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“Great if you never need them!”

written by CABCEO on 14/10/2013

I have been with this service for the past 7 - 8 years since they were recommended on MoneySavingExpert.com but I have never broken down, so have never needed to call them out. When my daughter bought her first car recently, I had no hesitation in buying her breakdown cover, as mine, with First Call GB. Unfortunately, she did have a problem and on calling them was promptly required to pay £140 up front before they would send someone out to her. She had quite honestly told them that the car had just been in the garage for a new water pump and timing belt. The problem she had was a noise from the rear of the car and her ABS light on. The guy who attended did not have a jack to properly jack the car up and examine her rear wheel but instead drove it around to block and told her - the problem was with a rear wheel. Neither did he have an ABS scanner to get a fault code. He then left her with no onward transport home and no arrangement to take the car to a garage. A friend kindly arranged for a mechanic to take the car to his garage, where the diagnosis was a collapsed wheel bearing - clearly nothing to do with the recent water pump and timing belt replacement. Nearly a month later, First Call GB have still not refunded her £140, so we're just revving up for County Court action. This is not a breakdown service. At least Highway Robbers wore a mask! The cost of repair was £110. The cost of them was £140 + the cost of the policy. I will not be renewing my cover - nor hers - I prefer to deal with reputable, responsible organisations.