BREAKDOWN Cover - punctured tyre unrepairable question

UnsureAboutthis

I was thinking - what would happen if your car tyre punctured on a motorway, etc., or after 9pm when garages were closed

Would the breakdown service provider take your car to your home via the onward journey or

would they insist calling out an emergency mobile tyre fitter?

I'm asking as I was watching videos of people getting blowouts/unrepairable punctures on motorways and being charged 400 to alost 500 quid for a cheap tyre. Also remember if you have a 4x4 like a Mercedes, etc., it's important to fit the same tire type/brand pattern on the same axel

Yes, it may be in the T&C's but what is the general consensus? I am with Mobilio ATM, but going to join the RAC soon as my car is old now, 5 years plus, and I won't be using MB for servicing.

Which breakdown companies would be happy to tow your car back to the destination or back home?

sheramber

With Greenflag, punctures in two tyres from pothole., we were towed back to our local garage,( our request) car left with them to get new tyres and then we were dropped off at home as it was on the driver’s way back.

Greenflag used a local recovery company.

subjecttocontract

I make a point of always carrying a spare wheel for all of my cars. If they don't come with a spare i buy one. At least then you can be on your way in 10/15 minutes. With a repair kit it's a bit hit or miss, if its a breakdown call out you could be waiting around for a couple of hours.

Hehaw2025

I think it depends on what you are willing to pay.

With the RAC if I breakdown they take me home regardless of how far away I am however I am sure there was a cheaper option of ‘closest garage within 10 miles of breakdown’ point.

Last time I got a puncture they came, put a temp tyre on my car, followed me home and put my old one back on to organise my own tyre replacement.

Grumpy_chap

The OP might find this thread worth readinng:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6666132/a-puncture-now-equals-a-breakdown

UnsureAboutthis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035002#Comment_82035002

I would but with the adblue tank there is nowhere to put it other than the boot. The tyres on my care a not very big buy big ie 265 45 20's - so imagine going on a long trip as we sometimes do, about 200 miles one way and about 190 miles from home and you get a puncture. I nearly did not buy the car when I noted it did not have any spare wheel, even a skinny one.

As I said, those 'emergency mobile tyre' people are seriously expsnive and often charge 400 to 500 quid on a motorway or late at night and the tyre you will get is often cheap, or it is not ideal, ie a mtach of the 4 same tyre tyres you had on your 4x4 etc as its imprant to have same styres/brands/paterns especially on the same axel.

UnsureAboutthis

I've just booked a can of Holts Tyreweld at eurocarparts - the advert states that this stuff can be easily washed out unlike the orginal stuff that came with my car and others often sold in car shops/etc

facade

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035072#Comment_82035072

The manufacturer supplied gloop is "easy" to remove, but most tyre fitters won't do it.

1. They can't be bothered dealing with the mess
2. They can't be 100% certain that they have got it clean enough where the patch is going to guarantee that the patch will stick.

If the patch comes unstuck and there is a big enough accident for a full investigation (think Selby) the finger will point at them, and they don't need that for sake of a £20 repair, when they can either sell you a £200 tyre or not have to do any work.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035002#Comment_82035002

Even if the vehicle has nowhere to put it? Our penultimate car had a tyre well but it was full of the hydraulics for the roof; our last car has no tyre well. Not going to keep a spare in the boot/back seats personally.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6672526/breakdown-cover-punctured-tyre-unrepairable-question

All will depend on the terms of your policy/what level of cover you have.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82035002#Comment_82035002

we had a spare but two burst tyres.

eschaton

I’ve previously used Green Flag and thoroughly recommend them but never had a puncture with them.

With current car, I also have Mobilo and despite my car being 6 years old last week, I’m going to continue with Mercedes servicing. When buying a 2 year service plan, I consider it to still be good value when it includes MOT, very comprehensive breakdown cover that includes replacement car and courtesy car during servicing.

I had to call out Mobilo for the first time a few weeks ago at home for a puncture. The guy fixed a puncture in an area that any other garage wouldn’t have done so on a tyre that has done less than 5k miles. When asked about an airbag warning light when finished, he got out his diagnostic machine then cleaned a sensor that saved me another few hundred. My car actually failed the MOT last week but I had a courtesy car for 6 days as a result. It’s certainly worth considering maintaining MB servicing as you probably won’t save much going elsewhere and there’s potential for it to be even better value.

As a whole, I don’t find MB expensive, they were actually cheaper on brake pads/discs replacement last year compared to Kwik Fit.