BREAKDOWN SERVICES
Which operator would you want to come to your rescue in a roadside emergency?
BREAKDOWN cover can add huge reassurance to motoring life, but unless you do your research, you’ll only find out how good your provider is when you call upon it in your hour of need. That’s where our Driver Power results kick in: by asking our readers about their real-life experiences, we’re able to paint an accurate picture of the sort of service you can expect. To help you make the right decision, we’ve ranked the top 25 breakdown providers, detailing the top five across seven categories.
Why did you call the firm out? Mechanical fault 33.2% Flat battery 26.4% Tyre puncture 17.2% Misfuel 6.8% Ran out of fuel 6.7% Other 9.7%
ALMOST half of our readers called upon their breakdown provider following a mechanical fault or flat battery, with punctures prompting a further one in six callouts. Running out of petrol or diesel was behind 6.7 per cent of rescues, with misfuelling accounting for a similar proportion of breakdowns. Interestingly, over twice as many people reported running out of fuel or misfuelling this year compared with 2017. How long did it take the breakdown provider to arrive at your vehicle? Less than 30 minutes 18.0% 30 minutes to one hour 42.9% One hour to two hours 27.7% Two hours to three hours 8.2% More than three hours 3.2%
BREAKING down can be dangerous, particularly if you’ve stopped on a motorway hard shoulder or refuge area – so it’s reassuring to learn that the majority of Driver Power respondents were rescued within an hour of reporting their plight. The 27.7 per cent waiting between one and two hours may consider that time to be reasonable, but the same is unlikely to be said of the 11.4 per cent forced to wait for two or more hours. Result of callout Towed to garage of choice 18.0% Garage of provider’s choice 3.2% Towed to location of choice 8.4% Problem permanently fixed and I continued my journey 37.7% Problem temporarily fixed and I continued my journey 30.3% They couldn’t help me 2.3%
REASSURINGLY, the most common result for roadside breakdowns is the car being repaired there and then, either temporarily or permanently. And while almost a third of breakdowns resulted in cars being towed away, in most instances readers were taken to a dealer or location of their choice. Technicians were unable to help in just 2.3 per cent of cases, down from three per cent last year. Reason for choosing provider Price 28.5% Good service 9.2% Used in the past 9.3% Range of services 8.4% They offer loyalty discounts 4.3% Recommended 8.2% Reputation 9.5% Free with another service 12.9% Free with the car 6.1% Other 3.6%
PRICE is clearly the main factor when choosing a provider, but with good service and reputations motivating almost a fifth of buying decisions, breakdown firms can’t rely on attractive deals alone. The offer of a range of services, such as insurance, attracted 8.4 per cent of buyers, while loyalty discounts retain almost one in 20 drivers.