Breakdown cover while travelling in France etc

[alaric]

Hi all.

A few years ago I was travelling through France, and the electrics on my car (not at Lotus at the time) shorted, producing lots of smoke and crackling from under the dashboard and stopping the car dead. I leapt out and disconnected the battery to stop it going up in flames, and it all died out.

As it happened, I should have let it burn!

I had breakdown cover through my car insurance company, which was contacted out to Green Flag. To cut a long storey short they got the car collected from the roadside and off to a garage. Rather than just shipping the car home when they couldn't get it repaired in time for our return journey, they lied to us, telling us that it would be ready on the Monday. As my wife is French, she'd talked to the garage and knew they weren't open until the Wednesday... it's a long storey but basically we spent hours on the phone to Green Flag, were stranded at a camp site, and couldn't get out 'cause they were telling us there was no hire car available 'cause the hire car place was shut - another lie - we spoke to the hire car people at the time...

Green Flag insisted I get the car repaired at the local garage, then go back from the UK to collect it. They had no regard at all for the fact that we both had to get back to work on the Monday.

I won that battle in the end, as in France it's illegal to work on a car without the owner's permission, and I argued long and hard with the insurance company once I got home; their policy simply didn't mention forcing us to have the car repaired there and me going to collect it. The car was returned home a few weeks later on a transporter, with damage to paintwork and broken wing mirrors.

Thing is, that was a standard modern car that I didn't care about, and actually I emptied it of all our stuff before we left it, as I was so p*****d **** with the situation I was prepared to just leave it as I was fed up with not being in control - makes me angry even years later.

So, what breakdown policy are classic lotus owners taking when they go down to the Millau bridge and beyond? Have you checked the terms of your policy carefully?

Last summer, I took our Mondeo ST24 down to Sarlat again; I've been going to the area since I was a kid. I took out separate breakdown cover. I found that the terms and conditions were basically the same with all the providers that I looked into.

- if the market value of your car is less than the cost of repatriation it'll be scrapped
- if you refuse to do what the insurance company wants, i.e. to have it repaired locally, you're on your own i.e. have to get the car back yourself at your expense. I'm not sure, but I think other cover stops too.
- you're expected to go back to collect the car if it's not been repaired in time for your return journey.
- they choose which garage will do the repairs; again you're on your own if you argue.

I can't remember the other terms off the top of my head.

The reason for the post is to raise awareness of this, and, since I am heading down to Sarlat again this year, I would be interested to find if there is a company out there that will give me the policy that I want. To put it clearly;

If my Lotus Elan breaks down and it's not a simple repair - radiator etc - I want it brought back home wrapped in cotton wool! I'll probably want to accompany it.

I'm happy to pay lots of money for the policy for the peace of mind that I and my car will be treated with respect in the event of a breakdown - I remember actually telling this to the AA last year when trying to find cover, and being told they couldn't help me.

What breakdown companies are people using?

Sean.

[chrishewett]

I found that the breakdown cover provided with my Footman James policy was just about useless so I approached the RAC. I already use them for cover in the UK and that covers any car I am either driving or a passenger in. I asked them about two trips to france. I could either pay a sum and be covered all year (I forget how much it was) or they quoted me for each trip. The trip to classic Le Mans for full cover for the week was about ?30. The cover included anything you could want. If the car could not be repaired locally in a couple of days they would transport it back and provide a hire car for the remainder of the trip. If the car could be repaired they would provide a hotel while waiting.
Luckily I didn't need to try out the service but I was confident that it would have been as described. I will be using them again this year.
Chris

[gordonlund]

Sean,

I use the RAC every time but have never had cause to use them in France as yet. (Fingers crossed) I have every confidence in them as I have had to use them over the years in my family cars and my +2 once. I got a piggy back from Thurso Caithness to Preston Lanashire a couple of years ago when I wrote off the family car in a blizzard. The RAC recognise Affiliated car clubs, Club Lotus being one. Usually for cars over 10 years there is only restricted cover at a premium price. The RAC waive those restrictions and premium prices for members of Club Lotus as for other Classic car Members as they must think we look after our cars better than most old car owners and are therefore less of a risk. You must tell them you are a Club Lotus member and give them your membership number,

Gordon

[alaric]

Gordon,

Thanks for the information. We're actually in the RAC but I didn't know they made special exceptions. I'll talk to them about it and see if I can get a set of terms and conditions.

All the best.

Sean.

[maseratiman]

Hi I had to use breakdown cover in france last year my girlfriends ford galaxy broke down near limoges. It was terrible really all that was wrong was the alternator belt broke. We got to a garage and they couldn't fix it until the monday and we were on a sat afternoon ferry. After a lot of phone calls to the breakdown company, very annoying when you are on mobiles. (which I think was swinton the european cover only cost her 15 quid extra for the year !!.) Anyway after about an hour or two waiting at the garage a cab turned up and took us to limoges airport to collect a hire car to get us back to calais. After looking like refugees on the boat as we brought most of our stuff back we got to dover. There was supposed to be a hire car waiting for us but the desk was shut so another cab brought us home to stansted. The car took 3 weeks to get back but was perfect just a little dirty. I was amazed they done all this for us as it was a 1995 galaxy and the cab rides alone were the best part of 400 quid. I will check who the insurance was with but after a slow start they were excellent

[chrishewett]

Years ago this wouldn't have happened as your girlfriend would have been wearing stockings.
Chris

[gordonlund]

To clarufy I trust you meant to say that stockings could be used as a spare fan belt. Support stockings of a denier suitable for tug of war competition being most suitable. Showing a leg will not get a Ford Galaxy home. Now a Drop Head Elan Sprint, that would be completly differant. Every red blooded mechanic within a 50 mile radius would have been round like shot.

My Elan Sprint had a malfunctioning alternator in the Scottish highlands. Not enough charge in the battery to get me home in the impending gloom. The RAC were there within the hour with a new alternator and fitted in 20 minutes. Apparently the local RAC Chief Patrol man drew rank to attend. He loved old Lotuses.

[sk178ta]

My reasonably priced cover with Heritage includes Continental breakdown. I have had occasion to use it and be repatriated and the service, through AXA, was exceptionally good.
Jim