Breakdown experience

[Smallfry]

Early this morning. I drove from Kent to Stockton on Tees to collect some scaffolding from one of our esteemed members. All went well until the return journey. Traffic a nightmare, roadworks, couple of accidents, long queues, more queues on the M25. A 540 mile round trip.
Got back to Kent, and was just pulling off the A2 four miles from home, and the engine just cut out, no nasty noises, turned over OK but would not restart.

Could not see anything wrong, no leaks, coolant still there, nothing disconnected that I could see, so had to ring Britannia Rescue. I did tell the lady who answered the phone that I was a vulnerable elderly chap, which she thought very funny. Once she had pinpointed where I was, she asked if I had a preferred garage to take it to, but I said I wanted it recovered to home, to which she said it was no problem.

They were there within twenty minutes ! Recovery guy was first class too. Our drive is a bit "challenging" a difficult oblique turn and quite steep uphill. And dark. So he dropped it in lane on my insistance, blocking it. He departed, and with the aid of SWMBO and the mini digger, did a two point turn, and towed it up the drive.

So hurrah for Britannia Rescue and the mini digger. If I did not have it, I would have had to winch it up the drive manually, so another good reason for everyone to have one.

Have to look at the van in the cold light of day. First check to see if the cam belt has broken

 

[Red'n'Black]

We've just joined them, after multiple terrible experiences with both the orange and yellow ones. Sounds encouraging.

Best of luck sorting the van out.

 

[Nomad]

Good timing - I'm planning to renew my breakdown before a road trip next month.

Will look at Britannina...

 

[Morrisman]

I’ve just joined RAC, as I can’t talk properly and they have an app, so it can all be done by tapping keys on my phone.

 

[frank horton]

I keep telling the wife we need a digger

 

[addjunkie]

I keep telling the wife we need a digger

Teach her how to use it once youve got one. Saves paying an undertaker!

 

[RichardM]

Good to hear something positive, hope the van's fault is minor.

 

[johnik]

i used to work in the breakdown game, covered all the major players, Britania and greenflag treated us the best so the drivers treated them in return, with AA / RAC you are just an inconvenience

 

[Kayos]

So nice to see a positive post

I've been with the AA years, certainly got my monies worth with the D2, and to be fair when I got a flat in the Insignia they were spot on.

Having said that, I have just looked up Britannia so may be making the switch

 

[Craig-SM]

I’ve used the breakdown service sold with the car insurance as usually works out cheaper than buying on its own. RAC seems to be usual provider and had to use it a few years ago when the fan belts snapped 50 miles from home and it started to overheat but limped it in a services.
Being the Shogun it was too heavy for their usual recovery so sent a third party out. Arrived within the hour and just after the wife had left to take the dog back. He had a quick look after I told him the problem and confirmed he couldn’t fix at the side of the road and had the Shogun on the bed, secured on our way back in no time at all. Asked if I wanted it dropped at a garage or home and as it was just the belts it was dropped at home.

Last month the starter motor failed on the Shogun after walking the dog around a park. Again dog retrieved and I continued to try and get it going until the battery completely died and it wouldn’t jump. It was pointless calling recovery as there was a party happening nearby and the road was narrow with cars parked each side, nose to tail so it wouldn’t be able to get to me. I came back the next day with a fresh battery and got it going again so recovery wasn’t required

 

[500e]

I keep telling the wife we need a digger

Went they Australians?

 

[Ton-up]

Glad you had a good outcome, with AA this year but....
I was with the RAC for years without using them. Last year went to Cornwall on holiday in my VW T5. The steering rack blew its seals out when there. I couldnt find a garage to repair it so rang the RAC. They came out and a call handler rang me. He said would I be happy for them to find a garage to do it, as to take me home would be 4 lorries (100miles each on relay. They might not meet, so hotel overnight, etc) I agreed, but said I didn't want my pants pulled down because it was a emergency, etc. The call handler agreed and said the RAC will contribute to the cost as I was saving them plenty of money.
So they took it to a garage a RAC affiliated 45 miles away. When I got the bill, it had emergency on it, was £1500 and was £800 more than a rack I had had before. I paid it and then when I got home put a claim in for the cost of taxi to garage, tracking and asked them to contribute to rack cost.
They said they needed to listen to the recording of the original phone call. They flatly denied that the call handler had said they would help with cost and all I got was £40 for taxi......
Wont be using them again. The RAC complaints fartbook page is an eyeopener....

 

[Smallfry]

Glad you had a good outcome, with AA this year but....
I was with the RAC for years without using them. Last year went to Cornwall on holiday in my VW T5. The steering rack blew its seals out when there. I couldnt find a garage to repair it so rang the RAC. They came out and a call handler rang me. He said would I be happy for them to find a garage to do it, as to take me home would be 4 lorries (100miles each on relay. They might not meet, so hotel overnight, etc) I agreed, but said I didn't want my pants pulled down because it was a emergency, etc. The call handler agreed and said the RAC will contribute to the cost as I was saving them plenty of money.
So they took it to a garage a RAC affiliated 45 miles away. When I got the bill, it had emergency on it, was £1500 and was £800 more than a rack I had had before. I paid it and then when I got home put a claim in for the cost of taxi to garage, tracking and asked them to contribute to rack cost.
They said they needed to listen to the recording of the original phone call. They flatly denied that the call handler had said they would help with cost and all I got was £40 for taxi......
Wont be using them again. The RAC complaints fartbook page is an eyeopener....

I had been with the RAC for years too. Never had to call on them until I went to start my diesel Astra to come home from work. No oil pressure. I knew exactly what it was, common fault of the oil pump pulley nut becoming loose (really needed a LH thread) and having no drive for it.

RAC recovery monkey arrived after four hours, and refused point blank to reverse the truck in to car park, claiming he couldn't manoeuvre it.........bear in mind the car park was empty apart from my car, AND we and others there had regular deliveries by 44 tonners that were able to turn round without problems, and the car park was floodlit ! Anyway, he wanted to see if he could start it, and I said that wasn't the problem, but before I could stop him, was screaming the engine and driving it up to his truck ramp, then left it running. I turned it off.

Could hear the big ends rattling by now. Was recovered home, but it needed a replacement engine. When I complained to the RAC, their response was because of oil pressure failure, engine had had it anyway. Case dismissed.

This was back in 2008. Never again. Been with Britannia ever since.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

In stark contrast to my last experience with the AA when the disco collapsed a boost hose. Would idle but no more, common fault on tdis

Wagon turned up and I had the bonnet up as id done a bit of faffing while I was waiting . First thing the driver said as he walked to me was “I don’t know why you’ve got the f*****g bonnet open mate, I’m not doing anything” so yeah, brilliant.

Then despite the fact there were nice 15mm thick recovery eyes triple bolted through the chassis legs, he decreed he has to winch it off the front axle. Fine I says, but could you maybe run the cable under the steering bars as opposed to over the top as it’ll start bending them as soon as you apply pressure?

“if we damage it, we will pay for it” says man in the high viz

Yeah, well, not really the point is it?

In the finish I refused any further assistance, limped it 2 miles down the hard shoulder on tickover and got a mate to drive an hour and a half to drop me a new hose off. Monkeys in hi viz.

 

[Smallfry]

Been out this morning looking at the van, first thing I did was to get SWMBO to turn it over on the key, while I watched through the oil filler to see if the camshafts were turning.

Thankfully they were, so at least no catastrophic engine damage, phew.

 

[Morrisman]

I had been with the RAC for years too. Never had to call on them until I went to start my diesel Astra to come home from work. No oil pressure. I knew exactly what it was, common fault of the oil pump pulley nut becoming loose (really needed a LH thread) and having no drive for it.

RAC recovery monkey arrived after four hours, and rufused point blank to reverse the truck in to car park, claiming he couldn't manoeuvre it.........bear in mind the car park was empty apart from my car, AND we and others there had regular deliveries by 44 tonners that were able to turn round without problems, and the car park was floodlit ! Anyway, we wanted to see if he could start it, and I said that wasn't the problem, but before I could stop him, was screaming the engine and driving it up to his truck ramp, then left it running. I turned it off.

Could hear the big ends rattling now. Was recovered home, but it needed a replacement engine. When I complained to the RAC, their response was because of oil pressure failure engine had had it anyway. Case dismissed.

Never again.

Slightly off topic, but similar problem. Old Toyota Corolla we bought in the Philippines, I was running about doing some errands for a car show, when the oil light came on. No breakdown service, all my mates were at the show, my hot rod was already there, so I had to drive about another 5 miles to drop the Corolla at a local garage. Hot crowded slow traffic too, as usual.

I expected horrendous damage, but no, it was the nut fell off the oil pump drive gear. Replaced nut, refilled with oil, drove it away, no problem. Amazing.

 

[Cobbler]

Mrs C & I came back one day & found a car across the top of the drive stuck with a burst tyre. I offered to change the wheel & she said AA is coming in about 30 minute, so no problem. I left it about half & hour & went back up to make sure she was ok, needed the loo or anything to find the AA there with a flat bed. She said the AA can’t change the wheel, health & safety. The AA guy said “that's right, I’ve change hundreds of wheels, but they’ve stopped me doing it, I’m can only take her to a place of safety or a tyre depot”so I offered to change it for her. So I ended up changing it with the AA man looking on & directing traffic. How ludicrous can you get!

 

[Smallfry]

Another thing those of you who are rich enough have iphones, is having What3words on it.

Will make being located really easy, especially if you don't know where you are.

Amazes me that most couriers don't use it !

 

[Smallfry]

Mrs C & I came back one day & found a car across the top of the drive stuck with a burst tyre. I offered to change the wheel & she said AA is coming in about 30 minute, so no problem. I left it about half & hour & went back up to make sure she was ok, needed the loo or anything to find the AA there with a flat bed. She said the AA can’t change the wheel, health & safety. The AA guy said “that's right, I’ve change hundreds of wheels, but they’ve stopped me doing it, I’m can only take her to a place of safety or a tyre depot”so I offered to change it for her. So I ended up changing it with the AA man looking on & directing traffic. How ludicrous can you get!

Why doesn't this surprise me at all.

Its little wonder things don't get done, and what does get done costs a fortune.

 

[Smallfry]

We've just joined them, after multiple terrible experiences with both the orange and yellow ones. Sounds encouraging.

Best of luck sorting the van out.

From our experience, you won't regret it.