Car Broken Down and Stuck in France - Help!
- Thread starter EddySpaghetti
- Start date
Sorry to hear of your problem, which must have a lot of us looking at our breakdown insurance policies to see if we may also be affected by the valuation versus repair cost ruling the RAC have stated. You may like to note that the RAC is not the breakdown cover insurance company that is recommended by Porsche Club GB the only one listed in "Porschefile" is The AA. Good luck with the repatriation.
Trevor68
New member
This is almost unbelievable. Really feel for you Ed. Couldn't get to sleep last night with this 'situation' swirling round my head, so can imagine what you're going through.
Alasdair's approach should perhaps be tried in parallel with your valuation and repair evidence gathering - Get it escalated up to senior management, take names, keep records, tell them all conversations are recorded (even better if they are [
] ), question the 'diagnosis' (assuming a further and better diagnosis report hasn't been received) as the text message diagnosis contents are laughable as well as speculative from your position and make it clear you'll take any action necessary to correct their failures.
Hopefully, some supporting evidence and/or your pressure will make them see sense and you'll have your pride and joy home soon where you can give it the care it needs.
Good luck
Alasdair's approach should perhaps be tried in parallel with your valuation and repair evidence gathering - Get it escalated up to senior management, take names, keep records, tell them all conversations are recorded (even better if they are [
] ), question the 'diagnosis' (assuming a further and better diagnosis report hasn't been received) as the text message diagnosis contents are laughable as well as speculative from your position and make it clear you'll take any action necessary to correct their failures.Hopefully, some supporting evidence and/or your pressure will make them see sense and you'll have your pride and joy home soon where you can give it the care it needs.
Good luck
Just some thoughts.
If it was gearbox, it would affect both wheels.
If it was diff, raising lowering would have little effect and both wheels would be affected.
Rear brake handbrake etc again raising lowering would have no effect.
Bearing, if COMPLETELY collapsed might have enough left at the bottom to allow it to spin but lock with the weight on it.
Not at home at mo so can't chrcl, but if lower shock mount came out/broke could that get wedged by the half shaft when weighted but be loose when dangling?
If it was gearbox, it would affect both wheels.
If it was diff, raising lowering would have little effect and both wheels would be affected.
Rear brake handbrake etc again raising lowering would have no effect.
Bearing, if COMPLETELY collapsed might have enough left at the bottom to allow it to spin but lock with the weight on it.
Not at home at mo so can't chrcl, but if lower shock mount came out/broke could that get wedged by the half shaft when weighted but be loose when dangling?
VanhireBoys
Member
My thoughts as well Mike.. If a gearbox locks solid then it dosent matter its up, down or in the middle it will be solid ! Both wheels would be locked.. Id go with a collapsed wheelbearing myself.. Was there any noise or vibration before this happened ?
I really feel for you Ed .. A total nightmare... Makes me feel sick.
Dig your heels in , take no owl bull and Good Luck !
I really feel for you Ed .. A total nightmare... Makes me feel sick.
Dig your heels in , take no owl bull and Good Luck !
Hilux
New member
AA is the same, they all are.
Its to stop people in shi**y old nails (I`m not saying yours is at all - I mean students etc in clapped out old bangers) chancing it abroad. You pay the excess whatever that is usually £200 - £500 and they pay the rest.
If its a couple of grand then if your cars book price is less you`re stuffed.
I remember years ago in the 1980`s bbom geordie brickies were travelling to the smoke for work as all the southern brickies were busy abroad etc and one gang had an old nail of a van and drove to the A1, made it break down on a Monday morning and got towed to London, then the next week another did it and the membership saved them the diesel!
EddySpaghetti
New member
Well I've emailed the RAC with rationale for lower repair costs (Thanks Alasdair and TTM) and rationale for higher valuation - copy of my old 'agreed value' policy and quoted figures from the Price Guide in Practical Classics.
I await a response and will let you know if they decide to dig their heels in. I agree it is almost unbelievable they would behave in this way; notwithstanding the example that Hilux gave, which I understand as the rationale for the clause in the contract, they have clearly got this so wrong on both counts (repair cost and valuation) that I almost think they are just being a bit 'simple' rather than 'malicious', the email response I get back will confirm...
Thanks for the interest in the actual cause of failure - I can confirm it wasn't a loose shock since I did get a chance for a brief look underneath and they were fine. If a CV joint went would that burst the boots, because they all looked OK too - I think Handbrake or wheel bearing, but hopefully the car will be back in the UK soon and I can get back to you with a proper diagnosis...
Cheers,
Ed
I await a response and will let you know if they decide to dig their heels in. I agree it is almost unbelievable they would behave in this way; notwithstanding the example that Hilux gave, which I understand as the rationale for the clause in the contract, they have clearly got this so wrong on both counts (repair cost and valuation) that I almost think they are just being a bit 'simple' rather than 'malicious', the email response I get back will confirm...
Thanks for the interest in the actual cause of failure - I can confirm it wasn't a loose shock since I did get a chance for a brief look underneath and they were fine. If a CV joint went would that burst the boots, because they all looked OK too - I think Handbrake or wheel bearing, but hopefully the car will be back in the UK soon and I can get back to you with a proper diagnosis...
Cheers,
Ed
How strange.
Thats at odds with Porsche Cars GB - as Porsche Assitance use the RAC as I found out 2 weeks ago!
pauljmcnulty
Active member
The AA deal is 25% when joining, and 10% at every renewal. I guess the RAC would be very welcome to provide a better discount if they wanted, but Club member benefits aren't anything to do with Porsche Cars GB.
I was looking through the porschefile the other day and there are so many discounts now it's very easy to save far more than the membership costs. [
]
peanut
Active member
Wheel bearings or brakes are my guess too. I can't think what would lock up in the gearbox if it was in neutral. If a brake shoe had become detached from its metal former due to rivet fatique then it would lock the wheel up solid.
I did once have a vehicle that had a collapsed remote gearshift linkage which left both reverse and a forward gear selected simultaneously. Strange but true. Remote possibility though I should have thought.
Two things I would suggest.
First contact the garage or RAC and get them to confirm in writing that you will not be responsible for paying a overnight parking charge .Garages can charge astronomical sums for secure overnight parking! ask me how I know grrr[
]Secondly I would ask the garage to check that neither of the rear brakes are jammed. If not then disconnect the rear nearside cv drive joint and see if the car can then be moved . It would identify or eliminate the wheel bearing or brakes being at fault and cost next to nothing.
At least this will tell you definitely if it is or isn't the brakes or wheel bearings /cv joint at fault and shouldn't cost more than 1-1.5 hours labour charge
tiskev
New member
Ed you could get to Tours and back in a day .
Ask what they will pay towards cost and go get it yourself .
You can get trailer rental or someone here may lend you one .
Check it but guess 650 mile round trip from Calais .Dont forget the Garage will want recovery
and storage charges before letting it go.
Why not ask the garage in Tours to quote Calais delivery ?
You will also find a Freight exchange Co. who will have something
coming back empty and give you a quote to UK ? ?
Ask what they will pay towards cost and go get it yourself .
You can get trailer rental or someone here may lend you one .
Check it but guess 650 mile round trip from Calais .Dont forget the Garage will want recovery
and storage charges before letting it go.
Why not ask the garage in Tours to quote Calais delivery ?
You will also find a Freight exchange Co. who will have something
coming back empty and give you a quote to UK ? ?
As has been said if it was gearbox it would effect both wheels but possible a diff' output bearing or CV when unloaded may allow things to rotate and jam when under an end load. I'd think between diff and brake hub bearings. If someone drops out the Drive shaft then rotates and tries pushing the car it will give a bit more evidence.
RAC should repatriate where can you buy a 944 Turbo SE for £3K? They're crazy!!
RAC should repatriate where can you buy a 944 Turbo SE for £3K? They're crazy!!
peanut
Active member
I don't think you need a Porsche specialist to ascertain whether the brakes are jammed or the wheel bearing is collapsed do you []
Why suggest that the op involve himself in the aggravation and expense of getting the car trailered to another garage in a foreign country for a routine job any garage could do or any diy for that matter.
Remember It is far from established that there is anything wrong with the gearbox yet. []
]Why suggest that the op involve himself in the aggravation and expense of getting the car trailered to another garage in a foreign country for a routine job any garage could do or any diy for that matter.
Remember It is far from established that there is anything wrong with the gearbox yet. [
]EddySpaghetti
New member
Hi,
Good news, the RAC have confirmed that they will repatriate the vehicle!
So, I will keep you posted on the diagnosis once I have had it looked at.
Thanks for the solid advice, and the general morale support!
FWIW - read the small print. I'm not sure they would have been obligated to return the vehicle if this had happened mid trip rather than on the last day, because the repair could feasibly have been completed while I was still on holiday - which would have ruined a holiday and cost potentially a lot more to get fixed in foreign lands with little choice of garages... i would have assumed before reading the doc back to front that they would ALWAYS repatriate, and give you a hire car for the remainder of your holiday...
Cheers,
Ed
Good news, the RAC have confirmed that they will repatriate the vehicle!
So, I will keep you posted on the diagnosis once I have had it looked at.
Thanks for the solid advice, and the general morale support!
FWIW - read the small print. I'm not sure they would have been obligated to return the vehicle if this had happened mid trip rather than on the last day, because the repair could feasibly have been completed while I was still on holiday - which would have ruined a holiday and cost potentially a lot more to get fixed in foreign lands with little choice of garages... i would have assumed before reading the doc back to front that they would ALWAYS repatriate, and give you a hire car for the remainder of your holiday...
Cheers,
Ed
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