Latest Moan From You and Me 2023

I've had positive experiences with green flag too. But one time, when my car wouldn't start leaving me, the wife and our baby son stranded, the green flag guy turned up promptly, read the diagnostic codes, then immediately told me my car was irreparable. I told him I could fix it myself if I had the tools. He wouldn't lend me his tools but he did begrudgingly agree to do the simple things I asked. MAF sensor removed, cleaned with carb cleaner, refitted, and car started first attempt and got us home. I knew it was only a temporary fix because once sensors start misreporting they're usually knackered, so I ordered a new one for a couple of hundred quid, and car was fine for another year or so before other things started to fail making it uneconomical to maintain. 5 minutes work and a couple of hundred quid, not bad for a car that the green flag man said was irreparable.

 

I don't know if it's still the case, but years ago when I worked for Capita, a business they acquired in Leeds handled the call outs for several breakdown recovery companies, including Green Flag, the AA and the RAC. Call outs for all of them came into the same call centre, and the computer would just defect which company it was for based on the number the caller had dialled. It was then for the call centre operator to queue the call out based on a few basic rules based on a script they had to follow.

 

I started out with the AA, but I dont think I ever used them.
Some years later I moved to green flag after the AA started giving out cheap rates for other family members, not having any to add to my policy I was feeling a bit ripped off.
Never used green flag.
Then got the RAC as an add on to my insurance, used them twice, both with battery problems and they were there within a couple of hours.

 

The main thing we are afraid of is being stuck miles from home. So the onward journey cover is a must have. Cant be repaired at roadside, then take us and car home. Well have a brew and worry about getting the car to the garage tomorrow.

 

Modern cars?
In the old days, it wouldn't have happened in the first place, but if it did you could have just pushed it out onto the road.

 

@shiney you'd get an artic in there nice to see the driver doing it properly why you ask, see they have a 7.5 ton lorry for the Merc, which if they turned up with a 3 or 3.5 ton tran'y tipe of van/lorry they would be over gross weigth and axle, and the driver is straping all 4 wheels of the car as some would only strap front 2 or rear 2 wheels which can be called a insure load because car's can bounce around on the bed of the lorry

 

I have been a RAC member for 44 years now and never had any trouble with them. On the occasions I have had to call them out they have always arrived promptly though my last call out was 7 years ago so things may have slipped since then.

 

I do remember using the AA about 11yrs ago, I shredded two tyres on a pothole in the dark.
I think I waited over an hour and it wasn't an AA vehicle that took my car to a garage, the driver didn't have to, but he dropped me off at my house as well.

 

Has the BBC given its presenters a new directive, they seem to have dropped the term, twice, and are now saying, two time, just something I've noticed.