Breakdown/insurance /recovery

[Velocita Rosso]

A handful of members appear to have interest in driving beyond the confines of near Europe.
Relating the 10CR you personally ,have to think about other issues other than just crossing a border for the fun.
We have had experiences of cars breaking down/accidents whereby the owners are at the mercy of the breakdown/recovery services.
However in near Europe even some cars have taken weeks to be repatriated. There is still one in Lyons at the moment, from the 2013 event  and is yet a few weeks away from getting back home
So has anyone thought about the situation or consequences one could be in if or when breaking down in Russia/Poland/Finland.?
First would your own personal car insurer cover you for entering such countries and if so what type of cover would you receive?
Would an insurer give a recovery service from such areas .......and if so how long would it be before you saw the car again?
These are some of the issues that have to be considered when venturing far afield.
When in discussion and these topics came up, the answer was generally...."I never thought about that!"

[mikeyb]

Easily clarified - all it takes is a phone call to your insurer!

Russia itself may be controversial, however most of the rest of the old eastern block is now part of europe, so I suspect it will not be treated any differently to the likes of france etc.

Repatriation from anywhere abroad will inevitably not be instant, they wil wait until they have a lorry load until coming back from wherever!

Having done 4 10CR's now, I can see some of the locations and routes becoming a bit repetitive. Inevitable when you try not to change the format of the event too much.  In my mind it's time to move it on to a new level now, why not make the 5 day trip a 6 day one instead if distance and needs arise?  Most people would have booked a full week off work anyway.

Judging by the contents of the recent email dialogue and a few threads on here, the idea of doing something new would seem to appeal to more than just a few!

Think out of the box, let "the Club that does" lead the way  :-)

[thescrapman]

Even if you break down in a modern car, they tend to just use teh same recovery service.

Hire car and your car repatriated or your car repaired while you holiday.

And can we really complain about a "free" service. If the car comes home (noting the maximum payment of a couple of grand) then you are sorted.

The Peter James (Equity Red Star) policy documents list where the cover extends to, and also what countries you are covered in.

Others will do likewise.

Cheers

Colin

[mpbarrett]

I am insured for breakdown thru DAS (via my insurance company) and the GT6 is still not back. We broke down on the 6 Sept..
Was promised (5 phone calls over the last week...) for delivery tomorrow but now wont be picked up from the garage in southern France until Monday or Tuesday next week. Then it will only be taken to Calais to be picked up by another transporter.
ETA anytime next week.
And I am responsible for the 'storage charges' while I have to wait for the insurance company to sort out the transport. Not impressed.
Am beginning to think about driving down to the garage with a spare diff, replace it and drive it back home again....
If we do the next 10CR will have to look very carefully at European breakdown insurance and the small print :(.

Mike

[Velocita Rosso]

mpbarrett wrote:

I am insured for breakdown thru DAS (via my insurance company) and the GT6 is still not back. We broke down on the 6 Sept..
Was promised (5 phone calls over the last week...) for delivery tomorrow but now wont be picked up from the garage in southern France until Monday or Tuesday next week. Then it will only be taken to Calais to be picked up by another transporter.
ETA anytime next week.
And I am responsible for the 'storage charges' while I have to wait for the insurance company to sort out the transport. Not impressed.
Am beginning to think about driving down to the garage with a spare diff, replace it and drive it back home again....
If we do the next 10CR will have to look very carefully at European breakdown insurance and the small print :(.

Mike

Mike
I`m really sorry about hearing that
This is why I was trying to be constructive for others, to ensure that recovery/breakdown is scrutinised really carefully

[Sheepy]

That's appealing service, (probably just to get more storage money)

Too late now, but you could have had it dropped off at my place, then there would have been the place and time for you to come over to change the diff!
And I would not have charged storage  ;)

Would it be easier to go and get it, hire a transit beaver tail (car transporter) and nip over and collect it?

[sparky_spit]

When we broke down in Switzerland on the 2011 event, it was AA Recovery Services based at Lyon that were contracted to handle the recovery by Peter James Insurance.  They were extremely good, both during the period of organising train times and 3 hire cars to get us back on the event, plus the eventual repatriation of the car to the UK.  I would recommend Peter James for anyone doing European events.

The only thing I needed to push was when there was a risk of costs exceeding cover limit and the risk of the car being scrapped in-country.  This was due to the Italian speaking Swiss garage owner not being able to communicate well enough on how much "repairs" would be. I arranged a 3 way conference call between him, the AA at Lyon, and me, to agree the car would come back to the UK and I would carry out the repairs myself. Apart from that, all went very well and the car arrived 3 weeks later.

[mpbarrett]

mpbarrett wrote:

I am insured for breakdown thru DAS (via my insurance company) and the GT6 is still not back. We broke down on the 6 Sept..
Was promised (5 phone calls over the last week...) for delivery tomorrow but now wont be picked up from the garage in southern France until Monday or Tuesday next week. Then it will only be taken to Calais to be picked up by another transporter.
ETA anytime next week.
And I am responsible for the 'storage charges' while I have to wait for the insurance company to sort out the transport. Not impressed.
Am beginning to think about driving down to the garage with a spare diff, replace it and drive it back home again....
If we do the next 10CR will have to look very carefully at European breakdown insurance and the small print :(.

Mike

Unbelievable yet more delays, car still not picked up, and still sitting outside the garage in  Saint-Pons, nr Barcelonnette,  France!
DAS have passed on the job to AA European recovery and they are now promising end of next week.
There excuse is a major backlog of breakdowns in Europe.....
I think we might be going for a record highest breakdown and longest recovery time......

BTW has the Stag got back yet?

Mike

[Velocita Rosso]

mpbarrett wrote:

Unbelievable yet more delays, car still not picked up, and still sitting outside the garage in  Saint-Pons, nr Barcelonnette,  France!
DAS have passed on the job to AA European recovery and they are now promising end of next week.
There excuse is a major backlog of breakdowns in Europe.....
I think we might be going for a record highest breakdown and longest recovery time......

BTW has the Stag got back yet?

Mike

We could have driven there with all the jacks and stands with a diff and had it back by now

[ferny]

I hope they're not charging you for their delays which are out of your control...

[mpbarrett]

SHE IS HOME!
came back from work and the GT6 was parked under the car port as if she had never been away...
No phone call, no keys (found they had been left with a neighbour ...).
But she is back, broke down on the 6 Sept 2013 returned 8 Oct 2013. Maybe the highest breakdown and longest recovery!
BTW when did the Stag get home?

mike

[Deleted User]

Glad the car is home Mike, I have  a pic of the altitude that you broke down at! Ill find and post.

On the insurance theme, companies have changed things in recent years!!

I broke down on the 2009 event, the hire car was included as was the car recovery to the U,K.

My friend also using the same insurance company this year broke down in Germany, what a different story! His car was recovered to the UK but he had to pay for the hire car for the remainder of his trip. That changed in 4 years. It would be interesting to ring around the classic insurance companies and check who offers what cover. It may make a difference between getting your car home and not and paying for a hire car which in my friends case added up to $600 .

Rob

[uksnatcher]

Glad its back in one piece Mike..(ok)

I had similar probs.... it was in UK tho.

Stung for excess mileage costs on a recovery, I didn't realise I only had cover for 25 miles..! you can pay an mileage excess waver at the start of the built in insurance/breakdown cover,( approx. £15 at the time) to unlock the unlimited mileage.
Its not relevant to EU travel (I think) but could be a small factor BEFORE the fateful event that could save future additional costs and certainly don't take anything for granted with the biggys like RAC and AA too, give them a call....they all have inbuilt hidden gems... :-/

[Velocita Rosso]

mpbarrett wrote:

SHE IS HOME!
came back from work and the GT6 was parked under the car port as if she had never been away...
No phone call, no keys (found they had been left with a neighbour ...).
But she is back, broke down on the 6 Sept 2013 returned 8 Oct 2013. Maybe the highest breakdown and longest recovery!
BTW when did the Stag get home?

mike

Pleased its finally back
The fear factor at the back of every ones mind is ,........will it come back intact

[mpbarrett]

bobyspit wrote:

Glad the car is home Mike, I have  a pic of the altitude that you broke down at! Ill find and post.

On the insurance theme, companies have changed things in recent years!!

I broke down on the 2009 event, the hire car was included as was the car recovery to the U,K.

My friend also using the same insurance company this year broke down in Germany, what a different story! His car was recovered to the UK but he had to pay for the hire car for the remainder of his trip. That changed in 4 years. It would be interesting to ring around the classic insurance companies and check who offers what cover. It may make a difference between getting your car home and not and paying for a hire car which in my friends case added up to $600 .

Rob

yes we had to pay for the hire car ($450 + taxi to pick up hire car, $130). Glad its back but next time will check the insurance wording very carefully....
My insurance is with Peter Taylor in Hove, they were ther only ones to insure Libby on the GT6 (2.5l) and the Stag when we had it, so have stuck with them. They use DAS who I believe are part of the AA or at least AA European recovery returned the car. In the end it look like they got a UK company to drive down and get it. They lost my phone number so couldnt phone me so just put the car on the drive and and gave the keys to a neighbour....
Real surprise to find in on the drive last night!
Actually Peter Taylor have been ok and have pushed DAS to get the car back.....

cheers
mike

[uksnatcher]

WOW.........!
580 Euro's I assume (its showing dollars) for hire/taxi expenses.....just wow.....that's a blow to the old pocket...... :o

(NOTE TO SELF: check insurance/recovery before journey)

[Velocita Rosso]

Euros...alt gr key  and 4 = €..............back to the gear box now

[Deleted User]

I may give  insurance companies a ring round and check their policy wording. It would be interesting to see who offers recovery and hire car, It would have a impact on who I choose next year.

Rob

[mpbarrett]

uksnatcher wrote:

WOW.........!
580 Euro's I assume (its showing dollars) for hire/taxi expenses.....just wow.....that's a blow to the old pocket...... :o

(NOTE TO SELF: check insurance/recovery before journey)

sorry $ should be Euros.....
still lots of dosh....
But I did save money on petrol in the hire car.
mike

[mpbarrett]

Got the diff out today and this is what it looked like, ate least 3 teeth broken from the pinion and lots of bits in the oil. The crown wheel is damaged as well.
Soooo how difficult is it to replace the crown and pinion (will have a look at the workshop manual later) and where can you buy new pinions and crown wheels?


Mike

[Tim Bancroft]

Blimey, Mike you do have rotten luck with that car.

Presume you have had a chat with the usual diff suspects?

Just pleased that you have the car back.

[Nick Jones]

Not really a DIY job Mike.  Probably best to hunt down another used diff for use as exchange core if nothing else.  No one is going to give a very generous exchange allowance for the remains you have pictured there!

Hope you are claiming the additional expenses on your main travel insurance!

Cheers

Nick

[mpbarrett]

timbancroft61 wrote:

Blimey, Mike you do have rotten luck with that car.

Presume you have had a chat with the usual diff suspects?

Just pleased that you have the car back.

Tim,
yes its good to have it back but I don't think it likes me...
Really not sure what to do with it. I am tempted to sell it but will put in a  spare diff I have (3.63) and get it back on the road and then decide.
if I do sell it I might go after a TR6 (I still want something with a 6 cylinder engine) but am a bit surprised how much they have gone up in value in the last few years since I last looked at them!

Nic

Will probably strip it down just out if interest. I would love to work out what the failure mechanism is. It started making a noise (whine) that gradually got worse over 24 hours and then it suddenly failed. Will keep the pinion and mount it as a work of Art....

Cheers
mike

[andy thompson]

mpbarrett wrote:

Tim,
yes its good to have it back but I don't think it likes me...
Really not sure what to do with it. I am tempted to sell it but will put in a  spare diff I have (3.63) and get it back on the road and then decide.
if I do sell it I might go after a TR6 (I still want something with a 6 cylinder engine) but am a bit surprised how much they have gone up in value in the last few years since I last looked at them!

Nic

Will probably strip it down just out if interest. I would love to work out what the failure mechanism is. It started making a noise (whine) that gradually got worse over 24 hours and then it suddenly failed. Will keep the pinion and mount it as a work of Art....

Cheers
mike

http://www.triumphexperience.com/phorum/read.php?8,918474,page=1

Worth reading this from over the pond

[Richard B]

I would speak to Canley Classics or Mike Papworth regarding getting a replacement unit.

Having broken a 3.63 with a 2.5PI in a Spitfire, I'm looking at an LSD sometime soon. Autosoloing doesn't help...  :B