Le Mans best affordable breakdown cover?
Discussion
Lord 
said:
said: The ADAC cover the whole of Europe (including the UK) for less than your AA membership.... Guess who they use in the uk..? The AA.
They have no probem with uk customers, fantastic service on the several occasions i have used them
+1 Works out around €80 I think for annual joint cover for me and the wife.They have no probem with uk customers, fantastic service on the several occasions i have used them
Dad also uses them and they were very efficient when he had a small fender bender on the way home from work and had to get the car recovered back home.
Careful who you go with and what you expect. I believe under French law if you break down on the Autoroutes, your breakdown service is not allowed to pick you up - you have to walk to an orange emergency phone and call for a local company to pick you up. They can't even connect you from your mobile. How outdated and dangerous is that???
This was my experience with Direct Line European Breakdown cover in 2008. They also said that if the local garage towed the car, they wouldn't pay for it.
As it happened a mate in our convoy went ahead to the next town and bought the necessary tools for us to fix it ourselves at the roadside but it was a bit of an eye-opener and it made me wonder what you're actually paying for when you take out the cover...
This was my experience with Direct Line European Breakdown cover in 2008. They also said that if the local garage towed the car, they wouldn't pay for it.
As it happened a mate in our convoy went ahead to the next town and bought the necessary tools for us to fix it ourselves at the roadside but it was a bit of an eye-opener and it made me wonder what you're actually paying for when you take out the cover...
Yeah, the whole thing about recovery on the Autoroutes does look a bit old fashioned, but, hey they are French. The Autoroutes are privately owned, so you need to contact their breakdown initially. I checked with the AA last year about this, and they just said to get a receipt for the initial tow, about £100, and they refund in full as part of the breakdown insurance.
icepop said:
Yeah, the whole thing about recovery on the Autoroutes does look a bit old fashioned, but, hey they are French. The Autoroutes are privately owned, so you need to contact their breakdown initially. I checked with the AA last year about this, and they just said to get a receipt for the initial tow, about £100, and they refund in full as part of the breakdown insurance.
I was stunned. Have they never heard of road safety? What kind of moron would insist that motorists abandon their vehicle and walk down a motorway to a hard line when they could call from their mobiles well clear of any danger? It's absurd. But I was also unimpressed that Direct Line wouldn't cover the cost of the recovery either. Won't be using them again. IMO, the best "breakdown service" you can have on a trip like this is a decent set of basic tools for your vehicle. It'll always be quicker to fix it yourself (if it's something straightforward and you have the right kit with you). No harm in having a decent breakdown cover as a backup but would never go totally unprepared and expect the breakdown cover to sort out absolutely anything that went wrong with the car.
I used these guys as they seemed to do what the RAC/AA cover does, but at 1/3 the price:
http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-b...
Never had to make a claim though, so can't comment on that side of it.
http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-b...
Never had to make a claim though, so can't comment on that side of it.
will_ said:
I used these guys as they seemed to do what the RAC/AA cover does, but at 1/3 the price:
http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-b...
Never had to make a claim though, so can't comment on that side of it.
I was looking at these guys last night, my only concern was the wording regarding hire car, it says they will cover "the cost of hiring an alternative car" which suggests you have to arrange the hire car (and collection/return?) yourself. That may not be too easy if you're stuck at a garage in rural France. However, it looks excellent value, especially as it includes a hire car if they can't get you going within 8 hours. It's well worth reading the cover details these independents offer, it varies considerably, they don't always include hire car cover where they can't get you going.http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-b...
Never had to make a claim though, so can't comment on that side of it.
Regarding breakdown on the autoroute, you do have to use the emergency phones, they will only send an authorised recovery vehicle to collect you but, unlike the UK, the price they charge is regulated so they can't rip you off.
Mellow Yellow said:
will_ said:
I used these guys as they seemed to do what the RAC/AA cover does, but at 1/3 the price:
http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-b...
Never had to make a claim though, so can't comment on that side of it.
I was looking at these guys last night, my only concern was the wording regarding hire car, it says they will cover "the cost of hiring an alternative car" which suggests you have to arrange the hire car (and collection/return?) yourself. That may not be too easy if you're stuck at a garage in rural France. However, it looks excellent value, especially as it includes a hire car if they can't get you going within 8 hours. It's well worth reading the cover details these independents offer, it varies considerably, they don't always include hire car cover where they can't get you going.http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-b...
Never had to make a claim though, so can't comment on that side of it.
Regarding breakdown on the autoroute, you do have to use the emergency phones, they will only send an authorised recovery vehicle to collect you but, unlike the UK, the price they charge is regulated so they can't rip you off.
I bought cheap cover when I went to CLM last year. My engine blew up - rod through side of block - game over.
The cover would only pay the first £800 of a hire car claim which only just covered the remainder of the holiday. If it had been the first few days of a fortnights holiday we would have been Donald Ducked.
But, more worryingly, they had the right to repair the car AT MY EXPENSE rather than ship it home if they could repair the car before we returned. For starters we were on a touring holiday so didn't plan on being around LM whilst it was repaired. The engine that had gone pop was under warranty and I could get a 'free' one back home but they cared not a jot. It was only by going to the garage the car had been loaded to and begging the owner through copious use of google translate that we persuaded him to tell the car co he couldn't repair the car (actually probably true given the timescale) and they relented and shipped it home.
A very buttock clenching few days whilst we tried to get a hire car in LM during CLM (got the last car in town) tried to re-organise our holiday and sweated over the possibility of having to pay a local garage for a new engine and fitting.
So in summary don't buy any cover without reading the small print and making sure it will do what you want it to if you need to use it.
And without wishing to name and shame I wouldn't stand in line or buy direct I'd shop around.
The cover would only pay the first £800 of a hire car claim which only just covered the remainder of the holiday. If it had been the first few days of a fortnights holiday we would have been Donald Ducked.
But, more worryingly, they had the right to repair the car AT MY EXPENSE rather than ship it home if they could repair the car before we returned. For starters we were on a touring holiday so didn't plan on being around LM whilst it was repaired. The engine that had gone pop was under warranty and I could get a 'free' one back home but they cared not a jot. It was only by going to the garage the car had been loaded to and begging the owner through copious use of google translate that we persuaded him to tell the car co he couldn't repair the car (actually probably true given the timescale) and they relented and shipped it home.
A very buttock clenching few days whilst we tried to get a hire car in LM during CLM (got the last car in town) tried to re-organise our holiday and sweated over the possibility of having to pay a local garage for a new engine and fitting.
So in summary don't buy any cover without reading the small print and making sure it will do what you want it to if you need to use it.
And without wishing to name and shame I wouldn't stand in line or buy direct I'd shop around.
Check out your bank account a number include European Cover in their priveledge accounts.Ive just check my account with the Co-operative Bank and it still provides full European cover. What I normally is up grade the account a month or so before I travel costs about £12 and then cancel it when i get back.
PaulHogan said:
...And without wishing to name and shame I wouldn't stand in line or buy direct I'd shop around.
Nice to see I'm not the only one unimpressed with their standard of service! We're not going in my car this year so might have a look into who has a better reputation next time around.
BatleyBoy said:
Off to le Mans this year.
I don't have any sort of breakdown cover at moment and need some for Le mans with recovery included just in case.
Any suggestions to best cover / prices?
Cheers. BB
Hurrah Simon. Glad to hear you're making the trip. Where are you staying? The Pogson (TvR) crew and myself will be at Houx, so we'll hopefully bump into you for some beer and banter. I don't have any sort of breakdown cover at moment and need some for Le mans with recovery included just in case.
Any suggestions to best cover / prices?
Cheers. BB
YRRunner said:
Hurrah Simon. Glad to hear you're making the trip. Where are you staying? The Pogson (TvR) crew and myself will be at Houx, so we'll hopefully bump into you for some beer and banter.
Hi Mark. I'm going with the Aeromotive lads from Batley. No quite sure where we are staying but we are with Speedchills if that makes sense?I will look out for you guys....the beers are on you I presume? !
RAC Warning - from experience!
I took 'fully comprehensive european breakdown cover' out with the RAC in 2009. I queried at the time whether this included punctures - as I only had a can of tyre weld. I was told everything was covered and if on your way back you have a problem, "we take you straight to your port" ...NO THEY DON'T!! I got a slow puncture 60k from Caen. Used the tyre weld, but only got 15k further before the whole sidewall blistered and was too dangerous to drive. Phoned the RAC 'Sorry sir, we don't cover puntures"...to cut a long story short, they insisted on sending someone out to look at the car first to see what was wrong, then after that, they would to try and find a new tyre at 8.00pm on a Sunday evening!! (Mine were also specialist order only tyres). They then said they would take me and the car to the nearest garage and leave me there to find a hotel overnight!! Meanwhile, we were going to miss the ferry. They refused to 'recover' me onto a lorry. I ended up having to pay for my own recovery and then again back in the UK. That cost me over £400. I threatend to sue them upon my return and they finally backed down and I got a full refund, including the cost of the 'mis-sold policy'.
I took 'fully comprehensive european breakdown cover' out with the RAC in 2009. I queried at the time whether this included punctures - as I only had a can of tyre weld. I was told everything was covered and if on your way back you have a problem, "we take you straight to your port" ...NO THEY DON'T!! I got a slow puncture 60k from Caen. Used the tyre weld, but only got 15k further before the whole sidewall blistered and was too dangerous to drive. Phoned the RAC 'Sorry sir, we don't cover puntures"...to cut a long story short, they insisted on sending someone out to look at the car first to see what was wrong, then after that, they would to try and find a new tyre at 8.00pm on a Sunday evening!! (Mine were also specialist order only tyres). They then said they would take me and the car to the nearest garage and leave me there to find a hotel overnight!! Meanwhile, we were going to miss the ferry. They refused to 'recover' me onto a lorry. I ended up having to pay for my own recovery and then again back in the UK. That cost me over £400. I threatend to sue them upon my return and they finally backed down and I got a full refund, including the cost of the 'mis-sold policy'.
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