Breakdown Rescue Company. Any you'd recommend?

Hi just to start by saying my Beat has been totally reliable but I did leave the lights on a short while ago when out shopping and I returned to a drained battery and obviously it wouldn't start. My fault, I admit it. Lol. Called Adrian Flux rescue and had a text back to say ETA 45 minutes. Good I thought....... 2.5hrs later a truck turned up (told me he was local) and got his jump start on it and got it going. Not sure why it took so long and as I have a portable jump start at home I could have got a taxi home to collect it(6 miles) and returned and started it again. Decided not to renew it when it runs out in 2 weeks. On one of my other cars I have FirstCall GB rescue policy but came across some appalling feedback on the WWW which has made me reconsider buying a policy for the Beat. Any one recommend a company? My Jazz has AA through the warranty. Not wanting to spend a fortune but at the same time don't want to waste any on poor providers. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

You wuz Fluxed!

I carry a lightweight set of cables in the boot. Used them twice recently - once when the battery totally died (hey, even in 2012 you have to check the fluid now and then!) and last week when I left the parking lights on all day. Nice thing about the Beat is that they start up instantly as soon a they feel the 13.6 volts.

Fortunately the cables will fit in the boot!:explode: Good idea to carry them. Yes, definitely got Fluxed! :help:

I carry jump cables in the boot too, that way you can get a lump off any neighbours or people nearby.

I have had positive experiences with the RAC and AA.

When I had my Pulsar on the road I used the RAC because I had a problem with the hydraulic clutch, had to get them to order me a flatbed truck to tow it to my garage and they did it within a reasonable space of time.

Recently I had the AA out to come and sort out the hydraulic clutch system in the beat when my slave cylinder sprung a leak. Unforunately they weren't willing to take it to my local Honda dealer where I have my work done, they would only take it to the nearest garage (which are all hideous). Luckily the guy who came bled my clutch system and filled it up to allow me to drive the car to Honda.

That is all I can add as those are the only experiences I have had with Rescue companies, both because of hydraulic clutch problems haha!

Thanks Scott.
I use quidco, a cash back site and just looked at the RAC through them and they will give me about 50 quid back on the deal I want. They can cover an individual for a bit more so any car you drive you are covered so might be a good idea. With the discount it makes them as cheap as the budget ones but should be better. I checked about the ages of cars covered and with them there is no age limit to the car. One company had a max of 10 years old so rules out any Beat. Don't mind if I never use it I guess, the peace of mind etc is worth it. I am sure a one off call out from a garage ( if you could find one) would be more!!

Never straight forward is it!!! Used the cash back site to obtain £55 discount with RAC making a personal policy £50 instead of £105 which is brilliant! However, strangely they require a reg number on the info page despite the fact you can drive any car with no age restrictions according to the website, even classic cars. So I put in the reg of the Beat and it flagged up an error.... vehicle age invalid! So I called them and the guy said he could input it manually but I would lose the cash back site discount. I said could I put another much newer car I have down to process it and he said yes, then he said call them to change the reg for the Beat :suicide: I said it shouldn't make any difference as I can use cover on any car I am in so the reg is unnecessary. He said yes, it is a quirk with the new website. So Beware! Hope there are no quirks with their service!:rolleyes:

Check with the AA. They advertise that it is the member that is covered not the car. In other words if you are an AA member you are covered for any car you are in, even if you are a passenger in someone elses. If The cover that came with your Jazz is limited to that car I imagine an upgrade would be possible.

I worked for the RAC for 23 years, the reason for taking the veh reg number is to find your membership easier, it is shorter to type in than a name or membership number. there are membership policies that cover the car not the person but they are mainly used for corparate memberships, if you buy a Ford with RAC membership Ford are not overkeen on paying out if you break down in another make car. RAC personal memberships are the person not the car. Get the cheapest deal you can AA or RAC it makes no difference look for special offers, usually a patrol can give you a better deal than a salesman or internet, best deals are usually offers with your bank or insurance renewal. remember that with the AA and RAC you normally get a trained patrol with instant 24 hr back up, if you join green flag you get the local garage!

Yes I will check. Good advice, thanks. It pays to thoroughly check the small print before you presume you are covered. Checked with the AA today about my Jazz as the garage said they would renew the breakdown free for the time of my ownership and they said it wasn't renewed in March at the service. Called the garage who were 'very sorry' but reinstated it. Fortunately I didn't need it. Interesting point about covering other makes. Never considered that but would be miffed if I were them. Now the Beat's RAC cover is a personal one I don't need cover on my other cars. The expertise of the patrol is vital and I note the AA and RAC proclaim how many cars they fix at the roadside which shows they try so I am happy to know that. Cheers guys.

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Originally Posted by gymm

Yes I will check. Good advice, thanks. It pays to thoroughly check the small print before you presume you are covered. Checked with the AA today about my Jazz as the garage said they would renew the breakdown free for the time of my ownership and they said it wasn't renewed in March at the service. Called the garage who were 'very sorry' but reinstated it. Fortunately I didn't need it. Interesting point about covering other makes. Never considered that but would be miffed if I were them. Now the Beat's RAC cover is a personal one I don't need cover on my other cars. The expertise of the patrol is vital and I note the AA and RAC proclaim how many cars they fix at the roadside which shows they try so I am happy to know that. Cheers guys.

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A lot of emphasis is always put on attendance time and fix rate by both the AA and RAC, both of which can be "massaged" by management but yes there is high pressure to fix roadside, and regular updateing technical courses, my yearly average fix rate ran around 88%, but the main difference is what happens to those 12% that can't be fixed roadside, especially when they are 300 miles from home!

Moving on to the cause of the flat battery (the lights being left on) I recall a post about adding a relay to covert the seat belt warning buzzer to a park light buzzer. I converted my Beat about 2 years ago and it's a reasonably easy job.

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Originally Posted by Obsessive

Moving on to the cause of the flat battery (the lights being left on) I recall a post about adding a relay to covert the seat belt warning buzzer to a park light buzzer. I converted my Beat about 2 years ago and it's a reasonably easy job.

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Here is information that I suggested previously.

http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?1730-buzzer

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Originally Posted by Obsessive

Moving on to the cause of the flat battery (the lights being left on) I recall a post about adding a relay to covert the seat belt warning buzzer to a park light buzzer. I converted my Beat about 2 years ago and it's a reasonably easy job.

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Most good motor factors will stock small 12v buzzers, find somewhere to mount it under your dash, you then need 2 different coloured wires, one preferebly brown or black so you know it is earth! and a couple of blue scotchlocks, first coloured wire goes from buzzer to the live output wire for your sidelights at junction of the wiring harness side of the multiplug to the steering column I think it is a red/black wire, scotchlock it onto this wire.
The second wire, earth control, goes to the earth side of your courtesy light that is linked to your door switch, under the dash board, I think it is green/red. scotchlock to it.
When the lights are on there is then a live to the buzzer but no earth to complete the circuit till the door is opened, when the door is opened with the lights on the circuit is completed and the buzzer sounds. If you use a small buzzer there will be no need to uprate the fuses. Simples

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Originally Posted by obiwanwasabe

A lot of emphasis is always put on attendance time and fix rate by both the AA and RAC, both of which can be "massaged" by management but yes there is high pressure to fix roadside, and regular updateing technical courses, my yearly average fix rate ran around 88%, but the main difference is what happens to those 12% that can't be fixed roadside, especially when they are 300 miles from home!

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Just a quick thought on safety, if you are at all concerned about this pop an inline fuse holder in and protect the circuit with a 5 amp fuse.

The key in ignition and fasten seatbelt buzzers are annoying and a lights left on one would be more useful (certainly for me!) so I will show the info posted here to my mate and follow his direction and watch him closely to find out what he does. I'm a visual learner where electrics are concerned.