RAC Arrival Breakdown

Hose pipe laid end to end. Mark off 5m with masking tape. And measure from there?

If Duo is specified as 5.99m, then measure from rear bumper to end of towbar?

Can't see it exceeding 6.4m which is length of WXL, if tow bar included WXL is longer so may be excluded

Do RAC recovery drivers carry 6.4m or longer tape measures or do they take the base length not vehicle?. If tow bar becomes critical then so would door mounted bike rack  at least a tow bar mounted bike rack could be thrown in the rear doors as it is demountable.

Sorry , seem to be overthinking this, especially as I am with green flag not RAC. When I checked they said up to 3.5 tonnes but no mention of length

Bilbobaggins wrote:Hose pipe laid end to end. Mark off 5m with masking tape. And measure from there?

If Duo is specified as 5.99m, then measure from rear bumper to end of towbar?

Can't see it exceeding 6.4m which is length of WXL, if tow bar included WXL is longer so may be excluded

Do RAC recovery drivers carry 6.4m or longer tape measures or do they take the base length not vehicle?. If tow bar becomes critical then so would door mounted bike rack  at least a tow bar mounted bike rack could be thrown in the rear doors as it is demountable.

Sorry , seem to be overthinking this, especially as I am with green flag not RAC. When I checked they said up to 3.5 tonnes but no mention of length

I don’t think you’re over thinking it, those are very good points. Especially as I do have a hose pipe!

Thanks Sally, sometimes some lateral thinking is helpful.

If not already aware then try Googling "Niels Bohr barometer question"

Bilbobaggins wrote:Thanks Sally, sometimes some lateral thinking is helpful.

If not already aware then try Googling "Niels Bohr barometer question"

That was a very interesting read, I’ve not come across that before. Thank you.

Lateral thinking should be close to compulsory!!!

Please look at Martin Lewis's site. I have breakdown cover through the site for all vehicles I drive, including the Warwick Duo for £59 a year,    Cheers, Smithee.

Smithee wrote:Please look at Martin Lewis's site. I have breakdown cover through the site for all vehicles I drive, including the Warwick Duo for £59 a year,    Cheers, Smithee.

My hesitation with some of these companies is the so called onward travel. 

I once had breakdown cover with ‘onward travel’. My car broke down in the Lake District on a Saturday lunchtime. The recovery agent only took me to a local garage, who said they probably couldn’t get parts so it had to stay with them over the weekend. I rang the insurer to be told that ‘onward travel’ meant that I had to find my own way home by public transport (a considerable distance and a long and difficult journey) then claim the cost back later. It didn’t cover the return journey back to collect the car.

So since then I’ve been extremely wary of the cheaper companies offering ‘onward travel’. 

That’s just me though, I’m sure they are a good choice for some depending on their circumstances.

Sally wrote:

Smithee wrote:Please look at Martin Lewis's site. I have breakdown cover through the site for all vehicles I drive, including the Warwick Duo for £59 a year,    Cheers, Smithee.

My hesitation with some of these companies is the so called onward travel. 

I once had breakdown cover with ‘onward travel’. My car broke down in the Lake District on a Saturday lunchtime. The recovery agent only took me to a local garage, who said they probably couldn’t get parts so it had to stay with them over the weekend. I rang the insurer to be told that ‘onward travel’ meant that I had to find my own way home by public transport (a considerable distance and a long and difficult journey) then claim the cost back later. It didn’t cover the return journey back to collect the car.

So since then I’ve been extremely wary of the cheaper companies offering ‘onward travel’. 

That’s just me though, I’m sure they are a good choice for some depending on their circumstances.

Agree, home start?? relay?? EU???  just some things to consider. Brittania Rescue (LV) cover all these, at extra cost though and they will take you home in one go and pay overnight stay if required.
---------
Richard

rgermain wrote:Agree, home start?? relay?? EU???  just some things to consider. Brittania Rescue (LV) cover all these, at extra cost though and they will take you home in one go and pay overnight stay if required.
---------
Richard

Brittania Rescue premium £49.73 via LV. Also includes recovery of vehicles requiring a ultra low angle sliding bed recovery vehicle, which is important to me due the rear overhang of the Corinium model. Some recovery policies do not cover this as it can be classed as specialist recovery.




Niall

Suppersready wrote:

rgermain wrote:Agree, home start?? relay?? EU???  just some things to consider. Brittania Rescue (LV) cover all these, at extra cost though and they will take you home in one go and pay overnight stay if required.
---------
Richard

Brittania Rescue premium £49.73 via LV. Also includes recovery of vehicles requiring a ultra low angle sliding bed recovery vehicle, which is important to me due the rear overhang of the Corinium model. Some recovery policies do not cover this as it can be classed as specialist recovery.




Niall

What do you get for £49.73?? I pay £120, for personal cover, van + car, home start etc, no EU cover at the moment. Premium includes CSMA payment.
---------
Richard

The RAC Arrival covers things like recovery in the event of an accident (road traffic collision) not just a breakdown. It also recovers from mud and snow, including towing off a campsite. Do the smaller companies offer the same.

For me the price is not the main criteria, it’s the benefits. I wish I knew enough to create a comparison checklist. Because some things are nice to have and some are must haves.

Sally wrote:The RAC Arrival covers things like recovery in the event of an accident (road traffic collision) not just a breakdown. It also recovers from mud and snow, including towing off a campsite. Do the smaller companies offer the same.

For me the price is not the main criteria, it’s the benefits. I wish I knew enough to create a comparison checklist. Because some things are nice to have and some are must haves.

Yes I agree, like all aspects of Insurance, it's not always about price, it's what you get.
----------
Richard

I’m with RAC and thought it covered all eventualities , my classic car caught fire and needed to be recovered . It wasn’t covered to be recovered as it wasn’t an accident and it wasn’t a breakdown. It was quite bad though and written off .
You never know what you are not covered for until you need to use  it .

Roymck wrote:I’m with RAC and thought it covered all eventualities , my classic car caught fire and needed to be recovered . It wasn’t covered to be recovered as it wasn’t an accident and it wasn’t a breakdown. It was quite bad though and written off .
You never know what you are not covered for until you need to use  it .

Have been told to avoid AA/RAC, only my view.
---------
Richard

I have left the RAC recently after continuous membership since 1993. Last time I needed them (2017) it was a 5 hour wait for a patrol, but over the last 12 months, I know a number of people who have had to wait between 7 and 25 (!) hours for any help. They seem to be in a death spiral of truly appalling service, falling membership and shedding staff, relying instead on whatever local firm they can get at short notice (or not). On top of that, they have lucrative contracts with some car manufacturers to provide their breakdown cover, and they seem to get priority. As an ordinary member, you're not very important to them. In the summer someone I know with a rented motorhome broke down on a busy road early evening, only to be told that they might as well sleep there, and they didn't actually get anyone out to them until 10 am the next day.

I might have jumped from the frying pan into the fire by returning to the AA, but I am certain it cannot be any worse.

Other oddities about leaving the RAC. They sent my pro-rata refund in the form of a cheque about 2 weeks later. And they tried to get me to stay with them but downgrade to a level of membership without any breakdown cover, so I could continue to use the membership benefits, and would retain my continuous membership. As I have never used the benefits, and when I asked the guy what purpose continuous membership actually served now and was told it doesn't make any difference at all, I declined!

rgermain wrote:

Suppersready wrote:

rgermain wrote:Agree, home start?? relay?? EU???  just some things to consider. Brittania Rescue (LV) cover all these, at extra cost though and they will take you home in one go and pay overnight stay if required.
---------
Richard

Brittania Rescue premium £49.73 via LV. Also includes recovery of vehicles requiring a ultra low angle sliding bed recovery vehicle, which is important to me due the rear overhang of the Corinium model. Some recovery policies do not cover this as it can be classed as specialist recovery.




Niall

What do you get for £49.73?? I pay £120, for personal cover, van + car, home start etc, no EU cover at the moment. Premium includes CSMA payment.
---------
Richard

Roadside assist, roadside and home assist, UK recovery and home assist, cover is vehicle specific though.



Niall

Well seems I am stuffed  if that is the case, have motorhome over 7 metres and the topaz is 5.? metres on the same policy plus car is covered too, well it was will have to clarify, 

If that is the case will not be renewing next year.

Paulmold wrote:I have sent C&CC an enquiry through their contact form asking them to check with RAC as to what they are selling and to amend their website if there is  difference.  At least then I'll have it in writing, just hope they don't take 30 days to respond as they did on my last enquiry.

Now over 30 days since I emailed them for clarification but no reply. Not only unimpressed with RAC for confusing us all but totally unimpressed  with C&CC who seem to have all but collapsed as far as customer service is concerned.

I've sent an email (not through their contact form) , finding an email address was difficult enough, to remind them of my enquiry and disappointed to receive an automated response telling me they aim to respond within 5 days (again).

daisy mae wrote:Well seems I am stuffed  if that is the case, have motorhome over 7 metres and the topaz is 5.? metres on the same policy plus car is covered too, well it was will have to clarify, 

If that is the case will not be renewing next year.

Don't know if the 7mtr is critical but I think the Hampshire is 6.89mtrs.

In the end I rang RAC directly. I spoke to someone in the ‘Arrival’ team. They confirmed that I was covered and that there was no length or weight restriction on my account. I persuaded them to email me and state this, which they did. I’ve printed a copy off for the van, so I can show the recovery team if there are any questions. 

I still think that the website is extremely confusing. The C&CC have been pretty unhelpful, and I always ring and speak to them, I never email.

I was with the RAC a few years ago. My re weal went up massively so I phoned them. I said I was a CCC member and didn’t I get the discount for Arrival? She said yes, the price was after the discount. I went back to the AA. 

NORA