Breaking down abroad,BEWARE

waltonwomen

Hi all, Im new to this forum so i'll just get on with it.We have just come back from our holiday in France, the holiday was great but the turbo on our sabb blew up.Not being able to speak much of the lingo,with help from my sister,the lady who rented us the gite and a lady at the balloon festival,managed to get a garage to pick car up and take to the garage.Through the lady at the balloon festival she interpreted all negotiations,but they could'nt get hold of us on mobile no. Was it was different over there.Evenchally we went down there and made ourselves understood and he presented us with a major bill £1,711.Well!! we were really shocked at the price as the car wasnt worth that much,so we asked him if he would scrap it and he said they was not allowed to in France as it was against the law.We told him he could keep it and some swearing and groaning later he said no.We had to relent and pay,we were really upset and it had put a right dampner on the holidy.My husband tried to get breakdown cover for our car before we went on holiday but couldnt find one to insure us as car is 14yrs old.Then a friend said about quoteline direct,bit late after the avent.So,to say it has taught us a very big lesson.

Iceweasel

Well that's a very sad story - but you've told us nothing new.

£1700 to fit a new turbo in a Saab is about right. The fact the car is 14 years old doesn't make the parts any less expensive or 'le garagiste's time' any cheaper.

You could have just walked away and not paid him - but that would have been pretty rotten of you.

Unfortunately your interpreter/translator didn't ask for a quote for the repairs.

You could have scrapped it at that point, before any work was actually done.

If you had had the work done in the UK I don't think a UK mechanic would let you walk away and say "Keep it." either.

A lesson learned I think. Fact of life with an old car not worth much.

Best sell it soon and try to recoup some of your cash before something else breaks.

I hope I've not sounded dismissive of you - but that's the reality of the situation.

You have my sympathy - I assure you.

citykid5

a very sad story, and sorry for your damper on holiday.
the cost sounds about right. for your info if you had checked the breakdown cover on mse you could have got European cover for cars upto 16yrs old from quoteline for £53, wouldn't of covered the cost of repairs but would of repatriated you and your car back to the uk

facade

Saabs are renowned for turbo failure, but now you have a new one, it should be good for many years to come, if it lasts another 5 that means your repair works out at £340 a year, not a great deal really.

If you had scrapped it, you wouldn't get much of a car for £1700, certainly not one with a new turbo.

Just one of those unfortunate things really.

eschaton

It's the risk you take really when travelling abroad in an old car without breakdown cover.

I wouldn't take a one year old car abroad without the right cover.

Rolandtheroadie

Bit irrelevent now, but a family member went to France with an 80's camper, covered with The AA.
Dont remember the cost (£240 rings a bell), but when the camper broke down, they got 5 days accomodation in France and a hire car.
They returned the car at Calais and got another one for a couple of days when they got back to the uk.
The camper made it's way home as and when it was convenient to relay it up the country a bit.

citykid5

scotsman4th wrote: »

Bit irrelevent now, but a family member went to France with an 80's camper, covered with The AA.
Dont remember the cost (£240 rings a bell), but when the camper broke down, they got 5 days accomodation in France and a hire car.
They returned the car at Calais and got another one for a couple of days when they got back to the uk.
The camper made it's way home as and when it was convenient to relay it up the country a bit.

quoteline offer the same level of cover for cars upto 16yrs old for £53

Rolandtheroadie

citykid5 wrote: »

quoteline offer the same level of cover for cars upto 16yrs old for £53

£1200 worth of car hire/flights/public transport and £500 for accomodation?

Their webpage suggests different

GolfBravo

ADAC.

No car age limit. €79.50 a year. Includes campers, trailers and scrapping if necessary.

Gloomendoom

Bit of a bummer for the OP for the sake of two minutes on Google.

GolfBravo

facade wrote: »

Saabs are renowned for turbo failure....

Yes, Saabs are renowned for turbo failure, mainly because for years they were one of very few manufacturers making turbocharged cars.

Now Fords are also renowned for turbo failures. And Renaults. And Peugeots, Citroens, Volkswagens, Vauxhalls, etc.