RAC / AA membership - is it worth it?

[tgabber]

Considering whether to renew my RAC membership which comes up at the end of the month. I see the annual cost has gone up to 86 quid whereas last year I only paid 61 quid.

Only had reason to call them once in the last 12 months, when I broke my ignition key off in the lock and apparently I wasn't covered for that so had to pay up to get it sorted anyway.

Mechanically my bike has been 100% reliable, though I realise of course as it gets older the chance of things going wrong goes up.

So, is it worth the money? Does anyone use a better service?

N.B. This is not a poll...
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[headlamp]

I am with the AA.It covers you, not the vehicle/bike - so if you are driving someone leses car then you can call them. They are also OK for bikes. I had to call out the RAC (I was covered by them under Yamaha's Warranty) and they were very efficient.

It costs £105, for me and my wife. Well worth the piece of mind!
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[Bod]

I have recently purchased RAC cover. It is worth it for my girlfriend who if she breaks down she has help if I am not there. Plus if my bike breaks down I am covered.

[Bendy]

There are other, cheaper places that you can get cover.

That said, I'm with the AA cos at the time I couldn't be bothered looking at all the cheaper places. Suits me though, as it covers the car and the bike. But when renewal is up, I'll be reading all the small print to find out who covers me for the broadest range of things that could go wrong.

[jay12329]

I'm with the RAC, the left me stranded for 4.5hours when the clutch gave up! I was sat in a little cheff drinking nasty coffee on my own.
A male in a service station might not be a high priority but that was insane, i was at the junction of 3 major roads so there wasnt an access problem!
I got AA cover with my bike havnt used it yet.
J

[iCraig]

For me the RAC are crap compared to the AA.

When ever I've rang up the RAC when I've broken down, they have the habit of sending a normal patrol vehicle, which can't tow me home or take me to a dealer.
Even when they do send a Patrol Vehicle the driver than says Oh they don't let us touch bikes and then rings for a low loader or trailer to come and get me and the bike so I end up waiting twice!

The AA are better as soon as you mention your on a bike they send either a bike trained mechanic and/or a Van to take you and the bike home, OK I wait a little longer for the them to turn up but at least they dont keep me waiting twice!

[byke95]

I'd go with the AA, just for the fact that it's you they cover not the car/bike

Don't even consider Direct Line, terrible service - and they charged me extra just to get my car on the policy to.

[tgabber]

Just sorted it all out.

As my normal insurance is up at the same time I've taken out Bikeguard Plus cover as an extra on my normal policy (through Bennetts). This has only cost me 49 quid (as opposed to the 86 the RAC wanted). It also has the benefit of covering me throughout Europe

Oh and it's just taken me 10 minutes on hold to the RAC just to get through and cancel my membership.
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[Bendy]

Would that be the Bennetts Bikeguard Plus that charges you for every mile over the first 15 your bike needs to be taken?

No, they didn't mention that when they sold it to me either. Only when I rang to get my CB recovered to the dealership did it crop up in the conversation.

[tgabber]

[Bendy]

Have a look at the small print when they send the bumf first, it may have changed (mine was a few years ago).

[Adam_P]

I'm covered on the bike through Yamaha Assist, but that comes under the warranty and I'm also insured through Yamaha, so I couldn't really be more covered!

However, I've just been renewing my car insurance and have had breakdown/roadside cover for the last three years. But... I wanted a lower quote so I have just got insurance this time and am thinking about the AA & RAC. I called the other day and the AA currently have a promotion so that it currently 10 quid cheaper to join them than the RAC at the minute. (However, they are about to be sold off, so prices might change, up or down!)

I found that the insurance breakdown cover was actually really crap in the small print. If I broke down all they would do is take the car to the nearest garage and then I had a massive 20 quid to spend on a taxi or train fare to get me home.
No good to me if I'm working in Scotland or somewere else really far away from me and I need to get home.

I called Green Flag too as they're the next biggest breakdown service and its service was nearly identical to my insurance one!

Which meant I'd still have to get myself home and then go back to pick up my car.

And before someone points it out, yes, it might be more expensive getting seperate cover as well as insurance cover, but I can use it on any vehicle and KNOW that I'm going to get home. (And it actually works out cheaper than my initial insurance renewal quote!)
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Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
God is imaginary

[tgabber]

[karen_moomin]

I've been in the RAC since I passed my driving test back in 1998. It's well worth it, just for peace of mind. I know that if I'm out on the road on my own at night, miles away from home then I can call them.

I've only had to call them out once, and to be truthful they were no help at all, but that was because my car was well and truly gone and needed specialist attention from Citroen.

My brother used to drive a Y reg Nova (he's not a boy-racer though, honest!!) which was a bit of a shed and had some issues such as the lights failing one night (scary!), the accelerator getting stuck (even scarier) and it not starting (just plain annoying!). He used to call them out all the time and they'd sort him.

I haven't actually looked into it yet, but I'm guessing that my RAC cover covers me for my bike since it covers me not a particular motor.

So yeah, I'd say it's worth it for peace of mind. It's always worth shopping around though if you want a better price (I'm just lazy so have stuck with the RAC!) and always make sure you read the small print so you know what you're covered for (something I need to do!)

[Kickstart]

Hi

We have been with the AA and the RAC. The AA are OK, but not keen that they will now charge you for recovering a vehicle after an accident (they expect you to claim from your insurance).

The RAC took 4 hours to pick me up the last time I called them. This was a summer weekday evening on a main road. They cannot have been busy as a van went past me and went to the pub I had been going to and then spent half an hour chatting to people. They "forgot" that I had called them. And this was on mine and Charlottes joint membership which was based on her disabled badge and should have provided priority service. This was not an isolated incident as around the same time a relative was also forgotten by them.

Now with Direct Line. Only called them once and they were fast and efficient. OK, they also charge for recovery following an accident but they are cheaper than the AA.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[G]

I'm with international breakdown. They charge £66 for personal cover.
This includes any vehicle + trailer, whether you're the driver or passenger as well as seven other people in the vehicle.
They also cover you after an accident, which I believe the AA don't.

So far they've been pretty good for me, got my money's worth; definitely better than stories I've heard off from the AA/RAC.

[McJamweasel]

[sv_cath]

[iCraig]

They never charged me when they recovered my GS for me, that was 2 years ago in August 2002 though, may have changed since then?

[Laura]

Well I have used the rac a few time once for transport home from reading they have been pretty good. I think any breakdown cover is worth it's weight in gold.
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Good girls ride motorcycles bad girls thrash them.

[John]

I'm with the AA. Cost £42 I think, well pleased so far.

When my chain came off they arrived in under an hour (as they should). They then took me home, then three days later at half an hours notice came back to my house and took my bike to a garage for me.

Quality service.
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[Flip]

The AA are great, I haven't drank since... I mean... erm... The AA are great, peace of mind is worth every penny. Their quick too