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RAC: Breakdown cover reviews

Name: Breakdown cover
Rating: 1.76 (172 reviews)

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1.48

Based on 172 reviews, last reviewed 28th Sep 2025

200% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

18% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

14%

78%

Latest highest rating:

5

Reliable and cheaper I have not had to use RAC this year but I have in the past and they came in a reasonable time. They are cheaper than the AA . I onl... Read more Reviewed on: 12th September 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

10 hour wait to be towed. A disgrace. I have never had worse customer service. My car broke down at 7.30pm. After leaving me, a solo female traveller, alone for 5 hours, without access to ... Read more Reviewed on: 28th September 2025

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About this product

RAC breakdown cover is available in three levels – Basic, Standard and Extra.

RAC claim to get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less and say that patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot. In the myRAC app you can get savings on fuel and tyres. Options are available for vehicle cover, personal cover and family cover.

RAC breakdown cover reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used RAC before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

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RAC Breakdown cover reviews (172)

Absolutely positively horrific

AVOID THIS USELESS COMPANY AVOID THIS USELESS COMPANY So I broke down on my way home from Scotland on Thursday 16/03/23 at 07:40, 08.03 - first contact with RAC, the usual speal, we will get you recovered ASAP likely to be up to 3 hours. Not haply but oh well so be it 08.34 - second contact, RAC contacted me to tell me that beciase it's going to take so long for recovery we are sending you a hire car as soon as enterprise opens. I thought wow great service thanks. ALL DOWN HILL FROM HERE IM AFRAID. 11.12 - contacted RAC for an update as still no hire car and we were coming close to the original 3 hour window I was given only to be told that my case is with a specialist department and they do not accept calls, she couldn't tell me anything else, but she assured me someone would be in touch with me very shortly. 11.54 - I contacted all the local enterprise car hire centres local to where I was to see if amything had been booked for myself or the RAC and they had not heard anything. 12.00 - contacted RAC again to ask them what is going on with the hire car or recover as we are now passed the 3 hour time frame I was originally given and to mention that none of the enterprise in the area had a booking for me, I was told they sometimes use other hire company's, so I continued to wait. 12.46 - I recieve a text message saying my taxi has been booked, call this number for taxi related updates to which I called and got through to a complete different company that told me that the taxi will be taking be to dumfries (back to scotland) I said why, she said she didn't know, the pick up location was also wrong. 13.47 - I got a phone call of a taxi driver saying he has arrived for me, I contacted RAC again got passed through to 4 different departments and finally found out the taxi is taking me to enterprise in dumfries, 40+ miles away, not the one in Carlisle which is 7 miles away. They told me to leave the van and leave the keys in the petrol station with a cashier they will collect the van later. So on 18/03 we contacted RAC to find out where our van is, they told us they don't know and can't tell us amything as its with a specialist department and they don't have a phone number but here's an email adress. We are now on 22/03 and we have been contacted by the police to say that one of our vans has been dumped at Carlisle todhills rest area, yes almost 1 week on and it's still in the same place!!! REDICULOUS!!! SAVE YOUR MONEY THEY ARE THE CHEAPEST FOR A REASON!!! Reviewed on: 22nd March 2023

Worse company on Earth

I cannot expressed how upset I am with this company, my car broke down in the middle of nowhere and they wolf me they will come, after 7 hours waiting they just told me no, just to go Home and they will pick it up tomorrow!!!!! They refused to pick me up because now is too late and the garage will be closed!! This is a joke!!!!!! I am in a not safe place and I cannot leave my car here! They are the worse people o have even encountered. Reviewed on: 24th January 2023

Appalling Service & Abnoxious Staff

Broke down almost 100 miles from home with failed breaks at 8:30 pm, initially reported my breakdown online only to be given a 270 minute wait for recovery. Rang to explain I was on my own almost 100 miles from home in the freezing cold and was then given a 90 minute waiting time. Waited 90 minutes no one came. Called again to be told even though it says 90 minutes it could be any time, what's the point of an eta with no arrival time. Was then told it was my fault for not explaining the situation correctly, even though my explanation had been consistent through all dialog. Waited till 2:30 am the next day in the freezing cold to be recovered and was told I would be taken to a garage of my choice close to home, I thought great may be home by 4:00am. Recovery truck driver dumps me at services half way home telling me someone will be there to take me the rest of the way home. Gets to the half way point and guess what, no other recovery there to take me home and now told its not possible to get a recovery until later in the day. Was then promised that I could get a taxi paid home and they would arrange for the car to be collected from the services if I left the key at services reception. Eventually got home at 7:00am the next day with car still 50 miles away. Rang again 2 hours later at 9:00am to be told there was no way I could get my car back today and I was lying that someone would even suggest that was possible. Rude, obnoxious, deceitful, lying and inconsiderate staff who just fob you off with complete nonsense. Had to get my car recovered back the last 50 miles privately at a cost of £235 to myself. RAC To the rescue LOL Reviewed on: 21st January 2023

Damaged my vehicle and denied all liability. Then proceeded to charge me for another year. Then charged my £25 to cancel. Disgusting way to treat customers.

Damaged my vehicle and denied all liability. Then proceeded to charge me for another year. Then charged my £25 to cancel. Disgusting way to treat customers. Reviewed on: 11th January 2023

Cannot deliver my car back

Called for a breakdown recovery on Saturday 17th December 2022 was told 4.5 hours. After 4 hours was told it will be quicker to get it towed home. At 17:30 a third party turned up to take it into storage for the night. Got a taxi home with the RAC saying my car would be delivered to my home Sunday 18th. It is now 20:00 and the RAC now say the return of the car has nothing to do with them and they do not know when it will be returned. Call the 3rd party they say not been instructed by the RAC to deliver my vehicle. Is this a type of theft? Absolutely disgraceful service even got told at one point it was my own fault for breaking down at such a busy period. Reviewed on: 19th December 2022

Disgusted

Been with RAC for years but never needed a call out, until today. Car wouldn’t start. RAC recorded message said that unless I was in unsafe situation I wouldn’t get a call out and said to report breakdown on another day instead!!!! This was a nationwide message. I rang an alternative recovery firm who attended within 30 mins. It cost me £50 which I’m annoyed about having to pay, but made me realise I needn’t pay RAC another penny. How can they sell me a service that they are unable to perform. I can’t even get a refund of my policy fees. Steer clear of this company Reviewed on: 19th December 2022

Warning - 45-hour wait!!!

It has been 42 hours since I broke down and they have not arrived, I called just now and they told me it will be another 3 hours, they have not even offered me compensation. I think there's no need to write any more, flabbergasted! Reviewed on: 19th December 2022

RAC is Rubbish team

RAC is Rubbish team, I reported the car broke down last night, and I went to work at 11 o'clock today, but no one responded. Would never use this lousy company. It is also a fraudulent company. I bought a free replacement battery and 4 tires. A few months ago, the car could not be started. The technician came and told me to start and run for 2 hours to keep charging. After a week, I paid for the battery installation. The tire puncture was the same result this time, and I paid for the tires myself. Please be careful with this rubbish service company. Reviewed on: 19th December 2022

Appalling service.

Absolutely shocking, 3rd-rate service. My daughter has only been driving for a few months - her car broke down on a cold, wet night at 1130pm. At 5am a local breakdown service eventually arrived, there being no RAC patrol available. The local operator hadn't even been requested until 3.30am, despite the RAC knowing my daughter was alone. Needless to say, we'll never pay for RAC cover again, and will spread the word as to the shocking level of service provided. Reviewed on: 19th December 2022

Appalling Service

Appalling Service My Complaint Initial call at around 14:00 went fine got an estimated time of around two 2hrs, I notified the call operator than this is a mobility vehicle and we have a disabled person on board and would need a wheelchair taxi to transport her home, I was told this gets arranged when the recovery arrives. I received a call around 15 minutes later asking were is the vehicle going to, to which I answered I don't know its a mobility vehicle and needs repairs as it is undrivable. Anticipating problems I called some taxi firms no wheelchair taxi's available. I then proceeded to arrange alternative transport as the weather conditions were freezing and light was failing.. At 16:00 I called RAC again asked for progress and was put on hold for around 2 minutes. The operator then said they were waiting for me to call them back with an address to where the vehicle will be taken, once again I said I don't know as it needs repairs,. At this point I was discussed as I was not told this in the initial call and follow up call (Please listen to you recording) the operation was rude and said I should know this. I was then told that the vehicle would not be recovered until I had a address to where the vehicle would be taken. (This is absolutely appalling as there was a disabled person in a wheelchair still in the vehicle in freezing conditions (this person is wheelchair bound has a swallowing disorder and needs specialized food and drink.. Your call operator would not listen and the alternatim stood if I don't give a address to where the vehicle will be taken no recovery. I said that they can take the vehicle to the owners home address and gave the operator the address. I then informed the operator that the vehicle was going to be left at this stage to which I got a rude reply that then he would close the job. At this point and before this point I was fed up with the operator's lack of knowledge or understanding and may have become somewhat agitated that this person would not listen and kept telling me to listen to him. I left the vehicle there and took the disabled person and her support staff (the driver) back to her home as all attempts to reason with your call handler had failed. I then complained RSA Motability and they then took the recovery further. I received a call from RAC at around 6pm letting me know that there was no RAC recovery vehicle and that this job had been outsourced. I was asked to return to the vehicle, I explained that this was not going to happen and once again explained the circumstance as to why we left the vehicle, this call operator seemed more understanding and said they would put a note on file. I then received a call around 9pm from the recovery company (who were professional and I cannot fault anything they spoke to me about) to get directions to the vehicle. RAC Response Thank you for taking the time to contact us. I'm xxxx and it's my job to look into your experience and let you know what happened. I understand you were unhappy with the attitude of our Breakdown Specialist on this occasion when you called during a breakdown on 13 December 2022. Whilst I'm sorry you've felt the need to raise concern, I can confirm my colleague was correct in their advice. RAC does not know where a vehicle needs to be taken and it is down to the customers to check with their insurance and let us know the tow destination. I apologise for any misunderstanding and I'm sorry you feel aggrieved by the situation. Our customer's satisfaction is of paramount importance to us and I'm very sorry you weren't happy with the way your call was handled. I'd like to thank you for contacting RAC and I assure you that in no way was any discourtesy intended towards you. Just so you know, I've passed on your feedback to the relevant team to make them aware. The RAC has been around for 125 years, and feedback from our members has always helped us improve our service. Thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention. Yours sincerely Reviewed on: 15th December 2022

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