Brakedown cover, be warned!

rrobson · 23rd June 2018, 22:46

Yes, that subject again! I usually go without, haven't called upon it since the year I passed my driving test in 2008 however because of its apparent good value I'd added it onto the 75's insurance policy as an extra just in case. Well, earlier this week I needed to put it to the test, and it's good value turned out to be a total waste of money!

While working away, early into a three week stint the car decided to have a wee in the hotel car park and empty a large quantity of coolant onto the floor. A quick investigation pointed to the water pump. No problem, my breakdown cover will sort this out! Apparently not, having spoken to them just before I was due to set off home I had two options. Have it transported to a local garage or have it transported home at a premium. The first 30 miles were free, anything over was subject to a £3.60 + vat fee per mile each way, and was quoted £600+ to get it home. So I was left with either spending large sums of money to get it home or fixed locally.
Because I'd already ordered the parts to fix it, My only choice was to catch the train home, pick up my terrano and trailer and go and rescue it. So having started my journey home at 10am I eventually arrived back home that night at 12.30am having covered 340miles in the car and a train journey.

I was in two minds whether to break the car or fix it, but it hasn't had a penny spent on repairs for over three years so I thought I'd treat it to a belt change and a new water pump especially as it's two years over due. So the next day I set about swapping the belts over. To my surprise it was much easier than I expected, no special tools required other than a crank locking pin which you could do without so long as you've got an impact gun to loosen the crank pulley bolt. Just a bit of a pain to get to the belts!
The only issue I found was with the block where the pump seal mates. It was pitted and required some fettling before it would seal again properly. I had had a tiny leak over the past two years so more than likely the source.

Moral of the story, don't scrimp on breakdown cover, I could have bought aa cover a week before I was due to go home and got relayed up for the £100 membership instead of over £100 for train fare and £80 in Fuel.

Anyway, some pictures to finish

Picking it up

Unloading the following day at home

Belt swap

Evidence of leak

Reason for leakage

Difficult to see but the o-ring had perished at the bottom and a little at the top. A 10p part immobilised the car!

All fixed now ready for the trip back down on Monday!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SCP440 · 23rd June 2018, 23:20

Good advice on the breakdown cover, I hear it so often that '' I have breakdown on my insurance'' You were lucky having 30 miles some will only cover you 12 miles or so.

We might moan at the cost of AA or RAC cover but one breakdown and recovery makes it the best £100 you will ever spend.

A good customer of mine had too spend over £700 getting his car back from Scotland after a breakdown. He thought the same as you that the insurance covered it until he was given the option of a local garage or the paying the extra. As no local garage could even look at it for it several days he decided it would be better fixed near his home.

BigBen · 24th June 2018, 06:25

IMHO the AA and RAC are overpriced. I've been using Start Rescue for years, have had to call them out twice to rescue the Land Rover and found them excellent both times.

Just under £33 for a years cover on Maurice

BoroRover · 24th June 2018, 07:29

I always have the AA Relay cover which includes home address attendance if required. Some may think Relay cover is expensive, but for around 50p a day, I reckon it's worth it.
Jasper shed his auxiliary belt last year, the patrol arrived in 30 minutes and escorted me to a local garage. New belts fitted in a couple of hours, and on my way again, I reckon that's pretty good.

Another occasion I got a flat tyre on the North Yorks moors, the wheel nuts had been put back on so hard, it was impossible to free them with a wheel race.
The AA were there within an hour, that's pretty good too.
I'm well happy with them.

Dawn · 24th June 2018, 07:40

My mates nearly new hybrid decided to chuck petrol out last weekend. She called her insurance and she had the same. £80 surcharge to take it to a garage. I am with the AA. Not perfect but Ive had three atercations with the RAC so wont use them again. I took offence to their guy calling me a stupid woman that had obviously left the lights on and flattened the battery! I hadn't - turnwd out there was an electrical fault. ��

lady zed · 24th June 2018, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn

My mates nearly new hybrid decided to chuck petrol out last weekend. She called her insurance and she had the same. £80 surcharge to take it to a garage. I am with the AA. Not perfect but Ive had three atercations with the RAC so wont use them again. I took offence to their guy calling me a stupid woman that had obviously left the lights on and flattened the battery! I hadn't - turnwd out there was an electrical fault. ��

For real???? I'd have been livid.

I have relay with AA. No matter where I am in the country, I want to get home. Especially with 3 kids. Worth every penny.

MSS · 24th June 2018, 07:57

The moral of the above story is - read the detail of the cover that you are buying as it may not be what you have assumed it to be. This applies even when buying directly from a recovery company.

The breakdown cover that comes with credit cards, insurance etc. is usually the most basic but usually with the option of extending it to higher levels at extra cost.

ceedy · 24th June 2018, 08:17

This is our first year of having some sort of Recovery.

Got it for my Wife cos it was offered cheap via Groupon

.. but its under 50 quids anyway . and does cover the spouse too

.

its AutoAid. and 3 weeks back my daughters CMax Clutch died. wifey was with her, called them up . truck turned up within 30 mins , home within 2hours .

C.

75c · 24th June 2018, 10:18

£14 a month with AA for all the gubbins. Recovery europe wide. start at home. legal expenses. key replacement. car's the star not the driver.

Ray L · 24th June 2018, 11:21

Try Drive24-7 for breakdown cover.

Folk paying up to a £100 plus for average cover should check the really comprehensive cover that can be obtained for less than £50. Yes, I have had to claim and the service is excellent too, exactly as it says on the tin.

23rd June 2018, 22:46	#1
rrobson I really should get out more....... 75 tourer cdti, MG ZS 180, nissan terrano & 1.8t rover 25 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pontefract Posts: 2,644 Thanks: 17 Thanked 295 Times in 218 Posts	Brakedown cover, be warned! Yes, that subject again! I usually go without, haven't called upon it since the year I passed my driving test in 2008 however because of its apparent good value I'd added it onto the 75's insurance policy as an extra just in case. Well, earlier this week I needed to put it to the test, and it's good value turned out to be a total waste of money! While working away, early into a three week stint the car decided to have a wee in the hotel car park and empty a large quantity of coolant onto the floor. A quick investigation pointed to the water pump. No problem, my breakdown cover will sort this out! Apparently not, having spoken to them just before I was due to set off home I had two options. Have it transported to a local garage or have it transported home at a premium. The first 30 miles were free, anything over was subject to a £3.60 + vat fee per mile each way, and was quoted £600+ to get it home. So I was left with either spending large sums of money to get it home or fixed locally. Because I'd already ordered the parts to fix it, My only choice was to catch the train home, pick up my terrano and trailer and go and rescue it. So having started my journey home at 10am I eventually arrived back home that night at 12.30am having covered 340miles in the car and a train journey. I was in two minds whether to break the car or fix it, but it hasn't had a penny spent on repairs for over three years so I thought I'd treat it to a belt change and a new water pump especially as it's two years over due. So the next day I set about swapping the belts over. To my surprise it was much easier than I expected, no special tools required other than a crank locking pin which you could do without so long as you've got an impact gun to loosen the crank pulley bolt. Just a bit of a pain to get to the belts! The only issue I found was with the block where the pump seal mates. It was pitted and required some fettling before it would seal again properly. I had had a tiny leak over the past two years so more than likely the source. Moral of the story, don't scrimp on breakdown cover, I could have bought aa cover a week before I was due to go home and got relayed up for the £100 membership instead of over £100 for train fare and £80 in Fuel. Anyway, some pictures to finish Picking it up Unloading the following day at home Belt swap Evidence of leak Reason for leakage Difficult to see but the o-ring had perished at the bottom and a little at the top. A 10p part immobilised the car! All fixed now ready for the trip back down on Monday! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ How to view a car - everything you need to help you inspect a used car VIS motor tester avalible to local members Injector removal tool and auto gearbox pressure tester now available

24th June 2018, 06:25	#3
BigBen Loves to post R75 V8 Tourer, CDTi Auto Tourer (both Connie SE), MG ZT-T 190+, MG TF 115 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Here be Dragons! Posts: 490 Thanks: 106 Thanked 160 Times in 101 Posts	IMHO the AA and RAC are overpriced. I've been using Start Rescue for years, have had to call them out twice to rescue the Land Rover and found them excellent both times. Just under £33 for a years cover on Maurice __________________ S. Wales meets cancelled until further notice [SIGPIC]https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/image.php?u=23989&type=sigpic&dateline=1467731033[/SIGPIC] Past cars:- BL: Discovery 3.1 & V8 2WD pick-up, Rover 800 Vitesse Turbo Coupe, 820 SLi 180 Fastback, 600ti, Montego 2.0EFi VDP, Ital 1.3 Estate Ford: Transit Cosworth V6, Granada 2.9 V6 Scorpio & 2.8 V6 GL Volvo: 480 Turbo & 1.7 ES, 240 GLE Porsche: 944 2.7 Lux Audi: 100 ESE 20v Peugeot: 405 1.9 GR Talbot: Alpine 1.6 Rapier S

24th June 2018, 08:17	#8
ceedy This is my second home All Trophy Blue ,ZT260#50 , ZT CDTI Auto, ZR105+ and 1.8T Firefrost spoiling the Set . Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nr Sherborne But in Somerset.. Posts: 6,077 Thanks: 916 Thanked 1,214 Times in 768 Posts	This is our first year of having some sort of Recovery. Got it for my Wife cos it was offered cheap via Groupon .. but its under 50 quids anyway . and does cover the spouse too . its AutoAid. and 3 weeks back my daughters CMax Clutch died. wifey was with her, called them up . truck turned up within 30 mins , home within 2hours . C. __________________ The Three Bloo's Wifey's Zr105, MY CDTI & 260 #50 and Number One sons 1.8T in Firefrost When I were a lad Zero to 142 in 10.25 secs at the Pod on my Blown Norton. 210 Kart Champ in 70's Last edited by ceedy; 24th June 2018 at 08:20..

24th June 2018, 11:21	#10
Ray L Avid contributor rover 75 saloon Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Worcester Posts: 187 Thanks: 14 Thanked 49 Times in 27 Posts	Breakdown cover be warned Try Drive24-7 for breakdown cover. Folk paying up to a £100 plus for average cover should check the really comprehensive cover that can be obtained for less than £50. Yes, I have had to claim and the service is excellent too, exactly as it says on the tin.

23rd June 2018, 23:20	#2
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	Good advice on the breakdown cover, I hear it so often that '' I have breakdown on my insurance'' You were lucky having 30 miles some will only cover you 12 miles or so. We might moan at the cost of AA or RAC cover but one breakdown and recovery makes it the best £100 you will ever spend. A good customer of mine had too spend over £700 getting his car back from Scotland after a breakdown. He thought the same as you that the insurance covered it until he was given the option of a local garage or the paying the extra. As no local garage could even look at it for it several days he decided it would be better fixed near his home.

24th June 2018, 07:29	#4
BoroRover Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Middlesbrough Posts: 1,518 Thanks: 1,861 Thanked 723 Times in 471 Posts	I always have the AA Relay cover which includes home address attendance if required. Some may think Relay cover is expensive, but for around 50p a day, I reckon it's worth it. Jasper shed his auxiliary belt last year, the patrol arrived in 30 minutes and escorted me to a local garage. New belts fitted in a couple of hours, and on my way again, I reckon that's pretty good. Another occasion I got a flat tyre on the North Yorks moors, the wheel nuts had been put back on so hard, it was impossible to free them with a wheel race. The AA were there within an hour, that's pretty good too. I'm well happy with them.

24th June 2018, 07:40	#5
Dawn I really should get out more....... MG ZT 180+ auto Join Date: May 2016 Location: Ilkeston, Derbys Posts: 2,743 Thanks: 285 Thanked 1,128 Times in 504 Posts	My mates nearly new hybrid decided to chuck petrol out last weekend. She called her insurance and she had the same. £80 surcharge to take it to a garage. I am with the AA. Not perfect but Ive had three atercations with the RAC so wont use them again. I took offence to their guy calling me a stupid woman that had obviously left the lights on and flattened the battery! I hadn't - turnwd out there was an electrical fault. ��

24th June 2018, 07:57	#7
MSS This is my second home Rover 75CDT, Jaguar XF-S 3.0V6, V'xhall Omega V6 Estate, Twintop 1.8VVT, Astra Estate and Corsa 1.2 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7,085 Thanks: 283 Thanked 624 Times in 440 Posts	The moral of the above story is - read the detail of the cover that you are buying as it may not be what you have assumed it to be. This applies even when buying directly from a recovery company. The breakdown cover that comes with credit cards, insurance etc. is usually the most basic but usually with the option of extending it to higher levels at extra cost.

24th June 2018, 10:18	#9
75c Gets stuck in Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Belfast Posts: 601 Thanks: 150 Thanked 294 Times in 190 Posts	£14 a month with AA for all the gubbins. Recovery europe wide. start at home. legal expenses. key replacement. car's the star not the driver.