- May 24, 2014
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OK, so theoretically not touring with the caravan as we were in hotels, but the point is relevent.
Whilst looking around for sutable breakdown cover for abroad, we eventually joined the C&CC in order to get their ARRIVAL SERVICE via the RAC. I would have been better signing up with the Chuckle Brothers.
Our trip took us via Hook of Holland into Bruges, then onto Koblenz and finally Rothenburg ob der Tauber for overnight stops. Our destination Mondsee in Austria which we arrived at without issue. I had two 84 year olds with me, wifey and me on crutches with a smashed knee. Thank god for automatics. Car is a Shogun with rear mounted spare wheel. To change the wheel it involves unfastening the rear trim from inside the door and swinging it free. Unfastening the wheel from the rear of the car and lifting down the wheel. Placing the bottle jack under the car (no side jacking points) and away you go. Not really a problem, more a pain in the proverbial. But when you are on crutches........... :S
We suffered a front wheel d/s blow out at speed on the A10 motorway near Salzburg and with the previous statements in mind, I called breakdown. (I would never normally ask for help changing a wheel). With a very narrow hard shoulder, no bank to escape up and a thick hawthorn hedge bounding the motorway I escorted the passengers about 100 mts to the shelter of a slightly angled wall and returning to the car I rang breakdown. Should have been a simple operation. It started well enough, I got a european operator (in Spain i believe) who spoke fluent English and he began to ask the relevent questions. I explained our situation with my injury and the old folks and he disappeared for around three minutes. Each time, he would return, ask a question and disappear for a coule of minutes. Then the questions began to get silly. What ferry did you come over on ( i could relate to that in case of recovery but i said it was only a wheel change). What time did your ferry sail. Did you have cabins. Did you enjoy the crossing?? WTF!! I exploded and asked how long this garbage was going to take as I had vulnerable people with me and he insisted the questions needed to be answered. It went on, how much were your tickets, did we eat on board. Eventually this call timed at 28 minutes. He ended by saying he would now contact a local unit and call me back. He rang back in 20 minutes and told me the local unit would call. 48 minutes and still nothing actullay happening. Around 35 minutes passed and an Austrian unit rang to ask where I was (thought that had been handled) but I went through it all and I was told help would be with me ASAP. I asked for an eta and was told gain ASAP. By now and fearful for my passengers, I had passed the point of patience and though on crutches managed to change the wheel. I picked up my passengers and left the motorway intending to stop and tell the RAC where to go. As we pulled into a layby on a national road some 45 minutes after the breakdown units initial call, they rang to say they were setting off. Apart from the obvious, the weather was fine and warm, the holiday period was over and all was quiet. I dread to think how long this would have taken in high summer. I do have a complaint in to the RAC and all my calls are logged to prove the waiting times.
And so you would think my problems would be over. I had a brand new spare, one shredded tyre and three Dunlop At20s coming to the end of their life. I had intended to replace before winter anyway. I went straight to a tyre depot in Salzburg only to be told they could not supply this tyre or anything like it. Fair dos, you dont see a lot of large 4x4s out there so I presumed the tyre size/type was the issue. I tried another depot. Same. Tried a third, same. Eventually I went to Mitsubish in Salzburg and finally they explained the problem. Only winter tyres available at that time of year in Austria. They couldnt order them from elsewhere, there were none in stock anywhere. Being a 4x4, you arent supposed to mix tyre types as it can knacker the diffs Im told. In the end, I bought 5 Conti winter tyres and they cost a fortune out there. Had I had the caravan with me, the situation would have been the same. Winter tyres only. Laughable really, It was September and the temperature around 30 degrees.
The final issue was almost expected. Before they (Mitsubishi) would fit the tyres to my car, they wanted to see the V5 logbook, which, luckily and being wise to continental ways I had with me. But why? I personally cant see any reason for this, but the point is there. Always carry your V5.
Whilst looking around for sutable breakdown cover for abroad, we eventually joined the C&CC in order to get their ARRIVAL SERVICE via the RAC. I would have been better signing up with the Chuckle Brothers.
Our trip took us via Hook of Holland into Bruges, then onto Koblenz and finally Rothenburg ob der Tauber for overnight stops. Our destination Mondsee in Austria which we arrived at without issue. I had two 84 year olds with me, wifey and me on crutches with a smashed knee. Thank god for automatics. Car is a Shogun with rear mounted spare wheel. To change the wheel it involves unfastening the rear trim from inside the door and swinging it free. Unfastening the wheel from the rear of the car and lifting down the wheel. Placing the bottle jack under the car (no side jacking points) and away you go. Not really a problem, more a pain in the proverbial. But when you are on crutches........... :S
We suffered a front wheel d/s blow out at speed on the A10 motorway near Salzburg and with the previous statements in mind, I called breakdown. (I would never normally ask for help changing a wheel). With a very narrow hard shoulder, no bank to escape up and a thick hawthorn hedge bounding the motorway I escorted the passengers about 100 mts to the shelter of a slightly angled wall and returning to the car I rang breakdown. Should have been a simple operation. It started well enough, I got a european operator (in Spain i believe) who spoke fluent English and he began to ask the relevent questions. I explained our situation with my injury and the old folks and he disappeared for around three minutes. Each time, he would return, ask a question and disappear for a coule of minutes. Then the questions began to get silly. What ferry did you come over on ( i could relate to that in case of recovery but i said it was only a wheel change). What time did your ferry sail. Did you have cabins. Did you enjoy the crossing?? WTF!! I exploded and asked how long this garbage was going to take as I had vulnerable people with me and he insisted the questions needed to be answered. It went on, how much were your tickets, did we eat on board. Eventually this call timed at 28 minutes. He ended by saying he would now contact a local unit and call me back. He rang back in 20 minutes and told me the local unit would call. 48 minutes and still nothing actullay happening. Around 35 minutes passed and an Austrian unit rang to ask where I was (thought that had been handled) but I went through it all and I was told help would be with me ASAP. I asked for an eta and was told gain ASAP. By now and fearful for my passengers, I had passed the point of patience and though on crutches managed to change the wheel. I picked up my passengers and left the motorway intending to stop and tell the RAC where to go. As we pulled into a layby on a national road some 45 minutes after the breakdown units initial call, they rang to say they were setting off. Apart from the obvious, the weather was fine and warm, the holiday period was over and all was quiet. I dread to think how long this would have taken in high summer. I do have a complaint in to the RAC and all my calls are logged to prove the waiting times.
And so you would think my problems would be over. I had a brand new spare, one shredded tyre and three Dunlop At20s coming to the end of their life. I had intended to replace before winter anyway. I went straight to a tyre depot in Salzburg only to be told they could not supply this tyre or anything like it. Fair dos, you dont see a lot of large 4x4s out there so I presumed the tyre size/type was the issue. I tried another depot. Same. Tried a third, same. Eventually I went to Mitsubish in Salzburg and finally they explained the problem. Only winter tyres available at that time of year in Austria. They couldnt order them from elsewhere, there were none in stock anywhere. Being a 4x4, you arent supposed to mix tyre types as it can knacker the diffs Im told. In the end, I bought 5 Conti winter tyres and they cost a fortune out there. Had I had the caravan with me, the situation would have been the same. Winter tyres only. Laughable really, It was September and the temperature around 30 degrees.
The final issue was almost expected. Before they (Mitsubishi) would fit the tyres to my car, they wanted to see the V5 logbook, which, luckily and being wise to continental ways I had with me. But why? I personally cant see any reason for this, but the point is there. Always carry your V5.
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