Best Way To Ensure Recovery By The Aa, Rac Etc?

[M@r]{]

On various forums I'm seeing more and more evidence of breakdown companies becoming more reluctant to recover you home, in some instances refusing to even come out.

Some examples:

* Blowout. Refuse to recover, force member to pay over the top for mobile tyre fitter to fit a budget tyre to get you home

* Engine Management Light. Told not coming out, to drive around for days too see if it goes out, hoping its not going to do any further damage!

* Lost Keys whilst you're out - not covered

Now I pay my membership to give me peace of mind that in the eventuality of a problem with my car, I can be recovered home. Ie if the engine light comes on peace of mind I can pull over and have the car recovered to a specialist or a dealer. If I have a blowout and I'm forced to buy a replacement, I can demand what tyre, ie one that matches the others, at least along the same axle! If not available recover me home.

Now I understand everyone is trying to save money, making cut backs etc. Fine, put the prices up then but don't take away what I believe is the one thing people buy cover for; peace of mind!

Anyway, so until they come to their senses I thought it would be useful to find a way to "ensure recovery"

Suggestions?

[Jonathan E]

I have mine through my Barclays current account. Only used it once. RAC bloke turned up, diagnosed knackered clutch slave cylinder, couldn't source one locally so got a low loader out and took it to TGA in Wolves.

Couldn't have asked for better service tbh.

[mossy46]

Rac and aa are totsl pants

When I worked at mot centre we had pick up so went out and aa man sais cant drive it.

When asked why told me cam belt had snapped popped bonnet had look then said watch this fired first crack but battry light was on when he said see I then decided to point out that aux belt was off and shredded ariund the lower pulley

 

Rac .

Rover diesel conked out after owner did his own service rac man said common fault with the pumps. I said did you purge it properly rac man said dont need to with these agsin popped bonnet said watch this ourged it few times ooh look fired and ran perfectly.

And im wasnt qualified to get a job with either companies lol

[M@r]{]

Don't get me wrong, I think the AA have been good. Apart from one issue about 8 months ago I would say over the last 15yrs of membership they have been superb, in fact I tend to rave on about their membership in particular the parts and labour cover. However having heard various stories on various forums its obvious they are all cost cutting and trying where possible to get out of recovering people.

 

So I'm just trying to address this before I fall fowl to it myself. Honestly I would have a major sense of humour failure if I had a unrepairable puncture in my Exige and the AA refused to recover me home because they think they can force me to have a mobile tyre fitter out, charge me £150 for some chinese crap, below budget tyre that I'll effectively have to throw away when I get home 6hrs later!!!!

 

So, I want to know a way to 'disable' the Exige to force a recovery home. Maybe a hidden fuse somewhere? A sensor I could unplug? Anything? Just something that they are unlikely to find unless they were a Lotus mechanic in a past life, something where they'd have to recover me. I'm not trying to screw them, just trying to not be screwed myself!

[mossy46]

How bout injection fuse. Cant see anyone taking acess panel off most folk I know ask why they come off. One even asked is that where the boot is !

[Dcp1]

Hi,I'm a roadside technician for green flag,I can't speak for other organisations but if I can't fix it I will recovery the vehicle myself or send for a flat bed.I don't charge for diagnostic checks although its annoying when people call you out at stupid o'clock to there home address so you can turn there engine management light off! Flat tyres I will recover to members choice of repairer or to h/a ,same as keys in car boot most of them I will retrieve.

[mossy46]

Thats good to hear massive thumbs up there fella :-))