Breakdown Sevices

nomatter

I bought breakdown cover along with car insurance fromAdmiral.

Recently my car tyre had a puncture by hitting a pothole. Iwas asked if I had a spare tyre and a jack when I called the break down service.I replied without looking because it was only 3year old.

To my surprise that I did not find either tyre or jack whenlooked in the car and I immediately informed them.

I was really angry and disappointed that my breakdown coveris void because of lack tyre and jack and I was also told that I have to pay £90for call out charges and price of tyre if needed.

I came to know that now a days many cars do not have a sparetyre. I am sure they are aware of it if not they ought to. (Is it a moneymaking scam?). I wonder what would have happened if it happened on a motorway.

Moral of the story is wary of cover you buy as a package.After this experience it is better to go for reputable organisations like AA,RAC, Green Flag etc ..

redux

It's not a scam.

Some manufacturers no longer supply a spare wheel and tyre.

If the manufacturer can't be bothered, and you didn't realise that, the breakdown service is willing to help you but why should that include buying you a tyre?

artbaron

The point is they levied call-out charges for a genuine call-out. The car does not come with a spare wheel and therefore why is the OP expected to pay extra when they have a puncture? The call-out fee should only be charged to people whose car has a spare wheel but the driver chooses not to include it.

redux

artbaron wrote: »

The point is they levied call-out charges for a genuine call-out. The car does not come with a spare wheel and therefore why is the OP expected to pay extra when they have a puncture? The call-out fee should only be charged to people whose car has a spare wheel but the driver chooses not to include it.

The service offered is help to repair randomly occurring mechanical faults with the car (but not pay for the parts), or if the damage is more serious, some policies have the option of recovery to a repairer or other agreed place.

The lack of a spare wheel, however upsetting to owners who had not yet realised, is a feature of the design of the car.

If someone has a puncture out of normal business hours, the breakdown service will have to leave the car jacked up and unattended, take the wheel to a tyre supplier they've managed to persuade to open specially (which may or may not be possible), return and refit the wheel.

That isn't quite the same as a few minutes to change to the spare, for people who can't quite manage it themselves.

The breakdown underwriters may be taking the view that the lack of wheel is part of the published specification of the car, and thus the owner should know and should have taken steps in advance to mitigate the risk. Or at least that they aren't willing to cover it.

I'm not saying I agree in full, but it's definitely a foreseeable problem (and probably set out in the terms)

Personally I take a second spare wheel on trips abroad, as I once spent 3 hours traipsing around several tyre places in a German city finding a replacement after a puncture in France in the middle of the night, and it cost almost 50% more than the best place near here.

Crabman

Hello nomatter & welcome to MSE :hello:

I tried to find the terms and conditions for Admiral Breakdown Cover but couldn't find it on their website.

A reasonable and competent breakdown provider should be aware that many new cars don't come with a spare tyre. Your remedy here may be to make a formal complaint to Admiral and then escalate it to the Ombudsman if you're not happy. But, as others have said, the outcome will depend on the terms of the cover and whether you were treated fairly.

Below are the positions taken by the AA and RAC - this may help if you're making a complaint to Admiral as it shows that competent breakdown providers are aware of the lack of spare wheels and still provide cover to their customers where vehicles did not have a spare as standard.

AA:

General Exclusions
d. Failure to carry a serviceable spare
Any additional charges resulting from Your failure to carry a legal and serviceable spare wheel
or tyre, except where this is not provided as manufacturers’ standard equipment. The AA will
endeavour to arrange on your behalf, but will not pay for, assistance from a third party;

http://www.theaa.com/resources/Documents/pdf/breakdown-cover/terms-and-conditions-current.pdf

RAC:

Please note: Service to Motorised Vehicles that are
manufactured without the provision of a spare wheel
will be considered on their individual merits such as
availability of alternative solutions including proximity
and availability of replacement tyres etc, and subject
to Your membership entitlement.

http://www.rac.co.uk/pdfs/breakdown/uk-breakdown-terms-and-conditions.aspx

scotsbob

worried_jim wrote: »

It took you three years to discover you don't have a spare!

He has probably still to discover the aerosol can of Tyreweld, or similar, in his boot which is used for temporary repair.

All the cars without spare tyres owned by myself and relatives have had an emergency aerosol and compressor in the boot.

worried_jim

scotsbob wrote: »

He has probably still to discover the aerosol can of Tyreweld, or similar, in his boot which is used for temporary repair.

All the cars without spare tyres owned by myself and relatives have had an emergency aerosol and compressor in the boot.

And an unopened and never read owners manual in the glove box!

paulwellerfan

i have a newish car ( 2012)
and i had a puncture on the motorway
the car was covered by AA for a year as part of the package.
i discovered then that i didnt have a spare tyre either
i rang them up and they came out and towed my car back to my home.
then they arranged for someone to come out and fit me a brand new tyre, the only cost was 69.00 for the tyre.

flyingscotno1

I always check now when buying a car (which is not that often to be fair) if it has a spare wheel or spacesaver.

I'd never consider a car that can't at least have a spare wheel (or spacesaver) fitted, not with the driving I do in some rural locations.

GaryS

I recently changed vehicles, upgrading within the same model range.
The newer one had the repair kit, which was swapped for the spare from the old one.
Spare wheel every time for me.