long car journeys

red_devil

Does anyone hate long car journeys to see family etc?

Does anyone refuse to do them?
Do you have breakdown cover?
Has it become a problem in your family?
Have you ever had a horrendous breakdown while travelling?

Gra76

I dislike long car journeys unless I'm driving. Then I don't mind them as I get to dictate the stops etc...to answer your specific questions:

- I never refuse to do them.
- I do have breakdown cover.
- It's never been a problem as long as when we've been away with extended family they go in their own car so I don't have to put up with them!
- No breakdowns to date - touch wood!

balletshoes

red_devil wrote: »

Does anyone hate long car journeys to see family etc?
well they're not my favourite way of spending 6 hours each way, but as its the only way I can realistically see my family regularly, I do it.
Does anyone refuse to do them?
no, never refuse to do it
Do you have breakdown cover?
yes, and I've used it half a dozen times in the last 7 years
Has it become a problem in your family?
nope, we work it out (I travel up there, or they travel down here)
Have you ever had a horrendous breakdown while travelling?
yes, twice - once on a bank holiday monday, it took 6 hours to get home from what would normally have been a 2-hour from home spot on the road. And last year I had to leave my car in Scotland to be fixed, then take the train home for work/school, then take the train back up to Scotland the following weekend to pick up my car - that wasn't much fun!

For me it was part and parcel of moving away, accepting that those were the travelling conditions to visit family - why do you ask?

red_devil

The only way we get to see my parents now is if we travel to them. We had a problem with car this weekend and had to turn back home and never got to see them. Wasted journey and wasted petrol and alot of stres.

It was stressful trying to find someone to help us on Sunday and at one point we didnt know what was going to happen. They are the only long journey we do. We dont do alot of mileage. Its put me right off. We dont have any breakdown cover as oh does not think its worth it as they are the only real journey we do and its not often.

I am thinking maybe they should pay for cover for us as a gesture as we make all the effort now as they cant?

dibuzz

We don't visit family far away these days but would do it if we had to.
I have always had breakdown cover, to me it's as important as insurance and I've added the kids to it as and when they've got cars.

Many years ago my mum and I went to see my new baby cousin in Sheffield, not long into the journey home my mum's Fiat 850 (yes it was that long ago) broke down.
She was in the RAC so called them and when the mechanic arrived he said the engine had blown and would have to get a recovery truck to take us the 80 miles home.
We were fine until we overheard him say it was a woman and young girl on their own so please hurry because of the ripper :eek:
It was a scary wait and when a passing motorist stopped and knocked on the window to see if we needed help we both screamed.
Obviously we didn't have a mobile phone (not sure how we contacted the RAC) and my Auntie was panicking when she rang to see if we'd got home safe and we hadn't.
I think it was about 4am when we got in and rang a very relieved Auntie.

Judith_W

FYI we got cover for £28 a year. Nothing much and something I would happily pay for rather than cause agro with family. Doesn't include a lot of the extras, or getting taken to end destination but good to have for peace of mind.

balletshoes

I wouldn't be without car breakdown cover, no matter how many long/short car journeys I do, especially since I don't live near family who come get me and help me if I was stranded with a broken-down car.

My breakdown cover never costs me more than £45 for a year (and does cover end-to-end UK destination), its often far less than that.

Get onto the motoring MSE forum and find out about breakdown cover for your car, your OH could be pleasantly surprised how little it could cost.

Gorgeestwo

red_devil wrote: »

Does anyone hate long car journeys to see family etc?
We do quite a lot of long journeys to visit family, not really bothered by them, have more of a problem with the family we're going to visit, but that's a whole other thread
Does anyone refuse to do them?
No don't refuse to do them, just try not to do 'certain' trips too often!
Do you have breakdown cover?
Yes. we make sure we have the cover where they'll take us home or to our destination and not just dump us at the nearest garage to where we break down.
Has it become a problem in your family?
No.
Have you ever had a horrendous breakdown while travelling?
No never.

I'm not the driver in our family, so I guess its not so bad for me anyway, but DH love's driving and doesn't have a problem with long journey's, the kids are used to them and now just watch dvd's for the majority of the journey.

dizziblonde

I hate driving, and I'm a very uneasy passenger - long journeys are just a necessity since all our family lives away from us.
And yes, I have breakdown cover.

Igottawii!!

We once broke down on the way home from holiday 200 miles from home I didn't realise my breakdown cover was only roadside NOT recovery
Not made that mistake again (but then nor has that ever happened since :doh:)

floss2

Not an issue - DH drives with his job & his parents live 240 miles away in one direction and his brother lives 280 miles in the other so its a no-brainer.

The parents are too old to drive that far now so we go to them. We take turns with visiting other family.

I have ALWAYS had breakdown - I used to have it as an add-on with my car insurance, then bought with Tesco clubcard deals, now with my new car warranty.

Yes, engine issues with my old car on the M5 to Cardiff from Blackpool - RAC took 40 minutes as it was 10pm on a Friday night, I was on my own and the services I was stuck on were deserted! he got me going & followed me half way down the M50 where he went off home & my DH met me.