The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Just wondered if anyone has any recommendations for breakdown cover for our classics

Upto max number of cars on my regular policy.. so need a new one for my two dolomites..

Best quote I have found so far.. is with RAC essentials for £51…

With roadside and recovery only.. which suits my needs..

I pay £7/month to the AA which covers any vehicle that I'm travelling, in for roadside and recovery.

Do look at the small print though as many policies preclude vehicles over 15 years old

When my Triumphs were insured with Peter James, I just used the included breakdown and recovery cover. It was "adequate". The policy was subcontracted to DAS, who subcontract recovery to the AA. On the 2 occasions I used it I felt like I was "at the back of the queue" and in Europe it took nearly an hour to get through to them on the phone.
With another insurer and with recovery on the policy now, not used that part of the policy yet.

^ Yep. The value of any insurance policy ISN'T how low the premium is, it is the service you get when it is called upon.

I was with Green Flag as an add on to my Direct Line insurance policy for the oldest Alfa which was over 15 years old so paid a slight premium, but it covered the other 'daily' cars as well. When the other Alfa and the Aston both passed their 15th birthdays, and were therefore excluded, I changed to AA and took the 'add ons' off the Dolomite and Lotus policies.

Used the AA earlier this year when the Alfa battery seemingly spontaneously failed and the service I received was second to none (except they diagnosed it as alternator, not battery, but they still facilitated me getting home)

I have a personal cover with Start Rescue, there is no age limit and covers cars and motorcycles. Usual levels of cover available , home start, recovery etc. I am covered, even if I am a passenger. Myself and my son included, breakdown and national recovery, came to approx £93.

I briefly join the RAC based on their 'all wheels up' policy, useful if you have an auto. The first tiem I called them, it took them 12 hours to get me the 50 miles home from when I first called them. The mechanic concluded the fuel pump in my Audi A4 had died, phone brekdon truck at about 6PM.

1st leg was from Staines to Beaconsfield service station, then they said I would be put on another low loader to South Mimms on the M25 and then another low loader from there to my house.

I was dropped off at beaconsfield at 9pm and a low loader finally turned up at 4am, The low loader had come from Southhampton, he got lost taking me home as he ebeleived the South Mimms servoce station was off the M1 even though I tiold him it wasn't.

We arrived at Toddington service station (J12) 5 miles from my house, he agreed to take me all the way home even thoiugh there was mean to be another truck to meet us at South Mimms.

I cancelled my memebrship the next day and went back to the AA where I joined back in 1993.
You see far more AA vans on the road than RAC, Green flag use local garages.

I am with Peter James and had the misfortune to breakdown and used their cover. 30minutes till AA van arrived couldn't tow being auto.... 20 mins later recovery wagon arrived and took me 15 miles home and even helped me push in the garage. Must have been a quiet day for them, as i have heard horrendous stories of long waits

Tony.

I am convinced that it is down to luck.
I have used the insurance from Peter james a couple of times. Within a week of each other. First was a failed prop UJ up in Scotland. I gently drove us to our hotel as it was the last night of our trip. Called them and explained unles they could change a UJ it would need recovery. There was a slight gulp on their part as it was 600 miles home. But we agreed that we would be collected the next morning, and the lorry arrived bang on 8am, halfway through my post bekkie cuppa.
We got home at 3am. Having clocked up may many stops and mcdonalds hot chocolates. 5hrs later, I was up, and fitted the 2 ujs a friend had posted through my letterbox the previous day.

2nd call was just a few days later, filled up with fuel ready to leave a couple of hopurs later, and the wiring loom went up in smoke when I was driving home. Apart from the fact the telephone operator was trying to insist I reconnected the battery so I could use my hazards (they just didn't get it!) it went well, I was home in 30 mins. Loaded the Toledo, and used that.

On teh other hand, I have heard of people who have had all sorts of issues. But the PJ cover does use the AA who seem to be pretty switched on.

Breakdown cover is included with our policies. If your insurance is also due for renewal soon, you are welcome to give us a call on 01455 639 000 for quote. Please do mention that you are a Triumph Dolomite Club member too.

The RAC left me, my partner, a female friend and her two daughters aged 6 and 3 at the side of the road in darkest Lincolnshire for eight hours (7pm to 3am). They eventually sent a taxi to take us home to Birmingham and recovered my car later that morning, which they subsequently 'lost' for a week. Make of that what you will.

After some digging about and research.


The AA sub contract out approximately 25% of there breakdowns work.
Where as the RAC is around 75% of there breakdown work.

Green Flag and the such like don’t own there own Vans or Trucks everything is sub out.
The Green Flag vehicles you see are Franchised to the garage agent.


Check your relay cover if it comes free as some only have 10/20 miles free.
Meaning any extra miles the member has to pay for.

Also you if have historical status No Tax or Mot needed make sure you keep proof of it.

My daughter broke down about 6 miles from here at around 8pm last Sunday. I popped out to see if it was anything road-side-fixable... it wasn't. So I called a local recovery company (just based on a google maps search for people close by) and managed to get her recovered back to our place for £70. They arrived 20 mins after I called them.
Still not sure I'd want to go without some sort of recovery policy on my classics though.