URGENT! RAC or AA?

Trillionaire

Hi everyone (anyone).

My car wont start!!! Can't take the kids to school and can't go to work!!! I've no money for a taxi or the bus and I don't live near the school so can't walk. I'm resigned to not leaving the house today but I need to join a breakdown service (via Quidco using my credit card). If I join the RAC or AA will they come out later today or would that be pushing it?

Money_maker

There must be a friend, neighbour or relative who can either give you a lift or lend you a few pounds for the bus. How about down the back of the settee, piggy bank, old coats, bottom of handbag? Schooling is so important.

You're probably more likely to have success with a garage but they will need paying.

Quentin

You will find they may not come out immediately you join.

See if a friend can pop round and use their membership to call them out.

James_Lahey

Phone around some taxi firms - you may well find one who'll take credit card over the phone.

If you do join AA/RAC you'll need to add the expensive homestart package (assuming your car is within certain distance of your home.) And they may well not come out as problem is pre-existing.

What's actually wrong with the car - does the engine turn over or is it just a dead battery situation?

Trillionaire

If I join today will they come out tomorrow?

Anyway it gets worse.:mad:

I decided we could walk to the nearest cashpoint - 20 mins away - then take the bus. We got outside the house and I locked the front door and the front door key broke!!! Forunately I found the tip that broke off and inserted it in the lock and pushed the other bit in and was able to reopen my front door! Now that tip is stuck in the lock and I can't close my front door:( I got rid of my pride and asked my lovely elderly retired neighbour a few doors up if he'd take the kids to school - which he has. So.........I now have a front door that wont lock and how will the kids get home from school?

Trillionaire

I'm not even sure if it's a dead battery because the radio and the lights seem to work.

bob_a_builder

They still might ...

but it takes a lot more power to use the starter motor

thats why the earlier question " does the engine turn over or is it just a dead battery situation?"
is relavent

does it turn or not

Sgt_Pepper_2

Trillionaire wrote: »

If I join today will they come out tomorrow?

Anyway it gets worse.:mad:

I decided we could walk to the nearest cashpoint - 20 mins away - then take the bus. We got outside the house and I locked the front door and the front door key broke!!! Forunately I found the tip that broke off and inserted it in the lock and pushed the other bit in and was able to reopen my front door! Now that tip is stuck in the lock and I can't close my front door:( I got rid of my pride and asked my lovely elderly retired neighbour a few doors up if he'd take the kids to school - which he has. So.........I now have a front door that wont lock and how will the kids get home from school?

So the kids were late for school. You need to sort something for their collection now and not leave it to others.

You can scrounge a lift to your local diy and buy a new lock or call out a locksmith.

Try ringing a local garage when your on.

benjus

I use Quoteline Direct for breakdown cover. ( http://www.quotelinedirect.co.uk/breakdown/ ) - mainly because it's the cheapest I could find that includes Europe-wide cover as standard. I just had a look at my policy document and it states that cover starts 24 hours after purchasing a new policy.

In this case it may well be better to get a local garage out to look at it, but once it's fixed I would definitely look at getting breakdown cover that includes cover at home. Don't pay full whack for AA or RAC though - look at http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/roadside-recovery

James_Lahey

So power to the car, but when turning key the engine doesn't turn over?

In my totally amatuer experience this could be a solenoid/starter motor issue - which can sometimes be resolved by tapping/hitting it with hammer or similar (coincidentally this is my favorite way to fix anything.) Or as above not enough power to start car but enough to power lights radio etc. if this is the case when turning key you should hear the starter motor strain and try to turn the engine.

Sorry to hear you are having such a terrible day, depending on the type of lock it should be relatively easy to replace like for like, shouldn't be a problem providing door is able to open. Suggest if possible remove old lock (should only require simple tools) and get replacement at a local hardware store/screwfix/toolstation. Nice old retired neighbour has no doubt got tools and may be able to pop to shop for you - nice box of choccies/bottle of something nice for him as soon as you can afford it!

pinkteapot

Says on the AA website that they won't provide breakdown services within 24 hours of you joining...

Just to note that when you sign up with any breakdown service, you'll be signing an agreement that your car is currently in working order. If the patrolman suspects it's been broken down for a while, they'll sting you for what they charge people who join at the roadside, which is more than you'd pay a local independent garage to come out and collect the car.