I have been with the RAC for years, and stayed with them (through the C&CC) when we got the caravan. I've never had any complaints - they have rescued me a couple of times, and brough hubby and the 'van all the way home from Wales when we had a problem with the brakes on the Discovery. But it costs me around £180 a year for the full cover!
I've got a leaflet through the post about the Caravan Club's Mayday service with Green Flag - it appears I can get the same level of over for about £90!
Does anyone have experience of the Green Flag Mayday service - I'm guessing they are good when you have a problem when towing, but what about when driving solo? Do they come out quickly (last time I needed the RAC, I was with 2 female friends (so 3 women) at the side of the M62 miles from anywhere in the dark - they made us a priority call and we had a patrol with us within 20 minutes of the phone-call. Would the Green Flag service give this priority to motorway, or lone female call-outs?
Is the RAC REALLY twice as good (as it costs twice as much!)? Or should I save my money and go with Green Flag? Any views will be most welcome. Thank you in advance.
There's another posting on here about someone's dealings with a breakdown recovery service, where his van and his family had to be left at the side of the road whilst the car was towed away for a repair - 'Double Disaster' just a bit further down the page. He doesn't state which breakdown company he's with but I wouldn't want to insure thought that company!!!
The Caravan Club Mayday Service gets lots of good reviews from caravanners, and I would imagine that if the service is good towing, then it will be equally so, solo.
Discounted Insurance Quotes for UKCampsite.co.uk visitors! Up to 12.5% off!
yes i do the green flag mayday is great my car overheated going to wales last year and i knew it was the head gasket as i was only 45 mins drive away and plenty of water with me i limped to the campsite and was going to get it fixed there as it was a saturday had to wait till monday went a local garage and they couldn't get parts in time to go home and fix by the following saturday so i left it phoned greenfalg and was told when i'm ready to come home phone a hour before and they will be there they were and my 2 ton 4x4 and 27 Ft caravan two adults and 2 kids were bought home by a very nice local garage in super fast time and i only pay £90 for two cars and the van with return travel if can't be fixed in time thats not bad hope this helps Andy
Thanks for that Andy - it's good to know they 'do what it says on the tin'! I think I will be saving my £90 and going for Green Flag ... unless anybody has any other views?
I'm just about to take out Green Flag/Mayday despite my new car being RAC covered - RAC seem iffy about the length of caravan which is marginally over 7m.
Im with green flag and so is my son,when he broke down outside our house for three days they sent out mechanics who knew nothing about petrol engines only diesel,all three mechanics told us there were differant things wrong with it,it was only when we got it to a auto electrian that the fault was found when my cover is up i will be looking elsewhere after this
you have to remember breakdown services are just that they don't say they can fix all problems the tow home i had last year would have cost me over £450 plus i saves £50 in diesel and they couldn't have fixed my head gasket anyway modern cars are so complexed nowadays even diesels have to be pluged in now to find most faults Andy
you have to remember breakdown services are just that they don't say they can fix all problems the tow home i had last year would have cost me over £450 plus i saves £50 in diesel and they couldn't have fixed my head gasket anyway modern cars are so complexed nowadays even diesels have to be pluged in now to find most faults Andy
That's all I want - a company I know will come when I need them and get me to somewhere where they CAN fix the problem - I don't need someone to be able to mend it at the roadside every time!
But I want to have the reassurance they will give me the service I have had from the RAC - ie: made a priority call when stuck at the side of the (unlit) M62 in the dark with hoizontal rain (great fun - not!!), and came and change a flat on the Discovery in 6" of snow and packed ice when the I couldn't do it as the jack supplied with the Disco was not stable on the ice and I didn't fancy 2.5 tonnes of 4x4 dropping off the jack with no wheel on!!!!
thats all i wanted most of the problems they fix i could fix myself quicker than waiting but when it comes to getting van and car 3.5 ton plus wife and kids home it certinty pay's for itself and the next few years as well Andy
We had a bad experience last year having been covered with one rescue service for the last 10 plus years - who had been brilliant on callouts with the car, and fine when our son accidentally locked us all out of the car at a service station with caravan on the back and keys in the ignition! But when we broke down with caravan on the back we discovered that they didn't cover caravans over 7m for resue- our is just and it was hidden in the terms and conditions. As the car's clutch had gone with no warning it was not a good situation on a bank holiday weekend!
Any way we are now with the caravan club - ringing around various rescue services they were one of the few to cover longer caravans and following our last experience we liked the cover - taking you to caravan site for holiday and then home again if the car couldn't be fixed.
We have yet to test how good it is when we break down - but it’s very reassuring to have it - we also take out red pennant for abroad.
Im with Mayday Green Flag, had them on callouts numerous times. Came right away when we broke down at the V festival and the roads were gridlocked. they always use local garages so people get to you quicker. They are well worth the money IMHO.
------------- Jan:Braids Gretna, Feb Stanwix Park Silloth & Braids Gretna,
You always need to check the small print, cheaper breakdown insurance often only recovers car not caravan. I'm with Saga for UK/continental for about £100 paid with my car insurance.
Unfortunately I dont know how good they are 'cos I've never had to use them.
Green Flag for us, had to have them out a couple of years ago when car broke down while we were on site it was march, snowing and windy. They were brilliant put he car on trailer and then towed caravan home, we had a comfy warm ride home in the truck. Couldn't fault them.
Thank you all - looks like it will be Green Flag Mayday then! (Ackey - Mayday is cover with Green Flag through the Caravan Club - it covers cars and any size of caravan/trailer). Phone call will be made tomorrow.