breakdown with no breakdown cover?

pavlovs_dog

i was just wondering what happens if you break down, but have no AA/RAC etc cover?

we dont currently have a membership for such a company. there are several reasons for this.

*its quite rare for us to drive more than 40-60miles from home, meaning that it isnt unfeasable for...

*FIL, an ex-mechanic, to come to our rescue if something was to happen.

*OH is quite handy (and carries a toolkit in the boot) so can deal with more minor things as they happen (ie, he secured our loose exhaust sufficiently for us to drive home, albeit very slowly :eek:)


when i eventually get round to passing my driving test, i think i would be more inclined to take out cover, because im not sure i would be able to change a tyre on my own for example, never mind deal with engine problems. having said that, im not likely to drive more than 40-60 miles from home, so help would never be *that* far away.


but what happens if you do breakdown, when you dont have cover, and cannot fix the car yourself? do the rac/aa do "will-joins"? (i think thats the correct term). do you try and get to the nearest garage? hope a kind stranger will atop and help?

im looking forward to hearing your responses :j

cc25

You can join the RAC after you have broken down (see link here, but it is relatively expensive (around £100 I think).

Why not consider joining Autoaid? (see MSE article here). It is only £32 per year for very comprehensive coverage.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

You can currently join the AA online for £31.80. That gives you roadside assistance and peace of mind for you, your OH and you FIL. Surely that has to be worth 61p a week - the price of a daily newspaper.

I broke down very recently 3 miles from home on a very busy city centre roundabout and called the AA. Whilst I waited in the car with both windows down, as it was safer than getting out of it and it was hot, a couple of passing drivers intentionally threw stuff at me through the window, many of them blasted their horns at me, I got filthy looks from practically everyone that passed. The chance of a stranger stopping was vanishingly small, and the likelihood of them having enough knowledge to know what was wrong with the car and fix it was non-existent.
My ex was a motor engineer and always made sure that both he and I were AA members, because of the many things that can go wrong with a vehicle that can't be fixed at the roadside, like two punctures in 2 miles of motorway. That can't be fixed with a toolkit, but can be by the AA man and his low loader to the nearest garage.

pavlovs_dog

thank you both - makes for interesting reading.

dora - your post certainly puts thing in perspective. when we were on the hard shoulder with the exhaust problems we had people (articulated lorry drivers in particular) honking at us, only so they could point and laugh.

mclaren_2

Dora_the_Explorer wrote:

You can currently join the AA online for £31.80. That gives you roadside assistance and peace of mind for you, your OH and you FIL. Surely that has to be worth 61p a week - the price of a daily newspaper.

I broke down very recently 3 miles from home on a very busy city centre roundabout and called the AA. Whilst I waited in the car with both windows down, as it was safer than getting out of it and it was hot, a couple of passing drivers intentionally threw stuff at me through the window, many of them blasted their horns at me, I got filthy looks from practically everyone that passed. The chance of a stranger stopping was vanishingly small, and the likelihood of them having enough knowledge to know what was wrong with the car and fix it was non-existent.
My ex was a motor engineer and always made sure that both he and I were AA members, because of the many things that can go wrong with a vehicle that can't be fixed at the roadside, like two punctures in 2 miles of motorway. That can't be fixed with a toolkit, but can be by the AA man and his low loader to the nearest garage.

did you have your hazzard lights on? - if you didnt, they might think your doing some protest or that LOL!

Astaroth

The likes of RAC and AA will come out if you are not a member but charge a high premiumum for this (or slightly less if you agree to sign up to them at the same time).

Alternatively you can of cause just phone a local recovery agent and get them to tow you somewhere though it will typically be about £60 call out and then £2.50 per mile towed

Jorgan_2

My OH had a fuel injector fail on her car, her commute to work to her thru some interesting parts of town, RAC made her a priority call & attended to her within 20 mins. Unable to fix the car at the roadside it was taken to the garage we had brought the car from. All this before I got the message that she had even broken down. Shop round for the best cover that suits you.

pavlovs_dog

thanks to all for your input :beer: