I've had various dealings with breakdown companies over the years - mainly through work.   SWMBO's car is now covered by SkodaAssist, and we haven't had to use them yet.   Our lease/management company seems to use AA & RAC, and send whoever can get there quickest - which is sometimes a local contractor.   The majority of the time it has been a reasonably good experience, but not on a sunny Saturday morning in 2012.

 

The worst experience I had was a flat tyre on my company car (no spare, just a bottle of gunk which wouldn't touch the big hole from a chunky nail).  I rang the helpline and they quoted me 3.5 hours to get someone there.  Naturally, I told them to f*** off, I'd make my own way home (I was already there, but they didn't know that) and deal with it tomorrow as we were supposed to be going out in 2 hours.   Change plans and take wife's car to cousin's birthday.

Sunday morning, I rang back to arrange a repair and AA chappy turns up.   Short discussion about whether the car (and me) need to accompany him to the tyre place (think it was ATS?) which was 1.5 hours away as most of them are closed on a Sunday.   After checking I don't need the car urgently (I said 05:00 Monday), he eventually disappears with wheel, returning many hours later (after he's been home for Sunday lunch?) with a repaired tyre. 

 

I tried to make a complaint, but apparently after I'd 'declined' help on Saturday, no call was logged.   The Sunday callout which worked ok was a 'new' call, so there weren't any records to confirm my version of events.

Personally, I have used many assist companies, whoever the insurance company supply really. I have found them all good, being a guy I expect to wait longer than a woman on her own, my wife is usually rescued quite quickly wheras I have waited a couple of hours before. Personally I keep quite an arsenal (puncture plugs, VCDS on an old laptop, mini tool kits) of emergency materials in the pockets in the boot and under the false floor so I can fix most problems and get the car at  least to a get you home/to a services state.

 

I have however found that the AA means you have to wait for the AA to have a guy free, RAC/RAC guy, but for the more generic companies they use any firm but they arent branded so they tend to be quicker.

Haven't seen any mention, but Adrian Flux do Flux rescue at around £68 for non policy holders and £54 ish for policy holders. Home start/breakdown and recovery.