Car breakdown abroad - stuck alone with dog

[Caraccidentcroatia]

NC for this. Need a hand hold. Feeling a little lonely and helpless.
I hit a pothole on the road driving back from the restaurant on my last evening before driving home to Germany (1500km). Many things booked and paid for on return trip like hotels for 2 nights driving back and ferry crossing.

I will have to buy another motorway pass for Austria as my 10 day one covered me until tomorrow and I was supposed to drive through today.

Instead I’ve had to pay 3 nights extra here - couldn’t stay where I had been staying. Plus she had the audacity to say I hadn’t left the terrace floor clean enough when I had asked her what she wanted me to do and she said just basic we clean thoroughly.

I hadn’t unpacked all of my clothes from the car and it was mainly stuff for my dog that I had in the apartment, plus swim things but I’ve had to leave there with carrier bags and shopping baskets. Feeling like a bag lady. Taxi cost 20€ for a 3km ride.

I don’t have a clue yet how much the repair is going to cost and when it will be ready.

I’ve been on the phone to my bank but because I came on holiday with my own car I’m not covered with my credit card insurance.

The equivalent of the RAC have not been back in touch with me.

I am very lucky to have a Croatian friend that is talking to the garage for me.

Every little thing is making me cry right now. I’m trying to work out finances. I took my dog down to the beach - they are allowed here and she wanted a paddle. There was hardly anyone there and I just got yelled at by a woman whereas others were calling my dog over and happy to see her there.

OK, I am lucky I wasn’t hurt because who knows what would have happened to my dog if I was.

did you get it sorted ok OP?

Have to wait until Monday for car to be ready

I just feel so lost and alone. The days we had that were planned were fine but I won’t be back at work in time and the extra expenses are a stress.

Please try not to feel bad - both you and your dog are safe. The car is just a financial pain and you will have to bear it. Rather this than either of you hospitalised or dead x

I know and now I’m thinking what if I was in hospital what would they have done with my dog.

I just feel like an idiot. I took a wrong turn and ended up on a dirt track. Hit a pothole. I thought all would be ok as my car is 4x4.

These things happen. Try not to beat yourself up about it. Just think, in a few days you will be home with your dog and you can put it all behind you 💐

Hope all is well with you now. Does your car insurance cover any of the damage? Travel insurance cover for the extra days? Maybe not, but it would be worth checking.

Now you are over the worst of the shock, try to think positive and make the most of the added time away, even though it's inconvenient. Better to try to enjoy it than be miserable. You are there until the car is ready anyway. Best of luck.

Will car insurance cover some of it? If you hit a pothole it’ll be an accident - I recently hit a rock (entrance of a car park and it was dark so I misjudged and turned too sharply exiting). I paid the excess but insurance covered the repairs.

take a breath and choose to go with the flow. These things happen and you will be fine so you can choose to be stressed or choose to wait until you know the cost and make a plan. Stress achieves nothing. Grumpy lady on the beach can fuck off - sadly they are in every country.

It’s an awful feeling when you end up stranded in an unfamiliar place! I’ve been there, and cried my eyes out. Hopefully you are feeling a little calmer about it all. At least you are in a safe place and have a friend to help with communication. Is there anything nice to do in the area over the weekend?

Got the car back yesterday late afternoon. Missed the 16:00 ferry. On the drive back from the workshop the tyre pressure loss lights came on so had to stop at the garage to check them and reset them.
A friend of mine has a holiday house on my way back and she speaks the language and had helped me so I couldn’t drive back without seeing her and her family - we’ve been friends for 26 years and live in the same country.
Didn’t get to my hotel until 3:30am this morning. Around 600km in total. Did another 600km today and have a shorter drive back home tomorrow.
Garage ripped me off. Gave my friend a price but did not say this was without an invoice and said it would be 25% more if I got an invoice (VAT difference). There is still something wrong but I barely had the money for the „black“
invoice so I just paid it - plus they wanted cash of course but would have wanted cash if it was with an invoice too - so that meant a withdrawal from my credit card.
I need to take 2 annual leave days extra now that were planned for later in the year.