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Original poster

Normal procedure re car breakdown? (angry)

61 replies

MT2017 · 30/05/2019 18:05

So I am a member of a major car breakdown recovery company. Had a tyre completely blow out and shred so totally unfixable.

Called breakdown company. Conversation as follows (after basic info given):

Customer Services person: So what we will do is try and fix the tyre, then if we can't we try and source a premium, mid-range or budget tyre for you.

Me: Tyre is definitely not fixable, do you know how much that will cost?

CS: No, we will try and source it for you.

Me: Do you know an approximate cost?

CS: No, we will see what we can find for you.

Me: Can you send a recovery truck to pick us up (me and DS) and we can sort it tomorrow?

CS: No, we wouldn't do that, we will try and fix the tyre and if not, source one for you.

Me: Can you give me an idea of how long you will be?

CS: No, you need to agree to the previous financial question before we will tell you that.

Me: AngryAngryAngry

Fuckers. Have been with them over ten years so not new.

Are all the breakdown companies like this?!

OP posts:
slipperywhensparticus · 30/05/2019 18:09

Do you have a spare? Mine asked if I had a spare came out fitted it and told me where the 24 hour garage is to get a new one

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 18:12

No, unfortunately not. 7 seater Touran.

OP posts:
Alsohuman · 30/05/2019 18:13

You’re asking how long a piece of string is. I’m not entirely sure how reasonable that is ...

bridgetreilly · 30/05/2019 18:14

And this is why I won't buy a car that doesn't have a spare tyre.

HardAsSnails · 30/05/2019 18:17

This is why I won't buy a car with no spare, which doesn't help you OP, but something to think about next time you choose a car.

IIRC the deal with AA etc is that they will get you back on the road from the roadside, they won't tow you unless they need to.

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 18:17

@alsohuman I wanted to know how much a general cost of a tyre for my vehicle would be and failing that, an approximate time taken to pick us up - not too much to ask!

OP posts:
Isbrexitoveryet · 30/05/2019 18:19

Google mobile tire fitters, call one that’s open, and tell them the number on your tire. They’ll come and sort it.

Easier than breakdown people?

Isbrexitoveryet · 30/05/2019 18:20

Average price of budget/mid tire is 40-60 for new or 20-40 part worn from experience and then what ever the call out is

feathermucker · 30/05/2019 18:21

So, their proposal was ultimately to get you back on the road after either fixing your tyre or getting you a replacement?

They can't give a cost if the proposed replacement tyre is either budget, premium or mid range as those prices could differ quite significantly.

Does your cover include transport onwards.

How long did they take in the end to get you back on the road?

HilaryBriss · 30/05/2019 18:21

I assume that a customer service operator in a call centre won't know how much a tyre is for your particular vehicle until they have managed to source one. Same for giving a time - if they find a tyre straight away, not long. If it takes them 3 hours to find one, then it will be longer. A pain for you I know but I don't see what else they could do.

ifyouneedmenow · 30/05/2019 18:22

The tyre I wouldn't know I suppose the woman answering the phone won't know straight away she'll search nearest tyre places and get a price . The time for pick up it's hard to say they will prioritise say if you are blocking the road will be higher than you are off road . If it's rush hour you could be waiting ages or not . I've had to wait 20min to 1 hr depending how busy .
Cars don't half to have a spare tyre anymore .
I get it's a nuisance no one likes breaking down but not sure what more you expect them to do .

Passthecherrycoke · 30/05/2019 18:23

I guess they’re not going to source it before they need to, they don’t know where they’ll end up getting it from? My budget tyres are £100-ish and I’d probably expect that for any car to be safe. Anything less is a bonus.

So I think fairly standard. Do you have the get home spray instead of a spare tyre then OP? I didn’t realise there were circumstances where that couldn’t be used

MatildaTheCat · 30/05/2019 18:24

Unfortunately a phone operator just won’t know the answer. When the engineer arrives they should try to get you the most cost effective solution to get you sorted.

MelonSlice · 30/05/2019 18:28

Had to call green flag out recently as I hit a pot hole in the middle of nowhere. The car had no spare or Jack. Green flag turned up within 40 minutes in a flat bed recovery truck, loaded the car on and took me home.

Best of all, the service is provided free with my bank!

NoBaggyPants · 30/05/2019 18:32

Used to date a call out mechanic, they source the parts, not the call centre staff.

OldUnit · 30/05/2019 18:38

The phone op cannot give you a price over the phone as there are an almost infinite amount of tyre types and variations.

Telling her it is a Touran is not enough information, many different tyre specs will have been fitted to this vehicle dependent on trim spec/engine size/wheel option etc. The tyre size is absolutely crucial and determines the cost.

Tyre sizes are difficult to relay properly including speed ratings etc, honestly it probably was best looked at by a professional and then priced up.

You would have absolute authority to either agree to the repair or reject it based on the quote. They can't force you to buy a tyre from them I'd have thought.

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 18:59

No, I was told I had to agree to pay before they would come out or tell me what time they could get to us, this is what was so annoying.

To be clear, I get it wasn't the rep's fault but as a company policy, she could have:

  • told me whether they were busy etc and/or approx response times that day
  • not told me that if I didn't agree to pay, she couldn't tell me the info or pick up times.

As they couldn't / wouldn't tell me how much the tyre was, I left the car safely and will sort tomorrow. I can't just agree to a price, it could have been loads - if I had been given an amount of course it would have been different.

I can't believe it is normal practice to have to agree to pay when you are not told what the amount is or even in what ballpark it will be Confused

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 30/05/2019 19:02

My guess is if you don’t agree to pay she can’t proceed to the page that gives her that information- it’s only a call centre OP.

OldUnit · 30/05/2019 19:02

Their policy sucks, if that's the case, but without an accurate tyre size she simply doesn't have the information to give you a price.... they can fluctuate wildly from £30 to £130 depending on size, speed rating and brand.

Passthecherrycoke · 30/05/2019 19:03

A new tyre for £30? Really? I’ve never had one that cheap. Even my 18 year old Renault clio was £25 part worn!

kalopali · 30/05/2019 19:09

A new tyre for £30? Really?

Yep, some really nasty Chinese ditchfinder in a small but popular size. Lethal.

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 19:09

My guess is if you don’t agree to pay she can’t proceed to the page that gives her that information Yep, that's what she said.

Their policy sucks Yes it does!

OP posts:
OldUnit · 30/05/2019 19:12

Yes. A budget tyre in certain sizes are easily available for £30. Say a 155/70/13 H rated jinyu or something.

To be fair, a Touran will be rocking 16" rims at least I'd have thought, with every possibility of them being 17" or 18" depending on wheel type and trim spec (sports models had 18")- without a spare wheel must be a 7seater model (depending on year, there was a model change), so will probably require a higher rated tyre due to load capacity of a potential seven passengers. My estimate is £60-£75 fitted.

Gth1234 · 30/05/2019 19:19

YABU

To be fair, a recovery tow is expensive. A lot of cars don't come with spares now, and if they can get your size at 6pm you are doing well. It's not like they need to investigate the problem.

I got a quote from Costco for 2 tyres for my son's Clio and they were £100 each. I reckon if you get a decent tyre and back on the road for £100 you have done well.

If the rim's damaged, and they can't fit a tyre, I am sure they will tow you in.

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 19:20

The problem is when you are told that they are sourcing a premium, mid range and budget tyre, the concern is that you will be given a premium at the top of the range cost wise. Being told it will be £30 or £100 or whatever at least gives you the choice to say yes or no.

Because I wouldn't say yes to spending an amount that I had no idea what it would be, she then said the computer wouldn't let her tell me when they could come to me and DS.

Absolutely infuriating and yes, I get she is in a call centre but I just wanted my car fixed at a price I would be told or to be taken home safely, not sure what else I am paying my breakdown cover for...

OP posts: