Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Passthecherrycoke · 30/05/2019 19:22

I would’ve interpreted that to mean they will offer you a premium, mid range or budget tyre to give you the choice. Many (slightly mad) people insist on premium only.

I felt a bit ripped off with my £100 budget tyres until the PP- hurrah

Gth1234 · 30/05/2019 19:28

I have already posted, but I have never felt ripped of by the RAC/AA.

If they can come out at night, manage to locate the right tyre, put it on, and get me going, I would happily pay, and give the service guy a tip, if I had cash on me.

I bet whatever they charge, it's cheaper than trying to find a tyre service to come and do it.

They might not even be able to get the tyre at all - a lot of sizes need ordering in - and then I am sure they will take you home - and then you'll still have to get it sorted tomorrow.

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 19:31

@Gth1234 but it's the 'whatever they charge' isn't it? Glad you didn't feel ripped off, however I felt that the service was all about my credit card number...

OP posts:
Laiste · 30/05/2019 19:34

So ... she said
''if we can't fix it the guy will try to source a high, medium or cheap tyre for you''.

You say ''ok''.

She says ''right he's on his way''.

Then he'd have turned up, seen the shred and said
''lets get you a new tyre pronto - do you want a high, medium or cheap tyre for this?''

and you'd have said
''give us an idea of how much will they'll be?''

and he'd have got on his phone and gone through the Find A Tyre process and he'd have told you the x, y and z prices and you could have chosen one and he'd have ordered it.

I really don't get what you thought was going to happen OP.

Random18 · 30/05/2019 19:35

I had a nightmare with my breakdown a couple of years ago.
Sent out a recovery truck for a car that didn’t need recovered!

Ended up having to join the AA that night.

Did get them to pay for that though

bridgetreilly · 30/05/2019 19:37

Yes, they were clearly going to source three tyres and offer you a choice, OP, not just a premium one. I don't think it was that unreasonable.

Lantern92 · 30/05/2019 19:50

Were you expecting them to look into their crystal ball and tell you how much a tyre would be? "it's a Touran" literally means nothing, depends on the size and if it's an uncommon size then it will be more expensive. I work in car parts and have people like you on the phone all the time with absolutely zero basic knowledge on what they are asking for then get the hump when I can't magic a price out of my arse. Might as well have asked her how long a peice of string is....

Abs2173 · 30/05/2019 20:03

Sorry to hear that you got stuck today with your car
The procedure is like this.
They will not be able to give you a price on the tyre until you give them the tyre size and your preference i.e budget, mid range or premium tyre.
Then a third party company is contacted to get a price and get a waiting time.
The if you agree the tyre will be brought to you and replaced on the spot.
If the tyre is not available a local only tow will be provided during normal working hours. Out of hours your vehicle will be recover to a single uk destination of your choice providing you have national recovery.

donquixotedelamancha · 30/05/2019 20:10

You are with the wrong breakdown company.

Autoaid is £60 for you and your spouse for nationwide recovery, whatever car you are in.

The don't do stuff like you describe- just repair or recover you straight home or to a garage. They are a hell of a lot faster than the AA or RAC because they use local firms.

I've been with them years, very good.

autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 30/05/2019 20:20

They can't give you an approx response time. There will be people waiting 15 mins and people waiting four hours at the same time. It's all about priority; they don't run excess vehicles.

BackforGood · 30/05/2019 20:34

What Laiste said - I can't see what they have done wrong here.

However, I agree with DonQuixote re autoaid (though we only pay £48). Been with them for years and never had an issue, and they do call you back and give you an approx time once they've spoken to the local contractor. I think 6 mins from my call was our record, but the longest ever was 50mins. Never had any issues.

Gth1234 · 30/05/2019 21:12

@OP

Are you still at the side of the road? what did you do in the end?

wibbletooth · 30/05/2019 22:16

Op if you look at your tyres (I know not so easy now you’re not with the car) but there are a load of numbers embossed on the side along with a brand name and often a tyre name too.

It’s worth writing the numbers down (and checking each tyre - sometimes they can be different).

Makes it much easier to look online to see a range of tyre prices - even if you just start off with the big names to start with - they guide you through the different bits the number is made up from.

I usually just try to get whatever is already on the car but have one car that had 3 different types on - which led to the tyre sensors not working as I learnt to my cost... but when I’ve needed a new tyre, it isn’t very difficult to find prices once you have the numbers.

They are now in my phone notes for whenever I need them, along with the last few people we’ve used for tyres.

Definitely worth doing ready for next time! (Hoping that you won’t need to of course!)

Gth1234 · 30/05/2019 22:36

@OP
but it's the 'whatever they charge' isn't it? Glad you didn't feel ripped off, however I felt that the service was all about my credit card number...

What I meant was, I have never felt that the AA or the RAC have overcharged for their services. I cant see they could have done much different - and I doubt they would have "ripped" you off for the price of a tyre. They may well not be able to get any tyre for your car same day.

The tyre size is on the side of the other tyres on your car. You could easily see whether you have been overcharged or not by ringing kwikfit, nts, etc - but taking your car in for a new tyre,, is rather different to having someone come out to you, and get you mobile at the side of a road.

I mean, if you HAD a spare tyre, they (or even the police) would have come out and changed it FOC.

Original poster
MT2017 · 30/05/2019 22:37

You are with the wrong breakdown company.

Yes!

I am gobsmacked at those who think they were ok to say I had to accept one of the tyres without determining cost. What if I could have afforded £30 but £100 would have sent me into debt? Or could have afforded £100 but not £200?

I was absolutely not told that I would have a choice of tyre, but that they would try and source three tyres in different price bands. And if they couldn't?

Anyway. Thanks to those who have recommended Green Flag and AutoAid, will have a look at both of those [flower]

OP posts:
donquixotedelamancha · 30/05/2019 22:53

I doubt they would have "ripped" you off for the price of a tyre.

Tyres vary wildly in price. National tyres are amongst the cheapest when comparing online but you pay literally triple that price if you just roll up. I would assume that buying from the roadside I'd be paying through the nose.

BackforGood · 30/05/2019 22:54

But 'unexpected costs' are part of owning a car.
You have paid for their services so you aren't left stranded at the side of the road, unable to get home (or wherever you want to get to).
I can't see why you are so angry at this Confused

You've paid them, to ensure you aren't stranded. Not only were they providing that service, but they were going above and beyond that service by not just providing you with "a" tyre, but they are hoping to be able to offer you a choice of tyre. I'm impressed by that. I've never had it happen, but I'd assume I would get what was available when being rescued from an impossible position at the side of a road.
Your argument about the fact it might put you in debt to replace it, makes no sense ~ what are you going to do - abandon your car and walk / hitchhike home and do without the car until pay day? If it needs a new tyre, then it needs a new tyre. To my mind, offering you range of prices (once the rescue vehicle is there) is going over and above what I'd have expected.

BarbaraofSevillle · 31/05/2019 08:32

Were they wanting you to choose whether you wanted a budget, mid range or premium tyre? That's what it sounds like to me.

Obviously in a breakdown situation, time is of the essence and there is often a limit to the type of tyre that can be source now.

Maybe it would be worth looking for a second hand spare wheel of the right type from a breaker's yard, so if there is a next time, you can just stick the spare on, carry on with your day, and then you can sit down and choose your own tyre online, which is bound to be cheaper than in an 'emergency' situation.

Oh, and yes, join Autoaid. I have no idea why people pay two or three times as much for the same service from the RAC, AA or Green Flag. Even though the price has recently increased quite a bit, it's still massively cheaper for the same service.

WhoKnewBeefStew · 31/05/2019 08:33

I think yabu

Babyroobs · 31/05/2019 08:37

I thought it was against the law not to have a spare tyre ?

MontStMichel · 31/05/2019 08:38

That is why we pay fora spare tyre on our cars. Then they will come out and change the wheel for you!

fairweathercyclist · 31/05/2019 08:43

Personally I think they should be able to give you a range. So you know for example that a mid range tyre won't be more than £100, that gives you a guide. I do get the OP's concern about effectively having to sign a blank cheque.

I thought it was against the law not to have a spare tyre

A lot of cars don't have them anymore (just the spacesaver ones?). My mum hunted far and wide for one for her car as she didn't want to be without one. I've never thought about it and thought she was being a bit OTT but after reading this thread, I wonder!

AveEldon · 31/05/2019 09:05

I'm surprised that they wouldn't just tow you to your preferred destination
When we had a tyre shred we got towed 100 miles and then dealt with the tyre the following day

Passthecherrycoke · 31/05/2019 09:12

You can use another solution to comply with the law on tyres- commonly the “inflator spray” stuff that’s in a can and gets sprayed into the tyre to get you home, but I guess if the tyre is destroyed you won’t be able to do anything

Seeline · 31/05/2019 09:17

My new car 5 years ago only came with the foam filler stuff. I asked what happened of the tyre blew and they said I would just have to call the breakdown company. They also said that if you used the foam filler for a slow puncture/single hole then the tyre places wouldn't be able to repair the tyre ever, I would have to buy a new one.

I wasn't happy with that. They didn't make a space saver wheel for my model despite there being a recess in the boot for one, so I purchased a spare wheel which sort of fits the gap.

I have used it twice in the five years, so saving having to replace two new tyres. I think it is really bad that spares don't come automatically anymore.

Swipe left for the next trending thread