Member Since: 19 Oct 2015
Location: Southampton
Posts: 143
AA or RAC
Hi guys.
I assume most of you guys have some kind of breakdown cover for your D3's, we have breakdown cover as part of our insurance policy but when our Volvo broke down last year the cover turned out to be little more than a recovery service.
Has anybody had any experience with either the AA or RAC when you've had a problem..
Are the AA better than the RAC with dealing with our cars or is it the other way round, or somebody different altogether.?
We would be looking at the top end of the policy options with home start and onward travel etc as a lot of the time is just my partner in the car with our young daughter and the last thing I need is a call to say the car has instantly became (my piece of car... why couldn't we get a Focus) while its sat causing a traffic jam..!!!
Any advice appreciated
also.. we've all avoided the RAC men att he service stations.. can a better deal be had with these guys.?
TonyNew D3 Owner.. every day it starts is a bonus but any bongs or beeps are heart-stopping.
14th Jan 2016 12:39 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 14082
I had the occasion to use both the AA and RAC on the same day this year. The AA were exceptional, the RAC a waste of time and I will not be renewing with them.New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
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14th Jan 2016 12:50 am
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
AA member since 1988
They have NEVER let me or my family down over these 28 years - not even when my beat up old beige 1981 Ford Cortina gave up the ghost 200 miles from home
And I always manage to beat their renewal price down to an acceptable amountSteve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
14th Jan 2016 1:59 am
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
50 years rac this year....helped me at age 18 in court action...never forgot that
14th Jan 2016 2:09 am
Jaggz
Member Since: 13 Jan 2016
Location: U.K.
Posts: 125
Was with the AA for 10 years but no longer, only used them twice and both times a nightmare
First time was a flat battery, my fault left lights on told them the problem on the phone it was 2am when I called and 445am when they attended. They sent a flatbed recovery truck who said he couldn't jump start me as he was geared for 24 volts so could only recover me and I would have to call again the following day so someone would come out jumpstart the vehicle.
2nd time I had a Citroen van that threw the oil filter off and the oil out, stuck in an unlit layby from 5pm till 9pm in November freezing cold numerous calls made and promises they were coming. Finally arrived in a vivaro or similar, takes one look and says this needs recovering ( I told them that in the phone ) calls base for a recovery truck and told it will be at least 3 hours, I only needed to go 10 miles so called family to pick me up and left van, sorted own recovery following day
Considering RAC now like the option of battery cover for £20.99 too
14th Jan 2016 2:15 am
Madrilleno
Member Since: 13 Oct 2014
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 1760
AA since 1982. Every time I have used them, they were super helpful. Joint membership, and wife has same opinion of them.There are two rules for success,
1. Never tell everything you know.
Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: Pwllheli
Posts: 3976
AA since 1989, don't trouble them often but never had any issues with the service when we have used them, like the fact you are the member not the car so even if you are the passenger in someone's else's car you can call them out.
My sister is with the RAC and recently had a nightmare, she has a ranger pickup, called them out because it wouldn't start, he diagnosed battery knackered and replaced it, put it on the wrong way round and fried the alternator, apologised went and got a new alternator, which he fitted and proceeded to fry the entire electrics including the ECU. End result is RAC engineer wanted to write it off, after mucho arguing, primarily the issue is that it is one that takes a camper unit and replacing it wouldn't be easy, the outcome is its having a full rewire and new ECU at the RAC's expense.==================================
05 D3 HSE V8 4.4
04 MG TF 135
03 MG TF 115 Cool Blue Edition
02 MG TF 160
00 Hymer B564 Lionheart
1971 Series III 109
14th Jan 2016 7:59 am
Dave T
Member Since: 03 Jul 2009
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 6903
I'm with the AA for the personal membership to cover three cars, but I think its just luck of the draw and how busy they are when you phone as to which is the best.
Theoretically the AA should be best as they have a contract for recovery with LR.
Always need to phone at renewal time to get price back down though.Joined the BMWX5 45e group
1994 Defender 90
2015 RRS Corris Grey/Black roof
2016 D4 Graphite Santorini Black
2012 D4 XS Orkney Grey
2005 D3 S Maya Gold
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14th Jan 2016 8:07 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72883
Don't forget Green Flag. Only used them once but they were excellent.
Presently with AA coz I got a mega deal on the back of a BMW loosing it's manufacturer's cover, even though I'd sold it 2 years before. £78 for all singing, all dancing cover.
14th Jan 2016 8:22 am
Slobbox
Member Since: 10 Jul 2015
Location: Ribble Valley
Posts: 307
AA been with them for over 5 years and they cover the driver not the car. Daughters car broke down in the lakes last winter with my wife with her, my daughter rang RAC they said to stay in the car and would get someone in up to 5hrs with rang AA they were there in 20mins longest I've had to wait has been an hour.
I have had excellent experience with the RAC who recovered my MGB GT V8 from Spain, and provided a hire car, after what was diagnosed as a gearbox failure whilst I was on a rally.
It transpired not to be a gearbox problem, merely a cracked washer in the gear-change mechanism.
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
14th Jan 2016 8:45 am
Captain Slog
Member Since: 02 Feb 2014
Location: Parallel Universe
Posts: 228
Been with AA for longer than I care to admit and generally very good service - one notable exception was when a loan car expired with a big bang and AA man started fault tracing until I pointed out the bottom of a con-rod poking out through a hole in the cylinder block!
Beware though! - they do the insurance companies' trick of increasing premiums every year - even if you don't call them out - but a threat to go elsewhere resulted in a 50% reduction!2010 D4 HSE Ipanema Sand on GY DTs (was on GG ATs)
14th Jan 2016 8:59 am
Discogaz
Member Since: 17 Mar 2014
Location: Bracknell
Posts: 1399
A swerve but have been with Green flag for 15 years and they too have never let me down. Worth a quote if nothing else.
14th Jan 2016 9:19 am
DigitalJunior
Member Since: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 4399
RAC full cover here including onward travel anywhere in UK, home, battery, courtesy car etc cover for two people personal, less than £100 a year.
Called them loads and always been good. I think its luck who the patrol person is that you get. On the whole AA and RAC are very similar.SOLD - 23my Range Rover Sport D300 Dynamic SE
14th Jan 2016 9:21 am
the admiral
Member Since: 19 Oct 2015
Location: South east ,swale
Posts: 170
RAC, mainly because the disco is used for towing the horse. RAC do a bolt on for onward travel of livestock which the AA does not. no brainer really.D3 HSE 57 Buckingham Blue
box re-build
new TC
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car... why couldn't we get a Focus
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