Breakdown contingency plans

[CJ]

You're driving down the road and all of the sudden the FTO starts acting up, you have to pull over to the roadside. Maybe its just cut out for no apparent reason or theres a god awful noise coming from the engine bay. What do you do? Who do you call? If you have roadside asistance cover you're sorted but many of us don't. You could get your mate to tow you home or to a garage but this might not be possible e.g if you're driving a Tip.

I'd like to open up this discussion to those of you who have been in this situation and have dealt with it properly or even learned the hard way by not having a contingency plan in the event of a breakdown. Personally, I don't have a plan of action but its something that I've been thinking of recently.

Discuss!

CJ

[pergau]

This is something that has been worring me for a while - I keep a small toolkit in the boot and I usually have a Leatherman with me so I reckon I can do the "jiggling the wires" bit and simple repairs but if something serious happens or if it's one of those inexplicable problems, I don't know what I'd do.
As it's a Tip gearbox, towing on a rope is out of the question and this is the big problem.

I thought about joining the AA but someone told me that they don't do roadside repairs here but they just get you towed to wherever you want. I suppose that is a help but I'd prefer a repair. Still any help would be useful.

This happened to my brother a while ago - he was in the middle of nowhere when his brakes failed so he managed to stop and went to the nearest farm to look for help. The farmer recognised his car from having seen it in our uncle's house some day my brother was visiting and he was at the house next door! (this is completely true) and let him park it in his yard, gave him dinner and drove him to the bus. So you might be lucky like him.

All that said, in my 20 years of motoring, most of them in crap old cars, I haven't been stuck although RAC Europecare saved me a from a disaster and a very large bill in France once.

I suppose that it is a toss-up between paying the AA membership or gambling that the cost of getting the car recovered will be less.
Also I have to check out if it is included in my current car insurance.

[kevinod]

That is a good point... my last 2 cars were fairly new and I regularly serviced them so didn't worry, but an 11 year old car is a different kettle of fish.

I have thought about getting AA cover, and if I do something like the european trip the FTOOC guys do or something like that I probably would join up but 95% of the time I'm within 10-15 miles from home (and mines a manual) so I'd be very unlucky if no-one else in the family (3 brothers & Dad, Mum could even drive over & tow me home) could come and help me either fix it there and then or tow me home.

I actually don't even know how much it costs... I have my insurance through the AA so might even get a discount but it would have to be pretty attractive to tempt me. RAC might be another option, particularly around Dublin?

[soc]

My advice is to join the AA


I was stranded twice - once in my 205gti when the gear linkages went and once in the fto when the gearbox packed in. Both times I got the AA to tow the car to a garage of my choice ..... very glad I was a memeber and worth every penny!

[Myfeckin FTO]

Never been stranded in any car inc either of the two FTO's I've owned - "preventative maintenance" is the way to go. I've spent my AA money on servicing.

Oh! - And buy a manual!

[ftodreamer]

Had this experience last year when an engine mount went kaput. Couldn't fix it as had no tools, couldn't move the car it lost all drive, couldn't hardly move it even in neutral.

Remembered that my insurance covered breakdown, rang them up...they sent a tow truck to get the car brought it to the garage, all fixed the next day. Would have cost me €80 for the tow truck, but insurance covered it. It did cost €40 to get the engine mount replaced.

It's worth checking if your insurance will cover stuff like that too, after all that's what we pay them for. My policy is with ONE Direct, doesn't count as a claim either.

[Muad_dib77]

I have recovery through my insance - but they're a useless shower of cheapskates. They'll tow the car to the nearest garage - but they don't actually cover tranportation of me.. This meant that when my clutch packed it in on the m50 I was pretty screwed.

1. I was supposed to be starnded on the m50 (driver was nice so I got a lift to the Luas)
2. Nearest Mitsi Garage was the dealership out near red cow (expensive and bad apparently.)

As the breakdown occured outside normal opening hours (6.15pm) the towing company said they'd hold the car overnight in their yard - and then drop it down to the garage..As I wasn't really interested in that I arrange for towing myself..from their yard to the garage of my choice..

that cost me a bundle..

my advise.. get AA - works everytime..

did I get AA myself - no.. not yet.. I'm such a muppet..

[raven]

That is a good point... my last 2 cars were fairly new and I regularly serviced them so didn't worry, but an 11 year old car is a different kettle of fish

Just having a look at the forum as i have registered tonight lo all . Just wanted to say to your reply that a electrical fault is more likely to happen with a new car than a old car, reason being a fault with a new product will shown up early in its life i see this is an old add but sure )

[pergau]

I've bitten the bullet and joined the AA.so here's hoping that I never have to call them.