Help! Car written off in France on first day of hols

[theAntsareMyFriends]

Having a holiday nightmare and any advice would be amazing.

Our car broke down on the way from the Eurotunnel. Black smoke and oil dripping out. We were on the motorway and got towed to the nearest town but the man told us the car was finished.

Lucky we are travelling with family who ferried us and all our stuff in their very small car to our holiday place so are in a safe place where we can stay for 2 weeks.

We now have to work out what to do to sort out or scrap our existing car, get a car we can use to enjoy the next 2 weeks (in a very rural location) and some way to get all 5 of us, plus luggage and bikes home at the end.

My DP is even considering getting a train to the UK, buying a car and coming back. If the current car is totally unfixable then this might be our only option.

We don't have European cover with my breakdown service (thought I did but turns out not) and we don't really want to spend lots of money towing my current car around to still find out it can't be fixed or it can be fixed but would take months.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

@GonnaGetGoingReturns I can only speak as i find.

Our car broke down, Garage was brilliant & i was worried about being ripped off, as we were stuck.
They dropped what they were doing and prioritised fixed the car, genuine parts at internet prices.
Our B&B hosts (French btw) gave the use of their car when we needed it.

Funnily enough a friend had a problem with a motorcycle in La Rochelle a few weeks ago, they stayed open late to fix the front wheel (shut following day) and fit a new rear tyre, prices comparable to UK.

I'm not posting where parents holiday home is but not far from La Rochelle. Like I said, sometimes the French mechanics can be fine (they've been ok with us locally if they know us, know we know someone etc) but they can be rude/unhelpful etc (as in my DB's case) if they want to be. My DB is the nicest man ever too, he'd never be rude!

I tend to find a lot of the French in that area, if they get to know you well, they can be very friendly/helpful, but it can be totally the other way if they want to be difficult. We've had great experiences with the local doctor who knows one of our French friends who lives there.

The irony of it is that on my DM's side, quite directly, on her father's side, there's direct French blood and she had a French maiden name, but of course, most French don't know that, unless you bother to tell them.

Can you find a scrap company who will pay you to take it off your hands?

Hire cars are so expensive in school holidays. Could you hire for a few days then go with DH's idea of coming back to UK and buying another car and taking to France on one way ticket.

You will be able to bring new car back on original ticket if you ring ferry company. I know Brittany Ferries let you swap.

The children will calm down once you can get them to beach or somewhere to play.

What dreadful bad luck. Which part of France are you in OP?

@Endlesslypatient82 😂endlessly patient!

Can you find a scrap company who will pay you to take it off your hands?

For info...

www.eplaque.fr/en/scrapping-car-in-france#:~:text=The%20scrapping%20of%20your%20vehicle,%2C%20quads%2C%20trailers%2C%20etc.

Will your travel insurance cover the cost of a hire car for you?

@Offandonagain
We are driving down to Spain on friday in a 15 year old van. We have just bought euro breakdown cover which includes repatriation ( car and people) and replacement vehicle for duration of stay. I hope to god we don't have to call on it but I wouldn't go without cover.

Yeah, we’re have European cover sorted… although I’m going to double check that it covers repatriation and replacement vehicle! Thanks

Check how you will get all your stuff from the hire car back to UK, how long repatriation takes, how far you are expected to travel to get a hire car, they don't appear to deliver.

@Endlesslypatient82, we did have European breakdown cover and travel insurance, but that didn't stop the car repairs eating our savings.

It cost about the value of the car to repair and we had to extend our holiday and change the ferry back.

That poor piss coverage you had!

Thanks. We’re taking bikes that are worth more than our car and there’s no way I’m leaving them unless shipped! I’ll ride back if I have to 🤣

our bike insurance does cover repatriation, so that’s the main thing.

My thinking is to hire a van on both sides?

@Offandonagain
👍

I feel your pain! We have just returned from France where our car broke down on the motorway three hours from our destination. In spite of it being August, we did get our car repaired over there, by a garage recommended by the RAC. It was part of a chain called EURO REPAR Car Service. They did an excellent job on our car albeit rather slow! I was discussing your dilemma with my DH who has a good knowledge of cars. You need to get a diagnostic for your car in the first instance. Armed with that knowledge you can contact a main dealer in the Uk who can give you an estimate of the cost and feasibility of a repair. Hope you manage to get it sorted.

goo.gl/maps/xHpbFW1P6VS3SPLF6
+33 9 86 37 26 59
Here are the details of Euro Repar Calais

£40 a day?????

I have annual European breakdown cover as a stand alone policy and it was £37 for the whole year.

Currently whizzing along the Italian autostrada and reading this thread being very glad I have it!

That usually only covers repair at the roadside or being towed to the nearest garage.

£40 a day covers onward travel/repatriation of car if fix isn't available, personally I wouldn't travel to Europe without the repatriation package.

Mine covers what you have said and it is a damn damn damn cheaper than £40 a day

start rescue

But loads others too

£40 a day covers onward travel/repatriation of car if fix isn't available, personally I wouldn't travel to Europe without the repatriation package.

So does mine. 40p a day.

OP how did you get home in the end? Please can we have an update.

£40 a day is because it's an old car, so they presumably think it's more of a risk. Some companies wouldn't insure it at all. I typed my sister's newer reg car into the same sites and it came up much cheaper. But yes, £40/day for my car.

Mine is 12 years old!

you were ripped off. Seriously shop around. £40 a day is outrageous

Well a quick Google shows that this is all rubbish.
From Start recovery

'If you would like European cover, we only offer cover for vehicles 10 years old and under.'

Looking at there cover it is cheaper but it is also not like for like.

And as for the pp that says they get full repatriation annual cover for 40p a day unless they live in mainland Europe I just don't believe them.

OP hope you got it all sorted.

Nope
i have been with start rescue for 5 years
same car

I’ll post my cert!