How long?

[Wizza]

My car broke down on Friday night near Exeter the breakdown services Britannia rescue arrived in 20 minuets and got us going again, I think that's quick but my girlfriend recons the AA are quicker. How long have you had to wait?

[jake-the-peg]

In my experience the AA & RAC try to get one of their own people to you and after a certain time will then call out a local contractor.

I have waited for over 90 minutes before being met by contractor who had a call 15 minutes previously.

However I did once call the RAC and get a van in less than 2 minutes after putting down the phone - apparently the used to hole up for a cup of tea at the garage 200 yards down the road!

[Grunty]

I don't mean to be unkind about the spelling mistake, Wizza, but I can't help smiling at the thought of 20 breakdown men dancing minuets at the side of the road.

[libertie]

Hi Wizza, I think that you were lucky only having to wait 20 mins!  I have been with tha AA for years and have used it several times don't think they have been much quicker than that!  In fact the last time I used them ~ travelling alone on the Edinburgh city by-pass at 2.30am I waited for almost 50 mins!

[d0gsb0dy]

My son waited 6 hours on the M62 for the AA. In desperation, he told them they had a new-born baby with him, hoping this would speed things up. It did. Five minutes later, a police patrol car came screaming up. They saw the funny side when my son explained the situation.

[murvic]

I've been with Britannia, AA, RAC and now Green Flag.  In my experience Britannia have always been quicker than the AA or RAC.  (Apparantly they are very quick in settling the bill from the independent garages that they use).

Last time I was in the AA, I only joined because I had actually broken down and needed to get home.  Joined in Halfords, walked half a mile back to the car, called the AA (who took about 45 minutes to arrive).  He fixed the car.  That was on a Saturday; on the following Monday it was announced that the AA had been sold and that all members would receive a cheque for a hundred and something pounds.  Because I was now a member I got my cheque.  Now that's what I call service.

On a more serious note - some people don't like the AA relay system where they take you from on AA station to the next as it can take quite a bit longer to get to your destination.  I don't mind it because at least I know that the driver hasn't been driving for an excessive number of hours that day.  I once had an independent garage take me from Staffordshire to Lancashire after a breakdown (with Brittania).  The driver had only been back in his house for 5 minutes after coming back from a return trip down to Cornwall.  How much rest he had had I don't know.