Recovery service from France?

Recovery service from France?

Author
Discussion

the fury

Original Poster:

593 posts

249 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
Had a request from one of our drivers, concerned about what to do if his auto box on his '82 Merc 280 SL throws the towel in on the way to (or from) La Sarthe:

"Do any of you lot know of any recovery firms that will bring a broken down 24 year old car back from France to England and not just take it to some French shyster who'll probably charge the earth to do Christ all?"

Any ideas?

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
I think most of them will be OK for this.
Britannia offers a very good service.
Had to use them in Europe for the Griff last year.
Mention me and i get £5 of my next bill!

(I always say this when recommending them but no one ever does! I suppose Brittania knew that would happen when they made the rule up though!)

Tripps

5,814 posts

279 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
I'd recommend the RAC over the AA, they are both funny about older cars, but the RAC policy was something like £35 as I recall compared to £90 for the AA.

This was based on me taking my old S3 which was over 10 years old.

Thankfully I didn't have to use them, so can't say anything about the service.

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
£90 for the AA!
Its FREE with Brittannia!

Britannia charge me £130 which covers all 4 cars at the highest level and gives both me and spouse personal cover for a year. Includes 90 day trips in Europe.

>> Edited by DustyC on Wednesday 11th May 13:42

redboy

267 posts

280 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
thread from a few weeks ago might help .... www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=164095&f=25&h=0

rralston

701 posts

252 months

Tuesday 10th May 2005
quotequote all
DustyC said:
£90 for the AA!

Britannia charge me £130 which covers all 4 cars at the highest level and gives both me and spouse personal cover for a year. Includes 90 day trips in Europe.


Aye - AA very good, put me up in a hotel, and transported me and the car home last year!!!

up-the-dubs

4,282 posts

236 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
HA ha! somtimes it's good to be in a rep-mobile! A paragon of reliability. And it fits on the ferrys. And (hopefully) will be by-passed by the pikeys for all your lovely metal (though, obviously, hopefully that doesn't happen any of us).

Just one post, replying to all the new topics. Saves hassle really! Too many new topics. Any chance of a "Tickets" topic just for those looking and selling? My brain doesn't stretch this far

(no need to point out the fact that you all have incredible cars, and that I'm just moaning, and that I'd rather have any of those nice pieces of metal any day)

BILTEL

63 posts

256 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
I tried the AA last week. £79 to cover a Starion because it's over 11 years old. £41 if under.

Tripps

5,814 posts

279 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
BILTEL said:
I tried the AA last week. £79 to cover a Starion because it's over 11 years old. £41 if under.
Thieving buggers, they even dropped the European travel allowance off the annual policy this last year.

They were kind enough to tell me just after renewal

Still, at least they haven't excluded picking up from track days yet, my main reason for using them in the first place.

barreti

6,680 posts

244 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
Just sorted out mine with the RAC
£44.10 for 16-21 June incl.

Although recovery in the UK is part of my existing policy, it includes a replacement car if I break down on the way to the port.
If it wasn't for this I would have got the hump at having to be covered for the 16th because its an overnight ferry so I wont actually be in France until 17th.
1992 TVR Griffith

flatsix

148 posts

245 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
Just got mine. 'Offered' £70.40 from the AA for 4 nights (and I'm an existing member!!). Travelling with Eurotunnel who sold me a full breakdown/medical/legal package from door to door for £42.50 - bargain (relatively).

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
flatsix said:
Just got mine. 'Offered' £70.40 from the AA for 4 nights (and I'm an existing member!!).


Bloody hell!!!!
Britania give it free with annual membership. Didnt realise how good an offer it was!

Shed01

51 posts

237 months

Wednesday 11th May 2005
quotequote all
Try Firebond - www.firebond.co.uk

They provided cover against breakdown for the duration of last years LM trip for about £40 if memory serves. Car is a 1965 Ford Mustang, and I couldn't find anyone else interested. Will be going with these guys again this year.

Ed.

DustyC

12,820 posts

261 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
Shed, was it you in the Shelby 500, dark green, 2-3years ago? If not do you know whose it was?

He was staying in Masion Blanche and at the end of the race drove and parked under the clock on the circuit but before he could take a picture the authorities mmoved him on. Fortunatley I got a few pics but couldn't find him afterwards to pass them on to him!
If you happen to know of him (or are him!) then please let me know and I'll dig out the pics!

vetteheadracer

8,271 posts

260 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
I recently had experience of the RAC Euro breakdown / Recovery service and I have to say it was excellent.

My vette broke down just outside Antwerp and it was flatbedded to Calais onto the Ferry and then flatbedded off again at Dover to a secure storage site where they gave me a courtesy car. I got to use the car until they returned my car a couple of days later.

Cost me £84 for a years cover or it's £38 for about 4 days.

As I got to europe at least 3 times a year with the car I took out the 1 year's cover.

I also have coverage in France from ACO the people who organise Le Mans. If you join you get discounted Le Mans tickets, access to their hospitality area inside the circuit and free recovery in France!

Shed01

51 posts

237 months

Thursday 12th May 2005
quotequote all
Dusty, it wan't me. Not rich enough (working on it) to own a Shelby. I'll ask about though...

bmwcsl

259 posts

234 months

Friday 13th May 2005
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that old merc is a car that id head over with without any retrieval insurance, they really are tanks which very rarely go wrong.

charlie 944

230 posts

257 months

Friday 13th May 2005
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Just got mine through Heritage, 5 days cover £29.00

the fury

Original Poster:

593 posts

249 months

Saturday 21st May 2005
quotequote all
bmwcsl said:
that old merc is a car that id head over with without any retrieval insurance, they really are tanks which very rarely go wrong.





Well, yeah, but it did cost him only £50 and has no history... I've been in it and the transmission does occasionally slip a little in second.

If we can get some for around £40 as mentioned I think it's daft not to.

Just got some for my own car, through elephant.co.uk (my insurer) for £24 for a week, not bad!



>> Edited by the fury on Saturday 21st May 14:42

>> Edited by the fury on Saturday 21st May 15:19

bmwcsl

259 posts

234 months

Sunday 22nd May 2005
quotequote all
A £50 quid w107 sl? Now its a barve man who drives that over.