Anyone know a garage that won’t rip me off in Hayle/St Ives - stuck hundreds of miles from home

[StrandedAtTheDriveInn]

As the title says. I’m hundreds of miles from home, there’s a storm, everywhere is shut cos it’s Sunday, it’s not the best day!

Soooo, I drove the length of the country on my own to have a relaxing solo break by the coast with nice weather and none of that had happened!

Today mid storm on a narrow road I clipped the wing mirror of another car, it smashed their glass, but I came off much worse! Knocked on door to try and find the owner but no luck, but a kind angel of a man gave me a pen, paper and plastic bag to put it in (cos storm!) so I could leave my details. He used to be a mechanic and patched my wing mirror up and said it would do me and was legal even tho it had chips (my electrics are another matter!)

Long story short sorted out details with other driver, but I have a 15 hour drive home (with an overnight) and I am scared of anything happening with my mirror. Even although the mechanic thought it should be ok. It’s just the drive is so long, the weather is awful and I’m on my own I’d feel happier if someone looked at it.

So finally getting to the point - would anyone know of any local garages etc that could take a look?

There won’t be anywhere open on a Sunday evening.

Can you stay another night and get it seen first thing tomorrow morning?

Yes sorry among my big long story I forgot to say I will be there tomorrow and Tuesday too thankfully!!

Hi, we were in St. Ives in August and we had a car problem and were travelling home in 2 days 😬! So were desperate to get it fixed. No help from local garages. We were advised to try someone big like Kwikit or Halfords etc.

Although fully booked, the Halfords in Penzance took pity on our dilemma and sorted us. They were amazing. HTH

We needed electrics fixed a few years ago when we were on our way to Newquay. The RAC booked us into Penhale garage, Fraddon.

From the outside we were a little worried when we dropped the car as parking was an issue and it looked dodgy, but they did a really good job and were reasonably priced.

You are legally allowed to drive with two mirrors though.

Hawkins Motors in Hayle. One of the daughter in laws did my wedding flowers, known the family for years & they used to drive 200 miles to drop cars off for me.

Thanks both, appreciate that 😊. I wasn’t even thinking about Halfords or similar!
I’ll google the other garage too.

I am hoping in the cold light of day tomorrow when the rain isn’t pelting off it that it looks better and it will see me through to get home. I’m worried about it popping back out again. But I am also trying to rationalise that it was a former mechanic that put it back in, so not sure what another mechanic would do! I think it’s just the panic, I hate things like this, and being far from home has put me right out of my comfort zone!!

Sorry crossed with the recommendation in Hayle. I’ll check that out thank you! 😊

15 hrs though, OP? Where do you live, Jupiter? 😂🤔

Right up in Scotland! I mean it shouldn’t take quite that long but sadly the traffic on the way down had other ideas. It was hell! 😂😂 To the extent I thought I’d lost my mind and was regretting the ‘relaxing break!’ Still might be regretting it, but hoping things turn around in the next few days 🙈🙈

Hope so! We're currently in Crantock on holiday and the weather today has been brutal hasn't it! Hoping for a better day tomorrow 😊

Is it the passenger's or driver's side OP?

It's a legal requirement to have a working driver's side mirror, the other side doesn't matter (my car passed its MOT with the whole left mirror assembly actually held on crookedly with tape!

I hope it does for both of us! Fingers crossed!!

It’s the passenger side. The electrics are gone so they will need fixed but not as en emergency. The glass has chips but I’m not sure if I am
maybe panicking and it will be ok once the driving rain has passed and visibility is better overall! I live in hope! 😂🤞🏻

In that case, if you are mainly worried about the mirror itself popping out again on the journey home, I'd just buy a roll of sellotape and wrap it round to prevent this happening. Then get it fixed (or not) at leisure when I get home! Seeing as the electrics also need fixing, I wouldn't want to waste holiday time having my car stuck in a garage for hours. Hope the weather improves for you and you have a lovely break!

Thank you! I was out and about today and the mirror has some chip but is completely functional so I think it will be fine to see me home. I might also have emergency cello tape although the mechanic assured me it wouldn’t pop out so I just need to keep the faith!
Weather is hopefully on the up - well drier today at least. So all in all much better than yesterday’s panic. Thanks all 😊

Aw that's all sounding much better OP!

I drove about for ages with my broken passenger side wing mirror with a securely taped freezer bag over it. Worked a treat!