Absolute Rip Off

AA Breakdown Cover
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joymac's review of AA Breakdown Cover

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“Absolute Rip Off”

Written on: 28/03/2012 by joymac (2 reviews written)

AA -4th Emergency Service - that's a joke. In January this year my daughter, her husband, 18 month old baby & two friends broke down in the middle of Dumfriesshire & had to be pushed off the road by the local police. She eventually had to phone the AA as they were about 2 hours from home. Short version is that she had to take out membership PLUS roadside assistance PLUS Relay. This took so long to do that 2 of their mobile phones died.They text me & I had to try to deal with it from my home. They were left for 4 hours off the main road, in the dark, with no toilet facilities & no food & a toddler. this service cost them £112 to join THEN another £128 to be towed home - a whopping £240. This service can be bought for £69 on-line. She wrote to them to complain & eventually got a letter back saying that it costs more when you join at the roadside, not fair to their existing members blah blah. I appreciate it will cost more at the roadside but £171 more & abandoned for 4 hours - I don't think so. Their attitude stinks. Basically it was-we've got your money so tough. I'm appalled. Is there anywhere we can lodge this as an official complaint - anywhere with teeth is what I really mean

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Dh2011's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 30/03/2012

Hello there, the AA here. If your daughter and son-in-law have outstanding issues that they would like to address with the AA, we would welcome a call to our Member Relations team on 0844 209 0556.

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Louielegend's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 13/04/2012

if they were members prior to the breakdown would there service been any different, thats the reason people pay INCASE they breakdown like insurance you dont have your car stolen then get insurance!

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Guest's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 29/04/2012

What a non event of a review? What do you expect? Your daughter should have perhaps thought about joining BEFORE she broke down - that is the whole point of insurance - they are a private enterprise not a public sector emergency service to help people to stupid to think ahead. Maybe you took their emergency service marketing slogan too literally. This scenario happened to me and yes I took longer and cost me more money but I I have been a member since. I have called them 3 times and each time,nthey got me on my way... Great service.

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Hgvanman2012's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 30/04/2012

I'm with Louielegend on this one - no good trying to pay for insurance or breakdown service AFTER you need it. That £69.00 might have looked expensive and unnecessary prior to January but it would have turned out to be a bargain. They could always have phoned an independent garage for a tow and not joined any breakdown service - and probably spent more than £240 for doing so. Why phone the AA when they weren't members?
I don't see you have anything to complain about.

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Joymac's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 30/04/2012

I'm really surprised by the tone of the comments to my original post. If you read it properly My point was that it was expected that it would cost more to join at the roadside but not almost FOUR times as much. Also it took 4 hours to be rescued when they had a small baby. Of course they should have joined before they broke down but obviously we don't have the crystal ball that all you smart people have. There' s no need to be so rude and call us stupid. I only hope none of you ever make a mistake in your lives but if you do I sincerely hope you get someone like yourselves to provide assistance.

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Guest's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 04/05/2012

which idiot goes driving around with an 18 month old baby withoutany breakdown cover? you complaint is pathetic.

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Guest's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 30/05/2012

Try having a car accident then trying to make a claim!!! You have a brain dont you?

Dont expect previlaged service when you never bothered having the cover in the first place, and dont expect all calls on hold just because your family brokedown, be gratfull they have allowed you to join when you are already broken down!! Im sorry i am a member and you cant just expect outright service when someone else whos been a member and has broken down that person is in the list before you.
Advice let that be a lesson DONT drive without any breakdown cover, doesnt have to be AA. I think the AA are great.

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Guest's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 11/06/2012

If you want insurance for a breakdown, you pay in advance, not hope to get away without needing it. Seems like a fair deal to me.

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Guest's Response to joymac's Review

Written on: 04/08/2012

Ha, very funny review & response joymac,
People take out insurance ( also breakdown cover) as a just in case anything should go wrong. Not because we know we will break down. That's like saying I wont, bother with house insurance because i know my house won't catch fire or a pipe won't burst flooding the house etc. It's not a case of looking into a crystal ball and seeing the future. We take out insurance for PEACE OF MIND.

As for The AA charging 128 pounds to be towed home, That's because when you called them out you were not a member at the time, so like any company it's only fair to charge for the use of there service. As for the AA membership you also paid for, this starts from the moment you pay for it (in this instance you were cover started AFTER you had broken down). Let this be a lesson learnt.

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