The AA are useless

Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:23 pm

Apoligies if anyone works for them and for those who have had good experiences but 4 hours waiting on the side of the A1 with the kids is a joke. I wouldnt have minded so much if they didnt keep saying he is on his way, from where?

Then when he did show up he acted like a dodgy garage, took a look under the bonet, kicjed the tyres (no joke) shook his head and said "its gona cost you".

Rant over, just need to cancel my subscription to them.

Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:12 pm

thats bad it all depends on who you get realy i broken down in newquay cornwall a couple of years ago and the aa man that came out to me and my gf was realy good i told him about the car helped him with what does what and he got it sorted and we where on our way in less than an hour

Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:48 pm

I'm with the RAC, and have come across two of their guys recently. Both turned up quickly; first one knew his stuff, second one was way out.

I personally don't expect them to know everything about every car going - and access to a low - loader if required can be useful with an older car

Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:58 pm

years ago i was on my way down south with an old 2.0 sierra when the timing belt snapped. i had a new belt in the boot but no tools. the lass i was with at the time was a member of the AA the boy turned up. in my opinion he wasn't willing to try was just wanting to call a recovery truck. he finally let me use his tools i lined it up put the new belt on and it started he was completely shocked.

Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:01 pm

you snapped a timing belt and didnt bend any valves?

Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:02 pm

jbh wrote:years ago i was on my way down south with an old 2.0 sierra when the timing belt snapped. i had a new belt in the boot but no tools. the lass i was with at the time was a member of the AA the boy turned up. in my opinion he wasn't willing to try was just wanting to call a recovery truck. he finally let me use his tools i lined it up put the new belt on and it started he was completely shocked.

No bent valves?!

Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:31 pm

good old school non interferance

Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:12 pm

I've been lucky I guess. Called the AA 4 times, each time they were were there in 20 min or less and very helpful, recovering the car to the garage of my choice. That said, the quality of the individual did vary somewhat - a couple were clearly clued up petrol heads, one was fairly ambivalent and another was clearly at the end of his shif (friendly but more laid back than the others)! I might add this wasn't my '30 each time

Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:19 pm

the AA left my wife stranded on the hard shoulder for 2 hours late at night 120 miles away I got there before them and towed her home

I cancelled the membership and joined the RAC they have been great the times we have needed them

Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:27 pm

RAC did take a while getting to me in my old s4, but I wasn't in a dangerous place and I requested a flatbed as I knew it wasn't going anywhere and being 4x4 it has to be flatbedded. I just got my fat arse walking and chilled in morrisons eating cookies.

They subcontracted it out to a local firm who apparently only just got the call when I had a 'little' whinge. I waited about 2 hours.

Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:37 pm

I broke down when my 318 shot a piston out of the block

I told them on the phone to send out a transporter and that there was no chance of a roadside repair
they told me they would do a diagnostic and decide whether or not it would need towing ...
a bloke arrived in a van after an hour and half saw the con rod sticking out and ordered one which took a 3 hours to arrive
4 and a half hours in the services really p!ssed me off cost me more in coffee than the rusty turd was worth

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:04 am

RAC have been good for me.. Saved my bacon twice now! Second time I took advantage of their courtesy car part of our policy! Very helpful!!

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:48 am

RAC are better than the AA who are beter than Greenflag with at least 3 years experience of each.

Though when RAC lets me down and I fark off, who do I use then when the RAC let me down?

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:57 am

Can't fault the AA:

They were quick, and took us to Gaydon instead of a garage

Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:06 am

jbh wrote:years ago i was on my way down south with an old 2.0 sierra when the timing belt snapped. i had a new belt in the boot but no tools. the lass i was with at the time was a member of the AA the boy turned up. in my opinion he wasn't willing to try was just wanting to call a recovery truck. he finally let me use his tools i lined it up put the new belt on and it started he was completely shocked.

Just like last time jbh, they don't believe us.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:29 am

bss325i wrote:
jbh wrote:years ago i was on my way down south with an old 2.0 sierra when the timing belt snapped. i had a new belt in the boot but no tools. the lass i was with at the time was a member of the AA the boy turned up. in my opinion he wasn't willing to try was just wanting to call a recovery truck. he finally let me use his tools i lined it up put the new belt on and it started he was completely shocked.
No bent valves?!

nope ive never seen the old ford ohc (pinto) engine bend a valve yet the cvh were bad for it but as i say ive never seen an ohc bend a valve and ive seen a few after the timing belts snapped ive maybe been very lucky

Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:02 am

jbh wrote:
bss325i wrote:
jbh wrote:years ago i was on my way down south with an old 2.0 sierra when the timing belt snapped. i had a new belt in the boot but no tools. the lass i was with at the time was a member of the AA the boy turned up. in my opinion he wasn't willing to try was just wanting to call a recovery truck. he finally let me use his tools i lined it up put the new belt on and it started he was completely shocked.
No bent valves?!
nope ive never seen the old ford ohc (pinto) engine bend a valve yet the cvh were bad for it but as i say ive never seen an ohc bend a valve and ive seen a few after the timing belts snapped ive maybe been very lucky

So far I've lost the belt on a 1.6 mk4 Cortina and a 2.0L Capri without damage but my 1.6 diesel Escort van left shrapnell all over the M6

Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:16 am

ive got a mondeo 1.8 td here i got for spares that did the same as your van when the belt snapped on that it made a scary mess... the ford diesel engines have the habit of snapping the cam shaft if the belt breaks

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:32 am

I've never had a problem with the AA, always been quick and helpful for me. Top blokes

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:39 am

sheehan879 wrote:Apoligies if anyone works for them and for those who have had good experiences but 4 hours waiting on the side of the A1 with the kids is a joke. I wouldnt have minded so much if they didnt keep saying he is on his way, from where?

Then when he did show up he acted like a dodgy garage, took a look under the bonet, kicjed the tyres (no joke) shook his head and said "its gona cost you".

Rant over, just need to cancel my subscription to them.

If you were on the A1 doenst that mean they are supposed to be with you within 35minutes cxause of the danger, especially with kids.

RAC are great BTW. only £35 for the year roadside cover. and covers you what eva car your in.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:43 am

ive never needed to call out the aa ...but then ive got a ford engine

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:49 am

fuzzy wrote:ive never needed to call out the aa ...but then ive got a ford engine

so you never even get of the drive then!!!

LOL

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:54 am

I had some bad experiences with the AA - they were useless!!! Even smashed the sump on one of my e30's - putting it on an a-frame when i told him it wouldn't fit and needed a flatbed!!

Now use RAC and they've always been pretty good!!

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:56 am

yep, if it doesnt work in the first place you never have to worry about breaking down

Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:58 am

fuzzy wrote:yep, if it doesnt work in the first place you never have to worry about breaking down

lol

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:09 pm

maxfield wrote:Can't fault the AA:

They were quick, and took us to Gaydon instead of a garage

the diesel incident?

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:12 pm

breakdown recovery? foreign concept to me.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:19 pm

e30bmlover wrote: the diesel incident?

No - the council wheels police

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:23 pm

I've been with the AA for 20 years and I can't praise them enough. They've got me out of many sticky situations.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:25 pm

e30bmlover wrote:
maxfield wrote:Can't fault the AA:

They were quick, and took us to Gaydon instead of a garage
the diesel incident?

No, the AA have a contract with the taste Police. They clocked the council wheels/lights and did the decent thing.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:28 pm

Andyboy wrote:
e30bmlover wrote:
maxfield wrote:Can't fault the AA:

They were quick, and took us to Gaydon instead of a garage
the diesel incident?
No, the AA have a contract with the taste Police. They clocked the council wheels/lights and did the decent thing.

i must admit those wheels do spoil the car!! i wonder if max's father got a free toaster with them??

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:54 pm

e30bmlover wrote: i must admit those wheels do spoil the car!! i wonder if max's father got a free toaster with them??

Dunno, but you'd have needed a lot of Argos vouchers from the petrol station.
I believe they have now been replaced with something rather better.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:56 pm

bk reps?

Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:09 pm

Fuzzmeister, you're too cruel! I'm sure the Maxter will be on to post a pic, but I think they were BBS/Rondell.

Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:09 pm

Nope, sorry to ruin your dreams, they haven't been replaced as of yet

Need the tyres wearing out first

Other things are coming before the wheels anyway.

Yes, it was the diesel incident