Joining the Automobile Association - A.A. - best package?

Dinarius

We have an 11 year old car that is regularly serviced and runs OK.

Thing is, my wife drives to Meath via the M50 once a week to see her mother and I'm concerned about her having any kind of breakdown on that 30 mile journey.

So, I'm considering joining the AA for the first time.

Any suggestions as to the best package?

Thanks.

ps. Apologies in advance if this is the wrong forum. Please move if necessary.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Firstly, check if your car insurance includes breakdown assistance as many do.

BRYAN Is Ainm Dom

Dinarius wrote: »

We have an 11 year old car that is regularly serviced and runs OK.

Thing is, my wife drives to Meath via the M50 once a week to see her mother and I'm concerned about her having any kind of breakdown on that 30 mile journey.

So, I'm considering joining the AA for the first time.

Any suggestions as to the best package?

Thanks.

ps. Apologies in advance if this is the wrong forum. Please move if necessary.

IMO AA are a rip off and offer a poor service. As Srameen pointed out check to see if your wife has this covered on her insurance and if not she could probably have it added on. I always have it added on my insurance and also my wifes, luckily I have never had any breakdown but my wife has had a couple and the insurance companies have every time been on the ball, unlike AA, took them nearly 3 hours to get to me one time on the M50.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Agreed. Breakdown assist via car insurance has been used by my wife and daughter for flat tyres, flat battery, etc and always a very prompt efficient response to them.

L1011

AA RescuePlus is a fantastic service - well beats anything a car insurer provides - but I wouldn't pay my own money for it. Normal AA membership is only a little better than car insurance ones.

dudara

Not a Consumer Issue. Moving to the Motors forum

dudara

CiniO

I was going away (driving) to Poland for about 50 day. I inquired about breakdown assistance within EU with AA, and was quoted over 200 euros. Mad money - never even considered going with them.
If I had a breakdown on a way 200euros most likely would cover the costs there and then.

mickdw

MYOB wrote: »

AA RescuePlus is a fantastic service - well beats anything a car insurer provides - but I wouldn't pay my own money for it. Normal AA membership is only a little better than car insurance ones.

What kind of service does it offer. In rural areas, all these rescue companies appear to simply operate through a local garage and as such I'm not sure how one service would be any better than the other.

CiniO

Few years ago my wife had an accident in my car in very rural place in Mayo.
I was insured with Allianz. We rang them, and they send recovery truck to get car out of the ditch and take it to the insurer authorised garage for inspection.
Unfortunately their authorised garage was in Swinford which is nearly 100km away from place of accident, and it was this garage which was meant to send a recovery truck.
My first call to insurer was about 8am. Recovery truck arrived at 1pm (5h later).
If my insurer bothered to contact more local garage, recover truck could have been there in 1 hour in the worst case.
So it might make a difference.

djimi

CiniO wrote: »

I was going away (driving) to Poland for about 50 day. I inquired about breakdown assistance within EU with AA, and was quoted over 200 euros. Mad money - never even considered going with them.
If I had a breakdown on a way 200euros most likely would cover the costs there and then.

It cost me €100 to get towed from Liffey Valley to Naas before. Depending on where you are, and the level of cover that you already have (probably none if outside of Ireland), €200 might not be all that bad. Its insurance; like everthing else you may never need it, but may be glad when you have it!

Dinarius

As always, thanks for the replies guys.

Will check tomorrow if car insurance includes any sort of breakdown assistance.

If not, then AA's roadside rescue, with free Rescue Plus thrown in, for €8.25 a month seems like peanuts to me for the peace of mind it would give.

http://www.theaa.ie/AA/AA-Membership.aspx

D.

Limbo123

Cant remember how much I paid but me and the better half are covered rather than the motors. It means if you are a passenger in a broken down car, AA will still come out. Also beneficial if like me, there are more than two motors in the house.
Have breakdown cover on insurance policies but find AA are more reliable and have got me out of a few jams. Unlike the majority of insurance breakdown recoveries, AA will try if possible to fix your car there and then.....

CiniO

Dinarius wrote: »

As always, thanks for the replies guys.

Will check tomorrow if car insurance includes any sort of breakdown assistance.

If not, then AA's roadside rescue, with free Rescue Plus thrown in, for €8.25 a month seems like peanuts to me for the peace of mind it would give.

http://www.theaa.ie/AA/AA-Membership.aspx

D.

8.25 a month is 100 a year.
In 3 years time you will pay 300 quid.

Assuming you will have one breakdown during those 3 years, it would probably come cheaper than 300 to get a rescue and pay on the spot.