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Topic: CCC & RAC Arrival Recovery

dean

20/8/2016 at 11:13am
Location: bedfordshire
Outfit: abi herald jubilee

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Has anybody got this cover and is it any good. Before i decide i have been reading the small print, but i must be having a bad day as I'm not making any sense of it. So i have a few questions, that maybe answered on here.

1 Will they recover the caravan if not attached to the car, on camp site with hitch, wheel bearing problems etc

2 If you break down on route, will they take both car and van to the camp site and collect both and the end of your holiday and return you home

3 Is everything covered if as a result of an accident on either car or van, you need recovering.

As i said i have read the small print, but 1 sentence will contradict another. I could ring them, but what they tell you and but then what happens in the real world could be 2 different things.

Thanks

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were caravaning but now tenting and now back to a caravan

tango55

20/8/2016 at 12:15pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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I am speaking from experience here as I have been with the RAC and paid extra for the 'Arrival' cover when we were with the C&CC thinking that we were fully covered and most of all, peace of mind. I towed my caravan 185 miles to a THS in Wareham in Dorset in 2013 with no problems but had to call them out the next day when I broke down not far from the campsite with the car as a message came up on the dashboard 'Brake Failure'. I managed to get back to the campsite in limp mode and called out the RAC for assistance. The patrol man arrived in less than an hour but after connecting up the diagnostics there were several fault codes and because of the nature of the problem said it HAD to go to a Volvo dealer which was Snows Volvo in Poole. The RAC took my car there for repair but unfortunately they were unhelpful and said the car couldn't be fixed. I informed the RAC requesting for a full rescue on the grounds as mentioned and to take us back home but hey refused stating that we are only allowed the one call out. So there we were, stranded with caravan in the baking heat, no car and no support from the RAC either. Having a 'Pay As You Go' phone it cost me a fortune in calls as several department managers at the RAC were not knowledgable about such cover called 'Arrival'. In the end they said that as a good gesture they would collect the car from the Volvo dealer in Poole and continue to Wareham to pick us up but we would have to pay for the caravan to be towed back home and make a charge at a rate 'per mile' for the 185 mile journey back home. I was so frustrated and at my wits end, my wife in tears that I phoned their customer services and made a formal complaint. I also contact the Camping & Caravanning Club who weren't much help either they said that the RAC were independent and any grievances had to be taken up with them. I explained that as they promote the excellent service they should at least take some accountability.
The following day I phoned the RAC again and HOORAY!!! I got through to someone who said..... "Yes, the type of policy you have is the top grade and ARE fully covered and we will arrange a full rescue". The time for pick up from the campsite was 12.30 pm. in the afternoon but we had to be packed up and ready to be hitched up immediately as the driver wouldn't wait. There we were, water barrels packed away, gas switched off etc. with just two camping chairs and a bottle of Orange squash sitting outside the caravan waiting. At 12-o-clock mid-day I received a phone call from the RAC again which the lady said they were arranging a rescue for the following day. "What's happened to the rescue for today in half hour's time?" I asked. The answer was that there was nothing on their computer so it looked like we were going to have to set everything back up again till the next day. 10 minutes later and another RAC phone call from a man saying.... "The truck's left Poole and on it's way to collect you so make sure that your unit is ready for hitching up". Panic stations as I had to wind the caravan legs back up ready for collection. My wife was upset and absolutely fuming but I told to her to say nothing as we didn't want any more hassle and just wanted to get back home ASAP. The rescue didn't happen till 2.45 pm. which was well over the two hours as promised.
It was a local garage flat bed lorry that arrived with car on the back and hitched the caravan up and off we went back to the Midlands. We travelled the 185 mile journey back home to which he took our caravan to the storage first and then us and our car back home but by the time we got in the house it was gone 9.00 pm. at night.
I did write a complaint to both the RAC and the C&CC and the response from the C&CC was that ours wasn't an isolated case so that paints a true picture of what you are really paying for. It's not for peace of mind or first class service unfortunately and don't deliver what they promise.
I had been with the C&CC for 8 years but didn't renew again for more reasons than one and ditched the RAC for good as I would never use them for breakdown cover ever again.

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Opensauce

20/8/2016 at 12:20pm
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To answer question 3. Breakdown cover is just that. For breakdowns not accidents. If your car &/or caravan is immobilised in an accident then your first call is to your car &/or caravan insurer.

Question 1 has an easy solution. If you have problems on site with your caravan then hitch it to car & they will attend.

richard0805

20/8/2016 at 7:58pm
Location: Cardiff
Outfit: Swift Challenger

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Have a look here. http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/membership/benefits/arrival-breakdown-cover/caravans/ It covers most of your questions but doesn't mention accidents specifically. We have had this cover for years and found them to be very good on the odd occasion we have had to call them.

madtrucker

21/8/2016 at 12:46am
Location: biddulph stoke on trent
Outfit: sprite quattro Mercedes ML 270

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Hi I'm with Mayday through the caravan club and in the last 9 years have had breakdowns on the way to campsite where the care couldn't be fixed and got towed home no problems, it costs me £86 for 2 cars and caravan and about £45 caravan club membership which I don't use but you get a great service I don't know how much RAC charge but it might be worth looking at hope this helps Andy.

chrisn7

21/8/2016 at 2:09am
Location: West Yorkshire
Outfit: Bessacarr Cameo 625 2011

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Mayday provides double journey cover - breakdown on the way out and they will take car and van to your destination. If your car can't be fixed by the time you are to return home, they will bring the whole outfit back as well

madtrucker

21/8/2016 at 9:13am
Location: biddulph stoke on trent
Outfit: sprite quattro Mercedes ML 270

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yes they do and there's no limit on caravan size.

iank01

21/8/2016 at 11:48am
Location: Worcestershire
Outfit: Buccaneer Cruiser

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We are with Mayday and they will do a punctue on the caravan, onward travel etc. if you are away from the caravan when you breakdown, they will take the car to the garage and if it cannot be repaired, they will collect the car from the garage, collect you from the campsite and take the car and caravan home.

Alan Chilestone

23/8/2016 at 7:06pm
Location: Suffolk
Outfit: Adria Sportline 532 UP

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Perhaps I am lucky? I have been with the RAC for 30+ years and changed my membership to Arrival when I joined the C&CC. Didn't pay extra for it, got a discount! had no problem with them when a call out has been needed, either solo or when towing. Sorry you had a bad experience Tango, I just put in my experience to balance.

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Alan

2016
February C&CC Theobalds Park
March C&CC Salisbury
May C&CC Adgestone IOW
July Le Clos Auroy, Auvergne France
August C&CC Polstead
August C&CC Oxford
October C&CC Lauder

tango55

23/8/2016 at 7:50pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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Perhaps I was just unlucky the day I broke down as there were probably a bunch of trainees on duty. After all, how many calls to businesses do you hear..."Your call may be recorded for training purposes" and that can lead to poor service especially if they have an ill educated teacher.
Once bitten twice shy is my motto and would not promote the RAC as being the one offering a 5 star service.
I was once with the AA and broke down in Blackpool and their service was excellent but only changed to the RAC merely because I wanted full cover for both car and caravan in the event of a breakdown. Unfortunately they failed to offer the service they promised.

greenhill

23/8/2016 at 8:19pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: None Entered

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To balance it we have mayday through CC and had very poor service. We paid for the top level of recovery but that was not what we received. I was furious with he poor service we received and was considering Arrival even thou it is more expensive for us but sounds like you can be unlucky and be stuffed with both. I was very cross and disappointed and when I spoke with CC they agreed we didn't get the service we should have but its contracted out to green flag and we were unlucky with the local garage on that particular day.

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!

annamorgananna

23/8/2016 at 8:54pm
Location: Stretton Staffordshire
Outfit: Lunar Lexon EWL

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Quite often you can have a breakdown and the call operator won't know about arrival, you have to insist on speaking to a supervisor if they won't have it. We have had the unfortunate problem of using it in the UK and in France, they will do what they say, take you to destination and home again with no restrictions on van size as well. However, we have had a really unpleasant experience with them in France, they brought us home but were originally going to leave the car behind, then caused damage to the van and our car, to extent that we have been unable to use the car again. Their customer service is abysmal.

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Anne-Marie

saftlad

27/8/2016 at 9:12am
Location: Taunton
Outfit: Swift Quattro EB

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Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 21/8/2016
We are with Mayday and they will do a punctue on the caravan, onward travel etc. if you are away from the caravan when you breakdown, they will take the car to the garage and if it cannot be repaired, they will collect the car from the garage, collect you from the campsite and take the car and caravan home.

Mayday quote roadside repair to tow to a garage within 10 miles. What happens if your car is relatively new and covered by dealer warranty but is more than 10 miles away? I wouldn't want my car taken to the nearest backstreet garage just because it is local.

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