Why not to leave your broken down car in BSJ
Discussion
We had to leave my mates car which decided to go into anti theft mode because we didnt have the master key to reset it. We arrived in England Monday morning and sent a recovery vehicle down to pick it up as we didnt have European breakdown cover (stupid us). This is what they found.
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x214/alex2007_3...
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x214/alex2007_3...
Please let this be a warning to the rest of you.
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x214/alex2007_3...
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x214/alex2007_3...
Please let this be a warning to the rest of you.
That is pretty awful and I feel sorry for your mate. If you think about it though there are plenty of places where that could have happened but knowing what goes on in any of the Le Mans campsites once people start to leave I think it was very risky to leave the car there - would have been much better to pay a local company to recover it to their garage until your own recovery could taker place. Even towing it to Carrefour car park would have made more sense.
I can't say I'm dreadfully surprised.
Surely the cost of sending a recovery vehicle from the UK with ferry costs etc. even assuming it was a mate with a van by far outweighed the cost of getting someone local to recover it and look at it?
Did your mate tell the ACO he was leaving it there or just lock it up and leave it?
Surely the cost of sending a recovery vehicle from the UK with ferry costs etc. even assuming it was a mate with a van by far outweighed the cost of getting someone local to recover it and look at it?
Did your mate tell the ACO he was leaving it there or just lock it up and leave it?
We told the ACO, well campsite security who phoned for us. They said it would be ok. There was nothing the french ford dealerships could do for us becuase the red master key has to be bought (this has to be obtained in england after we provide all the detail about owning the car etc) - this basically alows you to reprogram the normal keys for the ignition barrel. - Towing out of BSJ sunday night was going to be pretty much imposssible - did you seen the mud? Hindsight is a wonderful thing i guess.
318is boy said:
We told the ACO, well campsite security who phoned for us. They said it would be ok.
Must admit I would hav though it would have been ok as well. After all there must have been a fair few people arond in the campsite until lunchtime or so on the Monday.Whilst things that aren't nailed down might be taken to strip a car like that does seem unusual, although there was that car at Donington that was stripped too. Just wonder if it was some Brits that did the damage?
318is boy said:
The recovery truck arrived at 6am tuesday.
?!?!?! they didn't hang about, or would have thought that the last ones standing must have seen something. TBH I wouldn;t have felt happy leaving a car there like that, but i would not have expected it to be quite so stripped out! They have even nicked the gear nob!
What sort of 'scort is/was it under the purple paint?
Wow thats unlucky mate.
It was the purple cossie replica wasnt it?
We saw you on the way down a few times we were in the real green escos with yellow stickers.
Was you mate not tempted to carry on camping a couple more nights at BSJ whilst his mates went back to england and sorted out the key for hm.
I wouldnt have left my car there ungaurded.
It was the purple cossie replica wasnt it?
We saw you on the way down a few times we were in the real green escos with yellow stickers.
Was you mate not tempted to carry on camping a couple more nights at BSJ whilst his mates went back to england and sorted out the key for hm.
I wouldnt have left my car there ungaurded.
OK, hindsight again. If you join the ACO you get a free tow. Alright, it's not a breakdown service like in the UK but at least your car is safe and sound while you get it sorted. My mate lost his keys at last year's classic. The AA refused to help him as their conditions state that you must have a spare set of keys with you (worth noting!!). However, the ACO towed his Moggie off to my local garage nearby, where it was safely parked under lock and key while he got his spare set sent from the UK.
Whatever, probably not a good idea to leave a car in a field (which is all BSJ is once the race ends, as it is not on ACO property) unattended. The same thing would likely have happened anywhere in the world. Still a b*mmer though.
Whatever, probably not a good idea to leave a car in a field (which is all BSJ is once the race ends, as it is not on ACO property) unattended. The same thing would likely have happened anywhere in the world. Still a b*mmer though.
Edited by cooperlola on Monday 2nd July 14:06
I don't want to go into I told you so mode here but more as a bit of advice. I couldn't get European cover as the car is over 15 years old so we took a decent tool kit and a tow rope. (we were camped somewhere in the background of the photo near the fence)
Our intention if everything went tits up was to fasten the tow rope to the front and wave it about at other brits in the hope that either one of us could tap a lift to the nearest garage, Calais or whatever, or even better, we could get a tow to the chunnel where our National Breakdown cover would have kicked in. Likewise, we'd have dragged anyone to safety if they'd have asked. Wouldn't have expected a tow from Le mans to the chunnel but if we'd broke down a few miles from Calais it would have been nice.
Comerarderie and all that. Make a pact for next year???
Our intention if everything went tits up was to fasten the tow rope to the front and wave it about at other brits in the hope that either one of us could tap a lift to the nearest garage, Calais or whatever, or even better, we could get a tow to the chunnel where our National Breakdown cover would have kicked in. Likewise, we'd have dragged anyone to safety if they'd have asked. Wouldn't have expected a tow from Le mans to the chunnel but if we'd broke down a few miles from Calais it would have been nice.
Comerarderie and all that. Make a pact for next year???
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