Nearly three months after I took delivery of my Yeti I have received my three-year Skoda Assistance card and related blurb today. As a long-time RAC member is it something I can afford to ditch my RAC membership for do you think? Hopefully I'll not need it, but whilst I apparently have free Skoda/RAC cover, I don't want to be paying more than I need.

Any thoughts out of personal experience.

Cheers, PB

Hi Petrol Blue,

Both our cars have Skoda Assistance so my first inclination was to cancel our RAC membership although upon reflection this would have left my motorbike without cover.

When I rang the RAC and explained my predicament of having Skoda Assstance they reduced my annual renewal premium quite considerably.

Personally I cannot see the point of continuing your RAC cover unless other vehicles are involved.

Shanco

Skoda assist is the RAC, as is Audi, VW and Seat sometimes you are attended by an Audi assist silver van and sometimes an orange RAC van. 

I still keep up my ADAC membership as it covers me in any vehicle worldwide for about €75. I'd ring the RAC though, when my dad's had similar deals from other manufacturers in the past, the RAC have been able to suspend his account.

I've been fortunate to have bought two cars from new.  The X-Trail came with included Green Flag, the Yeti with Skoda Assist.  I both cases my decades-old AA breakdown etc has been suspended, whilst the actual membership has been continued for all other AA benefits.  I would imagine the RAC would offer a similar arrangement?

I had to call Skoda Assist last Saturday when my passenger side window refused to stay closed, they said they would be there in 4 hours, they turned up within 1 1/2 hours. it took him a while to get the window closed and advised I seek technical support from a Skoda dealership, but they were better at response, diagnosis and resolution than previous Green Flag call outs on previous vehicles.

 

I once called out Green Flag on my Renault Laguna because it wouldn't start. they turned up 2 hours later with dodgy jump leads and then had to call for another vehicle, this turned up another 2 hours later. Bloody terrible service.

 

The AA, on the other hand.. - My Renault Megane Scenic blew the something on the coolant system, this was years ago and I had steam coming out from under the bonnet. They responded within 30 mins, patched it with a temporary replacement, refiled the coolant and followed me back home and then checked the patch and concluded I was fine to get it to a local garage at low speeds once the engine had cooled.  Cannot fault them.

 

I would - with choice go with the AA. but as Skoda Assist is free and not that bad, I'm fine with them supporting my vehicle.

Thanks for the thoughts, people. I'll have to see if my RAC membership is inextricably linked to my wife's car, or if there might be a financial reduction whilst I have Skoda Assistance.

My experiences with the RAC have been very good in the rare occasions I've needed them. They have always arrived well within the time initially stated, though how much of that is down to 'managing expectations' and gaining 'customer satisfaction' I don't know. The last occasion was with a shredded front tyre on my Passat after clouting a traffic island instinctively avoiding a youngster on a bicycle that suddenly came off the pavement onto the road in front of me. My only other previous 'puncture' experience was many years ago when a tyre blew out at speed in the fast lane on the M1 (not a nice experience, believe you me!!) Hence my insistence on a fitting a spare for the Monster. PB

If you don't need cover for another vehicle, phone RAC and ask for either a refund or suspension. I did this a few years ago with Green Flag when a car I bought had breakdown cover included. When it ran out, I resumed the Green Flag cover with no problem.

 

Worth a try anyway

 

Simon

Yep I did the same with Green Flag and when I resumed the cover they sent me some cash back because the car was newer (less risk)