AA Recovery Performance

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Sat 20 Apr 2024 10:55
AA Recovery Performance - Steveieb

Along with John F I have reopened my Nationwide Flex Plus Account to take advantage of the benefits but mostly the travel insurance.

But this means accepting the recovery service that comes as part of the deal which is provided by AA , and abandoning my present cover with Start.

But experiences that my friends and colleagues have shared about AA have not been positive so far.

A Focus stranded at the Dover Port with a power steering fault took 14 hours to recover with its Relay service to Northamptonshire.

A colleagues MB stranded after a crash was eventually recovered by a private contractor when both husband and wife failed to contact the AA control

A four hour wait on a junction over the M1 for another customer.

Have these people been unlucky or have the Which magazine got it right in voting the AA their recommended provider alongside Start ?

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Sat 20 Apr 2024 11:45
AA Recovery Performance - mcb100
Been with them for years as a family and always had prompt service. Had to be recovered home from Cambridge to Oldham a few years ago, and yes we were transferred from truck to truck a couple of times, the next one was waiting for us as we arrived for the changeover. Quick convenience break as the swapped the car over.
Coventry to home 2 or 3 years ago was done in one.
I am (slightly) biased as I used to work for them…
But instead of relying on anecdotal evidence, have a look at a bigger survey - www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/which-is-the-best-br...5

Edited by mcb100 on 20/04/2024 at 11:47

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Sat 20 Apr 2024 12:07
AA Recovery Performance - RT
Been with them for years as a family and always had prompt service. Had to be recovered home from Cambridge to Oldham a few years ago, and yes we were transferred from truck to truck a couple of times, the next one was waiting for us as we arrived for the changeover. Quick convenience break as the swapped the car over. Coventry to home 2 or 3 years ago was done in one. I am (slightly) biased as I used to work for them… But instead of relying on anecdotal evidence, have a look at a bigger survey - www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/which-is-the-best-br...5

Such surveys can be misleading - the AA/RAC won't authorise flatbed recovery until a patrol has inspected the vehicle, thus involving two wait periods - whereas Green Flag will authorise flatbed recovery straight away if sufficient detail is given over the phone.

Is there any survey that takes total wait time into account?

I've been recovered 3 times by Green Flag, on each occasion authorising a flatbed over the phone - two were accident damaged and the third an immobiliser issue - all three were vehicles that can't be towed - that would have taken so much longer with AA/RAC waiting for a patrol and then being relayed a long distance

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Sat 20 Apr 2024 12:16
AA Recovery Performance - Alby Back
I’ve been driving for 49 years. Always had AA membership. Never needed it except for the two years I had an Espace when it seemed very good value.
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Sat 20 Apr 2024 13:10
AA Recovery Performance - mcb100
‘ Such surveys can be misleading - the AA/RAC won't authorise flatbed recovery until a patrol has inspected the vehicle, thus involving two wait periods - whereas Green Flag will authorise flatbed recovery straight away if sufficient detail is given over the phone.’

They will - it was my job to dispatch patrols and trucks. But they will, where possible, try for a repair at the roadside, which has to be a better solution for the member, allowing them to carry on with their journey under their own power rather than in a noisy, uncomfortable truck at 56mph for the next few hours. In addition, the roadside patrols now carry a recovery dolly in the back of the van that will provide a two wheel lift. There was also talk of a four wheel lift capability using a pair of freewheeling hubs bolted to the car’s rear hubs allowing a four wheel lift. Pretty sure the RAC have this.
A recent issue with daughter’s old Clio resulted in a call from a technical person from the AA within a couple of minutes of logging the breakdown on their app, asking further questions as to the likelihood of a permanent or temporary repair.
They work on probabilities - what are the chances of effecting a permanent or temporary roadside repair - that’s the AA & RAC’s joint USP - and that’s based on the results of handling hundreds/thousands of breakdowns daily.
And, don’t forget, while the AA (or RAC) patrol is working on your car, using the latest in diagnostic equipment and a van full of spares, you’re not paying any labour charges.
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Sat 20 Apr 2024 14:11
AA Recovery Performance - Falkirk Bairn

Breakdown cover first bought in 1966.

Since I started buying Japanese cars in 1995 I have not needed it - I do however, still buy cover - Green Flag roughly £60 for full cover( excluding European)

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Sat 20 Apr 2024 16:08
AA Recovery Performance - Steveieb

My own theory is that since banks like Nationwide and some others started offering car recovery as part of their packaged accounts the AA have been overwhelmed by calls for help and not been able to recruit enough staff.

The packaged accounts give personal cover and also cover other members of the family. They also aim to repair at the roadside whereas the other firms such as Start simply recover most of their jobs to the garage of the customers choice.

So It may be worth buying a basic recovery package as a fallback when calls to the AA fail to deliver the required service

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Sat 20 Apr 2024 16:12
AA Recovery Performance - up north

Start Rescue are very good and cheap. Broke down A1 and they were there in 20 mins to take me home.

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