If you have no breakdown cover, what do you do if you do breakdown?

[Fordian]

Hadn't really occurred to me before, but despite the plethora of breakdown cover providers (who I gather all pool together to send out a convenient local driver), what would you do if you'd forgotten to renew, say, and you broke down somewhere?

I would never use AA again as (admittedly twenty years ago) the mechanic charged me for a replacement “new” battery. Found out a few years later that the battery was older than my car! I phoned them to complain but they said it was too long ago, grrrrr! Rip-off merchants IMO.

Such great information, thanks.

Don’t get two punctures on the same day !

Well done you 👏👏👏

Even brand new cars can have problems. And then there are things not related to the age or quality of the cars, like tyres. I'd say you're just lucky.

Phone your Dad! 😜

Breakdown cover is like any other insurance. You pay up maybe for years without using it but are mighty grateful you have it on the rare occasion you do breakdown. My travel insurance/ breakdown cover is part of my bank account. You never know when you will breakdown. Yes, they will come and start your car on your drive but they will also come out on Boxing Day in the snow.

Well you can walk to one of those orange SOS phones of you didn't have a phone or Google. Basic breakdown cover is so cheap it's bonkers that people don't buy it.....including my dm who infuriatingly she tries to travel without insurance too and I often buy it for her because it will be cheaper for me in the long run.

I have breakdown cover through insurance, but it is basic roadside assistance.

I also have the number of a local recovery service, so I could call them and pay if need be.

You phone up and join on the spot. Yes, it is more expensive but if you only need it once every few years, perhaps not that much more expensive…

(you should have it ahead, though! I have bought it ever since I did the above once…)

Just happened to us. Googled local breakdown recovery and was with us within 15 mins. Much quicker than waiting for AA/RAC!

We got 3 years breakdown cover with the car make and just forgot to purchase. Would have cost us £250 in the following 4 years. This cost us £190.

I have Ford cover which I get with my annual service, I get the cheaper Ford service for older cars and still get the full breakdown cover. DH has Green Flag as they seem to be best for recovering the caravan as well if he was towing, also seems a bit cheaper. If I had a simple breakdown like a puncture or flat battery and was near home, I would ring DH though.

I use AutoAid, it's really good value.
https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk

Same, first car aeons ago. I was visiting my DM, who said, ‘Phone the AA and tell them you’ll join if they come.’ So I did, and they did.

I used to drive thousands of miles without breakdown cover. Never broke down, never gave it a thought. Always old cars, too.

Now I drive, on a good year, maybe a thousand miles, still an old car, and have the best breakdown cover my car insurance policy offers as part of my renewal 😆

Google ‘recovery service’ and the place you are…

Did that and it brought up lots of drug and alcohol recovery numbers. Didn't realise my city was that bad😳

Yep, see my post above, we've only ever had one brand new car (usually 2-3 years old) and that had to be recovered at least four times!

@rugbyclub do you never venture far from home?

Or even one, I’ve been recovered home twice in the past 3 years due to punctures and no spare. Bloody annoying, I wonder how much time is spent by recovery companies dealing with tyre damage caused by the horrendous state of our roads?

I have recently concluded that breakdown service is not worth it. It used to be good but not now. Due to poor pay etc it seems that there are much fewer recovery vans in the road.

I bought a brand new car (yes new cars can break down too). The make and model for that year have now been recalled due to a faulty belt. It wrecked my engine and I needed to be recovered. Long old story short but 5 hours later after phoning RAC I was still on the side of the road with no update as to when they would be getting to me. I phoned a local recovery service and they collected me in an hour. From memory it was about £150 to tow me to the garage.

The engine was replaced but the gearbox went a few months later, car was stuck unable to get into any gear in a supermarket car park. This time I didn’t bother with RAC. I phoned another local company (different location) and arranged for them to get keys from supermarket service desk and tow it back to the dealer. I got in a taxi and went home.

The main issue with both these instances I knew the car would need a recovery truck rather than a van diagnosis and then a recovery truck. I suspect in the long run this option is cheaper overall than paying the monthly fee.

I've got AA cover through my bank account. I can't remember the last time I called them out (edited, I realised it was 2016) until a few weeks ago when the car wouldn't start, it turned out to need a new battery. Hadn't long been serviced so it's not a guarantee. Most times I've called them out I've been at home, so I'd say home start is worth paying the extra for. But we did break down at the roadside maybe 20 odd years ago.

There was a great ad campaign by (I think) the RAC which was billboards on the highway 'Sooner or later you'll break down and join the RAC'.
Instant cover.

Remember it's not just needed for breakdowns, I was involved in a crash where my car was un driveable as windscreen was cracked badly. I had to use my breakdown cover then and was so grateful as it was night in a roundabout between the A1 and M18, so even if it's a new car you can still end up stranded.

I’d call Dh who can fix most things or at least tow me home so he could have a better look. If absolutely necessary, I’d ring someone to come tow me and pay for it. I’ve been driving for nearly 30 years and I’ve never had breakdown cover. I think I’ve needed to be towed from the side of the road (a lot of them won’t tow your car from your house to garage anyway) just one time. The amount I’ve saved in breakdown cover in 30 years more than covered the cost of being towed.

My cars are renewed every three years for brand new ones, which are high quality cars. (Company cars).

My last one was delivered with 10 miles on the clock , drove up the country and on the way back, the bugger broke down on the motorway.

You can't guarantee your car will be trouble free.

For those who would call their husbands, how far do you expect them to come? What happens if they are in the car with you so they can’t tow you?