The AA are useless

[e301988325i]

The AA specifically exclude the nurburgring.

I've always been with the RAC, they sent me a low loader when I told them it wasn't repairable which saved them money and me time. When I said, can you pick me up in two days time they said yes and recovered me 200miles home, Kent to Somerset. I don't have french cars anymore but I'm still a member just in case.

[si-]

i work for a large contracter to both the RAC and the AA among other's and tbh most of the time its just down to luck, ie what they have in the area and how busy it is

90% of the Patrol's (man with a van) are top bloke's they dont know everything about every car but they do try their best, but again its luck wether you get a miserable git of a decent chap.

also alot of the time when you've told them it cant be fixed its dead, for some stupid reason its the policy of the RAC/AA/Whoever that will say we have to diagnose it and send a patrol, which can be looked at in 2 way's, they dont know that you know what your talking about you'd be surprised how little some people know about car's so send someone to diagnose just in case as that mean's they dont have to pay someone like me which tbh aint cheap, but on the other hand sometime's you'd think they could use a little judgement when someone tell's them thats there's a hole in the side of the engine and that it cant be fixed, that even doesmy head in because by the time i get there ive got someone who's properly pissed off with being dicked around, but thats the way it works unfortunatly

but as far as recovery is concerned id go with the RAC everytime, the AA many use their own truck as shown above but this can take time and also if you have to travel a long way they relay you, which means one will take you so far and another will take you the rest of the way which seems fine until you get halfway have to swap and the other guy isnt going to be there for another hr, whereas the RAC have very few recovery truck's so they use contractor's again it can be hit and miss on time it take's and who you get but they will take you all the way to your detination.

i personnally work for a great company based in north London, its owned by one bloke and its a business that he built from scratch so there's a bit more pride taken in the job by the people that work there.

just thought a little insight might be of some use to some

[Jon_Bmw]

i work for a large contracter to both the RAC and the AA among other's and tbh most of the time its just down to luck, ie what they have in the area and how busy it is

90% of the Patrol's (man with a van) are top bloke's they dont know everything about every car but they do try their best, but again its luck wether you get a miserable git of a decent chap.

also alot of the time when you've told them it cant be fixed its dead, for some stupid reason its the policy of the RAC/AA/Whoever that will say we have to diagnose it and send a patrol, which can be looked at in 2 way's, they dont know that you know what your talking about you'd be surprised how little some people know about car's so send someone to diagnose just in case as that mean's they dont have to pay someone like me which tbh aint cheap, but on the other hand sometime's you'd think they could use a little judgement when someone tell's them thats there's a hole in the side of the engine and that it cant be fixed, that even doesmy head in because by the time i get there ive got someone who's properly pissed off with being dicked around, but thats the way it works unfortunatly

but as far as recovery is concerned id go with the RAC everytime, the AA many use their own truck as shown above but this can take time and also if you have to travel a long way they relay you, which means one will take you so far and another will take you the rest of the way which seems fine until you get halfway have to swap and the other guy isnt going to be there for another hr, whereas the RAC have very few recovery truck's so they use contractor's again it can be hit and miss on time it take's and who you get but they will take you all the way to your detination.

i personnally work for a great company based in north London, its owned by one bloke and its a business that he built from scratch so there's a bit more pride taken in the job by the people that work there.

just thought a little insight might be of some use to some

Good helpful post sir.

[si-]

no prob's, any question's, just ask, ill do my best

and remember if your with the RAC (thats our biggest contract) and in north london or the surrounding parts of the home counties you might get me picking you up

[badassyas]

a customer of mine who has a Mercedes ML270cdi within the last month n a half got a real taste of the bad side of the AA. He went to Bolton for a wedding do. On the way there the cars gearbox played up and it went in to limp home mode. he managed to get to bolton and let the AA know that the vehicle needs recovering later on in the evening. he lets them know that he has kids and will be ready for 8:30. his children, being young were told to borrow my owners sisters childrens pyjamas as they'll be nodded off by the time they reach leicester. the recovery man collected them. took them half way and then unloaded the vehicle at a service station. THEN, whilst unloading the car, started texting what he mistakenly thought was his boss. but unfortunately was my customers contact number. "thanks for giving me some pakis in pyjamas" after which the second recovery vehicle turned up 2 odd hours later n finished off the rest of the journey. they reached home at around about 2:30. he isnt best pleased and is trying very hard to get that specific firm off the AA's contracted recovery service

[GrindCulture]

Only had one incident that required breakdown recovery (so far...) Seized water pump. RAC man was with me within 5 minutes of phoning them, 30 minutes later my car was on the back of a lorry bound for home. Cannot praise their service enough!

[dobbie82]

I have called the breakdown services about 8 times in 5 years!

Worst was AA, stuck waiting in a layby from 9pm-11.30pm lone female, 9 months pregnant, so meant to be priority, the problem was the call centre using their maps to try and locate me and not letting me speak to the patrol guy direct otherwise it would have been half hour.
On a random note I went into labour less than 2 hours later!! Just as well I was home by that point.

Puncture on roadside, no locking nut key... about 3 hours but I was in a hotel so ok just bored.

Flat Battery, about 4 or 5 hours, but I was at in laws house so warm, but kids got pretty cranky the later it got. poor RAC guy had been sent about 60+ miles to me!

Flat battery - about 2 hours, was in a car park, again problem was dippy bint trying to find a grid reference instead of listening to me so she was sending the patrol all over the place.

Steering rack seals gone, about 4 Hours, I was at a friends house so not in any hardship.

My dad works as a contractor on call and covers about 30 miles radius, but along these roads thats up to an hours drive one way. so he can get a call to say Porthmadog, then another 50 miles away on the welshpool road then up again to Blaenau Ffestiniog then down to Tywyn on the west coast. One day he did 7 hours non stop but 5 of that was driving!

Currently have no breakdown cover as RAC wanted over £130 each off us to renew! AA not much cheaper.

I need home, roadside and recovery. I'll stick to local driving for now.

[si-]

i get told specifically if its a lone female waiting recovery, if thats the case im as quick as i can be, as i wouldnt want my missus waiting at the side of a motorway for any amount of time

also the company that i work for will keep in touch aswell as the RAC/AA?etc doing the same it works to our advantage, but as we're a 'local' contractor we do have that local knowledge aswell which help's

we cover a massive area, all of london practically, out to chesham across to chelmsford, up to luton....so quite a big area, ive done 24 hr day's before now and i do 12 hr shifts anyway.......7 hr's would be a dream lol

badassyas - that wouldve got me the sack instantly thats terrible, they may have been penalised by the AA we do if something like that were to ever happen, and basically the company would loose a substantial amount of money ie 2 3rd's of that months income on that contract which is a hell of a lot