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RAC: Breakdown cover reviews

Name: Breakdown cover
Rating: 1.71 (182 reviews)

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1.45

Based on 182 reviews, last reviewed 19th Dec 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

11% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

13%

79%

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

would never use again! would never use again!!! full service booked on my driveway, Technician spent most of the 1hr 15mins total time either on the phone or sat in his van... Read more Reviewed on: 19th December 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.

RAC Breakdown cover reviews (182)

Review of the RAC, Breakdown cover:

Shocking, Disgusting Service and Unacceptable Treatment

I have had an absolutely appalling experience with RAC and feel compelled to share my ordeal to warn others. On the 1st December 2024, I reported a breakdown at 20:19, expecting the professional and reliable service I had paid for. What followed was over 8 hours plus of waiting in freezing conditions with inconsistent updates, which I had to keep calling in repeatedly myself , lack of empathy, and ultimately being stranded. The estimated arrival times kept shifting—from 21:40-22:40,12:20am-3:20am to an outrageous 7:30am-10:30am. This caused me to miss my hotel booking, as RAC patrol could only take me to only one place either the hotel or back home. Despite explaining to RAC that I needed medication at 22:20 due to a pre-existing condition (which I hadn’t expected to need during a breakdown), their responses were dismissive and unhelpful. When I finally got through to Emily, she suggested I cancel the callout and rebook, which would’ve meant waiting even longer. No solutions were offered for what to do during the long wait, and at one point, I was even told not to call back. By the time help finally arrived at 2:24am, I had endured over 7 hours plus of frustration, freezing cold, and rising stress, which impacted my health as a diabetic with high blood pressure. I could barely feel my feet as it was freezing cold. They sent out an independent breakdown company who found me shivering with cold and reported back to his head office that this call out should’ve been a priority with the state he found me in and especially with my medical condition. To which his office replied back which I heard myself was that it’s not been sent to us as a priority yet stressing numerously to RAC about my medical condition they didn’t really care or pass it on to the company who came to me on there behalf. The saga didn’t end there. Over the following days, communication was a disaster. I was repeatedly told incorrect information, including that my vehicle had been delivered to the garage when it hadn’t. Today being the 4th or December 2024, I was promised a rental vehicle from Enterprise, which I needed urgently due to RAC’s failure to tow my van on the night of the breakdown. I was picked up by the car rental company and as I arrived at Enterprise, they informed me that the rental was for a manual vehicle, despite being given a choice for a manual or an automatic by the RAC representative themselves I opted for an automatic. I contacted RAC to resolve this as being asked by enterprise rentals thinking it was an oversight by them and spoke with a representative named Heather, whose behavior was appalling and humiliating. She accused me—without any evidence—of using my van for business purposes and abruptly canceled the rental vehicle and even refused me my own vehicle back which has been stored by them/their independent contractor due to them not being able to bring it back to bradford as my RAC covers me to be taken anywhere of the time of breakdown if they can’t fix it plus car hire to get me to my destitution for 3 days. Heather also claimed she had accessed my business details and made unwarranted assumptions based on my company being registered to my home address. I explained, repeatedly, that my van is solely for personal use and that my insurance, logbook, and council records permit records all reflect this. Her behavior was utterly unprofessional; she hung up on me, leaving me stranded and embarrassed in front of a room full of people at the Enterprise office including their staff. I had to arrange and pay for an Uber to get home, as neither RAC nor Enterprise offered me any assistance back. This entire experience has been humiliating, distressing, and unacceptable. I am pursuing formal complaints with the Financial Ombudsman and exploring legal options for breach of contract and emotional distress caused by this appalling service. If you’re considering RAC, I urge you to think twice. This experience has left me deeply disappointed and without trust in their services. Reviewed on: 4th December 2024

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 a bathroom or sanitation, they then said they don’t have enough tow trucks and the earliest my car could be collected would be 5am. I had to leave my car key with the local petrol station, and make my own onward journey. My car only arrived at its designated destination two days later. When I found the RAC and asked where my car was during this time, they were unable to tell me. They said it was with a trusted provider and was either in Milton Keynes or Northampton. To this day, they still are unable to tell me where they stored my car. Their customer service team ignored my messages, and then said they would uphold the complaint but offer no compensation. I found the whole process insulting and if I could give them zero stars, I would. I would be embarrassed to work for this company. Reviewed on: 28th September 2025

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 only have the basic breakdown . Reviewed on: 12th September 2025

AVOID THE RAC AT ALL COSTS

2 of my workers were 1hr45mins when brokedown. from home. rang 3pm told recovery truck by 7pm . 7.30pm told no truck available . 8pm can send uber to take home and van taken to storage , or various stops and truck changeovers (4-5) to get home upto 7-8 hrs . Lads took uber , van taken 16miles away to store . Can't get it back for 3-5 days . I decide to sort collection myself at my expense . OMG try contacting them rediculous . When you do they say they will ring back . You'll be lucky . 5 hrs trying everything to get it back . always held up by RAC . Apparently if i take the vehicle i then have to pay the storage fee as i officially cancelled the job. I can get a truck to pick up my van and have a garage locally to me to fix it . Van could be back on the road by Thursday night . Broke down Tuesday afternoon . With RAC its gonna be 7 days or more . AVOID RAC AT ALL COSTS Nearly all the garages i spoke to in the story say they are awful . Most say go GREEN FLAG . Which i will . Reviewed on: 11th September 2025

SCAM Company BEWARE

Paid 1499 for a full history report. This scam company only provided a little bit of that report. Couldn’t provide a full MOT history check. Missed out on other checks as well. I complained and asked for a refund which they said didn’t you read the terms and conditions. Constantly having technical issues. Customer service agents talking slang. Reviewed on: 10th September 2025

Rescued at Watford Gap

I broke down yesterday at Watford Gap Services northbound (reg YT10***), and although I didn’t catch the name of the patrolman who rescued me, I feel it’s important to highlight what an absolute CREDIT he is to RAC. As a young woman, 60 miles from home at midnight, I was extremely nervous. The moment he arrived, I felt completely safe and reassured. He quickly identified the problem, explained all my options clearly, and genuinely went out of his way to provide the best service possible. Even though he was nearly at the end of his shift, rather than leave me waiting potentially hours for another recovery, he stayed on and towed me all the way back to Nottingham. His kindness didn’t stop there, when we arrived and I was cold and exhausted, he insisted I go inside while he parked the car on my driveway and posted the keys through the letterbox. He turned what began as a stressful and daunting experience into something positive. Such a lovely young man who clearly takes pride in his job. I am sending an abundance of gratitude his way. RAC are very lucky to have him on their team. Reviewed on: 9th September 2025

Good number of patrols and good mechanics.

Good number of patrols and good mechanics. All for a great price Reviewed on: 5th September 2025

Disappointing Experience with RAC Breakdown Cover

I’ve been very disappointed with RAC Breakdown Cover and want to share my honest experience so others can make an informed decision. First breakdown: I called RAC for roadside assistance. The patrol arrived, ran a quick check, and only reset the engine management light. He pointed out a few possible faults and then left without fixing the car. I later discovered the real problem myself – a loose fuel filter hose leaking diesel. I tightened the screw, and the car was fine. This made me question what I’m paying for. Second breakdown: About a month later, I contacted RAC for a different car. They refused to help, saying the car wasn’t taxed. I emailed DVLA proof, but still received no assistance. When I complained, the staff were rude and even hung up on me. I was told a manager would call me back, but that never happened. Finally, I decided to cancel. RAC wanted to charge £47 to cancel, despite the poor service. Eventually, after speaking with a manager, they agreed to cancel but will still charge me for another month. Overall, poor roadside assistance, unhelpful customer service, and unfair cancellation charges. I won’t be renewing. Reviewed on: 28th August 2025

Was left stranded in a remote area by the RAC for ov...

Was left stranded in a remote area by the RAC for over 7 hours in the dark with my two children who are both autistic. Paid for a recovery van that could pick the three of us up, but in their infinite wisdom, sent a truck 6 hours later, that could only transport one person. A complete farce, was left with almost no food or water, no duty of care whatsoever. Disgusting treatment, will never use again. Reviewed on: 23rd August 2025

10 days to diagnose an alternator fault!!!!

On 8 August, my campervan broke down on a French motorway. Frustrating? Sure. But what followed was worse. Within 20 minutes I’d called RAC. Within 2 hours we were at a depot. Within minutes I’d worked out the problem myself (alternator not charging the battery). And then… nothing. No diagnostics. No hire car. No onward plan. Just days of chasing calls, broken promises, and being told to “wait until Monday.” We ended up booking our own hotel late at night, paying for taxis, then abandoning the van altogether to fly back — leaving all our belongings locked inside. Ten days later, the van still hadn’t even been moved to a garage. The lesson? When you buy breakdown cover, you’re not buying a tow truck. You’re buying peace of mind. You’re buying someone to take ownership when you can’t. And that’s exactly what we didn’t get. What made me angriest wasn’t the van breaking down. It was the breakdown in service. Don’t tell customers what you can’t do — tell them what you will do. Don’t make them chase you for updates — give them clarity. Don’t hide behind “partners” — take responsibility. A van can be fixed. Trust, once lost, is much harder to repair. Reviewed on: 20th August 2025

** 1/10 Absolute Disgrace Years of Loyalty, Zer...

** 1/10 Absolute Disgrace – Years of Loyalty, Zero Support in My Hour of Need** After being a loyal RAC customer for years, I finally needed their **Premier Rescue cover** when my car broke down on the M5 with my wife and 1-year-old baby—only to be met with incompetence, heartless bureaucracy, and outright lies. The mechanic **guessed** (without diagnosis) that I’d "overfilled the oil," towed my car to a garage that couldn’t inspect it for days, and left me stranded. Despite paying for **full onward travel cover (3 days)**, RAC **deliberately made it impossible**—forcing me to beg for **one-day extensions** before a shockingly rude agent ("Karen") abruptly cut me off, falsely claiming I "caused the damage myself" (my garage STILL hasn’t confirmed the issue!). This left me **car-less for critical trips**—missing work, cancelling my elderly parents’ airport ride, and abandoning weekend plans. Even Enterprise admitted they’ve **"heard this story before"** with RAC screwing over customers. The final insult? RAC **lied to Enterprise**, saying I "admitted fault" to dodge their obligations, then left me bouncing between departments like a ping-pong ball. For a company that boasts "rescue," they **abandoned my family in crisis**, ignored their own policy, and showed **zero humanity**. Never again—**avoid RAC like the plague**. Reviewed on: 15th August 2025

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