written by Ziggydoodah on 13/10/2022
Phoned Swinton breakdown yesterday as car would not start. As I was already at work, I wasn't too bothered, regarding how long it would take for them to arrive. Phoned at 3pm and the repair guy was out at 4.50pm after being stuck in traffic for 45 mins in City centre. He had the car working in 10 minutes. Advised I would need a new battery. Justified as it had been the same battery for 10 years! He was friendly and courteous. I dont have anything negative to say. If anything I was very impressed. Its a shame we can't name the staff members as this guy was a credit to his company.
written by on 07/12/2017
Very very poor service exhaust needed 1 nut to make safe and Swindon could not help then the guy from sos motorcycles said he didn’t want to help because he didn’t want to get blamed for anything . This is madness over 1 nut . Would never recommend this company to anyone waste of money and time
written by Layner1960 on 07/02/2017
I have had Swinton breakdown cover for two years and never made a claim , last night I put 20 litres of petrol in my diesel vw , I rang Swinton breakdown number and was told I was NOT covered for misfueling and would be charged £215 for the service ,my problem was solved by my son in law pumping out most of the petrol and then I filled up with diesel ,SORTED , as soon as I got home I cancelled my direct debit with swintons , also I WONT be renewing my car insurance with them ,lousy service ,AVOID AT ALL COSTS , GO WITH A PROPER BREAKDOWN SERVICE!!!!!!
written by Mateos490 on 07/12/2016
This cover was probably the worst policy I have ever had. On one occasion I was refused cover on the basis of the type of fault, leaving me in a very difficult decision on holiday, away from help and with a young child to consider. On another occasion refused cover based on exceeding maximum callouts, until they realised that they had miscalculated and that we hadn't actually exceeded our annual callout limit (this was also the first time they had ever mentioned such a limit). Do not take this policy - other more reputable organisations offer similar priced cover.
written by Whitehe149 on 27/11/2016
Called for recovery, told 60 mins. Picked up 95 mins and dumped at services 15 miles away. Then waited another 90 mins for another recovery firm to complete the journey. Cancelling immediately. Do not use!!
written by Lola457 on 11/11/2016
I cancelled my policy this morning as wondered what on earth I am paying for!!! I phoned up as had a slow puncture to find out that apparently I don''t have Homestart!! Weird, as last year somebody and out a couple of roads away and repaired a flat tyre!! The guy on the phone said I needed to therefore be a mile away from home to which I replied ok I will call you tomorrow and hopefully tyre will hold out until then!! He then called back leaving a voicemail stating that his Manager said they will not come out at any point to repair/change tyre!! I have lodged a complaint, cancelled direct debit and chosen other breakdown recovery for less than Swinton and get Homestart included!! Save your money!! Useless!!!
written by hixson2010 on 02/08/2016
After I read the reviews,my own expectation was not great,but when my recovery turned up within the hour I was chuffed to bits,lovely guy,recovery followed me home,and when my car did die at a junction,he quickly helped.can praise enough thankyou.ps I also had 3kids in the car.
written by Danayr on 28/07/2016
I am a black cab driver in london, I broke down last night called Swinton recovery who told me I would get a recovery vehicle in 1 hour, all good, 5 minutes later I got a call to say it would be 1.5 hours, here we go. After 2 hours I called them and they said there agent were held up in traffic and would be 10-20 minutes, 25 minutes later still nothing so I called again, as you can imagine I was not to happy even more so when the operator hung up the phone, so I called again this time I was told the same the driver was in London near me and would be with me in 5-10 minute. Yippee after another 20 minutes they arrive in total it took 3 hours. I lodged a complaint and a manager called me, to my surprise he tried to make the same excuses, traffic, call volume but all I wanted was a reason why they continue to tell client of different arrival times throughout there brake down and still do not make those promises either they or there agent just continue to lie please do not use these DA
written by Pippin26 on 19/03/2016
I am absolutely disgusted by the service of Swinton Breakdown Recovery ,as a lone woman I broke down on my way back from finishing work at 10pm as I live in a rural location I did not feel safe sat alone in my car. The operator said 60 -90 minutes I said I was alone and I got told that is normal time ! Thankfully a nice family came to my rescue and towed me home. It took me over 45 mins to get through to the call centre to advise that I no longer needed help. I am going to cancel advise other lone women drivers to also do the same!
written by EanHensley on 20/11/2015
So called "local garages" is a joke - really bad value for money, wait, rubbish value for money! I have a 796cc car, the idiot I spoke to on the phone said "Is that actually a car" followed by, are you towing a Caravan??? They just follow a script and read it like robots and have no local knowledge of where you are - seemingly can't use maps either. Worst thing? 0 priority for lone women. The "local" garage they proposed to use was not only nearly two hours away!
written by 421Morris on 09/10/2015
Everything on dash was saying dont proceed.. Call for help. Rang for help and requested lifting as automatic and over 60 miles from home. This was agreed on phone. Over 4 hours later get a phone call to say they were on their way. Half an hour later van ordinary recovery truck not capable of lifting, turns up with a man you scratched his head and basically said the engines running so cant help. After numerous phone calls and basic banging of heads he told us to drive off and if we broke down again to give them a ring but they were busy and had another 70 calls before us so it would be at least another 4 hours. By driving off I then would have no signal to phone as remote area and besides he was out of time. Totally unfit for purpose, the man on the phone even said ..what do you expect me to do about it.. Totally useless and dangerous... Do not use in any lifetime.. Limped home on Limp mode having to stop several times taking over 3 hours to go 60 miles. I had a pensioner as passenger also and they were aware of this. It turned out to be the alternator.. I complained and they offered me £10 for late arrival ... Words do not go far enough!
written by RyleeLindsay on 01/10/2015
last night I had a flat tyre and called the breakdown number. The lady was most helpful but the recovery driver was not very helpful. \i think he was about to finish work and couldn't be bothered to deal with it. he put down on the paperwork that no spare wheel. There was but he couldn't get it off the car. He took us home in the recovery vehicle and whilst driving home he rang his partner to say he would be home in 1.1/2 hrs. Obviously he was about to finsih and didn't want to delay his finish. Would not recommend this to any friends or family.
written by bxBird284 on 24/07/2015
Broke down at 1pm. Agreed with pleasant lady at 1.05pm that a hire car would be arranged for me to continue my onward journey. Further call from Swinton at 2.15pm to agree arrangement of car hire. Team Manager then called back to ask why I didn't just go home rather than complete my journey. Team manager then assured me (at 3.15pm) he would call back to arrange onward journey. Waited one hour - called back but the person I dealt with on break. Waited another half hour, he was still on break. Waited another hour, he was away from desk, but insisted I stay on hold until he returns. He returns and asks why I can't just arrange my own car hire? 5.45pm (still waiting in garage) he calls garage and asks if they'll give me a courtesy car - garage manager laughs. 5.47pm vocemail firm the person I dealt with saying that, "I think the garage are happy arrange a courtesy car". I gave up at this point.
written by Swinton on 21/07/2015
Took over 4 and a half hours after promising within the hour. Many lies told by operators. I had broken down in West Midlands operators sent recovery truck to Oxford. We were two lone women in car. Many phone calls to them and every time being told it would be 40 min. Nobody ever arrived until the last phone call at eleven o'clock. The recovery truck person then phoned me and said the operators had only just contacted him. He said it is happening all the time they lie to people, and that's why he phones the person who has broken down starlight away so as to let them know that the operators have only just asked him to go to the job. Don't trust them!
written by Katier88 on 23/02/2015
Broke down at 1830 called swinton at 1857 someone finally came out at 11pm although I was first told someone should be out within the hour. We were then taken to the next services and dumped there and then had to wait a further hour and a half to get picked up again. In total it took 6 and a half hours from first phone call to getting home at 230am. I wouldn't recommend this cover to anybody they really don't care about their customers
written by Meghan101 on 24/01/2015
I broke down with my large scooter approx 16.20 nice sunny day in September so no reason for recovery to be extremly busy, when I phoned Swinton was told 50-60 mins then 20 mins later to 1h 20 from. Then a further 20 mins later a call from actual b/down company to say no motor cycle specialist available did I want to wait or be rcovered I opted for recovery as thought was roadside repair not possible I was then given an ETA of 1h 30 a further call gave an even later time taking ETA to after 19.30 The 1st call had been extremely long and so far I considered they had gained very little information as to my exact position, my phone battery was going down rapidly and still expecting calls to locate me so I phoned my wife to call a local revery service and for her to collect myself although they had 35 miles to travel bike was loaded within an hour. I did have the curtesy to phone Swinton to cancel the call out.
written by NoeMiles369 on 10/01/2015
My daughter broke down. First said it would be 90 mins, then said they couldn't find her, she was 15 miles south of wetherby but when the recovery Man called her he said he was coming from London!!!! She was alone and very frightened sat in the dark. They finally turned up 3 hours later. Terrible service - will be cancelling immediatwly
written by dale1920 on 05/12/2014
Broke down 2.37PM recovered 9.45PM on M25 Told lie after lie Breakdown service they TREATED ME LIKE A PIECE OF DIRT
written by brittons on 25/11/2014
Got a puncture was told an hour. Still waiting almost 2 hours. Rubbish service might cancel all my 3 policies not happy!!!!
written by Mandydyy on 01/11/2014
Broke down and the c*cksuker's turned up 6 hours later and could not get car running and had to wait another 3 hours till they got a recovery out to me.
Once we've checked over your question we will put it live on the site and our strong community of experts will hopefully give you some great answers that you find useful.
We will email you when the question is on the site
Once we've checked over your answer we will put it live on the site so others can gain from your experience. We rely on members like you to sustain our vibrant community so thanks again, we couldn't do it without you.
We will email your when your answer is on the site
As rated by our community of reviewers