Swinton - breakdown - complete shower of shite

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

I could have told my brother this if he'd asked me. He's with Swinton Insurance and also has breakdown cover with them.

So today he does indeed break down in horrific weather conditions. Calls up Swinton breakdown. They'll be there in 45 minutes. Hour later they phone to say they'll be there in 10-15 minutes. After an hour and a half, they phone to say nearly there. Few minutes.

After two hours and twenty minutes of leaving my brother by the side of the road in terrible and increasingly dangerous weather conditions, they say sorry, it'll be at least an hour till we can get there...

I personally would never trust this thieving shower of fucksticks with tuppence. And this emphasises why. After he'd pushed the bike three miles and left it in a carpenter's yard, walked another two miles to a place he could get a phone signal and then waited half an hour for a minicab, it was nearly five hours spent out in dreadful conditions.

And more than an hour after he finally got home, at least six hours after they got the original call, Swinton muppets phoned him to ask why he wasn't where he said he would be when someone eventually showed up...

Which is the worst case of breakdown company incompetence I've ever heard of. Am guessing Swinton phone a local recovery firm as to my knowledge they don't have a fleet like RAC, Green Flag or the AA. And they no doubt give priority to whoever is going to paying them the most.

But a pretty shocking state of affairs and one of the reasons I insist on continuing to ride my elderly RXS through all weathers - it's virtually indestructible and never lets me down (touch wood).
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chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

I waited here for 5 hours in torrential rain and hail when my bike shit itself.

Would have been quicker to push the bike home.

https://goo.gl/maps/rlTO9

ws4936 · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Karma :

ws4936 · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Karma :

All you needed was a tent Paddy. You'd have been set up then.
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27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

I know, I know, but I've been tempting providence for years with my old girl Laughing

Not saying the weather wasn't appalling and it wouldn't have slowed anyone attempting a recovery down. But this level of 'service' is absolutely shit. If you know someone is in an exposed area being lashed by the weather, at least be honest with them and say you're not going to get there so they can try to make alternative arrangements.

Swinton are a complete shower of cunts who I wouldn't trust to open a door, let alone insure me or rescue me if I ever conked out somewhere.
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Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

Which is why I am with the AA. Yes they have faults but it is their job, same as the RAC. Insurance companies, fuck that.

Even when I was with Carol Nash which included European breakdown cover I always used to get the AA's version while I was abroad.
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27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

Was with the AA for years. No idea how they fare as I never had to call them out. Moved to AutoAid on the recommendation of many here at BCF. Have never needed to call them either, as yet, but I like their way of doing things. Also like the way they agreed to cover me on a bike below their usual minimum limit of 150cc.
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Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

Until you need them you will never know!

My AA membership is around £140 a year for myself and the missus. That's personal membership so in any car/bike etc. including anyone elses as passenger. Roadside, recovery and home start.

We have 4 bikes and 3 cars. It's utter peanuts in that context.
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bikertomm · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jul 2010 Karma :

I had a good experience with the AA.

Had new rear disks fitted to my car at a highly rated local car garage (doing my bit) for quite a large chunk of money.

Was going to work thinking the brakes are feeling pretty bad.. meh, maybe they are just bedding in..

Come to a roundabout; my foot is pushing on the pedal like it's warped one's throat - I can actually feel the pedal bottom out and it physically cannot move any further and I'm still moving Shocked

At this point it was a swift change into first and handbrake applied gently and avoided everything.. Parked up called the AA and he was there within 25 mins and towed me back to the garage, I even fell asleep in the Van with him Laughing

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Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Sounds quite typical for recovery.

The good news is he might be able to claim £10 back from Swinton, subject to T&C.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

A friend had a PREBOOKED appointment with the RAC (vehicle abandoned at the time). They were 6 hours late despite the time being arranged. Nothing special happening that day.

bikertomm · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jul 2010 Karma :

bikersupermot... · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Karma :

covent.gardens · World Clap Champion Joined: 09 Jun 2012 Karma :

If the weather conditions were horrific like you say then you can expect recovery people to be very busy and you can expect a longer wait, it doesn't excuse the false claims of "we'll be with you in a few minutes" though.

Doovy · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Karma :

I had to call out my breakdown cover, which was included in my MCE insurance policy, this evening.

50 mins later an RAC van turns up with some petrol for me ( yes I lost the 'let's see if I make it to a petrol station in time game Laughing

) and a jump start for my bike (I'd flattened battery trying to start up again).

And that was in Central London at rush hour time. I recommend them Thumbs Up

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TheBikerStig · Crazy Courier Joined: 15 Dec 2011 Karma :

Had breakdown cover included as standard with my main insurance policy once. For this reason I didnt bother buying a separate breakdown one. However when I needed the help of this "included breakdown service" it only covered me for 10 miles. I needed to go 30 miles which they charged me £110 for. MCE this was btw, there was another topic on this forum somewhere about these wankers.
I got my money back in the end tho. When renewal time came I waited for them to give me a quote. Once they gave me the quote I demanded the £100 off for tuckin me up or I will go elsewhere. Rather suprisingly they offered me £80 off and 3 months additional cover. I dont know what the terms of this additional cover are with regards to extra milage.

Even with a proper breakdown policy they can tuck you up. I had a puncture and called them out, but they would only take me to the "nearest garage". They didnt stock the michelins I use so I ended up having to replace both tyres to a matching pair they had in stock. Bunch of bastards the lot of em.
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Shinigami · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Feb 2012 Karma :

had AA and Start Rescue.

AA took over 2 hours to turn up for a lil 125 in north manchester...really not out in the middle of nowhere at all grr.

Had to use start rescue twice, once on the 125 and once on the hornet, both were about an hour

however start rescue were/are less than half the price of the AA
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ViniH · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 04 Nov 2013 Karma :

Been with both the AA and the RAC alternately for a good 15 years. have had to used them from time to time (I used to buy cars from auctions for a few hundred and run them into the ground, rinse and repeat).

On balance I think I have had better response times from the AA than the RAC, but the service once they arrive (roadside + relay cover in all cases) has been about equal.
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ViniH · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 04 Nov 2013 Karma :

Peirre oBollox · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Karma :

I`m currently in negotiations (Haggling) with the AA over my annual renewal cost (roadside, relay, homestart), the initial renewal cost was £153 which included a 25% discount, so I told them I wasn`t renewing as I`m now with ADAC & asked them NOT to auto-renew my policy, so they dropped their price to a new offer of £86+, I still said I`d think about it, 2 days ago they phoned me up they offered me a price of £68+
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