Roadside rescue services, do they actually repair anything these days?

[xkjagnz]

Over the years I have been a member of various roadside rescue services both in UK and NZ.

 

When in the UK I was an AA member and had a wheel bearing go on a cavalier in Newbury about 3:30 Friday afternoon, if you know the area then you will know they have a huge service centre/workshop in Thatcham about 3 miles from where I was, so was taken there, and they fannyed around for a while eventually they came in and said "we cant get the old bearing off" I went out and found that they didn't even have a puller on it - they were just hitting it with a hammer.

So I got my Sykes-Pickavant out of the boot and whipped it off in about 2 minutes, and asked for the replacement, reply "oh we haven't got a new one"

By now it was gone 7pm and I was seriously pissed off so got them to provide a hire car and return my car to home.

When I got back on Sunday night it was there minus wheel (in boot) with the (now bent) stub shaft propped on a lump of concrete

 

I left the AA and joined GEM (Guild of Experienced Motorists) cheaper, they used local rescue garages , so quick and usually repaired on site rather than messed around, only downside was you paid for the repair upfront then claimed back, that said never had a claim refused and paid up within 3 or 4 days

 

[SiC]

When in the UK I was an AA member and had a wheel bearing go on a cavalier in Newbury about 3:30 Friday afternoon, if you know the area then you will know they have a huge service centre/workshop in Thatcham about 3 miles from where I was

I grew up around there and didn't know that! I know that the Thatcham lab is obviously around there though.

 

My experience of most non-AA/RAC/GreenFlag breakdown services is that they are only interested in transporting you to the nearest garage or one of your choice, depending on cover.

[robthedonkey]

I'm a control room manager for a major sub contractor that works for almost every recovery club in the e.u.... We have a fix rate of 76% of roadside jobs we attend but it's getting harder and harder with the likes of electric cars etc. You'd be surprised the amount of people that call us out at 2.30am because a service light is on

 

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[Philyc]

As a slightly younger man my first car was a classic mini. In my overexuberence i decided to wash my enginebay and then set off on a 130mile journey on my weekly commute.

 

5 miles in my mini died so i called the aa and wandered back to a pub i had just passed to indulge in crispy pig skin and a soft drink during the wait.

 

Got a call from the aa to say they were 5 mins away so went back to the car. The guy showed up and said that he and his collegue had had an argument as to who would go to assist a classic mini.

 

The gentleman then proceeded to listen to my cars symptoms and proceeded to diamantle amd clean my carb. The car still failed to start so he went to the dizzy cap. He proceeded to dry it and scrape a bit of corrosion off the points. I then proceeded on my way with a better understanding of my mini and an enjoyable commute ensued.

 

So yes. On this occasion they did repair my car. When about 2 years later i rolled the same car they were however unable to complete such a thorough roadside repair.

[Dave_Q]

Yeah they do fix things, I can't remember the thread title to search for it but there is a thread on here with posts from a member who works for either the orange team or the yellow team, he definitely fixes things where possible.

[scaryoldcortina]

I've never called them out for anything less than a terminal FTP and a tow back to base. I do think they do their best to get you going again, most problems are actually sortable at the roadside in a temporary way.

[alf892]

I think the clue is in the term roadside rescue.......not an on call mobile mechanic.......you are not buying a service that will come out and do a head gasket on the hard shoulder.

 

Not sure about the others but I know that RAC take on non mechanics anyway

 

 

It is not that the repair is not possible.....just not time efficient or safe ( yeah elf and safety gone mad innit lol)

[dollywobbler]

My recent examples. 

 

1) Few years back, BX blew a high pressure line. That's not getting fixed roadside. Relayed to a specialist. 

2) A year ago. 'Free' Volvo 740 had a duff alternator. AA could have fitted me one, no doubt at vast expense. Instead, they loaned me a battery and followed me to my mate's house up the road. Went and bought a new alternator myself, got it fitted, drove 200 miles home. AA bloke admitted that the prices were not exactly encouraging.

3) Rover 600 blew its gearbox to bits. Nope. No fixing that.

 

To be honest, most of the roadside-fix stuff I've usually just sorted myself. Or limped back home and jumped into another car... (Discovery wheel bearing for instance).

[anonymous user]

Sadly they no longer carry fan belts, which is why I got home midnight on Friday on the back of a recovery truck ( I blame myself for not carrying a spare)

[alf892]

Yeah......but at one time if they didn't have the right belt they could drive to the next garage and buy one.......and probably plugs/points too so it could work

 

Nowadays garages sell coffee, buns, bacon and all sorts of stuff useless to motorists.

[Barry Cade]

I had reason to call on thee AA yesterday... Fixed it and got me on my way.. oil filter had rotted through and burst.

 

I had a call to a lady in distress at Kinross services on Sunday.both tail lights had gone out on her mk4 golf and she was heading up the a9 to Inverness. The services had no bulbs... I had to go to Sainsburys to buy a bulb kit. WTF.

[Guest Hooli]

 The services had no bulbs... I had to go to Sainsburys to buy a bulb kit. WTF.

 

Sums up the stupidity of the owners these days.

[Pillock]

I've had a chap from the yellow crew start taking the Solex carb to bits on my VW 1303, he was on the phone to a technical team and a mate of his who knew all about them. So despite the fact in an hour he only managed to spurt petrol out of the exhaust when I cranked it (probably one of the worse cars to have hydraulic on you in that way, he got a crotch full of juice cos he was crouching down operating the throttle), he was at least giving it a go.

 

I've also had a fan fixed (courtesy car from a Garage, ropey old Mk4 Escort estate that had no fan switch - permanent live saved the day), and a injector lift sensor wire soldered back together (I spotted the broken wire whilst I was waiting, so fastest fix for him ever).

 

In fact the two times they just lifted and shifted me to a garage were a completely shagged turbo, and a bollocksed crank. Neither of which I'd consider potential roadside fixes....

[mercrocker]

Sums up the stupidity of the owners these days.

 

You have to at least meet the AA part way.    Mrs Rocker is not interested in the workings of her fine German automobile.  She does at least know where the spare, jack, bulb kit, jump leads, bonnet release and where the oil and coolant has to go.   Carrying a few spares goes a long way to making the difference between tow home and carry on driving.

[Split_Pin]

Last time I had an FTP was a stuck closed thermostat. It was an older boy who came out and he openly admitted that the majority of younger patrolmen just stick the car on the back of a truck.

 

He on the other hand was determined to get me on my way and held the thermostat open with 3 cable ties. I was very impressed!

[Lacquer Peel]

I had a call to a lady in distress at Kinross services on Sunday.both tail lights had gone out on her mk4 golf and she was heading up the a9 to Inverness. The services had no bulbs... I had to go to Sainsburys to buy a bulb kit. WTF.

 

When that happened on my 405 I used the rear foglights for a bit.

 

I think sub-contractors get big bucks for shifting cars, not so much for fixing them, Barry may be able to confirm that.

[Guest Hooli]

You have to at least meet the AA part way.    Mrs Rocker is not interested in the workings of her fine German automobile.  She does at least know where the spare, jack, bulb kit, jump leads, bonnet release and where the oil and coolant has to go.   Carrying a few spares goes a long way to making the difference between tow home and carry on driving.

 

I was thinking of the stupidity of garage/services owners really. What sort of person would run a place like that & not sell bulbs ffs?

[Barry Cade]

When that happened on my 405 I used the rear foglights for a bit.

 

I think sub-contractors get big bucks for shifting cars, not so much for fixing them, Barry may be able to confirm that.

Vw mingebaggery means only 1 foglight, and she was in upright citizen. I reckon she'd have made me put it on the truck if it were not 100% legal.

 

We get an hour roadside. I used to get into trouble for fixing stuff and going over time. I also get bother for carrying diagnostic gear as " we're not here to make the garages job easier by finding faults for them " To be honest, if a modern car has a FTP whilst driving along, it's fucked..cambelt ..turbo or electronic meltdown. Older stuff I can fix, but parts can be a problem now..

 

You also get a bit jaded with the general public. Most of them are pricks. Or they've been on Google whilst waiting on your arrival. With the aa guy, I told him what I thought and what what I did, let him do his thing, had an interesting chat, bought him a coffee then after getting home gave him a A+ on the AA feedback site. We appreciate being appreciated. It makes up for the other 95% of assholes we had to deal with. And if you are not an asshole, suddenly your FTP may be fixable...

[Bren]

Lots of garages now pick and choose what they want to do as cars can be a PITA to work on.

 

So I would'nt be surprised if roadside repairs are a thing of the past.

 

Nearly 20 years ago the AA wouls change the clutch cable on my dads very early mondeo td because it was not deemed a roadside repair.

[320touring]

Vw mingebaggery means only 1 foglight, and she was in upright citizen. I reckon she'd have made me put it on the truck if it were not 100% legal.

 

We get an hour roadside. I used to get into trouble for fixing stuff and going over time. I also get bother for carrying diagnostic gear as " we're not here to make the garages job easier by finding faults for them " To be honest, if a modern car has a FTP whilst driving along, it's fucked..cambelt ..turbo or electronic meltdown. Older stuff I can fix, but parts can be a problem now..

 

You also get a bit jaded with the general public. Most of them are pricks. Or they've been on Google whilst waiting on your arrival. With the aa guy, I told him what I thought and what what I did, let him do his thing, had an interesting chat, bought him a coffee then after getting home gave him a A+ on the AA feedback site. We appreciate being appreciated. It makes up for the other 95% of assholes we had to deal with. And if you are not an asshole, suddenly your FTP may be fixable...

I have one chap in the RAC who gives me updates on his Scimitar when I call him out:)

 

As you say, nae point being a cunt as the chap/chapess is there to help.. Sometimes the banter is Barry too

[castros_bro]

Have at this website and stop filling AS full of crap.

 

 

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/13112-tales-of-a-breakdown-driver-modern-content/?hl=breakdown

[Rocket88]

I work for the yellow team [recovery] the levels of twattery amongst the public are unbelievable..........woman moaning about snapped cam belt on a Vectra................."I only had it MOT'd last month"....................

[adw1977]

Nearly 20 years ago the AA wouls change the clutch cable on my dads very early mondeo td because it was not deemed a roadside repair.

The AA did manage to change the clutch cable on my 309 at the roadside 15 years ago.

[mrcitroen]

Yellow member for 20+ years.

 

I have mainly used them for complete FTP situations as I have always managed to limp the car along with minor issues.

 

Had some repairs done at roadside, but mostly they have ended up going on the back of a truck and taken home for me to sort out. In fairness these ones have always been jobs not suitable for roadside.

 

Many years ago, I had a real hero of a patrol. Car would not start (turned over ok) I got nowhere trying to solve it as everything appeared ok. This guy spent at least 2 hrs with a meter and found that the ignition switch was faulty and rigged a bypass go to the ecu. I lived with that for months. Now that was service!

 

A year or so back I had a FTP on the GS. Just cut out, no warning on a dual carriageway not far from home. No way was I investigating that as I was on the road. Verge even was a sharp slope..

Called the AA. 30 mins later an AA van passes on the opposite side but does not double back. Wait another 10 mins and call them back to be told the patrol deemed it to dangerous to stop and help. And a truck was on its way. It pissed me off big style as it would have been so easy for the patrol to double back at the roundabout 1/2 mile along the road and let me know, or have pulled into the retail park and phone me!

 

To top it all a brown allegro passed me sitting there!

 

All in all I'm happy with them. Guys are usually cheery and helpful.

[plasticvandan]

never had it,just carried a big toolbox and lots of spares and fluids

highlights include changing the distributor on the hard shoulder of the M1 in a Reliant Rialto,didnt even leave the car,folded rear seat,retrieved distributor,removed footwell engine access panel,did a dance with a roasting hot dizzy (leccy ign unit failed) swapped dizzy over,carried on.

[sierraman]

What if you had a clutch failure or a wheel bearing seize?

 

A lot of it is what's the point of struggling about at the kerbside when you could shift the car to a garage and do the job in a warm, safe environment where you can access the job properly. I wouldn't expect the AA man to swap a wheel bearing on the hard shoulder.

[garbaldy]

I take your point about the public being pricks but by hell so can the recovery driver's

Sister broke down a little over ten miles from home calls her breakdown provider who promptly sent out recovery, twenty minutes later the most grumpy man in the world arrived mumping and moaning at her for interrupting his tea, he then proceeded to stick her car on the spec lift and she asked was he not going to see if he can fix it first, his reply was I'm not a fooking mechanic love now where the fook do you want me to drop this pile of crap.

 

I told her to report him but she just said I wouldn't want to get him in trouble.

[fordperv]

I work for the yellow team [recovery] the levels of twattery amongst the public are unbelievable..........woman moaning about snapped cam belt on a Vectra................."I only had it MOT'd last month"....................

i had a quality member of the yellows who was obviously old school, come out to my work minibus which contained a mental health patient who was harnessed in, the brake pad had departed and the piston popped out of the caliper, the chap mole gripped the flexi, followed me back to work and took his mole grips back, that saved a lot of fucking about, i did laugh and said i didnt think hed be able do that because of health and safety bullshit, we both laughed about it

[sierraman]

I work for the yellow team [recovery] the levels of twattery amongst the public are unbelievable..........woman moaning about snapped cam belt on a Vectra................."I only had it MOT'd last month"....................

That's judgement honours for buying a Vectra.

 

Some people seem to think the car will run forever, no maintenance, except for the annual full service that is an MOT. I've turned around before when I've gone to look at a car and they've gone 'it's always been MOT'd!' - so all you've done is comply with the minimum legal requirements. What do they think they get for £45? They seem to think everything costs £7.20 an hour.

[Joey spud]

The AA guy who mole gripped a brake hose and let you drive it is not old school but a fool or chasing figures to keep management off his back.

Instant sacking if i got caught doing that and rightly so.

Still rac are on watchdog tonight for miss selling batteries,i am sure it will be edited to make us look like utter bastards it seems the bbc have got the knife out again for the rac.
Been told the bbc's expert previously failed a patrol entrance exam.