Discussion
markys, I have a feeling that the AA are generally better for TVRs. Others will likely confirm (or otherwise) this.
I am a member of the RAC and am not that happy with them for the following 2 reasons:
1) Their policy is to always send a patrol van even if you tell them the car is incapacitated and needs a total lift. This just slows down the process as you need to wait between 30 mins and an hour (usually) for the patrol van to arrive; the driver will immediately say "there's nothing I can do with that car" and then radio for a low-loader; you then wait another 45mins - 1 hour for the recovery truck to arrive. This even winds up the drivers of the initial patrol vans as they hate coming out to TVRs for anything other than simple jobs (flat batteries and the like) as their bonus is affected when they respond to a call but cannot get the car going again. This policy makes the customer and the RAC patrol driver pi
ed off, and is rather stupid.
2) They tend to use contract recovery companies a lot, rather than their own people. My Cerbera needed recovery from home and taken to my dealer a few weeks ago so I booked the lift for 7am. It was mid-week so I figured I'd be on my way to work by 7:30am. The contract company called at 7:30am to say "their driver was in the vicinity but could not find the address". I gave directions and he finally showed up at 8:30am (1.5 hours late). When I questioned the driver on this he started mouthing off at me "It's not my bloody fault", "I'm doing you a favour being here as I was supposed to knock-off an hour ago" etc etc. I was about to tear strips off him (verbally) but thought better of it as I was not accompanying the car to the dealer so didn't want to give this guy an excuse to be less than careful with my car.
This of course is just my experience, but because of it I will not be renewing my membership with the RAC. I used to be in the AA when I had my old Chimaera and never experienced any problems.
Hope this helps
>> Edited by gixxer1000 on Monday 30th June 08:48
I am a member of the RAC and am not that happy with them for the following 2 reasons:
1) Their policy is to always send a patrol van even if you tell them the car is incapacitated and needs a total lift. This just slows down the process as you need to wait between 30 mins and an hour (usually) for the patrol van to arrive; the driver will immediately say "there's nothing I can do with that car" and then radio for a low-loader; you then wait another 45mins - 1 hour for the recovery truck to arrive. This even winds up the drivers of the initial patrol vans as they hate coming out to TVRs for anything other than simple jobs (flat batteries and the like) as their bonus is affected when they respond to a call but cannot get the car going again. This policy makes the customer and the RAC patrol driver pi
ed off, and is rather stupid. 2) They tend to use contract recovery companies a lot, rather than their own people. My Cerbera needed recovery from home and taken to my dealer a few weeks ago so I booked the lift for 7am. It was mid-week so I figured I'd be on my way to work by 7:30am. The contract company called at 7:30am to say "their driver was in the vicinity but could not find the address". I gave directions and he finally showed up at 8:30am (1.5 hours late). When I questioned the driver on this he started mouthing off at me "It's not my bloody fault", "I'm doing you a favour being here as I was supposed to knock-off an hour ago" etc etc. I was about to tear strips off him (verbally) but thought better of it as I was not accompanying the car to the dealer so didn't want to give this guy an excuse to be less than careful with my car.
This of course is just my experience, but because of it I will not be renewing my membership with the RAC. I used to be in the AA when I had my old Chimaera and never experienced any problems.
Hope this helps
>> Edited by gixxer1000 on Monday 30th June 08:48
I'm with the AA.
My only experience with them was telling them I had
a car that needed a low loader, but they still sent
a tech, who as Geoff had with the RAC, took one look
and said you're right and called a low loader.
That was due to take another 90 mins.
5 calls from the AA later to apologise for the delay
the 6th call was to say a contractor was going to be
used ( if that was ok with me ) as 'my' lorry had been delayed.
Two more calls from the contractor (one to say he was
lost) and 5 hours after the AA had been called, the car
was picked up ( scratching the underside of the front
of the car as he did so )
That said, I went with the AA as people said it was
better, so goodness knows how bad the RAC would have been?!
My only experience with them was telling them I had
a car that needed a low loader, but they still sent
a tech, who as Geoff had with the RAC, took one look
and said you're right and called a low loader.
That was due to take another 90 mins.
5 calls from the AA later to apologise for the delay
the 6th call was to say a contractor was going to be
used ( if that was ok with me ) as 'my' lorry had been delayed.
Two more calls from the contractor (one to say he was
lost) and 5 hours after the AA had been called, the car
was picked up ( scratching the underside of the front
of the car as he did so )
That said, I went with the AA as people said it was
better, so goodness knows how bad the RAC would have been?!
We where with the AA but when the other half was pregnant she managed to hit a walking stick in the fast lane of dual carridge way which got stuck on the rear wheel and suspension, she stopped the car phoned the AA and was told that this sort of thing was not covered and would need to arrange something else, very impressed to find that they would not come out to a preggers female stuck in the out side lane of a dual carridge way.
Just to throw a spanner in the works, Green Flag get my custom for the Cerbera. They have priority over local "Flat bed" recovery companies, so can & will (normally) get a flat bed to you in an hour (AA & RAC quote 2 hours). Ok, they don't fix many by the road, but means your not standing around for 2 hours if/when it needs to go to the dealer.
Olly
(Green Flag(free with WH Warranty) & RAC member)
Olly
(Green Flag(free with WH Warranty) & RAC member)
I'm with "Call Assist" as it came with my insurance. Used them once, they again contract out but I told them I needed a low-loader and they sent one first time (no prior inspection).
Only problem I had was 2 break down trucks from 2 different brake down companies broke down on the way to me. Therefore phoned for a truck at 06:15, one eventually arrived at 10:15. Glad I was at home and not stuck on a roadside!
Only problem I had was 2 break down trucks from 2 different brake down companies broke down on the way to me. Therefore phoned for a truck at 06:15, one eventually arrived at 10:15. Glad I was at home and not stuck on a roadside!
I have used AA once to recover my car after a blow out. They were a blow out !
They refused to send a low loader until their tyre company came out. I told them that they wouldnt have S02s 18 35... They insisted they would. an hour later the tyre co rang me. Told me that they didnt have those tyres. AA then rang me and told me I needed a low loader. 2 hrs later a Low Loader arrived. So I sat at the edge of the road for over 3 hrs !
They refused to send a low loader until their tyre company came out. I told them that they wouldnt have S02s 18 35... They insisted they would. an hour later the tyre co rang me. Told me that they didnt have those tyres. AA then rang me and told me I needed a low loader. 2 hrs later a Low Loader arrived. So I sat at the edge of the road for over 3 hrs !
Bigger company doesn't mean better service, quite the reverse in my opinion. Both the RAC and AA use local independants for vehicle recovery, which means they will receive a bill. They will send their patrol person out first in case he can solve the problem.
The RAC left me stranded for 8 hours once. Patrolman turned up after 45 mins, looked at it for all of 5 mins then called a low loader which took over 7 hours to appear.
The RAC left me stranded for 8 hours once. Patrolman turned up after 45 mins, looked at it for all of 5 mins then called a low loader which took over 7 hours to appear.
I'm with the RAC but have also got AA cover which came with my new Tuscan.
Recently I got a puncture on the Tuscan and when I asked the RAC that I needed a low loader to take the Tuscan to a TVR approved dealership (ie one that supplies the right type of tyre - won't go to kwik fit!) they said speak to the AA!!!
So called the AA and normally they don't take cars more than 10 miles but were fine to take mine a full 30...because they understand TVR's. They turned up on time with the low loaded and I couldn't have been happier with their level of customer service.
Alan.
Recently I got a puncture on the Tuscan and when I asked the RAC that I needed a low loader to take the Tuscan to a TVR approved dealership (ie one that supplies the right type of tyre - won't go to kwik fit!) they said speak to the AA!!!
So called the AA and normally they don't take cars more than 10 miles but were fine to take mine a full 30...because they understand TVR's. They turned up on time with the low loaded and I couldn't have been happier with their level of customer service.
Alan.
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