Ive been with Greenflag for about 16 years and thankfully never needed them, I think they are the cheapest, unless you know otherwise, they should be as you get nowt from them, lucky to get a paper membership card each year.

However since its due again soon to renew, I got looking at AA, I used to be with them in the 1970s, I see they do a smart breakdown now whereby an app on your smart phone (if you have one) reads the ECU stuff from a plug in device they give you.Making it easier for them to work out what to do !

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/driving-s...om-the-aa/

nothing like that with the old Flag of Green, oddly enough I dont think I have EVER seen a Greenflag van on the roads

My current cover is about £70.56 for breakdown and recovery . . . . .is anyone cheaper than that? 2017 SEAT Ateca 4drive 2.0 xcellence (May 2022 -
2007 HSE with HST bodykit in Zermatt Silver 169,700 miles (dec 2016 - May 2022 )
2007 Honda Civic Type S GT (2012-2017)
2002 Mini Cooper S (2008-2012)
1992 Honda Legend 3.2i (2003-2008)
1990 Honda Concerto (1999-2003)
1985 Honda Accord (1997-1999)
1983 Honda Accord (1993-1997)
1983 Mini Mayfair (1988-1993)
1974 Mini 1000 (1979-1986)

Can’t think when I last saw an AA van on the road either! My wife called AA out recently and it was all done by local garages - initial assessment and two stages of relay recovery of vehicle to our own local garage. At the sharp end there doesn’t appear to be any difference in who does the call-outs between the various providers of road-side assistance services. 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

I thought that Green Flag only ever used local garages. Has anyone used LR Assist recently? I haven't for about 4 years but although they were branded LR Assist they had been sold to the AA and would preferentially be called to JLR problems but otherwise handled any call. They also had a set of spares wheels for any JLR car. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Hi ,I use Aviva rescue,about £88 pa,covers the policy holder and anyone else you name ,for any car your travelling in even if it's not yours.
we have both cars on the policy a F/L 2HSE and a Ford focus .
good value and always turn up even when I had a puncture at our holiday cottage in the depths of cornwall.
When the throttle body packed up and we needed recovery,a 90 mile journey from a service station to home was no bother,so it easily paid for itself.

Bob.

Telegraph quote - " Is it the future for preventing breakdowns?"

I guess it's OK for someone who doesn't really get too involved with their car's maintenance, but surely the "Smart device" from the AA can only read stored fault codes that any other decent reader can, they are in any case generally only relevant once you've actually broken down, It's not likely to give much information about a flat tyre either.

You can buy an OBD Bluetooth or WIFI link device, ELM327 or similar and a decent car scanner phone app for very little money these days that should give you just as much information. Or if you really take it all seriously you would have already invested in a proper dedicated system or device.

I for one wouldn't consider paying an extra £49 a year for their "Smart Device", having said that it's still useful to have the membership for that odd occasion when you might need a lift home in the big yellow taxi when something breaks that you can't fix yourself by the side of the road.

dorsetfreelander wrote:

Has anyone used LR Assist

Green flag now has a phone app so they know where you are.
I've been with them for years and always had good service, they transported my Disco 1 which was well muddy from off roading whereas AA and RAC won't, at one time they wouldn't pickup a twin axle caravan but Green Flag did.
Had free RAC from the bank so tried it when the Volvo V70xc had a problem used four different trucks to get us home (it was from Inverness) and one was a RAC truck. Common sense isn't very common.
_______________________________
2007 Land Rover Freelander2 I6 hse Auto

Been with Driver Guardian for several years - presently £65 for UK and £79 for full Euro cover. Only called them out once and this was for direct recovery - they brought me home as nominated garage was closed, but then turned out again on the Monday to move the car on.
Had previously been with the German outfit ADAC as they provided full Euro cover but then they stopped providing cover for non-nationals, or at least those without a German bank account.

dorsetfreelander wrote:

I thought that Green Flag only ever used local garages. Has anyone used LR Assist recently? I haven't for about 4 years but although they were branded LR Assist they had been sold to the AA and would preferentially be called to JLR problems but otherwise handled any call. They also had a set of spares wheels for any JLR car.

We went with the AA when we got the FL2 mainly because it is 12 years old so took out the breakdown warranty cover which covers (as I recall) 5 repairs up to £500 each a year, and got very good reviews.

It worked out for the FL2 at roughly £240 a year including complete AA cover.

Edit : having said all that I genuinely cannot remember the last time we ever needed to use a breakdown service, at least in the last 30 years..... Regards

David

Lovely i6 has now gone, but not me......

Please let me know if anything in my post offends you, as I may wish to offend you again......

A school mate joined the RAC as a motorcycle/sidecar patrol man in the early 1960s and signed up all his class mates including me. Although at 3 guinees a year it was quite expensive at the time (it still is expensive) I stuck with it and have been a member ever since. However, I have never had occasion to call them out so I don't know if they are any good.

I do far less miles now so on the next renewal I will look for something cheaper.

J

Anyone had recent experiences of a breakdown service. Green Flag, Gem and AutoAid have been recommended on various sites although recent independent reviews suggest they all have shortcomings in one respect or another. RAC offering 25% discount for next few days and am wondering if they’re any better? Never see them about, do they all contract locally?

I am old enough to remember that AA and RAC patrolmen (on their motorbike and side car) would salute you if you had their badge displayed on your car. You also had a key to the AA and RAC phone boxes. Things have changed a bit. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

I have been with Auto-aid for about 3 years, called them when my VW Transporter broke a driveshaft, they were with me within 40 mins loaded up my van & dropped it to the garage I use.

Couple of weeks ago my VW Caddy had a faulty injector, I called & they were with me within 50 mins (not bad for a Sunday)
Could not fix it so arranged to get it loaded up & taken 60 miles home along with me & my passenger.

Can't fault them at all, my renewal has just come in & its £59.99 so well happy with that. 2014 Freelander 2 HSE Orkney Grey. Now sold.

I keep pushing the escape button but I am still here.

NFU have a built in RAC cover, for an extra charge it can be extended to give home start and other benefits.

Or Tesco clubcard do a voucher scheme with the RAC