Breakdown cover and service history

jumpingclear

I have just bought a cheap car with no service history. I was looking into breakdown cover and when looking at the terms of Gem breakdown I noticed that it said the car had to be properly serviced in accordance with manufacturers recommendations. Green Flag said something similar iirc. I couldn't find anything in one of the others I checked, either AA or RAC but I may have just missed it.

Does anyone know what this means in reality? Do you have to have a full service history? I think one of them specifically mentioned correct oil/fluid levels which is easy to check yourself.

Will they check service history before issuing cover or providing or paying for a claim?

If so is there any way of getting cover for a car without official service records?

thanks

forgotmyname

It means if your car breaksdown due to neglect they can use that as an excuse not to recover you.

Get it serviced and keep proof of the recent service.

marlot

Its to cover them for the chancers who never have their car serviced, but expect regular breakdown attendance (for things which would have been picked up at the service).

Just get the car serviced! Make sure that you check when the timing belt (if fitted) needs to be changed.

colino

How would they enforce that? I've never heard of any companies patrols ask to inspect the service book before lifting the bonnet.

AdrianC

No, they don't check. But it's usually fairly obvious when something's been neglected to within an inch of its life, and they're the cars that that requirement will be brought to bear on.

forgotmyname

It will depend on the car and the circumstances of the call out. If you keep calling them out to what looks like an MOT failure then expect them to decline future call outs.

Jugers

I suspect as has been said, that it's probably standard T&C's that they (and any other car breakdown provder) can use when they consider it to be appropriate. They are unlikely to ask you to prove anything but if you car breaks down due to a ceased engine due to not keeping the engine oil topped up, you can count on them refusing to assist you, and rightfuly so.

http://www.whybreakdown.co.uk/breakdown_cover_providers/gem_breakdown_cover.shtml

trevor2522

Good thread. Relatively-modern cars like Renaults incur extortionate costs to replace the cam and accessory belts -- £600+ ! This can be half the value of the vehicle, which may still be on a low mileage but require a belt change after 5/6 years, yet it may only have done 30,000 miles out of the 72,000 miles scheduled for non-temporal replacement.

Some owners just take their chances and are prepared to write off the car if substantial internal damage is done. It is impossible to even inspect the belts' condition without substantial dismantling.

I suspect the cheaper recovery firms may refuse service if it is obvious the belt has snapped and there was no replacement to schedule. All breakdown companies' terms carry 'Must-be-Serviced' clauses, so a generous tip to the mechanic may elicit a favourable outcome!

fred246

It may just be my bad luck but when I have requested help from breakdown companies I am not sure that the people that have attended me would be capable of reading.

bigjl

trevor2522 wrote: »

Good thread. Relatively-modern cars like Renaults incur extortionate costs to replace the cam and accessory belts -- £600+ ! This can be half the value of the vehicle, which may still be on a low mileage but require a belt change after 5/6 years, yet it may only have done 30,000 miles out of the 72,000 miles scheduled for non-temporal replacement.

Some owners just take their chances and are prepared to write off the car if substantial internal damage is done. It is impossible to even inspect the belts' condition without substantial dismantling.

I suspect the cheaper recovery firms may refuse service if it is obvious the belt has snapped and there was no replacement to schedule. All breakdown companies' terms carry 'Must-be-Serviced' clauses, so a generous tip to the mechanic may elicit a favourable outcome!

Why didn't you chose Mercedes with Torque Convertor failure, BMW diesels with camchain issues (usually snapped but sometimes just jumped a tooth) or VAG 2.0 TDi owners with oil pump failure? What about 1 Series owners with almost complete brake failure due to a fault with the ABS valve block?

Or did you just bring a thread back for history to slag of Renaults!

Can't say any of the numerous Renaults I have owed have had any issues with cambelts or aux belts other than needed replaced at the correct interval.

Actually from memory some VAG diesels have pretty short intervals, I am sure my 99 Toledo TDi was a 40k interval, much shorter than the 150k for many Ford (also fitted to Pugs, Citroens, Volvos and Mazdas) diesels and I am pretty certain our old Clio had a 72k interval (can't remember if it was 5 or 6 years though.

Current Berlingo is a 10yr interval, don't know the miles.

EdGasket

If you own a french car, you are not qualified to post advice on this forum.