A global place for general discussion (Volvo, V3M or non-Volvo related topics).
Please introduce yourself here, your Volvo 300 hobby...
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Dean
- Posts: 112
- Joined: 14 Nov 2012 06:19 pm
- Location: Manchester
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by Dean » 02 Jan 2013 01:05 pm
Who do you guys use? I use the AA... Well did...
Shat a prop last night and they came out to tell me they didn't have any tow rope and their bar wouldn't work on it - So they told me to leave it in the corner of the carpark next to a passage way and sort it out myself in the morning...
So after paying my membership I had to go scouting for open petrol stations at 2AM on new years day for a tow rope and pay for one of those too (which coincidently was made by the AA... Dammnit)
Anyone else had a bad experience with them? I'm going to give them a call after work and try get myself a refund!
Anyway, my cars off the road now until I can sort out some PU rear mounts and make sure my engine is aligned with a laser tool... It's destroyed 3 propshafts very recently and I don't think we can afford to loose any more
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Jak
- Posts: 97
- Joined: 04 Feb 2012 06:49 am
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by Jak » 02 Jan 2013 08:15 pm
I used them last night, very helpful he said he wouldn't be able to a frame it as it was to low, but it would go on a flat bed.
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volvosneverdie
- *** V3M DONOR ***
- Posts: 9143
- Joined: 11 Nov 2008 04:22 pm
- Location: Newcastle Upon Toon
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by volvosneverdie » 02 Jan 2013 10:12 pm
AA dude was probably a car enthusiast, and you probably had a baseball hat on sideways?
And you mebeez used the phrase "shit a prop" to him. Making him mentally roll his eyes and lose interest in helping you.
Mustnt have liked you dude, otherwise he'd have magic'd up a beavertail with a winch or whatever. I've never been "stranded" but the AA have always gone well out of their way to help me whenever called for.
And they "relayed" Filthyjohn back from The Gathering when his A Series Manta felt poorly. Think it was 4 wagons and ten hours back to Scumderland? ish. But they got him home.
Fuck the Coastgaurd, lets hear it for the AA/RAC/GREEN FLAG/INDIPENDENT HAULERS!
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Dean
- Posts: 112
- Joined: 14 Nov 2012 06:19 pm
- Location: Manchester
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by Dean » 02 Jan 2013 10:30 pm
It was a sub-contracted company (although I can't remember their name) and he seemed alright (didn't really come across as a car enthusiast anyway)...
It was after he asked me how far to go (around 2 miles...) he seemed dis-interested and left me to sort it for myself.
+ I'm not a chav volvosneverdie
it just did shit a prop !
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macplaxton
- Posts: 3283
- Joined: 09 Feb 2008 02:29 am
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by macplaxton » 02 Jan 2013 10:31 pm
Fuck the AA. A "relay" is worse than taking the MegaBus somewhere. The only reason I was a member about ten years ago was the RAC got the hump with me calling them up (7 calls in a year, all completely different problems in completely different vehicles)
72 DAF 44 Estate 78 Volvo 343DL Black Beauty
82 Volvo 343DL CVT
88 Volvo 340DL Diesel
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volvosneverdie
- *** V3M DONOR ***
- Posts: 9143
- Joined: 11 Nov 2008 04:22 pm
- Location: Newcastle Upon Toon
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by volvosneverdie » 02 Jan 2013 10:34 pm
Dean wrote:It was a sub-contracted company (although I can't remember their name) and he seemed alright (didn't really come across as a car enthusiast anyway)...
It was after he asked me how far to go (around 2 miles...) he seemed dis-interested and left me to sort it for myself.
+ I'm not a chav volvosneverdie
it just did shit a prop !
Its not just chavs that wear baseball hats sideways, its universally popular these days.
Must have been the short distance home that made him disinterested then. Im sure if you stand your ground and pretty much demand a lift home, theyll do it. But youd have probably sat for two hours waiting for a wagon.
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volvosneverdie
- *** V3M DONOR ***
- Posts: 9143
- Joined: 11 Nov 2008 04:22 pm
- Location: Newcastle Upon Toon
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by volvosneverdie » 02 Jan 2013 10:37 pm
macplaxton wrote:Fuck the AA. A "relay" is worse than taking the MegaBus somewhere. The only reason I was a member about ten years ago was the RAC got the hump with me calling them up (7 calls in a year, all completely different problems in completely different vehicles)
Youd be hard pressed getting one of your non-functioning cars on the Megabus Rich. Suppose you could always attatch a rope while the driver wasnt looking and get a tow?
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Alex Laidlaw
- Posts: 230
- Joined: 10 Nov 2009 01:54 pm
- Location: Oxford and Worcester
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by Alex Laidlaw » 03 Jan 2013 03:06 pm
I tend to switch between the RAC and AA each year as usually I find the new member price is significantly better than my renewal quote. To be fair I don't exactly have a long no breakdown discount! From experience the AA is pretty flexible and you can use your membership as a passenger in a car that isn't yours.
With the RAC you'll often get a better breakdown truck who'll take you further without changing than an AA relay as they tend to sub-contract to local companies. Getting the RAC to send a breakdown truck straight away rather than sending a man in a van to come and try and fix it is neigh on impossible (I don't think the RAC ever tow with their vans, which is a good thing). I did manage to convince them on the phone that they weren't going to be able to rustle up a new 340 propshaft but my dad has had the vans sent out to an axle failure and burnt out wiring loom in the past!
If you do track days, any form of competition or have a modified car choose your breakdown carefully. I know someone who had trouble trying to convince Green Flag that his diesel estate in the Silverstone car park hadn't been racing! The RAC are happy to collect anything, including accident damaged cars from race track paddocks, most others will try and charge you an arm and a leg for it.
