Which Breakdown Cover for older cars?

[zed4]

Hi everyone,

My new insurance policy with Mannings doesn't have breakdown cover, and following a breakdown today (and an incredibly angry father who recovered me) I now need to get some cover organised.

My dead car is now in my garage at home, if I can't get it fixed myself, I need to take it to a garage, maybe to an auto electrician, most likely to Southways in Fareham as they know the car well. So, will breakdown companies collect the car from my house and take it to a garage for me? I realise I would need at home cover, but would they take it to a garage of my choosing, bearing in mind Southways is about an hour drive from me?

I've been looking at Green Insurance Company and their Green Assist Euro Recovery policy. It looks good, it's £99, and will cover my car, bearing in mind it will be 17 years old next year.

Any other recommendations for a good policy? Car is a 1997 TVR Chimaera.

Thanks,

Dan

[zed4]

Anyone used the Green Insurance Company?

[A900ss]

This doesn't give you recovery from home, just everywhere else.

Cover for you and spouse, was £39 for a year when I bought mine earlier this year.

Autoaid

[Vaud]

Check the terms carefully, especially around existing maintenance and also how long you need to have your cover for before it comes into effect.

I don't know, but I guess the insurers are wise to your (cunning) idea.

[Frankthered]

I'm with GEM Motoring Assist, they don't have any restrictions on the age of vehicle covered, so might suit you.

Similar costs to the one you quote, but includes Roadside Assist, Recovery, Home Assist and Onward Travel.

Won't Southways pick the car up for you anyway?

[zed4]

Frankthered said:

I'm with GEM Motoring Assist, they don't have any restrictions on the age of vehicle covered, so might suit you.

Similar costs to the one you quote, but includes Roadside Assist, Recovery, Home Assist and Onward Travel.

Won't Southways pick the car up for you anyway?

Thanks. The quote I had included the works too.

Southways probably will, I've not spoken to them yet as it's a Sunday, but I know they're flat out with work so don't really want to put them out!

[zed4]

A900ss said:

This doesn't give you recovery from home, just everywhere else.

Cover for you and spouse, was £39 for a year when I bought mine earlier this year.

Autoaid

Bargain!

[General Price]

What sort of sadist owns a TVR and doesn't have breakdown cover?

[aw51 121565]

I'm with the RAC, and (in essence) Rescue & Recovery plus At Home breakdown cover costs me £70-odd p.a. with *mumble mumble* years' NCB (I think it's 8 years now).

It's also person-based rather than car-based .

[zed4]

General Price said:

What sort of sadist owns a TVR and doesn't have breakdown cover?

To be fair, it's only my second drive out since I got it back from having a new cam fitted along with loads of other bits and I've only just taken out the new insurance policy which doesn't have breakdown cover!

[Rob_F]

I've always had Britannia Rescue and on the C. 5 occasions I've used them (three times in two days, a couple of years ago!) they've never been anything less than brilliant.

Rob

[Podie]

The big names (AA, RAC, Green Flag) all seem to have a cutoff around 15 years.

Bizzarely, we opened a NatWest account (costs about a tenner a month) and one of the things included is breakdown cover - and it covers all 3 cars in the household, including the Griff (a '95 car).

[anonymous-user]

Podie said:

The big names (AA, RAC, Green Flag) all seem to have a cutoff around 15 years.

Only on a vehicle based policy. Personal cover (which would suit the majority of people) should cover any and everything.

These cheap '£39 for the full works' type jobbies seem like a bit of a false economy you me. Without having a dedicated fleet of vehicles the service you have is purely down to the contractor that is selected.

[zed4]

Any more?

My car is being fixed now, but I should get some cover really!

[anonymous-user]

Have you tried ADAC?
I got pan-European roadside, recovery and home start for me and Mrs CK for any vehicle (inc my bike) up to 7500kgs for a whopping £83.
Germany-based but they cover the UK residents and subcontract to the AA.

[J4CKO]

I have Green Flag through my bank account, they were brilliant when my 944 decided it really enjoyed the Aldi Knutsford car park and was staying, tried to fix it, recovered it home then on the Monday dropped it at my Porsche specialist, would have been at least another £400 on top of the £400 odd repair if I hadnt had it.

[Pet Troll]

Definitely ADAC, they are by far the best that I have found. No car age limit, no value limit (they were happy to recover a friends worthless broken metro back to the UK from Germany free of charge).

Top quality service. I got a puncture up a swiss mountain pass late one evening, ADAC recovered us within 40 mins and paid 140 Euros for a hotel for us and arranged for the car to have new tyres put on ready for the morning (we had to pay for tyres obviously!)

Excellent service, they speak english on the phones and subcontract to AA or RAC if you break down in the UK.

Oh and you get a quarterly newsletter........ in German

[The Big G]

I'm with The AA, not always the cheapest but they always get to me and help me get my TVR V8s back to str8six to be fixed wherever I am in the country (roadside, home and relay cover).

Normaly used once a year ish, but two recoveries this year for the TVR so far. I have not been on the back of a standard AA low loader, they seem to subcontract out to others with lower low loaders which can take the car without damaging it.

Also have a look at the AA warranty, I make full use of it when things dont quite go to plan. Get far more out of it than I put in!

Also I dont think there is an age limit. They cover the member too so you are covered no matter whose car you are in. Useful if you break down with out with a friend in their car and they dont have any cover, itll at least help them and help get you home!

Edited by The Big G on Thursday 12th December 13:00

[Podie]

JoshyS said:

Podie said:

The big names (AA, RAC, Green Flag) all seem to have a cutoff around 15 years.

Only on a vehicle based policy. Personal cover (which would suit the majority of people) should cover any and everything.

These cheap '£39 for the full works' type jobbies seem like a bit of a false economy you me. Without having a dedicated fleet of vehicles the service you have is purely down to the contractor that is selected.

Things may have changed in the last two years, but when I specifically asked about the Griff (given its age) one stated 15 years, the other 16 years as a cut off.

My advice would be to check.

[anonymous-user]

Podie said:

JoshyS said:

Podie said:

The big names (AA, RAC, Green Flag) all seem to have a cutoff around 15 years.

Only on a vehicle based policy. Personal cover (which would suit the majority of people) should cover any and everything.

These cheap '£39 for the full works' type jobbies seem like a bit of a false economy you me. Without having a dedicated fleet of vehicles the service you have is purely down to the contractor that is selected.

Things may have changed in the last two years, but when I specifically asked about the Griff (given its age) one stated 15 years, the other 16 years as a cut off.

My advice would be to check.

I cannot speak for the others, but there is no longer an age restriction on vehicle based cover with the AA and as far as I'm aware there has never been an age limit on personal cover.