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.

Less than £40 for the year.

I get a discount every year for loyalty
man old banger of a car, Ford Focus 2001

now I’ve got to use aforementioned banger for a 4 hour drive to the coast so I will bow out (safe in the knowledge I have recovery!).

but seriously - you can get full European roadside assistant for much much much less that forty squid a day! 😂

That's not European cover.

Yea it is.

i get a 25% discount for loyalty

right - I have to go!! 😂

Start do short term European cover not annual and they don't cover cars over 10 years.

I'm sure you are covered to the UK coast, have a lovely time but upgrade if you are going to Europe.

@EssentialGarage RAC will add annual European breakdown cover inc repatriation for around £90, at time of renewal or taking out UK cover.

thats about 24p per day for European cover.

No limit on age of car, one callout per fault and they will do all they can avoid repatriation!
Its a fixed fee whenever you take out the european add on.

Privilege insurance will add uk/European breakdown cover inc repat with Greenflag, for around 120 p.a - not sure on the age of car on that one, at time of uk car insurance renewal etc.

I ve seen cheaper on comparison sites but with companies i ve never heard off.

Makes my 40p a day look like a rip off 😂

Having broken down in France three times (although thankfully never having needed to be repatriated - that happened the time we had missold insurance so effectively none) I would highly recommend LV. They were brilliant every time.

🤣😫😫 What are the chances?!!!

I’ve been posting on this thread and hoping that my trip to France will go smoothly!

Well 3 weeks in and I’m currently sat on the side of a road in the Alps waiting for the RAC! My car’s clutch has completely smoked and packed up! 🙄

So glad I got that cover!

Yikes....hope you get rescued soon...good luck..

Thanks!… Car was picked up within the hour. Luckily we were literally 500m from our campsite!

Well they’re quoting £3500 to fix the clutch! So we’re having the car towed back to UK.

Not that happy with RAC if I’n honest. Constantly having to chase up updates and they’re so unsure of their decisions!

No idea how we are getting home with camping kit and bikes!!

Not that happy with RAC if I’n honest. Constantly having to chase up updates and they’re so unsure of their decisions!

I’m surprised they have agreed to tow the car back to the UK when it could be fixed where you are.

It can’t be fixed within the time frame of us being here.

You broke down on Tuesday. Was picked up within an hour. 2 days later you have already got a quote and agreement from RAC they will tow you back to uk because wont be fixed in sufficient time for you.

Seems pretty decent to me

Ask them how long to get car back to UK ? it may be many weeks, you'll need to fund a replacement vehicle during that time and still pay for the UK repair.

Also, ask them if they will pay to extend your holiday or pay for you to return to France to collect the car.

3.5k is a lot for a clutch, can you get other quotes? but it might be worth finding out how much the job would be in the UK.

3.5k is a lot for a clutch, can you get other quotes?

Guess it depends on the car and of course the dreaded labour costs....

FWIW we did a long road journey through France mid week and it was interesting to see the number of non-French registered cars being shipped northwards by recovery companies......sadly I guess it's been an expensive holiday for some.

It’s just that I’ve had to do the chasing. Then they say they will do something and get back to me. The don’t get back to me. I call to chase it up and they haven’t done what they said they would do.

From breakdown to you posting that RAC was towing back to Uk was 2 days! Not bad IMO

The car is an 11yr old berlingo. We need to weigh ip the market value vs the repairs.

I’m not too fussed about how long it takes for out car to be towed back… we have another car I can use for work.

My worry at the moment is that you can’t drive a french hire car to the UK, so we’re currently looking at hiring one to Dunkirk. Getting on the ferry with bikes and the hiring another in the UK. We have so much stuff! The thought of carrying it all on to the ferry is daunting me!

No it’s not, you’re right. The communication could be better though…. I’ve been on hold for 55 mins this morning, then it cut out 🙄