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Topic: European breakdown

Portia Hussey

22/11/2023 at 2:25pm
Location: EAST SUSSEX
Outfit: Outwell Vermont plus others.

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I'm currently without a car having broken down in France last week.
Fortunately not camping/caravanning at the time but we had been talking about trying again next summer.
This is the second time I've broken down with a Landrover in France now and it's not the easiest experience as the garages with Landy knowledge are few and far between and communications have been poor.

Does any-one have any recommendation for good breakdown cover based on personal french/european experience, preferably with a non-French/german car?

Last time I was towed off the motorway, put up in a hotel when it was clear the car wouldn't be fixed that day and then provided with a hire car for 3 days because I wanted to continue my holiday. The return home was less than ideal as it was a BH weekend and despite me reminding them that if they wanted to hire me a car at Dover they needed to book it early they didn't and when I arrived in Dover I had to arrange my own onward travel (£150 taxi) and get repaid.I needed to chase them at all times and I think only once had a pro-active call in 3 weeks.
This time is still ongoing so I won't comment other than to say that again comms are challenging.

Is there a perfect solution?

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pork
Remember a good wife always helps her husband with the dishes.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

JoannaLesley

23/11/2023 at 8:33am
Location: South Northamptonshi
Outfit: Delta-Freelander

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We've broken down in both a Renault and a BMW. Each time we were with Red Pennant and didn't have any problems at all. On both occasions we were provided with a replacement tow vehicle from the UK and we were able to keep this until we returned home. Our broken down car was brought back to the UK on the low loader which delivered our replacement and delivered to a location of our choosing. Not a cheap service, but so worth it when things go wrong.

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Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.

DaveS1

via mobile 23/11/2023 at 9:06am
Location: Hatfield Peverel Essex
Outfit: Ace Supreme Twinstar Disco 3

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I broke down with a leaking hose on my Discovery. The RAC couldn't be faulted. Car went on the transporter with caravan on tow.
Took us to a camp site then car disappeared and was returned in a couple of days. We received updates on repair almost hourly.
DaveS1

jaiash

23/11/2023 at 9:40am
Location: nr Derby
Outfit: Phoenix 440+

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Broken in both of the last two years. Red Pennant to the rescue both times and the service was excellent with at least daily updates. On the first occasion we were able to continue our holiday as the problem was with the tow bar and as were then without the caravan and nearing the end of our stay we were found accommodation and caravan repatriated just over a week later. THAT CAR was more trouble than it was worth ( lots of other trouble with it) and has now gone! Never been away with out Red Pennant.

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Grahame

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Motor homers

28/11/2023 at 9:32am
Location: None Entered
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As a motorhomer breaking down, especially in a foreign country, would be one of our worst nightmares.

A LOT of my peers have their bank accounts with Nationwide.

You do pay for this (About £12/month) but you get european breakdown cover and also travel insurance, so in the long run it works out "cheaper".

But as ever

DYOR

Rob and Tina

via mobile 28/11/2023 at 10:44am
Location: Royal Forest of Dean
Outfit: Swift Major 4SB

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I don't know about bank/building society breakdown insurance whether they do repatriation for yourselves and the vehicle if it can't be fixed, but Red Pennant certainly do.

Tina

saxo1

28/11/2023 at 12:38pm
Location: None Entered
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Nationwide Flex Plus use AA and cover repatriation of vehicles and passengers.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Motor homers

28/11/2023 at 7:36pm
Location: None Entered
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I think it gets Murky when pets are involved.

but again

DYOR

JoannaLesley

29/11/2023 at 8:35am
Location: South Northamptonshi
Outfit: Delta-Freelander

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Red Pennant have recovered us, sending out a replacement vehicle each time as I have said. The second time we had dogs with us. As it happened, we had to re-visit a vet as our return home was delayed and they don't cover that cost, but they did make sure that the break down people and the campsite would accept dogs. The dogs travelled in the cab of the break down vehicle with us.

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Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.

Portia Hussey

29/11/2023 at 2:34pm
Location: EAST SUSSEX
Outfit: Outwell Vermont plus others.

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Quick update.

When my car broke down it was on the last day of the trip. I was towed off the motorway and had to pay. I will (should) be reimbursed up to a maximum ££ which is less than the cost in Euros so I should be ok. I spoke to the UK company and asked how I was to get home. It was my problem to sort out and I will get the money back. I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with no available taxi service. Fortunately my sister was an hour away otherwise I might still be there.

My car was taken to a local garage who couldn't diagnose the fault as it was a Landy. This happened to me last time. They needed to take it to a specialist garage and that was done 2 days later. It then took another week before I was emailed to ask to consent to a diagnosis (ie pay). That was due to happen the following day but in fact took another 2 working days to occur.

I spoke to the UK team who told me then that the repatriation would be considered only after diagnosis so I had to pay for it whether I wanted it or not because they needed to know the cost of the repairs before deciding whether the value of the car was enough to justify repat. The value being the value of the car less the cost of the repairs. Repairs at a french main dealership so they've already guaranteed the highest price for that and will find the lowest value of the car.

A friend and I drove over on Monday with a trailer and collected it ourselves. It had been diagnosed by 5pm on Monday so we were on the road before 9am and I got home at midnight.

I was called this morning to check what had happened as the European lot had been on to them. I broke down over 2 weeks ago first thing - today is day 15 and they had 14 days to fix/arrange repat but they should have been considering next steps and getting quotes etc already. They had done nothing. I wasn't expecting the car to be back necessarily but there should have been a plan.

I'll have a look at Red Pennant and will be checking small print very carefully.

FWIW -Nationwide might use AA. When in Europe the AA don't exist - it's out to local companies. Ditto RAC. The level of service is not the same.

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pork
Remember a good wife always helps her husband with the dishes.

Mrs. Bonce

via mobile 29/11/2023 at 3:27pm
Location: Luton (no jokes plea
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Not sure if Green Flag via CAMC are any good?

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

blueexpo97

29/11/2023 at 3:39pm
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Again if anyone is a CAMC member it would be amiss of them if they did not use Red Pennant.

I've never read of anyone on here using Green Flag whilst in Europe.

ut

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XVI yes?

As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.

Mrs. Bonce

via mobile 29/11/2023 at 4:01pm
Location: Luton (no jokes plea
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Never looked into European cover lately as we haven't been abroad .

Portia Hussey

29/11/2023 at 6:08pm
Location: EAST SUSSEX
Outfit: Outwell Vermont plus others.

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I will research red pennant thoroughly when I have a car to cover again - it's just passed its MOT but still needs repairs and the garage is busy busy busy. Not as busy as the Landy place in France that couldn't diagnose for 9 days (and then appears to have got it wrong).
They don't over Plus insurance if it's over 12 years old which is a shame but the initial comparison looks positive.

Green flag also don't operate abroad and use local breakdown services.

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pork
Remember a good wife always helps her husband with the dishes.

colinlob

30/11/2023 at 10:00am
Location: Cheshire
Outfit: Swift Escape

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A few years ago our Hyundai i800 started spitting oil out the front grille. Red Pennant were great. Replacement vehicle arrived; another i800. Ours disappeared. We towed our caravan home with the replacement three days later. Our own i800 lowloaded to the Hyundai dealer a couple of days after this as unable to be repaired in France. Local Hyundai gave it two weeks of walking past it and hoping for inspiration. Eventually they fixed it, but never did tell me what was wrong with it. They also refused to even consider letting me have a loan car while they stared at it. I was even told there were none available as I hadn't booked into the garage! Does anybody book a courtesy car for an unexpected breakdown?
Red Pennant great with knobs and whistles and lots of updates on progress.
Local Hyundai dealer, forget it and buy a different brand of car.

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