Advice on joining the AA

C

ciara_gmail

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Hello Listers,

Can anyone please give me their experience in dealing with the AA? I think I'm going to use the money Ive saved on my premium this year to join.

I've heard that you can call them out for as little a thing as getting your keys locked in the car and the basics punctures, flat battery.

Would like to hear peoples experiences, good or bad!

Thanks
 
ciara_gmail said:
Hello Listers,

Can anyone please give me their experience in dealing with the AA? I think I'm going to use the money Ive saved on my premium this year to join.

I've heard that you can call them out for as little a thing as getting your keys locked in the car and the basics punctures, flat battery.

Would like to hear peoples experiences, good or bad!

Thanks
Click to expand...
JOIN! It is well worth it. I had them out recently and got me back motoring. I have only heard good things about AA. Check out their website. If a friend(existing member) introduces you to AA they will get 20 euro (i think) and you will get homestart free.
I also heard that if you are in a mates car that breaks down that car is covered under your policy-I would check this out first!
For peace of mind -Join.
 
The money is worth it for the piece of mind. However, your motor insurance policy may already give you breakdown assistance. Also, check out RAC.
 
I was with the AA a few years ago and had to call them once but they were a waste of time. Later that day I was going to the airport for a long haul flight so the breakdown timing couldn't have been worse.

I called, was told they'd be there in an hour - waited 2 hours, called back to see if there was any update of when they'd get there and they confused me with someone in Galway (I was in Dublin). Then they said they'd be half an hour. I waited another hour, called a friend to help and got home about another hour later. I called again when I got home to cancel but before I got the chance they said they'd be there an hour later!

I told them I wanted to cancel my policy but they said I'd have to wait til the year was up. A few months later my credit card was charged with another years subscription without any notification to me so I had to ring up again a few times to get them to cancel the subscription and refund my card.

Also, when I joined (at one of those stands in a shopping centre), I was told that if I signed up that day I could get free home start and free cover for someone else. I confirmed this with the man before I signed up but when the policy arrived in the post I was charged for both so I had to ring up to complain. They just said that the salesman lied and there was nothing they could do.
 
My own experience from trying to join was terrible - I approached one of those stands in a shopping centre asking for a leaflet of terms and conditions - sales man refused to give me one to study - he expected me to read one at the stand with him hovering and sign up there and then - I told him to stuff it and have never looked to sign up with them since - dreadful service.

I had roadside assistance with AXA and found it great the one time I had to call them out - hit a pothole on a back road in Finglas one night and blew out two tyres - their mechanic was around within 1 hour and he dropped me and my car to the in-laws - no charge. Now have a new car and am covered by VW Roadside Assist.
 
If you are going for it definitely check your car insurance. I get AA cover for around €50 through my insurance (AXA) as opposed to €150 odd to get cover separately - it seems to cover mostly the same. Had to call on them once and although they took a while getting to me i'd have been really stuck if i hadn't had the cover. Was 4am at night.
 
Only only go to the AA as a last resort is what I'd recommend.

As highlighted above, the best way to make the most of your money is to find out if your car insurance company has breakdown cover included in the cost of your premium.

Most companies now do, and that cover is the same as you'd get if you'd pay the AA.

And if your insurance doesn't have it included, they may have it as an option, which is most likely going to be less than what the AA are looking for.
 
I have had to call them out several times over the years. Flat battery, locking the keys in the car etc. No problems. Money well spent and well worth it for me.

I have a policy that covers 3 members of the family and we split the bill. When I joined, they allowed you to do this provided we were all living in the same house. I was economical with the truth (I lied) and gave the parental address.

I think they have now put in a maximum number of times that you can call them out in a year, but this seems reasonable to me. If you drive a crock, don't keep enough petrol in your car or if you don't maintain your car properly, you can hardly expect the AA to keep coming out to you, possibly at the expense of someone who is not constantly calling them out.

Alfa drivers be warned.

Murt
 
The whole homestart free thing until the end of the month is basically a scam that offer is always available. I have found their service to be less than good at times.

In country areas the AA don't actually do the call outs and its local garages with a vested interest in not fixing your car at the roadside but dragging your car into their garage to charge what they like.

Beware.
 
though that the AA was good value for money

the 2 associate members are a good idea as it reduces the overall cost


You can only call them out a max of 5 times in the year but I can understand that they cant replace a good service for the car

Good investment You can call them out if your battery is flat you run out of petrol or your exhaust falls off. For major stuff they will tow you to the nearest garage of your choice as long as that garage can take you in.
 
The wiper on the drivers side broke yesterday on the way to work – I couldn’t see out the window at all. I didn’t know if they would come out for a broken wiper but I called at 1.30 and they arrived in 20 mins. Fixed wiper temporarily – good enough until I get to a garage to get it done properly.
 
Check out both AA and RAC, when we checked we found that RAC would give cover for a second car for a minimal fee (EU25 i think), handy where you are a 2-car household.
My recommendation is to take out some coverage, in 10 years of driving I've had to call them out twice, firstly a winter night when the bearings died, they got the car running so I could go to my garage. The second time was after the spare tyre fell off the bottom of my Fiesta while driving on the motorway (car was sold very soon after), as I'd just had surgery I wasn't confident enough to re-attach it. Both times they arrived within 30-45 min.
 
Only thing with RAC is that the car is covered and not the driver

With AA the driver is covered in any car they are driving or as a passenger
 
a cheaper option could be to avail of the roadside assistance packages that some insurers now give aa an add on benefit if you do not have comprehensive and some provice it free if you have comprehensive.
 
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