline.

[norseman 02]

13 minutes ago, fv1609 said:

I showed the mechanic the engine bay with the suspect coil. Bearing in mind the Shorland had a normal 4-cylinder engine with no fancy military embellishments, I was rather surprised by his comment "To be honest I'm rather lost on this old stuff"! 

The problem for my wife & I is these days the requirement to use an app, in an area where getting data across on a phone link is not reliable. I changed to Britannia who have a person to answer the helpline.

I suspect most of today's 'mechanics' aka fitters have the same level of (non) experience.

Apps for this apps for that .. the day will come when you will need one to go to the loo !

[fv1609]

2 hours ago, fv1609 said:

I used Green Flag once about 20 years ago where I was in a dangerous position & needed to be moved to a safe place to change my ignition coil that I thought was overheating. The choice was to take me home or a safer place but if it didn't start there then I will have used up my recovery options. So I opted for home recovery.

 

I wasn't allowed to drive the Shorland up the ramp, but I was instructed to stand back at a safe distance whilst the process was handled by the professionals who would load the vehicle in the approved manner.

After travelling a short distance the recovery vehicle started swaying dangerously. So we pulled in, I drove the Shorland off & then back up the ramp with the Shorland parked centrally & then we continued the journey safely.