I had to get my car recovered due to HG failure, so arranged with the owner of the garage to receive the car on Sunday (just gone).

I called the AA and began the process of having the car relayed to Canterbury, some 130 miles away. When the car was eventually loaded (with over £5000 worth of parts in the boot and on the back seat area), the driver informed me that due to the distance he may have to "hand over" half way, but this would be with another AA relay truck. I wasn't happy about it but couldn't see what argument I had so went with along with the plan. I wasn't travelling with the vehicle so I was already a little worried, and took a few snaps of the car and the items inside.

Fast forward 2.5 hours I receive a call from a rather frustrated Eastern European chap, demanding to know where I was and why wasn't with my car!

It turns out after several phone calls between myself, the AA and this third party recovery firm they had sub contracted out to, the driver had ditched my car in Thurrock services and left the keys on the near side front tyre...

I contacted the AA and explained that's this was out of order and wanted to know what the hell the driver was thinking. I was told in no uncertain terms this was company policy and also common practice!

As I explained I had a large amount of high value parts in the car, which is completely stripped so draws attention at the best of times. I even gave the first driver £10 and asked him to look after the car. When I asked who was liable for any loss than may have occurred during the time the car was (in my opinion) dumped, I was told that I was 100% liable.

The car was eventually picked up and continued without incident to its final destination, but I'm disgusted at the complete disregard shown to my car and its contents.

Be warned, this may well happen to your car if you don't travel with it.

 

Could you imagine trying to claim on any insurance policy with the keys being present to?

 

Aa are utter *****, a while back Emma's return spring got jammed on her impreza and throttle stuck open.
Being a woman away from home she rang the aa, a simple job to fix that took me ten seconds to diagnose and fix when car was returned.
Did the aa man try to fix??? Nope all he was concerned about was taking a picture of the car on the low loader to show his "mate" he could get a lowered car on!
This said it was a third party company involved in the low loader part so probably benefits them financially towing rather than fixing

 

I had a nightmare "recovery" back from Worksop on the A1 (around 3.30pm) the other day

although nothing against the AA guy who turned up - he correctly diagnosed a blown intercooler (although I pretty much new that too) and was very helpful


but it is one of the disadvantages of 4x4 - they will only put it on a low loader - and it seems at some points of the day they have about 2 in the country

In the end (4 hours) they had to get a local garage - he would only go to Grantham - another wait for a low loader to come from Nottingham

I didn't get back until past midnight

 

I had similar in the past as I wasn't traveling with the car, put on low loader sat am about 9 arrived at garage late hours Sunday night/Monday morning with keys on the tyre! Not the best to be honest.

 

Just cancelled my aa as they wanted to charge me £60 for standard roadside
because I am now apparently a "silver" customer.

 

The aa have been doing the key thing for years
about 10 yrs ago on my way home from work the cam belt snapped
on my golf tdi. called the aa & an hour later they turn up with a fan belt !
sorry mate can't fix this will have to go on a truck
left the key on the wheel & gave me a ride home
i was not happy about this & told him so he said it was a common thing
now the car was a company car if it had been my own i don't think i would have left the keys

 

I've been using these people for years now

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car...wn-cover#BBtwo

Really good service and one price covers the wife and I regardless of thar car. You pay the recovery firm and then claim back.

 

Is that with auto aid? Seems quite good that, does it recover your car to a chosen garage wether it be 400miles away etc and will they refund that too?

 

I have had the same experience as the op. Car broken down, AA turned up travelling on our way to home. Then instead turning for my property he said I have got to drop you off. He took me to a service station on the M1. This was 40 miles further away than 30 miles to home. I had to wait till nearly midnight to be collected by some independent recovery.

I broke down at 4pm got home 1.30am. Cancelled my policy , never had recovery since for any vehicle.

 

RAC or Green Flag, if you have any problems ask to speak to a manager and BE NICE but firm.

Always get what I want from them and in good time.