A Question about breakdown cover

[Peekaboo]

Howdy chaps, got a question for those in the know. Is it deemed naughty to join a breakdown service then call them right away? My old 5 series has decided to be a muppet again and the starter has jammed leaving me up the creek.
If I can get away with doing that then which is the better service to join, AA/RAC (bearing in mind I'm in Northern Ireland)?

[Skii]

I've always been with the AA - can't fault them tbh.

[Peekaboo]

Thanks Skii. There is very little in price between them and the RAC so any opinion is welcomed. Will they have a problem with me joining then giving them a call the next day though???

[dkmech]

Theres normally a 24 hour wait period before you can call them. Also if your car is at home you will need to pay for a home start package. Normal packages wont collect you within a mile of your house. My parents are with AA and they seem to be fine. My mate however was with RAC and after his landy gave up on us (11pm that was) they offered him to either take it to his house or he could take it to his parents place (4 hours down m4). He told em he wanted it at his place, which was near, but then changed his mind. The driver who turned up was at the end of his shift and so couldn't take him all the way, but they took him home and then towed the landy to his parents place next day, which was even better. I myself am with Europen breakdown something or other but not used them yet.

[Peekaboo]

She's currently sitting outside looking a bit forlorn, so off to the AA I go. I dont need to drive to get to work thankfully, so I can wait a couple of days before I call them. Thanks for the replies chaps.

[schmunk]

The only time I've ever used my breakdown cover, it had been pre-arranged to start at 12pm on day x.

Driving along the motorway at about 11:55 on day x the car (an old-style Clio) jumped out of 5th gear and wouldn't go back in... Luckily I was about two mile from a service station, so drove there in 4th, parked up and called Green Flag at exactly 12pm!

(The reason it jumped out of 5th was that the gear had exploded, showering teeth around the box - hence why I couldn't re-index it...)

[dkmech]

LOL. This is a classic!

[Barakka]

The RAC would let you call them out immediately providing;
a) You pay the full 12 months membership by card on the phone.
and
b) It doesn't need towing and can be fixed at the roadside.

Or at least that used to be the case

[Rave]

Give the starter a belt with a hammer. Might do the trick.

Rich :¬)

[Peekaboo]

I would if I could find it... Seems its at the bottom of the engine and not somewhere nice and accessible... Not to mention there's a bloody great cover over the engine. OK BMW, I can understand getting marks for a good looking engine, but right now I'd settle for one I can start!!!

Has anyone else got a car they love but it just keeps on breaking and taking money?

[Rave]

I've spent way more than I should have on my MR2 and it's still a total shed. I'm hopefully past the worst now though.....

[5lab]

AA have been superb to me