AA or RAC?

mobpd

Hi

Thinking about getting some sort of roadside assistance in case my 02 laguna lets me down....
Anyone have recent views on either RAC or AA?
Also if anyone knows where to get best prices eg are there discounts for being member of VHI, trade bodies, or do they generally give the best deals on the internet or from the guys you often see with stalls in shopping centres??

crosstownk

I use both as a consequence of what different manufacturers offer as breakdown assistance from a warranty standpoint. I find both quite good, but I'd hand top spot to the AA. They are quicker to respond both from a roadside point of view and also with replacement cars. RAC are competent too.

unkel

I've been a member of the AA for about 6 years. I've found them to be quick on call-outs (the longest took about an hour, the average about 30 minutes), courteous and professional and with me they've had a 100% fix rate. My membership started off at £50 and it's gone up to about €160 now for the normal package including home start. Not cheap, but in my view well worth it

crosstownk

Yeah - the AA do have the edge. And never forget to get buy AA* 5 Star when you take the chariot abroad. This will get a written off car home.


*crosstownk doesn't work for the AA

Guy:Incognito

unkel wrote:

I've been a member of the AA for about 6 years. I've found them to be quick on call-outs (the longest took about an hour, the average about 30 minutes), courteous and professional and with me they've had a 100% fix rate. My membership started off at £50 and it's gone up to about €160 now for the normal package including home start. Not cheap, but in my view well worth it

I think you need to spend more on your cars. You shouldnt have an "average" waiting time for breakdown. If you do your breaking down far too often.:D

crosstownk

Stekelly wrote:

I think you need to spend more on your cars. You shouldnt have an "average" waiting time for breakdown. If you do your breaking down far too often.:D

In some parts of the country there isn't an AA truck at every town. Some waiting is to be expected. it doesn't matter whether you have one breakdown or twenty. You need to be sorted out ASAP. I think unkel means 'response' time on the part of the recovery agency.

Should it transpire that you have twenty then, yes, you should queation the reliability factor of you car!

patrickc

AA are good so far I've had them 2 years, I used them once flat battery and gf used them to get from Carlow to Roscommon when clutch went, responded in about 20mins both times.. I pay 230 a year for me and gf that includes homestart, rescue plus etc...

crosstownk

@OP - check with your insurance company. Some insurers now offer 24hr roadside assistance as part of the basic package.

Esel

crosstownk wrote:

@OP - check with your insurance company. Some insurers now offer 24hr roadside assistance as part of the basic package.

How does that compare with the AA or RAC?

crosstownk

esel wrote:

How does that compare with the AA or RAC?

It depends on who the insurance company's preffered agent is. Some insurance companies may use the AA or RAC. But from my experience, most use recovey agents that are substandard to both the AA and RAC.

green123

they are a total rip off here compared to the uk.
€126 compared to £35 for the basic packages

Trampas

With my insurance company I had to use the breakdown once on St Stephen's Day in the evening and they had someone out in around an hour. Which I thought was excellant since the day it was.

Panda Moanium

I thought the RAC are pulling out of the Irish market, if they haven't already?

bbbbb

I've been with the AA a no. of years, they helped me out the one time I needed them, but I'm wondering if I should drop them since:
- my insurance has roadsite assist.
- they seem to be cutting staff since being taken over by a venture capital firm.

oleras

All down to "how you drive" i think. If its for a living and you are doing lots of miles at all hours of the day and night its that added protection, other than that i think on the off chance you have a flat battery (driver error) or a breakdown( may be driver error again ) its just as easy to call some friends for assistance.

Esel

oleras wrote:

..its just as easy to call some friends for assistance.

Maybe, if you have friends all over the country who are prepared to come to your assistance anytime, day or night.

testicle

I think the RAC have/are pulling out of Ireland?

Either way, if they're not, there is one major difference between the RAC and the AA. The AA cover the person, no matter what car, whether driving or passenger. The RAC cover the car no matter who is driving it.

Saruman

green123 wrote:

they are a total rip off here compared to the uk.
€126 compared to £35 for the basic packages

How many times do people need to be told that things will ALWAYS be more expensive here. We are different countries with different standards of living. We earn a lot more money on average. And everything else is more expensive. Their running costs will be a lot more, their own insurance etc will always be more so of course its going to be more over here.

Anyway i would guess that £35 is a LOT more money to your average working joe in the UK than €126 is to your average Irish person

unkel

Stekelly wrote:

your breaking down far too often.:D

LOL, I've only had a few callouts over the years. Two were for my current car being flooded after just taking it out of the driveway to free up the other car in cold weather and then trying to start it up again the next day. Apparently it doesn't really like that :rolleyes:

oleras

esel wrote:

Maybe, if you have friends all over the country who are prepared to come to your assistance anytime, day or night.

Did you even read what i said ?

LFCFan

I've been with them for 8 years and used them once when both headlights went. They were out in 10 minutes and sorted the problem quickly. I guess they are just another form of insurance. It's more about peace of mind then actually using the service. Unless of course you drive some crappy cars

vector

Panda Moanium wrote:

I thought the RAC are pulling out of the Irish market, if they haven't already?

Completely? but that would leave the AA with a monopoly
is that a rumour or has anyone seen it somewhere reliable

(Mapfre, Ireland Assist et al seem to be bulk coverers only)