To wonder if car breakdown is even worth it if you’ve been driving for years and never broken down?

[MyHeartyBlueShaker]

I’ve had breakdown cover for ages, but in all my years of driving, I’ve never actually needed it. It feels like I’m just throwing money away for something that might never happen.

I get that it’s supposed to be a safety net but at what point does it become pointless? If you keep your car well-maintained and don’t drive an old banger, is breakdown cover really necessary or is it just another unnecessary expense?

Would love to hear other people’s thoughts - do you have it and has it actually saved you?

After having had one very unreliable car that broke down repeatedly I probably had to use it 5 times in the same month, I would never, ever be without it. Now have a "decent" car which has been very reliable in the 6 years I've had it, and I've still used it a couple of times, once when the handbrake lever snapped and another when the front electric windows got stuck down in the snow. As others have said, you don't need it until you do! Its not expensive but loads of bank accounts inc the Nationwide flex account we've got have it as an add on.

I have breakdown cover and my car is well maintained. But I could hit a pothole at speed, someone could hit me, and even a well-maintained vehicle can break down. I know I can call someone if I am far from home and need assistance and that person will be trustworthy because they can be identified. I see it as safety insurance tbh.

If you have a decent enough deal keep it.

But if shit happens and you need the AA or whoever you phone them up the charge a premium price and send someone to you.

Cars without spare tyres are a PITA

I wouldn't be without it.

I don’t bother. When I last broke down, I called the AA and joined on the spot, then they came out. Yes it cost a lot, but then so does paying breakdown cover for years without using it.

I often see new(ish) cars on the hard shoulder. I have it with my bank account - have you looked into that? It’s about £20 a month for car breakdown, holiday insurance, mobile phone cover and cheap cinema ticket plus other perks?

I don't have it, not had it for about twenty years. We all have smart phones now, breakdown garages are on call 24hours. OK, it would cost a lot to call one out, but not twenty years worth of premiums!

I'm fine with my decision. My current car I've had eight years with no trouble at all. Previous car I had about thirteen years and it broke down once which was after the idiot ex did something to it, did it wrong, and nearly killed me. Luckily I was only ten minutes from home so only had to wait an hour for the idiot to finish whatever was more important and come and get me.

Also my last vw was a shit of a car and used to go into safe mode frequently and need towing / re-setting. I think I ended up in credit on being towed home with that heap of fairly new, well maintained crap.

Most insurers and car dealers throw in breakdown cover now anyway, don’t they? I’ve got AA cover from Ford and RAC cover from my insurers. My dilemma is which one to call if I ever break down.

They're both good, in my experience. I slightly prefer the AA because overall I've found the patrols friendlier.

Both do decent compo if there's a big delay too. Don't forget to ask, because they're usually generous with it.

I always add it to my insurance usually
or if you take out a separate breakdown you can usually get cashback through Quidco which makes it cheap

think my car is 12 years old and I’ve had them out for
2 battery issues
2 flat tyres
1 weird sounding noise

Actually decent cashback on RAC at the minute

I get mine free through my bank alongside travel, phone and house insurance etc. check what kind of account you have and what benefits you get. Will I pay £35 a month for an AA membership? No. But I drive 500 miles a week across the country and have a toddler, so it’s not a question about it for me. I needed it many, many times when I was a younger driver with crap cars!

Oh just to add, we have ours through a bank account too. It’s £18 a month for mobile phone insurance for the family, car breakdown cover and travel insurance. Unfortunately we’ve had to use the breakdown cover more than I’d like and I’m so glad we have it.

I've been driving since the 90s, and used my breakdown cover for the first time this year, but I was very glad I had it when I needed it. The incident itself was quite frightening, as there had been no warning of any problem, and the car suddenly ground to a halt on a very fast road. Knowing that someone was on their way to help was reassuring, and just made the whole thing a lot less stressful.

I have used my cover and I think it's worth having.

We have ours through the bank and I think the twice we've used it, we've cost the AA at least £500 each time. The first was an engine failure at midnight on motorway in the middle of nowhere - car was recovered to a service station, we got a hotel room overnight, and around 100 miles recovery of the vehicle and us to home.

That needed an engine replacement, which unfortunately was badly done, and the car broke down very similarly a year later, again in the middle of nowhere but at least not in the middle of the night. Although we waited 8 hours roadside (I think because nobody realised how rurally we were stuck and how long it would take to get to us), we got an hour's taxi journey to the nearest car hire (and the taxi had to drive an hour to reach us), a hire car for two days so we didn't have to cancel our holiday accomodation, and the car recovered 200 miles.

The car got scrapped after that 🤣