When to start paying for breakdown cover?

Kemik · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:15

Hi guys,

Assume you're someone who can only change a tyre, top up washer, etc (the basics). At what point in a cars life would you start to find breakdown cover tempting?

My Golf is four years old now and has had the manufacturer services every 10,000 miles and tyres changed - that's it over its 60,000 miles. However, I don't know how long cars go before things start to drop off them.

Any suggestions? Obviously not expecting anyone to have a crystal ball.

sigma · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:16

Tomorrow?

Kemik · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:24

sigma said:
Tomorrow?

1 day before the car breaks?

Nasher · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:24

When you break down (seriously).

You can sign up and then just call them out straight away. It costs more but you'll be saving loads by not paying yearly.

60k miles is nothing for most cars which aren't French.

Matthew.M · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:25

I wouldn’t drive any car without breakdown cover. I wouldn’t want to change a tyre at the side of the motorway.

So for me, as soon as the manufacturer’s warranty/breakdown expires I’ll start paying for it myself.

Nasher · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:33

Matthew.M said:
I wouldn’t drive any car without breakdown cover. I wouldn’t want to change a tyre at the side of the motorway.

So for me, as soon as the manufacturer’s warranty/breakdown expires I’ll start paying for it myself.

On a motorway use an emergency phone and someone will come out to you anyway.

GinG · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:56

[TW]Fox · 15 Feb 2019 at 07:44

Kemik said:
At what point in a cars life would you start to find breakdown cover tempting?

Immediately?

Never not had it and I have had cars as new as a year old

[TW]Fox · 15 Feb 2019 at 07:45

Nasher said:
On a motorway use an emergency phone and someone will come out to you anyway.

And charge you a fortune?

Vanquish-Storm · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:07

[TW]Fox said:
And charge you a fortune?

Free recovery on half the motorways at the moment with all the roadworks taking place.

peterwalkley · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:20

The instant any breakdown cover you had from the manufacturer would run out (iirc Jag covered me for 3 years). Just shop around and never, ever let them auto-renew - they're all buggers for jacking up the price when you're not looking.

Nasher · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:39

[TW]Fox said:
And charge you a fortune?

Still cheaper than paying every year.

My last breakdown was about 10 years ago, that's the last time I paid for any. Though I have had it for free (dealers will throw in with a service sometimes, free from insurers etc).

kurosagi01 · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:00

I wish I had it from day 1, had problems in space of 2 weeks of my ownership of my 208 GTI at the time, broken down on the motorway and twice broken down visiting relative. I had to pay 100+ just for signing up and call out charge, where as if you was to register for breakdown cover the first time online it would be £69.

I'm now joint covered with my dad and my older brother on same breakdown cover with AA now.

Jez · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:12

I stopped having this for years but i found i became paranoid whenever i heard even the slightest noise that i'd be into hundreds in recovery. In the end ive gone for Autoaid, which was around £40 for joint comprehensive cover. At that level i think its worth maintaining.

Predictably, ive had it nearly the whole year now and not used it which reinforces my previous strategy of simply not bothering, but having the AA and RAC numbers stored for on the spot membership.

I think at around the autoaid level its worth maintaining on balance, for the peace of mind, but it isnt a no brainer.

Orionaut · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:28

Kemik said:
Assume you're someone who can only change a tyre,

You have a spare tyre? On a new car?

Unless you actually do have a spare (And the tools to go with it). I would imagine that breakdown cover is pretty much essential from the moment you drive it away from the show room.

(The inflation kits are only good for limited types of puncture and even then I wouldn't want to have to rely on the temporary fix to get me very far)

Vanquish-Storm said:
Free recovery on half the motorways at the moment with all the roadworks taking place.

AIUI, "Free Recovery" takes you to the end of the roadworks and then dumps you by the side of the road.

After that you are on your own.

jsmoke · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:39

I couldn't do it without BDC. The sheer embarrassment if you broke down in a busy area. Imagine having to just push your car into the side while a huge queue was building up behind you and stand and wait while scratching your head?

Scottland · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:45

I always have it as our bank cover works out pretty well for both of us, and has phone insurance and worldwide holiday insurance - both of which we'd want anyway. £13 a month for both of us

Assuming you could make use of something like the above, check out what your bank will offer rather than get a specific breakdown cover.

Also, breakdown cover doesn't necessarily mean it's because you think the car will breakdown - a tyre mishap/wheel damaged could easily necessitate a recovery truck and be nothing to do with the car's age/condition/likelyhood to breakdown.

Nasher · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:47

jsmoke said:
I couldn't do it without BDC. The sheer embarrassment if you broke down in a busy area. Imagine having to just push your car into the side while a huge queue was building up behind you and stand and wait while scratching your head?

You'd have to do that anyway while waiting for the AA to turn up

Scania · 15 Feb 2019 at 10:29

Vanquish-Storm said:
Free recovery on half the motorways at the moment with all the roadworks taking place.

Only on the roadwork sections, they tow you to a safe location and leave you there, they ain’t the RAC, just contractors who’s job it is to keep the traffic flowing in the event of a breakdown.

jsmoke · 15 Feb 2019 at 10:30

Nasher said:
You'd have to do that anyway while waiting for the AA to turn up

It would alcoholics anonymous by that time.