Should I join the AA?

Daisy!

Just recently have a new car and not an overly experienced driver. I know how to fix a puncture etc and I have found a local mechanic but he doesn't have a tow truck and if I got stuck I don't really know anyone in Dublin that could help me out (I'm from the other side of the country). I guess seeing so many stranded/broken down cars in the last few weeks with the cold weather had made me realise how stuck I'd be if something similar happened to me!

Are most people with the AA? It's only 12-16 euro a month so cost isn't the issue (well it adds up but cars are expensive anyway!)...my insurance does have a tow service but it took them hours to get to my Dad the last time he needed a tow after a lot of phonecalls and hassle so I can't say they're too reliable.

Sorry if it's a stupid question, not long living here without someone to call nearby so only started thinking about it recently.

Thanks

Anan1

What's your car like?

Daisy!

Anan1 wrote: »

What's your car like?

Well I've only had it a few months but no problems whatsoever. Had a full service before I got it too. It's 7 years old now though but had very little mileage when I got it and it was well looked after. I make sure I look after it well too but I suppose it's the thought of it breaking down and me being helpless is why I'm thinking about the AA. No matter how reliable I think it is something could still happen. I'm with FBD insurance and they have a tow service but like I said they don't seem to be very reliable with this from my family's experience.

eire86

Yes you never no whats around the corner it really is a good idea to always be covered

Skuxx

Yeah for the price of it I think it would be stupid not to! I've been a member for 2 years and thankfully never needed it but I know the second I cancel it I'll by needing it!

L1011

Rescue Plus is extremely, extremely useful, hire car for 2 days or hotel and onward travel if they can't source a hire car. However its quite a lot more expensive than the standard cover.

Had to use them twice, once due to my own stupidity (not getting in to it, basically the patrol had the car going in 5 seconds, on my own driveway ) and once due to an actual mechanical problemn they couldn't sort, which is where the Rescue Plus stuff came in. Towed to a garage of my choice even though said garage was 80km away, and so on.

Anan1

Daisy! wrote: »

Well I've only had it a few months but no problems whatsoever. Had a full service before I got it too. It's 7 years old now though but had very little mileage when I got it and it was well looked after. I make sure I look after it well too but I suppose it's the thought of it breaking down and me being helpless is why I'm thinking about the AA. No matter how reliable I think it is something could still happen. I'm with FBD insurance and they have a tow service but like I said they don't seem to be very reliable with this from my family's experience.

If your car's reliable and you already have breakdown cover of some sort then i'd be inclined to say no. €12-16 a month is the cost of an annual service, after all. If it was something very old, rough, or exotic then maybe.

Daisy!

MYOB wrote: »

Rescue Plus is extremely, extremely useful, hire car for 2 days or hotel and onward travel if they can't source a hire car. However its quite a lot more expensive than the standard cover.

Had to use them twice, once due to my own stupidity (not getting in to it, basically the patrol had the car going in 5 seconds, on my own driveway ) and once due to an actual mechanical problemn they couldn't sort, which is where the Rescue Plus stuff came in. Towed to a garage of my choice even though said garage was 80km away, and so on.

Thanks MYOB. Does the standard cover not cover towing to a garage? Or would I have to get Rescue plus for that?

irisheddie85

If you just get the standard cover its only good for a jump start of tow to a nearby garage.

Once you leave the citys most of the AA cover uses local tow companys so your insurance break down cover will be just as reliable or not as the case may be.

My brother had AA cover the only advantage over the insurance was it covers the driver and not one specific car so when any car needed a jump he could call up give his details and they would be out to start it even if it is an uninsured, untaxed death trap

I wouldn't bother if I was you The cover provided by most of the insurers for free is just as good, most are not just a tow service. The AA can only do so much at the side of the road, anything other than a flat battery, out of fuel or flat tyre that requires a spare part and they'll more than likely end up towing you too. I've been an AA member in the past and found them fine, no finer than the basic insurance cover. Most of the insurers use garages/mechanics with tow trucks. They aren't going to send out some dude in a recovery truck without a booster pack and a vague idea how to open a bonnet

unkel

irisheddie85 wrote: »

Once you leave the citys most of the AA cover uses local tow companys so your insurance break down cover will be just as reliable or not as the case may be.

Good point. The reverse is true also though. From experience, if you need them anywhere in the Dublin area, the AA is with you within 15 minutes more often than not. And they actually try and get you going. The local tow company that insurance companies use only tow (or jumpstart at best) and could easily take hours

I've been with the AA for many years and I have only good things to say about them. Excellent service and well worth the money. Even a small cheap 7 year old car would easily cost €3,000 per year to own. What's another €100 for the AA on top of that?

MagicMarker

I've used my insurance on a couple of occasions and have had someone out to me within 30 minutes.

All I expect from a call out is to get me started on the side of the road or tow me to the nearest garage. My insurance provides this, I don't see why it's necessary to pay extra to the AA.

shanec1928

find a relative that would join as well get the best option and add them as a named driver and split the cost that way..

L1011

Daisy! wrote: »

Thanks MYOB. Does the standard cover not cover towing to a garage? Or would I have to get Rescue plus for that?

They'll tow you to the nearest/a nearby AA-known garage on the standard cover. They also won't help you within a (very small) range of your house without Home Start.

smokie2008

Daisy! wrote: »

Thanks MYOB. Does the standard cover not cover towing to a garage? Or would I have to get Rescue plus for that?

The Standard cover includes a repair if possible or tow to a garage of your choice to within approx 10-15 miles

irisheddie85 wrote: »

If you just get the standard cover its only good for a jump start of tow to a nearby garage.

Once you leave the citys most of the AA cover uses local tow companys so your insurance break down cover will be just as reliable or not as the case may be.

My brother had AA cover the only advantage over the insurance was it covers the driver and not one specific car so when any car needed a jump he could call up give his details and they would be out to start it even if it is an uninsured, untaxed death trap

Not really true, AA have vans in every county in the Country and the reason they use Garages is if the other AA vans are busy with other members they want someone to get to you as quick as possible. Which in nearly all cases is what the member that's broke down wants, quick attention.

RoverJames wrote: »

I wouldn't bother if I was you The cover provided by most of the insurers for free is just as good, most are not just a tow service. The AA can only do so much at the side of the road, anything other than a flat battery, out of fuel or flat tyre that requires a spare part and they'll more than likely end up towing you too. I've been an AA member in the past and found them fine, no finer than the basic insurance cover. Most of the insurers use garages/mechanics with tow trucks. They aren't going to send out some dude in a recovery truck without a booster pack and a vague idea how to open a bonnet

Not at all true. AA carry puncture repair kits on board for people with no spare's and repair it when possible. They also carry Coil packs, Batteries, wipers bulbs, break in kits, Cooling system pressure kits, Diagnostic computers and a lot more various tools you won't find 99% of other breakdown companys carrying.

unkel wrote: »

Good point. The reverse is true also though. From experience, if you need them anywhere in the Dublin area, the AA is with you within 15 minutes more often than not. And they actually try and get you going. The local tow company that insurance companies use only tow (or jumpstart at best) and could easily take hours

I've been with the AA for many years and I have only good things to say about them. Excellent service and well worth the money. Even a small cheap 7 year old car would easily cost €3,000 per year to own. What's another €100 for the AA on top of that?

My thoughts exactly

Paparazzo

I was thinking about it before, it's purely down to peace of mind. A quick check of their site says basic coverage is €150 a year. Not worth it for me anyway, especially with breakdowns covered in insurance. I needed it twice in 2 years and the tow guys do carry the usual stuff that covers 95% of breakdowns. It's even Europe wide.

smokie2008

Paparazzo wrote: »

I was thinking about it before, it's purely down to peace of mind. A quick check of their site says basic coverage is €150 a year. Not worth it for me anyway, especially with breakdowns covered in insurance. I needed it twice in 2 years and the tow guys do carry the usual stuff that covers 95% of breakdowns. It's even Europe wide.

That piece of information is based on what exactly??

I'm in the business I can tell you for a fact that most carry tools to remove a wheel and a booster pack to jump start a battery, thats it. I've seen guys that work for the insurance company going out to people with a flat tyre and bringing nothing but a flat bed truck to tow it to a garage.

Paparazzo

smokie2008 wrote: »

That piece of information is based on what exactly??

I'm in the business I can tell you for a fact that most carry tools to remove a wheel and a booster pack to jump start a battery, thats it. I've seen guys that work for the insurance company going out to people with a flat tyre and bringing nothing but a flat bed truck to tow it to a garage.

that's just a random number I made up. I've had them fix a flat tyre on a bike. Just checked the site, full AA coverage is €264 a year. Thats a lot of money I saved over the last 15 years driving! Having said that, if the insurance didn't cover me and I was doing a driving holiday abroad id get it.

smokie2008

Thats for the whole Deluxe Package which the OP doesn't sound like she needs. About €139 would do it for a years membership

2 stroke

RoverJames wrote: »

I wouldn't bother if I was you They aren't going to send out some dude in a recovery truck without a booster pack and a vague idea how to open a bonnet

Yes they do. Friend of mine had a panel beater sent out to her by insurance company. He wanted to tow her in, even though she was only out of fuel. Garage he was towing her to didn't even have a petrol pump. She insisted on being towed to nearest petrol pump, then she jumpstarted off of one of his truck batteries, with her own jump leads. guy had no booster pack, no fuel can, and didn't know how to jumpstart 12v from 24v.

I can do almost anything that a mechanic can do with a car but I'm an AA member for more than 10 years. When things go wrong with your own vehicle, you don't always want to get your hands dirty and are not usualy dressed to repair it. Great to have it towed home, get into hire car and get hands dirty another day.

hmmm

For peace of mind the AA is great. They've helped myself and the GF out on a few occasions, mostly diagnosing small repairs which were quick to fix but otherwise would have taken us ages (and money) to sort. I remember in particular he fixed a broken connector on the battery which had us scratching our heads.