17 replies to this topic

[J808]

Hi all,

 

I am new to owning a mini, and looking to start using it more so looking for recommendations as to which is the best breakdown/recovery cover to have, as it seems quite a few dont like cars older than 20 years old.

 

 

[john2502]

Hi

I have recently used the RAC with my MPI and found them to be good, both times turned up within 30mins and the guys were knowledgeable and issues found/sorted quickly. I included the RAC breakdown cover with my insurance as was a reasonable cost for home start/recovery cover. May be worth seeing if you're insurance company do it as an add on at a decent price?

 

I've also heard people say good things about Green Flag but never used them myself. As ever it kind of depends on how lucky you get when you need them as to how busy they are etc, I'm sure people have vastly different experiences depending on the particular mechanic too. 

[slidehammer]

I am with the AA and have a policy that covers both my wife and I whatever ever vehicle we are in which is good as we have a 36 year old Mini and I also use a motorbike plus daily drivers and they have been fine when needed.

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

I'm with Autoaid.  Cost is very reasonable but can't tell you what their service is like as haven't needed to call them out.

[Shep76S]

Nationwide £13 per month account with free breakdown, home start, euro cover

[MatthewsDad]

I'm with Autoaid. Cost is very reasonable but can't tell you what their service is like as haven't needed to call them out.

AutoAid are beyond awful. They left me and my family stranded on the hard shoulder of an elevated section of the M6 for hours. They blamed me for not giving my correct location even though I was below a gantry and provided a mile post reference (they don't acknowledge the 100m posts as reference points, or what three words), it was terrifying. When they eventually found us (the control centre had given the driver a location miles away) they concluded they couldn't fix the problem - I had told them it was a complete electrical failure - and drove off. We waited for another hour to be recovered. The recovery driver took us off the motorway, told us his shift was over, and unloaded us into a car park. Another few hours with a gang hanging round the car and we eventually got taken home. They are a virtual business that is totally dependent on local third party recovery firms. Apart from that I'd recommend them.

[cal844]

I'm with the AA, we have a Gold cover policy (after 5 years membership). (I say we as there's 4 of us in the household, all under the same policy)

I get
Home Start (they'll get me going from home, instead of the 1 mile or so that is usually required)
Courtesy car
Any passengers taken home if needed
EU breakdown cover
And legal advice.

It's been used 3 times on our minis, once for brakes, once for a fuelling issue (drove home) and once for a snapped fan belt (bodged and drove home).

It covers the policy holder for any vehicle upto 3.5 tonnes (as far as I know they don't go heavier)

Hope this helps

Cal

Edited by cal844, 01 February 2023 - 09:40 PM.

[Steve220]

Greenflag. The AA and RAC call outs usually get ignored by recovery drivers unless they're genuine AA or RAC vans.

[minimat]

I work in the breakdown recovery industry and greenflag seem to be the best due to faster response times and do indeed jump the que over AA customers, they also will send a truck out for recovery 1st whereas the AA insist on sending a service van out even when the car is under warranty or the owner knows its terminal and cant be repaired at the roadside which wastes time and annoys people no end, sometimes people don't care if its reparable anyway as they plan to scrap it! 

Greenflag are also cheaper even though they charge a bit extra for older cars.

[MiniCarJack]

I'm with AA now, after having some atrocious experiences with a cheaper provider called StartRescue. I could write pages upon pages about StartRescue's woeful service, but I won't go to that level of detail here - I'd only say to avoid them and other similarly priced "middlemen" and go for either AA, RAC or Greenflag instead.

 

I've not had to use AA for my classic, but when my 2016 MINI Clubman picked up a nasty gash in its front tyre one evening, they were with me within 30 minutes, fitted a spare tyre (mine didn't have a spare and I've opted for conventional tyres rather than factory runflats), and they then escorted me to a tyre shop near my home so I could get it sorted the next morning. Perfectly happy with them so far.

[Vanman20]

I'm with Start but as yet I've not had to call them out so no idea how good they are

[coopertaz]

with AA personal cover so covers for bike and daily modern too. Only complaint is wait time long when i had to use them. fell into pit fall of older car with national breakdown years ago

[Woolfie 640]

I suffered a burnt valve on M6 and requested recovery 120 miles home . Due to bank holiday peak call outs they couldn't get me home till following morning. Would you mind staying overnight in the travel lodge they asked. Good night sleep then truck of shame home at no cost to me . A thumbs up from me for AA .

[J808]

thank you for all the suggestions and experiences, the AA are coming out much more expensive when compared to greenflag like for like

[J4 K3Y]

The head gasket on my mpi went in Reading (I live on the west coast of Scotland!). I had full AA cover so called them and they couldn’t have been any better. Put me and my then partner in a travelodge for the night with breakfast paid for aswell, collected us the next morning and got the car on the truck, started the long drive home and then the driver got a call asking if the customer would be happy with a hire car as they wernt going to be able to get the car back to Scotland that day. Driver dropped us off at an enterprise, we were given a car to get home with and the mini arrived at my house the next day. Couldn’t have been any happier with the service off them so would recommend the AA!