Anyone recommend good breakdown cover, now my Skoda assist and warranty has expired ?

[studmuffin]

Well I've had my octy vrs a year now, so my Skoda assist and warranty has now expired...

 

So was wondering which are the most reliable/value for money breakdown cover that you can buy.

 

Was thinking of the AA, because they were pretty good when i had to call them out via Skoda when my water pump went on my vrs after only having the car a week..AA Good, but expensive !

 

Groupon got a deal with emergency assist for about 35, home start, etc, etc, worth a punt ?

[ahenners]

6 minutes ago, studmuffin said:

Well I've had my octy vrs a year now, so my Skoda assist and warranty has now expired...

 

So was wondering which are the most reliable/value for money breakdown cover that you can buy.

 

Was thinking of the AA, because they were pretty good when i had to call them out via Skoda when my water pump went on my vrs after only having the car a week..AA Good, but expensive !

 

Groupon got a deal with emergency assist for about 35, home start, etc, etc, worth a punt ?

 

I went with the full AA package. They also do a breakdown repair warranty too which covers the first £500 of a claim with a £35 excess. Think I paid £190 for the year with the full AA + breakdown repair warranty.

[studmuffin]

35 minutes ago, ahenners said:

 

I went with the full AA package. They also do a breakdown repair warranty too which covers the first £500 of a claim with a £35 excess. Think I paid £190 for the year with the full AA + breakdown repair warranty.

Was leaning towards this one, but I've just spent £200 on 2 front tyres !

 

Have you had to use the breakdown repair warranty ?

[ahenners]

28 minutes ago, studmuffin said:

Was leaning towards this one, but I've just spent £200 on 2 front tyres !

 

Have you had to use the breakdown repair warranty ?

 

I feel for you! I'd just bought 4 when mine was due for renewal. Expensive month

 

Not yet, which is typical because no doubt if I'd not taken it I would have needed it. I've heard good things about it though from other internet forums etc. 

 

I'd have taken the Skoda insured warranty, but £800 is laughably expensive.

[gregoir]

The AA are reliable in my membership experience since 1973 and have helped me promptly on a number of occasions in my vehicle and others. They are not the cheapest, but I am happy with them.

[Rodge]

I've always used AutoAid as recommended by MoneySavingExpert.com. They're cheap and good.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car-insurance/breakdown-cover/#BBtwo
https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/

[xman]

I took out Skoda finance originally (and cancelled 5 days later), and got Skoda assist (AA) for the 3 yr warranty period. When that was coming to an end AA sent a letter inviting to take out full breakdown cover for some pittance £39 or £59 maybe I think, provided I set up a direct debit and not cancel it. Took the cover (never needed) and at end of year, next years cover shot up to something ridiculous about £300 obviously hoping that I was too lazy to do anything. Cancelled, even their 30 or 40% further off begging  when offered was still too dear.

 

Didn't do anything for next 20 months, until son reported one off possible problem when driving so pronto added Aviva full cover (RAC) for remaining 3 months of insurance, £13 iirc. Turned out nothing wrong with car, son was tired and had tried to brake to a halt with the car still in gear forgetting to de-clutch. Just returned from a month abroad with automatics.

 

Next renewal, combined insurance and breakdown shot up, full breakdown was around £130 iirc. So got onto topcashback, direct to LV got excellent quotes and full UK LV breakdown cover for £63 iirc.

 

LV breakdown cover is available separately for a bit more (plus get cashback with Topcashback or Quidco). LV Brittania rescue, very highly rated in reviews and surveys, google it..

[Wangarai]

AutoAid, as per Rodge's recommendation. They insure the driver, not the car, which is great. You also get free cover for your partner/spouse and is a bargain at forty-odd quid. We used the cover last week for the first time (since joining in 2013) when my wife's car broke down 1 mile from home - great service. 

[Mark7]

Not sure if its the same over in UK but in Australia for every year the car is serviced by Skoda the breakdown cover carries on for that year until the end of the warranty period, 5 years for us in AU.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Mark7 said:

Not sure if its the same over in UK but in Australia for every year the car is serviced by Skoda the breakdown cover carries on for that year until the end of the warranty period, 5 years for us in AU.

 

Haven't seen this with Skoda but a year breakdown cover is included with SEAT's servicing if you book online.  Like everything in life tho it's worth reading T&C  (booking online with SEAT means paying full servicing price) so might work out cheaper having car serviced to recommended specs elsewhere and go with someone like AutoAid (or RAC or AA etc who always seem to offer special prices for new customers for 1st year).

[SnailUK]

As mentioned above, just keep your eyes on the deals and vouchers sites. I'm sure I got my AA membership for 50% off through quidco on a flash deal they had ages ago.

[Robjon]

4 hours ago, Mark7 said:

Not sure if its the same over in UK but in Australia for every year the car is serviced by Skoda the breakdown cover carries on for that year until the end of the warranty period, 5 years for us in AU.

 

For us lesser mortals in the UK, breakdown cover (Skoda Assist) lasts for only 3 years from the date of purchase.  Even if a 4 or 5 year Skoda extended warranty is bought at the time of purchase, there will be no breakdown cover during years 4 & 5.

[SlimAdy]

One thing to possibly bear in mind is any extra benefits you get - AA membership gets you discounts at a number of restaurants (e.g. 20% off Harvester), discount cinema tickets, 10% at Halfords etc. For me, the discounts more than cover the cost of my (basic) cover over the course of the year. 

[ahenners]

1 hour ago, SlimAdy said:

One thing to possibly bear in mind is any extra benefits you get - AA membership gets you discounts at a number of restaurants (e.g. 20% off Harvester), discount cinema tickets, 10% at Halfords etc. For me, the discounts more than cover the cost of my (basic) cover over the course of the year. 

 

This. We go to harvester quite regularly. Shame Miller and Carter is no longer on there, we made very good use of that and it probably paid for the membership twice over.

[gregoir]

I  do not have the full AA package, but have breakdown and relay. Flat/failed batteries have generally been a source of problems at home only and I've managed to recharge them and get the cars going. The cost is iirc £150 pa for joint membership.

[studmuffin]

Was thinking of renewing with autoaid again as i was with them a couple of years ago when i had my old pd vrs...however i was not too impressed when i had to call them out twice....

 

The guys that came out, I'm my opinion, were not that knowledgeable, 1st callout, didn't diagnose cambelt fault, 2nd time, my starter motor packed up and the guy that came out wasn't too happy, as he was at the end of a 10 hour shift, he had a row with his boss about coming out to my breakdown etc, etc....

 

So i think i am going to bite the bullet and pay 190 for AA breakdown and parts cover, i know its a lot of money, but i believe you get what you pay for, been with the AA before and i think that they are pretty good !

[MarkyG82]

We have one of those platinum (or something) accounts through the bank.  Comes with greenflag and travel insurance among other things.  On the joint account so it covers us both.  Used GF a few years ago and they did what was expected of them at the time.  Cost of the bank account more than covers the individual cost of the insurance and breakdown.  Most banks offer a similar deal and if you are keen to keep with AA I'm sure there is a bank offering it.

[threadbear]

Been with the AA for over 20 years and never had any problems with them whatever the situation. Once they quoted me an over the top price and I quoted the RACs new member price for equivalent service and the AA matched it. So worth a haggle or moan if it goes up significantly. 

I think that With the AA you get what you pay for. 

[Aspman]

On 24/09/2018 at 21:50, ahenners said:

I'd have taken the Skoda insured warranty, but £800 is laughably expensive.

 

Bloody hell that's considerably more than BMW and I pay mine monthly so there is a hit with that.

 

I've only ever called out anyone once and that was the AA which came with my previous Honda (car didn't break, interior light left on at airport). They were good enough.

 

I'd just go with the suggestions of others and  look for Quidco etc cashback deals, they can take a substantial chunk off the bill. AA is doing 'up to' £120 cashback.

[io1901]

I thought the Skoda renewal for the breakdown (Skoda Assist)was reasonable when I renewed it last year at £89 or £99 depending on the payment method. Not as cheap as the BMW at £70 though.

Edited 26 September, 2018 by io1901
Added info

[studmuffin]

9 hours ago, io1901 said:

I thought the Skoda renewal for the breakdown (Skoda Assist)was reasonable when I renewed it last year at £89 or £99 depending on the payment method. Not as cheap as the BMW at £70 though.

I looked at this, seems a very good deal, but i think if you break down they tow you to a Skoda garage...

And that's the last place i would want my car to go to without a warranty lol

[Wardy]

Another AutoAid recommendation here as well - used it a couple of times, including when one of the Fabias packed up near Lancaster. That would have been an expensive tow home without it!

 

It's a great package in my view and comes with a range of good policy inclusions - definitely worth checking out before going for the usual AA/RAC route.

[camelspyyder]

AutoAID.  Totally.  Seriously Cheap and an effective service. About a quarter of the price of AA renewal (for a 25 year loyal member too).

 

Second choice RAC paid for with TESCO tokens (so that is a quarter of he price as well)

 

 

[studmuffin]

11 hours ago, camelspyyder said:

AutoAID.  Totally.  Seriously Cheap and an effective service. About a quarter of the price of AA renewal (for a 25 year loyal member too).

 

Second choice RAC paid for with TESCO tokens (so that is a quarter of he price as well)

 

 

Have been with autoaid before and am 50-50 on whether to join up on past experience.

 

I really like the sound of the AA parts and garage cover for about 60 quid, where they will cover up to £535 of repairs if you  break down, but i think you have to have AA breakdown cover to have their parts and garage cover as well...

[bspman]

Multiple RAC call outs, not so many with the AA, but response times were usually reasonable. We do this thing in my family where we switch year to year from supplier to supplier. Do ring about first before leaving RAC though. They managed to match this years' best AA quote.