I had the annual renewal tussle for the joint breakdown cover for me and the Mrs, every year its about £193 and I phone up and get the new members rate of about £100.
This year I was quoted the £193 again and looked on their site and new starter rate was £149, so I called them to cancel as I have only used the cover three times in 12 years, they gave me the cover for £85 if I stay with them 
So for a five minute phone call I saved a wedge, next call Virgin Media 
Drift:
So for a five minute phone call I saved a wedge, next call Virgin Media
I took the full monty package at a special £40 was told to down grade it when it goes up
Despite having the top drawer, wallet-busting European cover in place, they utterly abandoned me in Hungary in 2012. Fed me endless delaying BS, outright lies and empty assurances, then left me to sort it out off my own back. Never forgiven em, and will never use em again. 
Battle the AA when renewing your membership, give them figures off other motoring organisations which they will better or match.
I’ve been with the RAC for about 7 years.
And they’ve always done me proud.
Starter motor went on my car a couple of months ago when I was in Portugal. Got Euro cover through the bank.
Very impressed…
They paid for everything apart from the bill for the car fixing.
Hire car for 2 days, recovery itself, all taxi’s (about 120km’s worth).
Had AA cover years ago. They wriggled out of a recovery once so won;t touch them with a barge pole now.
had green flag for years only used them twice and both times top job service .
Was with the AA for years. Any vehicle cover.
Bought a Mercedes 508 and asked the AA if they covered it. After quite a lot of details passing back and forth, they agreed they would.
3 years later, it broke down. Diesel pipe fell out of engine. Needed a new olive. (Didn’t know this at the time)
They would not touch it. Decided to inform me that they would not touch vehicles over 3.5 tons.
14 hours on side of road, got recovery through Mercedes. They sent out a low loader to recover me back to wiltshire.
Was invoiced £870 for that recovery.
I fixed it in 2 hours with a 75p part.
Drift:
I had the annual renewal tussle for the joint breakdown cover for me and the Mrs, every year its about £193 and I phone up and get the new members rate of about £100.
This year I was quoted the £193 again and looked on their site and new starter rate was £149, so I called them to cancel as I have only used the cover three times in 12 years, they gave me the cover for £85 if I stay with themSo for a five minute phone call I saved a wedge, next call Virgin Media
I did the same last year and will be doing the same within the next 3 weeks, I’ve just had a quote from AA for £208, I’ve only had a quick look on their site but expect to get this down to around £100 to £115 with no loss of entitlements.
Companies take the ■■■■ with existing customers, earlier this year I saved £44 by buying my car insurance on-line, it was exactly the same insurance, same company and same broker but £44 cheaper than the renewal quote they’d sent me 
Autoaid, £39/year. Covers every eventuality excluding European. Not breakdown cover in the true sense of the word, consider it more like a breakdown insurance policy where you claim the costs back yourself. Long running thread on moneysavingexpert site full of praise. Only had cause to claim once but cheque was on the doormat 2 days after sending in the claim form.
Long time back when my vans were covered by Green Flag I stopped for fuel at a garage on the A1 and it would not start again, a wire had come unclipped and rested on the exhaust burning it through, I phoned Green Flag and they said they would send someone out, within ten minutes a fitter/mechanic arrived by foot (?) and found the fault and fixed it straight away. I asked how come he could be so quick and he said he was from the garage behind the pumps!!! For that I got a bill for £95 bloody quid 
Another time when I was well pleased was when I took out AA Gold Star Cover for a fortnight touring France in a camper van I borrowed off a mate, It cost £50 for the 2 weeks and it was over 15 years ago but the head gasket blew and the service I received was first class in every respect, delivered the van back to Whitby, we was put up in a posh hotel in Charteroux for three nights (3 of us) then a hire car to Caen which we drove onto the ferry to be met at Portsmouth by another hire car which we dropped off at Scarborough after a 2 night stay in Brighton (cos they cant expect me to drive all that way in one hit 
) which is way of the route and all expenses paid. They never made much out of my 50 quid !!!
We used the caravan club red pennant, broke down coming back from Italy this year. Picked us up moved to a caravan site for the night. Next day fights home from Lux hire car fron London to home, car and caravan back home following weekend total cost about 3000 euro.
They didn’t make a lot out of my £105 insurance but what a fantastic service
Drift:
I had the annual renewal tussle for the joint breakdown cover for me and the Mrs, every year its about £193 and I phone up and get the new members rate of about £100.
This year I was quoted the £193 again and looked on their site and new starter rate was £149, so I called them to cancel as I have only used the cover three times in 12 years, they gave me the cover for £85 if I stay with themSo for a five minute phone call I saved a wedge, next call Virgin Media
I would prefer to stay with them , but this year they have quoted me £200 and when I cancelled my membership best rate they would offer was £125 . I paid £85 last year ( after asking for a price match ) . As I can join the RAC for £85 ( including homestart and recovery ) not prepared to pay any more than this . Only recent call outs which I have made were battery issues . The AA seemed to do a much more thorough check than Greenflag . Greenflag just do a jump start , whereas the AA do a full diagnostic check on battery condition and charging .
The main reason AA and RAC do the “full diagnostic check” on your battery is so that they can flog you a new one…
N.I Express:
Drift:
I had the annual renewal tussle for the joint breakdown cover for me and the Mrs, every year its about £193 and I phone up and get the new members rate of about £100.
This year I was quoted the £193 again and looked on their site and new starter rate was £149, so I called them to cancel as I have only used the cover three times in 12 years, they gave me the cover for £85 if I stay with themSo for a five minute phone call I saved a wedge, next call Virgin Media
I would prefer to stay with them , but this year they have quoted me £200 and when I cancelled my membership best rate they would offer was £125 . I paid £85 last year ( after asking for a price match ) . As I can join the RAC for £85 ( including homestart and recovery ) not prepared to pay any more than this . Only recent call outs which I have made were battery issues . The AA seemed to do a much more thorough check than Greenflag . Greenflag just do a jump start , whereas the AA do a full diagnostic check on battery condition and charging .
I have been an AA member since September 1973 and each year the have match the RAC quote after a phone call, but this year they would only come down to within £50.00.So after 17th September I will be joining the RAC.
Dave the Renegade:
N.I Express:
Drift:
I had the annual renewal tussle for the joint breakdown cover for me and the Mrs, every year its about £193 and I phone up and get the new members rate of about £100.
This year I was quoted the £193 again and looked on their site and new starter rate was £149, so I called them to cancel as I have only used the cover three times in 12 years, they gave me the cover for £85 if I stay with themSo for a five minute phone call I saved a wedge, next call Virgin Media
I would prefer to stay with them , but this year they have quoted me £200 and when I cancelled my membership best rate they would offer was £125 . I paid £85 last year ( after asking for a price match ) . As I can join the RAC for £85 ( including homestart and recovery ) not prepared to pay any more than this . Only recent call outs which I have made were battery issues . The AA seemed to do a much more thorough check than Greenflag . Greenflag just do a jump start , whereas the AA do a full diagnostic check on battery condition and charging .
I have been an AA member since September 1973 and each year the have match the RAC quote after a phone call, but this year they would only come down to within £50.00.So after 17th September I will be joining the RAC.
Same here . The AA refused to price match either the RAC or Gem motoring assist . Joined the RAC five minutes ago . My father was an AA member for £50 years and when he died , the AA wanted to charge to transfer the policy to my mothers name . So much for loyalty .
Stay away from Gem motoring assist. Got in my car a few weeks ago to find the clutch cable had snapped, Had a choice of two numbers to ring, Gave the cheap one a try! No answer after a few minutes.
Rang the premium rate number, Had to listen to stupid waiting music for what seemed like an age. Finally spoke to someone who couldn’t really give a toss. My phone timed it at just shy of 15 minutes!! To cap it all the contractor they sent got lost and when I finally gave up and started walking I caught him skulking around the corner.
At renewal time I’ll find an aa salesman in a shopping centre. Usually get what I want for around 90 quid. Can’t buy though them if your policy has just expired thou.
I think it can work well to alternate between RAC and AA each year (playing one off against the other to “price match”).
I’m with Green Flag, can’t fault them. I broke down last month. Had my girlfriend and children in the car. We were going on holiday.
Recovery vehicle came out.
I said “Look, can you take us to where we’re going?” and he said “Well, no, you’ve only got basic cover so all I can do is to recover the vehicle and take you to a railway station or similar”.
So I said “Here’s £20, can you take us to where we’re going?” and he said “Jump in”. 
Ah, the old cash-in-hand instant upgrade
Roymondo:
The main reason AA and RAC do the “full diagnostic check” on your battery is so that they can flog you a new one…
I keep two cars , one in England , the other in Belfast . Both are regularly serviced ( one by a Ford Main Dealer ) .
On my Ford Mondeo , the lights were left on by mistake ( think my knee may have knocked the switch in error ) . The patrol man did a full diagnostic check and advised that the battery was in perfect condition . The vehicle in Belfast is used less regularly mainly for short runs and failed to start on two occasions as it had been unused for a number of weeks The diagnostic check revealed that the battery was not holding its charge . I was advised to drive the vehicle for at least thirty minutes to check . I asked the patrol man did they sell batteries and he advised that they were not the cheapest supplier . However , I was quite happy to pay the AA £76 for a new battery . Maybe not the cheapest , but I assume the AA would only fit good quality batteries and saved me having to do any shopping around .