Roadside Assistance

[craiga]

Have we ever done a review of what roadside assistance packages are out there for those that like to wander? I googled "best roadside assistance" and came up with nothing suitable. Does anybody have any recommendations?
Presume I need/desire unlimited km towing, caravan/trailer included in towing etc etc.

Of course this is all generated by a recent "event". Although the tilt tray guy was happy to tow my ct at no charge, he couldn't because he didn't have a Treg hitch and couldn't fit mine to his truck.
Cheers
CraigA

[armbrup]

I use NRMA premium.
A fuel line on my discovery2 wore through on the GRR and they arranged recovery to Kununurra from el Questro and towed mt camper trailer in.

The premium insurance is only as good as their local agent and the WA RAC agent in Kununurra are IMHO "dumb and dumber".

NRMA organized and paid for our bus fare from EQ to K ( because the truck driver bought his wife with him) which was an extortionate $125 each. They paid for a cabin and then all our caravan park fees for a week.

I took control and had the part from Perth in 2 days, but the morons stripped my mcHitch ball and destroyed my jockey wheel, so we were there for a week.
NRMA called every day and I cannot fault their service although the customer relations service were supposed to call about the broken jockey wheel but didn't for 2 weeks when they finally gave me approval to buy one and they would recover from the morons.
All in all it was very much worth it and NRMA premium contacts were always helpful and accommodating.( I demanded that the car be moved from the morons to the thrifty franchise as this was recommended by the caravan park manager).
They also supplied a lancer for the 4 days while the car was off road.
Regards philip A

[WomblingFree]

Be aware that roadside assistance only covers you for vehicle breakdowns.
That's as opposed to say putting a stick through your radiator which is considered an accident so not covered.

Be very careful about how you word the complaint when you phone it in.

[craiga]

Be aware that roadside assistance only covers you for vehicle breakdowns.
That's as opposed to say putting a stick through your radiator which is considered an accident so not covered.

Be very careful about how you word the complaint when you phone it in.

Thanks WomblingFree. That's a good point.
Should also check the conditions of my insurance to find out what/when they will cover.

My guess is that if you word it too "carefully" and they arrive to find a stick through your radiator, they may not be too happy.

Cheers Craig

[robcaz]

With the petrol engine Patrol's we drove for 30 years I carried the necessary spares & in most cases knew what a problem could be & easily do roadside repairs, changing points, condensor, fuel filter, even a alternator once, if need be http://www.robcaz.net/tools_&_spares.htm

When we bought the diesel Jeep full of electronics I figured there is no way I could do anything if we happened to breakdown. Jeep assist only towed the vehicle, however NRMA's Premium Care covers the camper & vehicle. They will also tow the camper if the Jeep needs to be flat bedded. While we have not used this service, friends have & were extremely happy with the outcome after a wheel came off the camper. The camper was flat bedded back to Newcastle & they were given a bed in a motel at Broken Hill.

[craiga]

Hi Rob
I'm quite surprised but it does seem that the "major" companies are the way to go. Friends currently "doing the block" similarly recommended RACV with similar stories.

Think its quite an important issue for members so I might try to do a spreadsheet and post it.
Cheers
CraigA

[robcaz]

Hi Craig,

That would be great. If you put an info spreadsheet together I will make a page for it on the campertrailers.org tech tips so it is available to everyone.

When applying for roadside assist you must also make sure if the vehicle needs to be flatbedded, that the camper trailer will be towed & not left on the side of the road.

[craiga]

Hi Again,
Precisely the problem we had recently. Blew a wheel bearing in the Disco, got tilt trayed from Armidale to Tamworth but caravan got left behind .. firstly because it wasn't covered by our roadside assistance, and secondly because it has a Treg hitch that the tilt tray couldn't attach to.

The first reason is why I started this thread. The second, I see as maybe an ongoing issue. Thinking of making a Treg to 50mm Ball adaptor ... that should be interesting.

Cheers
CraigA

[armbrup]

Why didn't the recoverer just fit your TREG bracket to his receiver?

In my case the truck driver did not have a 50MM receiver," because another driver had taken it" so butchered my Mc Hitch coupling because he fitted it to a 4 inch receiver which had a damaged hole. This as I found out later stripped the 7/8 thread , which is quite a task. Somehow he then also broke off the bolt which goes in the top of the coupling, I think this was because the 4 inch receiver had a big ridge around the edge and you cannot put the safety pin through unless the trailer part of the coupling is sitting flush on the top of the receiver.

So again it comes back to the ineptitude of the agent for the insurer, but IMHO there are limited numbers of qualified and proficient operators in the country, so the result you will get is variable.

I was really pissed off by the recoverer and later by their attitude when the head mechanic told me he wasn't going to quote and he couldn't do it for at least a week anyway. By talking to locals I found a much better repair option. I also had to get involved in sourcing a new McHitch "ball" as they seemed to have no idea . GRRRRRR.
I have learned now and I carry a spare in case a lowlife decides he likes my receiver and "ball coupling"
Regards Philip A

[WomblingFree]

Be aware that roadside assistance only covers you for vehicle breakdowns.
That's as opposed to say putting a stick through your radiator which is considered an accident so not covered.

Be very careful about how you word the complaint when you phone it in.

Thanks WomblingFree. That's a good point.
Should also check the conditions of my insurance to find out what/when they will cover.

My guess is that if you word it too "carefully" and they arrive to find a stick through your radiator, they may not be too happy.

Cheers Craig

Agree the mechanic might not be too impressed but he is unlikely to have a spare radiator in his truck anyway. However if you've only told them the truck is undrivable and needs towing out, the tow truck that arrives is not likely to turn down the fee.