Breakdown in Europe

Slightly facetious answer but....try not to break down in the first place!

This is from taking an old Defender, high mileage Transit and mega mileage Volvo overseas.

I'd rebuilt the LR and Volvo so had the utmost faith in them. I take a small toolkit, a few spares and bush mechanic stuff (epoxy, amalgaming tape, etc).

I love the slightly stomach churning feeling of the turn around point where you head home knowing that you're relying on your vehicle to get you the 1000's of miles home without the safety blanket of breakdown cover!

Re. Breakdowns and ferry's - I'm sure the port has a 'tug' /port vehicle to drag you onboard.

In Santander last year it involved everyone on the upper deck of the ferry waiting for an hour while the automatic Discovery was removed from under us by a breakdown service...

Depends our car was overheating so low loaded to ferry as we said we’d drive it on and off, with a low loader waiting for us, anything terminal may also require remote recovery. You travel back car turns up later. Which is probably nicer than travelling home in the cab of a low loader . Best check your t&c, and no breakdown.

Our VW T2 failed to start getting off the St Malo ferry. We had to push her off the ferry and through customs. Our Breakdown Service arranged for a tow to the main VW dealer on the outskirts of St Malo, who had absolutely no idea what to do or any inclination to help. After sleeping on matters in a neighbouring F1 we called the recovery truck direct and they delivered us on to a pitch in a St Malo campsite. This is where we stayed for 2 weeks, rather than our pre booked campsite in Bernodet in southern Brittany. Our Breakdown service intended to tow us on to the ferry and tow us off in Portsmouth. We eventually found a VW specialist who came and diagnosed the problem as failed points, fitted the spare set I had with us which enabled us to get home under our own steam. Lesson learnt - know how to fit points!

I think, assuming you have broken down nowhere near the terminal, your European cover will result in your car being fixed locally or being recovered and every so often a car transporter brings a full load of broken cars back to the U.K. as a job lot. How this is organised and what you do without your car, I have no idea, but I think I have seen that happen or I assume that was what was happening.

If you have literally broken down at the terminal they might tow you on and off so that you can be sorted by recovery at the U.K. port

• Not broken down just pre thinking as heading to Andalucia in September. Hopefully no breakdowns. Thanks

Check the terms and conditions of your breakdown cover.  The euro breakdown policy I had in the past ( I think with Green Flag) said they would  try to fix the vehicle at a local garage or if thats not possible then arrange for it to be transported back home.

My policy also included repatriation costs for me and family in the event the vehicle was not road worthy.  Also possibly travel insurance may cover your repatriation costs if need to make alternative arrangements?

Note the cost of repatriating the vehicle must have been less than the value of the vehicle.   So if you are in old banger worth £500 and it costs £2000 to get it trailered from Spain back to UK they may refuse to transport the vehicle.  Not sure if they just give you the cost of the vehicle back so you can buy a new one or what happens next?

I don't know the answer but we once broke down outside Terruel in Spain and it was at this point that I wished I'd bought better cover.

Our T4 contained our bikes, our camping stuff, my 6 month pregnant wife and our beloved border collie.

The cover would have got us to the tunnel if we had been going to miss our crossing but as it wasn't we were left to our own devices.

Turns out that Terruel isn't very dog friendly so we couldn't get a hotel, taxi, bus or even go in the park! So each morning they pushed the van into the VW garage and each night they pushed it out so we could sleep in it.

Moral of the story, ask what will happen in the  event of a breakdown and always change the water pump when you do the cambelt (the previous owner, not me..)

I still can't bear to think about what we would have done if the cambelt had actually snapped 😬

Just recently happened to us. Green flag euro cover. Broke down an hour south of Paris early hours of a Sunday morning. No chance of repair within 48 hours so repatriation was only way. We got a taxi to the airport, flight to Manchester and taxi home.( They offered us a night in a hotel and hire car to the ferry next day, foot passenger ticket then cab home which would have been ludicrous.) Car only worth £2.5k if it was running and I'm not sure if it will run again but as it has the 2 e-bikes in it in hoping it arrives back soon. Their t&C's say 2-3 weeks for vehicles repatriation so prepare for being without a car for a while if you can't get it back to the UK with you. Customer service has been excellent and they repaid the travel costs in a few days without quibble.

Well yes going in my T4, have another van at home for work so the delay wouldn't be an issue. Will have 2 bikes in van but hey ho nothing ventured nothing gained. If it's on the way out I've got 3 months off to sort it and if it's on the way back that's life!

Going on Nationwide European breakdown cover but been through all the small print and looks ok. Famous last words!