View Full Version : Which Roadside Recovery?
I have been a member of the AA for the last year, but they want over £100 to renew. I've had a quote from Green Flag at £67 and an online quote from NCI Biker Rescue (advertised in RiDE) at £59.
Any recommendations?
I can't say anything about the above, but just make sure you've read the small print on all of them.
A friend of mine was stuck when he called for roadside rescue (anwb in Holland, not UK). he didn't have homestart (or equiv) which means if you are in your neighbourhood then they won't fetch you.
Unfortunately his neighbourhood was Rotterdam - he was 60 miles from his house ut they refused to help him as he was in his neighbourhood. Check there aren't any clauses like this in any of the offers...
Stu
I've got the most basic version of NCI - about £30 I think, although there's enhanced cover available for about £35.
Of course, riding a Honda, I've never needed to use it so can't comment on their service :wink:
In the past I've had AA, RAC and Green Flag. I've currently got the full NCI as it included home start and european cover for less than what RAC where asking for their basic package.
Green Flag was a disaster for me, I broke down about 11pm on a dual carriageway by myself. So much for priority for lone women! In the end I rang AA who got to me within 30 minutes even though my membership had expired.
RAC were pretty good, I called them out a couple of times for my old car and even when it was a home start, they got to me within 40 minutes.
I've got RAC personal cover.
Costs nothing with Tesco clubcard vouchers.
Covers me in any vehicle.
Never used it on the bike, used it on the car, only problem was when I had an accident and it took them about 4 hours to get a rescue truck to me.
Still happy with them seeing as it costs me nothing.
Don't get me started on f(*&%*(&%g RAC.
Oh you have, too late now then..............
Like Clunk, I go for the 'free with Tesco Clubcard route'.
About three weeks ago, my car (2year old Peugeot, 28000 miles) died on the way home - lots of warning lights came on, engine died, pulled over in the middle of nowhere - pitch black, freezing cold.
Phoned RAC, told could be 3 hours - after 2 hours, bloke turns up. He thought it was fuel, put some more diesel in it, took off a fuel pipe to check that fuel was coming through ok (which it was) and then advised he could not fix it. Then waited another hour for a tow truck, got home at 11pm.
Garage looked at the car for me, and advised it was a faulty speed sensor on one of the wheels (something to do with the electronic stability programme) - all fixed and returned to me next day.
So, off I go to work again (55 miles each way)in my fixed car. On the way home, it started to feel a bit sluggish going up hills (as if the turbo was gone). Overtaking a lorry on a dual carriageway (only doing 70 - honest!) there is a big cloud of smoke out the back and the engine dies completely. Luckily the lorry saw what happened and slowed right down and let me pull over at the side of the road. Phone RAC again to be told that they are just changing shifts, so no idea how long they will be!!!
Police turn up after about 20 mins to check all ok (car was in a bit of a dodgy place) and phone RAC to hurry up - they just wanted me off the road.
30 mins after the police have left, I chase RAC and was told - should be there in 15 mins. 20 mins later, a breakdown truck turns up and (very relctantly) towed me back to the garage.
The next morning, the garage phones me to advise that the reason I broke down was because the fuel pipe had not been fitted back on correctly by the RAC bloke - resulting in high pressure atomised diesel (2/3 of a tank!!!) being sprayed all over the engine bay and outside of the car - terrific.
They refix the fuel pipe, and steam clean it for me. When I drive it home, I find that the clutch is slipping - most likely due to diesel contamination - just waiting to hear from the garage now how much that will cost to repair.
So, as a result of the fuel pipe not being fitted properly, I have been without my car for 2 weeks (luckily garage have given me a courtesy car), have wasted time sat in breakdown trucks, the car nearly went up in flames and I could end up with a nice bill for a new clutch (not covered under warranty as not a manufacturer's fault)
I had a very nice 'customer satisfaction survey' from the RAC last week, so I sent them a letter highlighting the above - just waiting for a response now.
:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
Rant over.
Cloggsy,
Get the RAC to pay for your repairs.
I had an experience with the AA (the set fire to my Fiesta) and they had to repair the damage (cost more than the car was worth...)
I called them out when all my electrics dies (engine, lights, horn, radio etc etc etc).
The bloke came out and said that it was a dodgy repair of the loom and removed some wire. Car ran like a dream until I was about a mile from home. Then the engine bay went up in smoke...
After a lot of arguments with the AA they admited liability (the dodgy wire is also called a fuse link wire - and it was breaking as the alternator had died and was pushing too much power down the wrong wire). They gave me a hire car (that I had to change every other day as they wouldn't give one to a 19 / 20 yr old for more than 48 hours ata time, even though the car took three weeks to fix).
They even went as far to say it was my fault as any fixes they do are 'get you home' fixes and not real fixes. Thankfully my car caught fire just short of home so I could conter claim this with I never got home...
Then they sent me a letter saying as I had called them out 3 times this membership year they considered me an abuser of the system and that if I used them 3 more times that year they would start charging me. 2 of the three times were to get them to a) Move the car they had set fire too and b) Look at the car to try and establish the cause of the fire.
That was a fun time...
Stu
Cloggsy
01-02-05, 11:16 AM
Don't get me started on f(*&%*(&%g RAC.
Oh you have, too late now then..............
Like Clunk, I go for the 'free with Tesco Clubcard route'.
About three weeks ago, my car (2year old Peugeot, 28000 miles) died on the way home - lots of warning lights came on, engine died, pulled over in the middle of nowhere - pitch black, freezing cold.
Phoned RAC, told could be 3 hours - after 2 hours, bloke turns up. He thought it was fuel, put some more diesel in it, took off a fuel pipe to check that fuel was coming through ok (which it was) and then advised he could not fix it. Then waited another hour for a tow truck, got home at 11pm.
Garage looked at the car for me, and advised it was a faulty speed sensor on one of the wheels (something to do with the electronic stability programme) - all fixed and returned to me next day.
So, off I go to work again (55 miles each way)in my fixed car. On the way home, it started to feel a bit sluggish going up hills (as if the turbo was gone). Overtaking a lorry on a dual carriageway (only doing 70 - honest!) there is a big cloud of smoke out the back and the engine dies completely. Luckily the lorry saw what happened and slowed right down and let me pull over at the side of the road. Phone RAC again to be told that they are just changing shifts, so no idea how long they will be!!!
Police turn up after about 20 mins to check all ok (car was in a bit of a dodgy place) and phone RAC to hurry up - they just wanted me off the road.
30 mins after the police have left, I chase RAC and was told - should be there in 15 mins. 20 mins later, a breakdown truck turns up and (very relctantly) towed me back to the garage.
The next morning, the garage phones me to advise that the reason I broke down was because the fuel pipe had not been fitted back on correctly by the RAC bloke - resulting in high pressure atomised diesel (2/3 of a tank!!!) being sprayed all over the engine bay and outside of the car - terrific.
They refix the fuel pipe, and steam clean it for me. When I drive it home, I find that the clutch is slipping - most likely due to diesel contamination - just waiting to hear from the garage now how much that will cost to repair.
So, as a result of the fuel pipe not being fitted properly, I have been without my car for 2 weeks (luckily garage have given me a courtesy car), have wasted time sat in breakdown trucks, the car nearly went up in flames and I could end up with a nice bill for a new clutch (not covered under warranty as not a manufacturer's fault)
I had a very nice 'customer satisfaction survey' from the RAC last week, so I sent them a letter highlighting the above - just waiting for a response now.
:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
Rant over.
Cloggsy,
Get the RAC to pay for your repairs.
Eh :-s
Opps my bad :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Trying to do too many things at one time and names just sort of merge into one...
Obviously that should have been for Matt... :roll: :)
However if Cloggsy does want to pay for my repairs, then that is fine by me :lol: :lol: :lol:
i got nci :)
got a honda too tho . . .but thought id go on the safe side of things (for the suzuki)
my mate has green flag, we broke down in newquay (we live in london)
they wouldnt tow us . . as in the policy small print - says will only tow you to the nearest garage.
I'm with the AA and never had any problems with them... called 'em out a few times with the MG, twice with my Suzuki 4x4 and once with my 4Trak - never with the bike though. The only thing thay can't seem to get right is sending out my membership card... hadn't had one for years now!
Well, not my own... was on a ride out with Ping and Mumstoy and friend - one of the bikes had an intermittent electrical fault for which we all waited ages for Carole Nash to turn up... in the mean time round the corner, some bloke in a car had broken down and was seen to by the AA. I ran down the road and collared him saying I was a member and a mate's bike had broken down - could he help.
Sure enough when he finished with the car he popped over to see what he could do (which wasn't very much, but at least he had some good advice and offered to call an AA tow truck).
Carole Nash arrived twenty minutes later... I think we'd waited there for about 3 hours or so, summat like that.
I used to have RAC but was put off by a REAL bad experience.
I broke down on my way to Wales, I had just crossed the bridge on the M4. I phoned the RAC and diagnosed the problem for them. My fuel pump had given up. I made double sure that they were aware that it was a motorcycle and not a car. I told them that it was not repairable by the side of the road and that it would be a recover to home situation.
Three hours later a RAC van turned up. The guy in the van had no idea what so ever about motorcycles, didn't know the reason that I had broken down, didn't have a bike trailer, and thought that I was going back to England.
Another 2 hours later and a car from the local garage turns up with a bike trailer, tows my bike back to the garage, where I sit in the front office waiting for a suitable vehicle to arrive to tow the trailer with my bike on it back to Wales.
Another hour and half and a 4x4 turns up with a rather aged gentleman. The trailer gets connected to the 4x4 and eventually we set off on our way. During the trip the guy is trying to use the hands free phone kit, he's looking down at the handset punching numbers, every time he looks down we serve left or right. I decide at this point that I will dial the number for him. After a while he suddenly pulls over to the hard shoulder. It appears he's not too happy with the security of my bike on the trailer. I get out and look to find that the bike is practically at 45 degrees. I then straighten the bike and make sure it is strapped down properly.
We finally get to the end destination early hours of the morning. My road then was on a downward slope. He parks outside my house facing downhill. Gets the ramp set up and undoes the straps holding the bike down. He then wheels the bike off the trailer only for the belly pan to scape along the edge of the trailer as he's wheeling the bike onto the ramp. He then can't work out how they got the bike on the trailer in the first place if it grounded. At this stage I point out that he needs to put the jockey wheel down and jack the front of the trailer up to lesson the angle.
I leave him to it whilst going inside to get my fags and a coffee. As I come back out I see my bike fall directly off the trailer and hit the ground completely upside down and then roll onto the floor. It seems that the guy didn't even realise that he needed to first apply the brakes on the trailer before detaching it from the 4x4, and that he would need to put the legs down at the back of the trailer. More to the point, he did not strap my bike back down before moving the trailer.
I wheeled my battered bike into the garage took his details and told him that I would be contacting his garage and the RAC first thing Monday morning. (This being early hours Sat morning now) Well Monday morning I phoned the garage and the RAC and they had no knowledge that anything had happened. The git hadn't even reported what he had done.
So THAT is why I would never use the RAC ever ever ever again. :x :x :x :x :x :x EVEN if they were the cheapest around :!: :!: :!:
Cloggsy
02-02-05, 08:21 PM
I used to have RAC but was put off by a REAL bad experience.
I broke down on my way to Wales, I had just crossed the bridge on the M4. I phoned the RAC and diagnosed the problem for them. My fuel pump had given up. I made double sure that they were aware that it was a motorcycle and not a car. I told them that it was not repairable by the side of the road and that it would be a recover to home situation.
Three hours later a RAC van turned up. The guy in the van had no idea what so ever about motorcycles, didn't know the reason that I had broken down, didn't have a bike trailer, and thought that I was going back to England.
Another 2 hours later and a car from the local garage turns up with a bike trailer, tows my bike back to the garage, where I sit in the front office waiting for a suitable vehicle to arrive to tow the trailer with my bike on it back to Wales.
Another hour and half and a 4x4 turns up with a rather aged gentleman. The trailer gets connected to the 4x4 and eventually we set off on our way. During the trip the guy is trying to use the hands free phone kit, he's looking down at the handset punching numbers, every time he looks down we serve left or right. I decide at this point that I will dial the number for him. After a while he suddenly pulls over to the hard shoulder. It appears he's not too happy with the security of my bike on the trailer. I get out and look to find that the bike is practically at 45 degrees. I then straighten the bike and make sure it is strapped down properly.
We finally get to the end destination early hours of the morning. My road then was on a downward slope. He parks outside my house facing downhill. Gets the ramp set up and undoes the straps holding the bike down. He then wheels the bike off the trailer only for the belly pan to scape along the edge of the trailer as he's wheeling the bike onto the ramp. He then can't work out how they got the bike on the trailer in the first place if it grounded. At this stage I point out that he needs to put the jockey wheel down and jack the front of the trailer up to lesson the angle.
I leave him to it whilst going inside to get my fags and a coffee. As I come back out I see my bike fall directly off the trailer and hit the ground completely upside down and then roll onto the floor. It seems that the guy didn't even realise that he needed to first apply the brakes on the trailer before detaching it from the 4x4, and that he would need to put the legs down at the back of the trailer. More to the point, he did not strap my bike back down before moving the trailer.
I wheeled my battered bike into the garage took his details and told him that I would be contacting his garage and the RAC first thing Monday morning. (This being early hours Sat morning now) Well Monday morning I phoned the garage and the RAC and they had no knowledge that anything had happened. The git hadn't even reported what he had done.
So THAT is why I would never use the RAC ever ever ever again. :x :x :x :x :x :x EVEN if they were the cheapest around :!: :!: :!:
:shock: Jees' :roll:
Thanks people, looks like NCI has the recommendation then.
BigApe and MattSV, sorry I stirred up bad memories.
454697819
03-02-05, 01:17 PM
sadly i used to be a regulkar user of NCI!
They are great, best value around, only broblem was once i had to wait 3 hours in the cold!
always sent dedicated motorcycle teams out,
go to there website and check out prices on there, cheaper than bike by the sounds of things!!
oh, i only get 4 call outs a yr!!
friendly ppl though
All the best
Alex
Main problem with using RAC/AA is that they are geared to cars, remember watching joe having a conversation that went much like this:
Ok So what's the problem:
"Flat tyre on my bike"
Ok so what make of Car have you got
"It's a BIKE and it's a Suzuki"
Ok and what model of car is that?
"It's a BIKE and it's a TL 1000s"
Ok and where is the Car now?
"The BIKE is blah de blah"
So anyways, as you can guess this car transporter turns up..... though thankfully they then sent a bike tyre repair bloke after that....
Ceri JC
08-02-05, 10:58 AM
I've got both (AA for bike, green flag for car). It may be due to the difference between response times for bikes and cars (presumably fewer bike mechanics, the one good AA guy I've had said that a lot of them are primarily car mechanics and know v. little about bikes), but out of three times the bike has needed AA, twice they've been gash: sent non-AA people, eg used local garages so may as well of been green flag. Wasn't impressed with the people they sent, aside from the one time I got a genuine AA man.
Green flag on the other hand have had better response times, managed more "repairs at the roadside", much better comms, come when they've said they would, warned when they've been late (unlike AA, who you have to ring up every hour to see where they are/the new ETA) and I've had no cause for complaint.
I doubt it is limited to the car/bike thing, a mate of mine has AA car cover and reports the same things.
IMO the AA are doing what a lot of well established companies do; living off their reputation, whilst newer, hungrier companies offer a better service for less.
When it comes to renewal, I'll go for Green Flag on the bike...
doesn't a policy with AA cover the driver/rider, not the vehicle? Just makes me wonder why you'd need two policies.
This is true. With the AA it is the person that has the cover and not the vehicle. Have used them when in someone elses car before, so was very thankful that I had that type of cover.
With the AA and have got the one that comes with carole nash insurance.
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