Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

christine lowery · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:50 pm Post subject: caravan breakdown

hi all
be aware check with your breakdown provider that you are covered for
CARAVAN BREAKDOWN
yor covered automaticaly when the car breaks down but maynot be covered if your caravan is the problem
the AA and RAC do not cover caravans unless they are part of a membership scheme ie through the camping club or caravan club
so check your cover before foraging out into the great out doors
it would be heart breaking if you had to leave your cherrished van on the side of the road or had to pay for it's recovery

safe towing

christine

Bayliss Thomas · Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 557 Location: SUFFOLK

Good timely advise, also ensure that you have a coupling convertor if your van has the old pin'eye coupling. If you haven't then the RAC/AA and most others will not tow your caravan home.

Uncle Alec · Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 734 Location: Manchester

When I was using the Wessex with its 1½" ball hitch system, the RAC wouldn't cover me for recovery.
I took great delight when fielding marketing phone calls from various insurance companies-
"Ever been refused cover?"
Yes
"Why"
Because of the size of my balls.

Peter_L · Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:19 pm Post subject:

I really like the Towbar / Hitch system used over here.

http://www.lets-getaway.com/hitches-hitchreceivers.htm

I have a range of ball - pin - hook - cycle attachments and a couple of drop ' raise adaptors.

The system really is a "hitch for all reasons" and when not in use there is no knee bruising protruberance. ( a bit sticking out)

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

I had A. A. full cover at the time,on the way to Southwold in Suffolk one evening my Jaguar 420 developed a distribitor fault. Sad

Upon a visit by a very nice man in a little van I explained I had a new part at home,he contacted the control centre,a recovery lorry arrived,the Jaguar and Carlight Casellette caravan and ourselves were taken back home. Very Happy

I did not inform the A.A that I towed caravans or trailers when taking out the policy,I always thought caravans or trailers were covered. Confused

My classic vehicles have been insured insured with Footman James for 12 years(breakdown and recovery included) under a multi vehicle policy.

My new Vauxhall Vivaro van is insured with Carole Nash ,recovery and breakdown included.
Both policies cover anywhere in Europe.

Regards
Greshan

christine lowery · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:28 pm Post subject: CARAVAN RECOVERY

HI AGAIN
All the major recovery agents will recover your caravan if the towing vechile breaksdown BUT NOT if it'sthe caravan that needs recoverd not the towing vechicle

christine Confused

emmerson · Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 1268 Location: South East Wales

Very true Christine. I fell foul of that one many years ago. What gresham Flyer is talking about is CAR breakdown, not CARAVAN breakdown. As far as I'm aware, almost all the recovery companies will recover car and caravan in the event of the towcar becoming disabled, but very few will bring a disabled van home.

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

christine lowery · Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:18 pm Post subject:

the faking of a car problem wont get past the fact that the caravan will need to be put on a recovery truck to get it home if it's not towable.
we lost a wheel on the A1M and although i got the wheel back on and found some of the bolts i had damaged the suspention and i deemed it wasn't safe to tow
i phoned the RAC and at first they declined to recover the caravan as they said that i had full personal cover for any vechicle (25 years membership)and this didn't cover traiers unless the towing vechicle was unable to do the job i pointed out to them that i had joined the RAC through the camping clubs arrival scheme and that this included trailer cover they then agreed to recover the caravan.
SO read the small print /check with your cover provider and get it in writting
trailer and or caravans are as a general rule only covered if the towing vechicle is unable to perform the towing
and or you have it in writting that they will do it for FREE
christine
been there got the tea shirt

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

After all that I think we will leave our caravans and trailers at home in future,I cannot risk a noisy night next to the M11 motorway. Sad

It is the same senario with motorcycles,after a weekend at the Scarborough races I lost my bike key just before we were due to head home,I rang the A.A but they did not want to help. Sad

A motorcycle dealer told me afterwards that the same thing happened to him,he let his back tyre down and they recovered his bike back to his house. Very Happy

You have got to think out of the box. Cool

Regards
Gresham.

Onlyrwd · Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 185 Location: Market Rasen

Not quite the same thing but I had a Mk2 Cavalier SRi a few years ago and I was given an Opel Monza from a mate. Only thing was I had to drive 100 miles to get it. Went over there with the trailer got it half way back and the clutch went on the towcar, luckily I managed to limp to a mates house.

Patrolman came out said yeah ok for recovery. The recovery company called to see what they were towing.... Trailer with a car on it. 'No cant take that unless you pay us another 350 quid!' Trailer/caravan/boat all ok but trailer with a car on, no... I left the car at my mates, got recovered and then went back the week after to collect the car... read the small print! Evil or Very Mad

They were happy to leave me the wife and young daughter at the roadside or pay up.
_________________
Mick

78 Cavalier GL
78 Manta Berlinetta

67/68 Thomson Glenelg WANTED

Suicide Jockey · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 67

We blew both tyres on our Willerby Vagabond last year (yes its naive to tow a vintage van on equally vintage tyres!!

The AA did not question low loading the caravan to the nearest tyre shop while we followed in our tow car. We had a standard recovery package.

Were we lucky then?