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Subject Topic: Help - alignment issue, caravan stuck!
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via mobile 25/7/2019 at 4:04pm
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I'm hoping someone here might have some advice to help me out. My dad had to come home from his holiday in Austria early due to illness, and his breakdown cover had agreed to repatriate both the car and caravan. However about a week after taking the caravan, they decided that they weren't happy with the alignment and the driver wouldn't bring it home. So then they double checked the length and discovered that it was 20cm longer than we thought it was, and over the length limit of the policy that we were not aware of, and decided they were no longer going to assist us with it at all. By which point we'd all come home... They persuaded my dad (still ill) to declare it a write-off as what they would charge it to store and repatriate was in their opinion more than the caravan was worth. However we were then told that the breakdown company was interested in our caravan and asked if we could just give it to them instead of scrapping it. (and maybe they might just pay us a few hundred pounds for it if we're lucky).

To say I am livid is an understatement. But trying to be practical for now... Does anyone have experience with alignment issues and an idea of what a likely repair cost could go up to? My dad is concerned that it might be the chassis rather than wheel alignment if there is a genuine issue, which he has been told could be very expensive to fix, although whatever problem there may be didn't stop him driving it all the way to Austria in the first place... I'm in the UK at the moment so can't check it out, have discovered that it wasn't even looked at properly by a garage (we'd been told it had been taken to a garage at first, but then it turns out there was no official diagnosis at all since the garage didn't have the right experience). I'm trying to work out whether it's worth trying to fight to get it back. One of the problems we have is that even if we ask them to take it to a garage to get a quote instead of scrapping it now then we instantly start getting hit with bills for storage etc. (!!!!)

It's a 5berth 2005 Adria Adora (532LD), in beautiful condition internally, and it seems crazy that we've been put in this position where we're just going to lose our caravan.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.




via mobile 25/7/2019 at 4:07pm
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Or if anyone has any suggestions about how we could get it home... Its all the way to Scotland, unfortunately.


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25/7/2019 at 4:18pm
 Location: East Midlands
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Can you check if there is an Adria dealer in Austria who can check it for you.
It sounds fishy that the co want to buy it or is one of their staff trying to get it cheap Sadly you are too far away to control or check what they are saying.
Are there any contacts in Austria who can check it out.
Otherwise you may have to cut your losses or name a figure for settlement. “Might pay “ means nothing.
Good luck.

-------------
Mister G


25/7/2019 at 5:04pm
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I would that the caravan is worth a couple of thousand so they will really be scoring. Surely it can be loaded on a flat bed.
Breakdown cover is an insurance policy so you would need to contact the breakdown people. If they disagree you can advance the issue to the Insurance Ombudsman as this sounds very fishy.


via mobile 25/7/2019 at 5:13pm
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Thanks. I've already contacted the insurance Ombudsman who said we can lodge a complaint with them but only once we've lodged a formal complaint with the insurer and given them a certain time to respond. Which I will definitely be doing. But that will take time... Which the poor wee caravan doesn't have a lot of right now!!


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via mobile 25/7/2019 at 5:17pm
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Adria dealer is a good suggestion, thanks. I'd been wondering about a dealer but no idea how to find one. Unfortunately the nearest Adria dealer turns out to be a couple of hundred miles away, but I'll email them anyway and ask for their views.


25/7/2019 at 5:23pm
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Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 25/7/2019
I would that the caravan is worth a couple of thousand so they will really be scoring. Surely it can be loaded on a flat bed.
Breakdown cover is an insurance policy so you would need to contact the breakdown people. If they disagree you can advance the issue to the Insurance Ombudsman as this sounds very fishy.





Cheapest £3895 on Autotrader.

OP who was the breakdown insurance with out of interest.

-------------
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.


25/7/2019 at 7:43pm
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What was the length they measured and what does the policy exactly.

Lengths relating to towing frequently refer to the body length excluding the A Frame. So what exactly are they saying.

It all sounds very fishy to me.


via mobile 25/7/2019 at 8:45pm
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Quote: Originally posted by blueexpo97 on 25/7/2019
Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 25/7/2019
I would that the caravan is worth a couple of thousand so they will really be scoring. Surely it can be loaded on a flat bed.
Breakdown cover is an insurance policy so you would need to contact the breakdown people. If they disagree you can advance the issue to the Insurance Ombudsman as this sounds very fishy.





Cheapest £3895 on Autotrader.

OP who was the breakdown insurance with out of interest.



Yep, I'm seeing a range of around £4,000 - £5,000 for similar caravans.
Insurance was with Direct Line, for Green Flag (ie its green flag we're dealing with)


via mobile 25/7/2019 at 8:52pm
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Quote: Originally posted by navver on 25/7/2019
What was the length they measured and what does the policy exactly.

Lengths relating to towing frequently refer to the body length excluding the A Frame. So what exactly are they saying.

It all sounds very fishy to me.



I'm actually just looking into the wording on that. 7.2m is the full towing length including the A Frame, the internal length is only 5.2m so the body length is only that plus the walls.
The policy conditions which state it must be under 7m in length 'excluding any coupling device and tow bar' which seems a bit ambiguous to me. I know that the standard UK caravan length to be towed by a normal car (according to gov.uk) is also 7m but very specifically without the aframe included.


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26/7/2019 at 8:24am
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Quote: Originally posted by TiaT on 25/7/2019
Quote: Originally posted by navver on 25/7/2019
What was the length they measured and what does the policy exactly.

Lengths relating to towing frequently refer to the body length excluding the A Frame. So what exactly are they saying.

It all sounds very fishy to me.



I'm actually just looking into the wording on that. 7.2m is the full towing length including the A Frame, the internal length is only 5.2m so the body length is only that plus the walls.
The policy conditions which state it must be under 7m in length 'excluding any coupling device and tow bar' which seems a bit ambiguous to me. I know that the standard UK caravan length to be towed by a normal car (according to gov.uk) is also 7m but very specifically without the aframe included.



Our Buccaneer is 8.16cm in length, but body length is a fraction under 7m and Green Flag Mayday with cover it . I think that what has happened is someone has interpreted the body length as the shipping length. If the body length is over 7m then they are correct.
I think you need to get onto Green Flag and explain this to them as soon as possible. Escalate it to a supervisor if necessary and also write to the CEO. An email will just disappear into the Ethernet.


via mobile 26/7/2019 at 10:34am
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Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 26/7/2019
Quote: Originally posted by TiaT on 25/7/2019
Quote: Originally posted by navver on 25/7/2019
What was the length they measured and what does the policy exactly.

Lengths relating to towing frequently refer to the body length excluding the A Frame. So what exactly are they saying.

It all sounds very fishy to me.



I'm actually just looking into the wording on that. 7.2m is the full towing length including the A Frame, the internal length is only 5.2m so the body length is only that plus the walls.
The policy conditions which state it must be under 7m in length 'excluding any coupling device and tow bar' which seems a bit ambiguous to me. I know that the standard UK caravan length to be towed by a normal car (according to gov.uk) is also 7m but very specifically without the aframe included.



Our Buccaneer is 8.16cm in length, but body length is a fraction under 7m and Green Flag Mayday with cover it . I think that what has happened is someone has interpreted the body length as the shipping length. If the body length is over 7m then they are correct.
I think you need to get onto Green Flag and explain this to them as soon as possible. Escalate it to a supervisor if necessary and also write to the CEO. An email will just disappear into the Ethernet.



I phoned up again this morning, explained that they were using the wrong measurement and said that if they didn't repatriate the caravan we're looking at legal action. They agreed with me that the caravan should be covered after all... So fingers crossed it looks like we should be getting the caravan back after all. Although given everything we've been through in the last few weeks I'll believe it when I see it...!!

Thanks all for the support and advice!!


26/7/2019 at 2:06pm
 Location: East Midlands
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Good luck with it. I really hope it gets sorted.I thought about it a lot and can’t help thinking it’s some form of try on or scam.

-------------
Mister G


26/7/2019 at 2:08pm
 Location: Monmouthshire
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Sounds like a scam.


via mobile 26/7/2019 at 3:41pm
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I hope everything gets sorted for you . We once had a problem with a breakdown in France and were also insured through Green Flag . Our problem was the level of service we recieved after the breakdown or lack of it , anyway once home and sorted the wife made an official complaint and Green Flag duly awarded us £550 compensation . Maybe something to consider with all the stress and anxiety it must be causing you.


27/7/2019 at 7:58am
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This is a brilliant example what this forum should be about.

Really hope you get the 'van back, but more importantly that your Dad recovers fully.

Please let us know how you're getting on

-------------
2022 Skoda Karoq 2.0 Tdi



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