ron88 Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 (edited) I haven't asked this before but: 1) did some comments on an earlier thread and 2) The recent bad behavior of my car makes me think long and hard about this: Breakdown Cover. At the moment, I am still with the old Towergate plan which suits my needs and includes breakdown cover. I haven't had a chance to use it, but that is just lucky so far. I used to have RAC cover (when I had an additional car) which I did use, but found the service mechanics scratching their heads over my car. Ok at the time, though Have never used AA I don't really want to pay extra but maybe there is a complimentary level of service that might go well with the free insurer one? I'd welcome anyone's experience and solutions to a problem I hope I never have, but want to be prepared. At the moment it's just for the UK (I do NOT have another car anymore) - but I would also be interested for European breakdown, etc. Thoughts welcome. Edited September 28, 2014 by ron88 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Prospect Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Only one experience of calling on breakdown assistance. Big surprise AA arrived as agent for Towergate, good service and soldered back offending wires for the electronic ignition . Be warned however AA and presumably others no longer carry spares like rotor arms or capacitors so best carry your most obvious spares. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
North London Mike Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Hi Ron Not used it myself but LOTS of posts on the forum praising Towergate's breakdown services (I'm sure somebody will post a link soon) Whilst not used, I've been on tour with people who have used it and again first hand knowledge of great service and prompt attendance. One guy even managed to catch the same ferry as the rest of us with his car on a flat bed !! For a lot of people its one of the reasons for staying with Towergate......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Hi Ron, the TG breakdown service in Europe certainly works. I'm sure that all the big boys also work OK (AA RAC Greenflag etc). When my 4A wishbone snapped in July the AA man collected the scrap and took it to my house with no hassle. However when I had a fuel pump problem (on a steep hill) the breakdown man didn't have a can of petrol to help prime my repaired pump (I repaired it before he arrived) and so he put me on the back of his tuck and carried me home from Oxford to London - it just needed putting on the level. I'm happy to have both AA and TG. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 When olde smokey died, the TGate breakdown man was with me in less than 15 mins and it wasnt an urgent request. The guy was independent, barely out of school and knew historics backwards! We appear to have cover with the TR, RAC cover with the main car that also cover the TR and cover with the bank account that covers both too! Overkill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ron88 Posted September 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Good thread -nice to hear of good experiences with the breakdown services, especially Towergate. Fortunately (touch wood), my fuel problem seems to have cleared and the car "runs like a top" I am pleased to say...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MRG1965 Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Hi have to add to the praise, had the widscreen go on the way back from the iwe this year, picked us up from the m1 services within 90 minutes and straight home. The windscreen cover was excellent to as part of the tr insurance. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carld Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Tower gate + 1, used twice in 12 years both in the uk, Tr4 small fuse box fire after track day, diff explosion in the 5, very quick response on both counts. C Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jamesStag Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi, Well I unfortunately had to use Towergate's recovery (run by Axa Assist) this September. I'd give them a 'service OK in end' rating. short of story is: Trip to Belgium, but shortly after Eurotunnel front tyre developed a bulge. Called Towergate. Initially for advise, was there a tyre place they could direct us to / or a service? Bit of an argument that my car has no spare tyre - It was bought like that, but my mitigation was that I had TWO puncture repair canisters in the car (and the wheel well was full of other spares I bought with me). anyway as was 19:00 on a Fri there was nowhere open (fair enough) as I could still drive I was advised to limp on as 'technically I was not broken down'. so I limped on at 45mph (any more too much vibration) for 160miles, until tyre finally gave out 8 miles from destination! Hole too large for puncture repair canisters to work. So called again, now this is 22:00 ish. Spoke to different person - had no record of my previous conversation. Had same argument about why there was no spare tyre. At first I was told I'd have to pay for recovery. When I said I only needed to go 8 miles and I'll get new tyre next day, it was agreed they would recover with no charge. So then there was a 1 hour wait. Then local Belgium company called to confirm location, they'd only just been told, and there'd be another 1 hour wait....! When recovery did happen, chap could not be more helpful, was careful putting car onto truck. Took me to hotel first, then dropped car off at local tyre place ready to get replacement tyre next morning. got to hotel after mid-night. So end conclusion OK, but bit of a worry/wait in the intervening period. regards, J. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 No spare and going on the continent ! Braver man than me Gunga Din. When I bought my car it only came with 1/2 tank of fuel ? But I filled it up before using it ! Personally I think that you can't put any of the delays down to Towergate, if you'd had a spare you could have fitted it yourself and if in need of assistance for whatever reason I'm sure Towergate could have organised an attending garge/mechanic to help out. You are correct, in these smaller older cars finding enough space for spare parts etc is sometimes a puzzle. However the last time I went on the continent in the Stag I had a puncture, and when I had a "Fun run to the sun" TR trip in the TR some time before I had a puncture and so did 3 of the other cars attending the event (there were about a dozen cars). I suppose there will be a plethora of other TR owners who have completed thousands of miles without having or using a spare, but it just seems so unnecessary when you can carry one. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jamesStag Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Mick, thanks for the reply.... oh sure if the car had come with a spare wheel I wouldn't have chucked it out to put the spares in I carried! I can understand your point of view. A spare is something I did look into, but I was surprised that a wheel seems to be about £115 bare, then you need a tyre, plus I then also need jack, brace etc soon be looking at wrong side of £200. Also perhaps my view / experience is swayed by my last two modern cars, neither of which have a spare tyre, just a canistor. Then I look at the probability. In the last 25years of driving I've had 3 punctures including this one in Belgium. One was with the modern with a canistor and it worked a treat. puncture on M42, used canister, got me rolling again. stopped at next services to top up to correct pressure and then carried onto Derby. I got tyre properly repaired asap. So on that basis I bought the two canisters for Belgium trip & air pump, but yes as the final failure was a crack/rip that's more than a canistor can handle. It was a considered risk. My only gripe was the 2+ hour wait once actual recovery was required and the threat of 'well you'll have to pay as you car was fitted with a spare as standard'. my view was that having the spare canistors & pump was reasonable mitigation. Sure if had no mitigation at all (which would be asking for trouble), then I would have accepted the charge. It worked out OK in the end. cheers, J. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Hi James, I think you'll find, in the small print of every recovery service terms and conditions, that if your vehicle was fitted with a spare as new then you are expected to carry one . . . . and the recovery service will not assist if you do not carry a spare. There are usually a few other weasel worded exemption clauses, especially in respect of overseas cover. Caveat emptor . . . . Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jamesStag Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Hi Alec, yes I haven't looked at the small print, but you are probably right. The good point is that so far I haven't had any additional bill (and it was a month ago) I wonder if that was because it was just a short 8mile recovery. They dropped me outside the local tyre firm, and in the morning I hot-footed it down there and got the tyre sorted. If only that old tyre could have limped another 8 miles... cheers, J. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Maybe worth checking the other "old tyres" and if older than 5 years old change them before they too develop bulges ? If you buy 4 tyres you could save the best old one and buy a steel wheel £25-30 and then you have a cheap spare wheel to get you out of trouble and no future dramas Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi James, interesting story - you certainly are a brave chap. I took my 4A up to the Scottish Isles with no spare. Using your logic of chances of puncture and canister of 'inflate 'u' bast*rd'. I was lucky, no problems. However you say you needed all the space in the boot and more. Have you removed the fibre board that sits against the fuel tank. There is stack of space around the tank. Have you looked in the engine bay - there is only an engine in there - loads of space. I normally put the tent, ground sheet, poles, spanners, food, kitchen sink in around the engine. In the above case we had a new larger tent that refused to go in the engine bay. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
duncan Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Only used the AA once & he was very good, but then he admitted to restoring a 7 Not sure if Green Flag will do classics as I think they have a 15 year age limit, someone will undoubtedly correct me if I am wrong Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Prambert Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 I used Towergate for recovery when my 4a broke down on A1(M) - I was 'recovered' to home address (100 miles) - good service, no problem, no hassle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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