European Breakdown Cover (for older cars)
Discussion
I currently have european coverage with ADAC and it covers unlimited trips around Europe and they don't seem to car how old the car is. Cost is about €80, but I've heard that it's a limited service if I use them in the UK (not had to actually put their service to the test so far) which has prompted me to look for something a little closer to home.
A lot of other companies seem to baulk at the idea of an older car (it's a 20 year old BMW 735) and are quoting silly money.
I had a look on Moneysupermarket.com and found a company called First Call, but hadn't heard of them. The services they offer for the money seem OK, but no idea how it works, i.e. who do they call to arrange for repairs, recovery, etc.
Any experience with these people, or other suggestions, would be very welcome.
Thanks all.
I took out Directline (I believe) European breakdown cover last year and suffered a bizarre breakdown (turned out to be a bolt picked up off the road got trapped between the front hub and brake disc on the XJR, made an 'orrabul noise!) and when I called them, they said that under French law, if you're on an autoroute, it's illegal for them to send out a recovery vehicle and you must walk to the nearest fixed emergency phone and use that (to call a local service, which their cover wouldn't pay for). 
Suffice to say I was not impressed, so we set about fixing it ourselves on the hard shoulder and were going again in as long as it took to get hold of a decent socket set, plus about 20 mins
This year I shall be bringing a full tool kit and a tow rope, much more reliable than scam artist breakdown insurance policies.
Suffice to say I was not impressed, so we set about fixing it ourselves on the hard shoulder and were going again in as long as it took to get hold of a decent socket set, plus about 20 mins
This year I shall be bringing a full tool kit and a tow rope, much more reliable than scam artist breakdown insurance policies.
//j17 said:
A lot of classic car policies include euro breakdown cover - mine for example includes cover for unlimitid trips of up to 30 days.
At 20 years old you are getting in to the terratory of classic policy cover, so might be worth a look (cheaper too).
I'm looking at that too, but my fully comprehensive policy currently costs less than £300 a year and a lot of classic policies seem to require that the car is garaged overnight. Which is tricky - not because I don't have a garage, just that the car won't fit in it !!! At 20 years old you are getting in to the terratory of classic policy cover, so might be worth a look (cheaper too).
I've used RAC European cover for the last 5 years and only had to make use of them at last years Classic. Quite cheeky, instead of just taking the car back they decided that if it can be repaired before you head back they do that instead of repatriation. They took the car to a place in Rouen and ordered new shocks and bearings. This was without my permission so I was well miffed.
In the end they couldn't repair as they simply didn't know what they were looking at and it got taken to my trusted Vette garage in Norfolk. It rolled up a few weeks later in a mahoosive Lotus transporter and they didn't charge me any excess. Think it was due to me complaining about their service which was quite poor....but not all bad. Will use them again this year. Cost about £45 for the 31 year old Corvette.
In the end they couldn't repair as they simply didn't know what they were looking at and it got taken to my trusted Vette garage in Norfolk. It rolled up a few weeks later in a mahoosive Lotus transporter and they didn't charge me any excess. Think it was due to me complaining about their service which was quite poor....but not all bad. Will use them again this year. Cost about £45 for the 31 year old Corvette.
Viper said:
the ADAC policy is for 12 months, euro and UK cover in any vehicle you are in
i think its a steal for just 80 euros, none of the UK services i dont think offer such a deal?
Agreed, and the other policy I found was about £80 for 12 months European cover so quite reasonable too.i think its a steal for just 80 euros, none of the UK services i dont think offer such a deal?
My only concern was about apparent 'issues' with the service people had got with ADAC in the UK, but it could just have been down to the AA person being a bit unhelpful.
Given the limited alternatives I think I'm going to stick with ADAC. If nothing else the responses here have helped to confirm it is still a good deal (which is why I went with them in the first place).
Lummox, and others maybe,
I'm reasonably sure that French law actually prohibits any company other than an authorised French local breakdown firm to attend a breakdown on an auto route. In the event of such a breakdown the French company will get the vehicle off the auto route and then you can use your own breakdown company to do the rest. So there is nothing your breakdown company could have done and there's no point in getting steamed up about their poor service, as they were are prohibited from providing what you expected while your car was on the auto route. This will be set out in your breakdown documentation and maybe you should check what it says. It's crazy, I know, but it's the French way!
2 years ago my son and I were returning from Le Mans in his Merc and it broke down on the auto route maybe 2 miles from the Eurotunnel terminal and in a single lane due to raod works. We created something of a jam of UK exotic cars unfortunatley, but the French breakdown service arrived in less than 5 minutes and took us to the terminal. So far so good, but they then took us out of there to a Merc dealer in Boulogne. The car was repaired next day. This breakdown was coordinated by the UK breakdown company my son used and we were pretty happy with the combined service.
R.
I'm reasonably sure that French law actually prohibits any company other than an authorised French local breakdown firm to attend a breakdown on an auto route. In the event of such a breakdown the French company will get the vehicle off the auto route and then you can use your own breakdown company to do the rest. So there is nothing your breakdown company could have done and there's no point in getting steamed up about their poor service, as they were are prohibited from providing what you expected while your car was on the auto route. This will be set out in your breakdown documentation and maybe you should check what it says. It's crazy, I know, but it's the French way!
2 years ago my son and I were returning from Le Mans in his Merc and it broke down on the auto route maybe 2 miles from the Eurotunnel terminal and in a single lane due to raod works. We created something of a jam of UK exotic cars unfortunatley, but the French breakdown service arrived in less than 5 minutes and took us to the terminal. So far so good, but they then took us out of there to a Merc dealer in Boulogne. The car was repaired next day. This breakdown was coordinated by the UK breakdown company my son used and we were pretty happy with the combined service.
R.
Nick M said:
Viper said:
the ADAC policy is for 12 months, euro and UK cover in any vehicle you are in
i think its a steal for just 80 euros, none of the UK services i dont think offer such a deal?
Agreed, and the other policy I found was about £80 for 12 months European cover so quite reasonable too.i think its a steal for just 80 euros, none of the UK services i dont think offer such a deal?
My only concern was about apparent 'issues' with the service people had got with ADAC in the UK, but it could just have been down to the AA person being a bit unhelpful.
Given the limited alternatives I think I'm going to stick with ADAC. If nothing else the responses here have helped to confirm it is still a good deal (which is why I went with them in the first place).
AA man asked why I was with ADAC rather than a UK company, told him it was half the price and he said "fair enough"
Pete
The Leaper said:
Lummox, and others maybe,
I'm reasonably sure that French law actually prohibits any company other than an authorised French local breakdown firm to attend a breakdown on an auto route. In the event of such a breakdown the French company will get the vehicle off the auto route and then you can use your own breakdown company to do the rest. So there is nothing your breakdown company could have done and there's no point in getting steamed up about their poor service, as they were are prohibited from providing what you expected while your car was on the auto route. This will be set out in your breakdown documentation and maybe you should check what it says. It's crazy, I know, but it's the French way!
2 years ago my son and I were returning from Le Mans in his Merc and it broke down on the auto route maybe 2 miles from the Eurotunnel terminal and in a single lane due to raod works. We created something of a jam of UK exotic cars unfortunatley, but the French breakdown service arrived in less than 5 minutes and took us to the terminal. So far so good, but they then took us out of there to a Merc dealer in Boulogne. The car was repaired next day. This breakdown was coordinated by the UK breakdown company my son used and we were pretty happy with the combined service.
R.
Whilst it may be French law, it does seem a bit outdated not to give you a number for the local service you could call from your mobile, as opposed to forcing you to abandon your vehicle and walk down the autoroute which is frankly dangerous and unnecessary IMO. The breakdown cover companies should be able to put you in contact with the local recovery firm, you shouldn't be forced to walk to a fixed emergency phone on a busy motorway, it's a retarded bit of beaurocratic red tape. I'm reasonably sure that French law actually prohibits any company other than an authorised French local breakdown firm to attend a breakdown on an auto route. In the event of such a breakdown the French company will get the vehicle off the auto route and then you can use your own breakdown company to do the rest. So there is nothing your breakdown company could have done and there's no point in getting steamed up about their poor service, as they were are prohibited from providing what you expected while your car was on the auto route. This will be set out in your breakdown documentation and maybe you should check what it says. It's crazy, I know, but it's the French way!
2 years ago my son and I were returning from Le Mans in his Merc and it broke down on the auto route maybe 2 miles from the Eurotunnel terminal and in a single lane due to raod works. We created something of a jam of UK exotic cars unfortunatley, but the French breakdown service arrived in less than 5 minutes and took us to the terminal. So far so good, but they then took us out of there to a Merc dealer in Boulogne. The car was repaired next day. This breakdown was coordinated by the UK breakdown company my son used and we were pretty happy with the combined service.
R.
What annoyed me more was that the company I was with completely refused to cover me for the cost of anything, i.e. basically telling me to use the local company to take the car not only off the autoroute but to whatever local garage and pay for everything myself. What's the point in having breakdown cover if you have to pay for everything in the event of a breakdown? And if they won't offer any assistance in any way, shape or form?
-Lummox- said:
What annoyed me more was that the company I was with completely refused to cover me for the cost of anything, i.e. basically telling me to use the local company to take the car not only off the autoroute but to whatever local garage and pay for everything myself. What's the point in having breakdown cover if you have to pay for everything in the event of a breakdown? And if they won't offer any assistance in any way, shape or form?
The RAC tried that with me. Instead of just being reasonable and offering to repatriate the Vette they decided to ship it off to try and repair it. I would then be liable for the cost as they had got it repaired before I was due to leave. If this happens again I'll just say I'm going home and they have no choice but to ship the car back.As it was, it was the weekend of the Classic and Bastille Day so it wasn't repaired and I doubt it ever got to the garage they intended it to. I complained and they didn't charge me the excess for the repatriation.
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