Bumpyride Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Gents Any advice or past experiences? with red star equity european recovery. Am insured through sureterm, they inform me that i'm automatically covered for fully comp insurance in europe. Plus offered a european upgrade to the uk recovery option which i took out when signing up to the insurance. Breakdown cover by red star insurance. I have a 25year old defender, which makes it hard to get breakdown cover for in europe. So this seemed ideal, plus its only 30quid to extend it to europe. The word suggests they will recover to the UK if i breakdown and also offer the replacement vechicle etc. However as the AA / RAC etc and the carvavan club all quote 100-125pound then i'm a bit nervous of the quality of service the red star cover will offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I've been looking at a German company, ADAC, who have a strong reputation online but they're not answering my emails, so I'll be interested in what you find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumpyride Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 i've tried ADAC also, but had a similar experience - no replya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I'll call them today or tomorrow, but I was hoping for "yes, we'll tow your car home" in writing before I leave. I've a similar problem to you with vehicle age, suffering the 'suck through the teeth' moment with reps or call centres when you mention overheight, 4WD and 28 yrs old - but I'd rather cover that upfront on the phone in English than cope with schoolboy French for "C'est plus grand!" at the roadside! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 ADAC brought TJN's oldish 130 back from Morocco with a poorly gearbox. They have also saved me in the UK a couple of times. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJN Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Yeah I would recommend ADAC. they brought the 130 home to my garage and flew Kate and I back all for the $85Euro cost of ADAC plus. Really really good. Best option is to fill out the form on the website (use google translate for the page) and then they will send you a form for your bank details as on line payment havent made it to Germany yet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJN Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 oh and the 130 is too old for RAC and AA to bring home. They limit it to 15 years old. mine being a 1990 truck........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty_wingnut Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I've got Red Star Euro breakdown - been on a trip and not needed it, got another one soon and hopefully won't need it then however if I do I'll let you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I have an answer in writing from ADAC - long and short of it is 79 Euro for a year's Europe-wide recovery cover, for me and the Mrs. They say: The attractive service package of the ADACPlusMembership protects you and your spouse/partner when driving your own and also other party's vehicles in Germany and Europe-wide following a breakdown, accident and theft ... Following a breakdown or accident or after your stolen vehicle is found, ADAC will organise recovery and pay the costs of the recovery. Experienced ADAC-appointed contractors will return your vehicle to your place of residence ... The ADACPlusMembership protects all vehicles regardless of the vehicle type, which do not exceed the following measures and dimensions: max. vehicle length 10,- m max. total length 2,55 m max. total height 3,- m Motorcaravans max. 3,20 m max. admissible total weight 3,50 t Motorcaravans max. 7,50 t max. number of persons (incl. driver) 9 persons The insurance covers free of charge the towed one-axle trailer which includes the above mentioned dimensions and weights (including cargo). Trailers whose axles are less than 1 m apart are regarded as one-axle trailers. I've queried the length restriction. Otherwise, that'll do me, it does specifically exclude offroad recovery but it's cheaper than a year's UK cover for my car, never mind Europe-wide, and they've got the LR4x4 seal of approval above. I'll send them some forms and money tonight. For comparison, RAC want £135 for roadside assistance, recovery and onward travel for me and her, UK only, and only in cars under 10yrs old (none of our three fit that bill!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hiatt Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 John Did you just ask the questions in English via the website? I'm leaving for France with a trailer next week so would like some cover but would like to clarify that the 3.5 tonne limit doesn't include the trailer. I did enquire about the NFU cover but they won't repatriate the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I used their 'contact us' form but it took a week to come back to me. If you're not fussed about having it in writing I'd suggest ringing them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gren_T Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Hi chaps, phone ADAC..! they will put you onto an English speaking rep who will take your details over the phone and then send you a confirmation letter. Oh and you'll get a quarterly mag.. in German - ah well ideal opportunity to learn take a look at what you get for for your money, will the AA send you home in their own emergency airplane if your injured on hols? regards Gren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Phone them and take out the cover, don't even think about it, my truck has just suffered with a faulty injector/seal ADAC have shelled out over €2,000 so far in meals hotels and for our first class train tickets home. That does not include the shipping home of the 110 and trailer which has just left on a transporter and will be In the UK in a week and the recovery to a garage in the first place. Nothing has been too much trouble for them, calling with updates every couple of hours and chasing the French garage for updates. Worth every penny ten fold, Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Jason - I know you're having problems, and I'm about to head to the same area, but from your recommendation I've just called and paid up my membership. Easy process too: <00 49 1805 10 11 12> "Sprechen-sie Englisch?" and then the Mastercard routine, covered from tomorrow. Brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 John, You will not regret it, we arrived home yesterday after a long day but are all home safely thanks to ADAC, after the service I have received over the last few days they have a life long member in me, no questions asked even if they double their fees I would say it's worth it. My experience went as follows: When checking the truck on Monday morning I noticed the Oil was very high, after a few checks and dropping some oil from the sump discovered diesel in the oil, I knew on a TD5 this meant one of two things injector seals or head. I removed the rocker cover but couldn't see anything obvious and didn't have any spare injector seals anyway I decided it was time to call for help. Called the ADAC in Munich, I explained the problem and they put me through to the ADAC desk in France, as the systems are linked I didn't have to give any details again, just let the guy know where we were exact location down to the camp site pitch number. He took some more details about the car and who was travelling then let me know that the recovery truck would be with me within 45 minutes, it would take them 20 minutes to get it back to the garage but then the garage had lunch from 12:00-14:00hrs so he would call me back at 15:00hrs with an update. 14:55 I received a call from them, they had spoken with the garage who had confirmed there was a fault, they were going to drain the oil and replace it with fresh oil and try to see where the diesel was coming from and he would call me back at 17:30 with an update. 17:25 Updated call, the garage has changed the oil and run the engine one injector appears to be leaking, so they will try and fix it, take the car for a test drive and then leave it over night and check it again in the morning. Now this is where it gets good, he then said "you told me you had a roof tent on the Land Rover (when he first took the details about hight etc) does this mean you will need a hotel for the night? if so ADAC will pay for the hotel, you are also entitled to 68 euros each for an evening meal as you will be delayed" I explained that we had a second tent on the trailer and that although it would be tight we would all sleep in there for the night and see what was going to happen in the morning. "OK as long as you are happy, I will call you at 10:00 with an update, but I have also sent an SMS to your phone with the my direct contact number if you have any problems overnight, oh and get a receipt for the camping because ADAC will also pay for that." Tuesday 09:45 Call from ADAC "we have spoken to the garage, and the problem is still there, they are going to change the oil again today and change the injector seal for one they have, but as it is not a Land Rover one it may not work we will call you back at 15:00 with an update" OK thanks, "Is everyone OK how did you all sleep in the little tent? Do you need anything or can we help you with anything? Oh and as the fault has now lasted for more than 24 hours you are entitled to a hire car if you want one? Would you like me to arrange that for you?" As we were in a nice campsite and enjoying the river etc I didn't see a need for a car so declined the offer. 15:05 (I know shocking they said 15:00) The chap could not apologise enough!! but he couldn't get hold of the garage. anyway he had spoken to them and the fault was still there they would need to speak to LR in France and see if they could get the parts, they would call me back at 17:30 and let me know what was going on but starting to prepare for the worst where was the nearest airport to home etc. 17:25 I missed their call as I was swimming in the river, by the time I had got to the phone I had a SMS asking me to call them and a voice mail saying the same, when I called them they first apologised that I had missed their call, and for disturbing me!! The lady then went on to explain that it would take upto five days to get the new seals and fit them, therefore they were going to send us home and arrange for the car an trailer to be shipped back to the UK for repair, how would I like to get home? We looked at the options, first was a flight but as we were no where near an airport with flights to the UK it would have meant a lot of transfers and messing around, we still need to hire a car at both ends. They offered me a hire car but the hire car companies don't let you take LHD cars one way into the UK we would have to drive a car to Calais, catch the ferry or euro-tunnel and then hire a car at the other side. Third option was to catch the train to Paris and then Eurostar to the UK and then train to Reading and a Taxi home, this seemed the easiest and as they said their travel desk would book the tickets and all I would have to do is pick them up at the station we chose this option, oh and to top it off the tickets would be first class. I spoke to the family and we chose the latter option, ADAC called me back and started to talk about getting the trailer and the car together and how they would be shipped back to the UK and where. Now the trailer was built on a Sankey chassis and therefore has a NATO pintle, when we looked at EU breakdown cover last year, all the UK companies would not accept this and insisted it needed to be a 50mm hitch, so I made an adaptor, not great but enough to get it off the Autoroute in an emergency, as ADAC hadn't raised this I didn't tell them I could use my bodge as wasn't keen on it travelling Europe with this solution on the way home. However this was not a problem, I explained that the trailer was not a normal 50mm hitch and would need to be picked up on the same flatbed transporter that collected the car as it could not just be towed by a normal car. No problem ish, a lot got lost in translation and the chap thought the trailer was a 5th wheel type!! in the end I got him to Google Nato Hitch and he understood. Everything sorted he again reminded me to save the receipt from our evening meal as ADAC would pay for this and wished me a pleasant evening, we had arranged for the trailer to be picked up at 09:00, Mrs S would get a Taxi to the station and I would go with the recovery driver to the Defender, pay the garage bill 1/2 of which the ADAC would pay as they had not been able to fix the fault. I also needed to retrieve some bits from the defender and deposit the dirty laundry in the back of it, take a taxi to the station so with a fair wind we would be on the train by 11:02 Wednesday 09:00 came and went with no sign of the recovery truck at 09:30 I called ADAC who could have not apologised more, they called the recovery company, who hadn't understood the time constraints and were going to send a specialist recovery unit at some point in the morning, these words did worry me a little but I thought that it was something lost in translation again so didn't give it another thought. 10:30 ADAC called me, they had shouted at the recovery firm who were sending the specialist unit now, again that 'specialist' term? It was clear that we wouldn't get our train but not an issue ADAC would change the train reservations to the next day and book us a hotel near the station for the night. They would SMS me the details when it was confirmed, again a reminder of our entitlements with regards to meals etc and as a way of an apology for the issues they would double the allowance to 136 euros each for each meal, was this OK? 10:35 The 'specialist recovery unit' arrived it was a huge HGV recovery unit with a special lifting rig brought in from another town especially for the job!! The guy looked a little confused when he saw the trailer, not seeing a tow bar I asked him how he was going to transport the trailer and he told me a second truck would be coming they would then lift the trailer onto the second truck using his unit and take it to the LR, I asked him why we couldn't just push it onto the flatbed and he seemed even more confused? He explained that ADAC had insisted that it be transported correctly and that as they didn't have a NATO hitch the only way to do this was with lifting gear!! He did however have a HGV tow bar for pulling HGV trailers and would that work? Now the chap from ADAC had read all about NATO hitches the prime mover having to rotate on a fixed pintle, he had then asked me about which type I had, something I had given very little thought about at the time. He had gone away to book the recovery and armed with his new found knowledge had insisted that anything towing it had to have a NATO pintle or it was not going to be towed... None of the it has to be a 50mm hitch or else from ADAC!! I explained in my best French to the first recovery driver that as long as he was happy that the trailer would not damage the hitch on his 17t recovery truck I was happy that it would cope, and he called of the rest off the team. I didn't manage to take any photos as everything went very quickly but the sight of an overland trailer hitched to the back of a 17t recovery truck driving through rural France raised a few eyebrows!! 10:40 I received a panicked call from the ADAC, was everything OK? As they had been told about the stand down of the specialist recovery team, I explained I was happy and they calmed down a bit! But I still don't think they were happy after all the truck (prime mover) did not have a hitch that rotated!! I got to the garage paid the bill 90 euros for what had been a fair few hours of work, and got an SMS from them with the details of the trains together with the details for the Hotel, two seconds later the expected call to check I had the received the text and was I happy? Could they do anything else to help? Did we need anything and don't forget to collect the receipts!! We all meet at the Hotel in Millau, which was a perfectly acceptable four star hotel, ADAC had booked us four separate rooms so after we had sorted things out we settled in for the day and went for an explore, some food, drink and some more food remembering to save the receipts!! Thursday 10:00 We arrived at the train station for what promised to be a long day of train travel but would see us arrive back in the UK by that evening, Millau is only a small station 2 platform job so when I couldn't see the train listed I went to ask at the ticket office, the lady looked confused and then went on to explain that although our seat reservation was from Millau the train tickets were from Millan, one letter off but very different places!! She called her supervisor, I called ADAC there was a bit of an international incident between ADAC and SNCF with supervisors getting involved and words being used in both French and German that I had not heard before!! The train was set to depart at 11:02 and at 11:05 it was decided it would take too long to get new tickets issued electronically and I had two choices either wait another day or pay for the tickets to Paris myself and then claim the money back from ADAC, fair play to SNCF they held the train and at 11:12 we departed for Paris. At 11:14 my phone rang at the same time I received an SMS it was the Director of ADAC France, who had been told about the incident and was calling to check if I was OK, assure me they would reimburse me for the tickets and apologise again for the incident!! I then got an SMS with his personal mobile number email address and the address and reference number in Munich that we needed to send the receipts to. We had to change trains but arrived in Paris at 19:57 hoped over to Gard du Nord and were back in Blighty as planned. Now I know I have gone a bit, but I am sure you will agree the ADAC service was outstanding, I don't think they could have done anything else to help us reassure us that things would be OK, I have never experienced service like it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone based upon my experience. Now there is still the small matter of the Land Rover which will be with us within the next two weeks, but based on the experience so far I will not be surprised if it arrives with a full tank of Diesel and a full Valet!! Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Jason - there isn't an advert in the world that could top that - a positive story from a satisfied customer, including how they fixed it when it didn't go 100% to plan. My holiday's going to be more relaxing now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Just a follow up on this, the Defender arrived home on Saturday 17 days after I last saw it, so there is the catch ADAC hub all of their cars in Berlin and then send them on their way. They run their own fleet of recovery/relay trucks so my truck and the trailer got picked up on the Friday from the garage went to their French Hub in Paris until there were enough trucks to fill a double height transporter and drag. When there were enough cars to fill the transporter It got shipped to Berlin, my truck then went on a transporter returning to the UK to collect German cars, so it took nearly 3 weeks. However the good news is so far as I can see everything is still there so it has not just sat in a doggy yard getting bits taken from it, I had taken some bits from it but clearly couldn't take everything and to be honest was glad when I saw here today. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Jason, Any idea how well it would work for in-UK cover? Do you (or anyone else for that matter) have ADAC in addition to AA/RAC/Greenflag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 In the uk ADAC use the AA to recover people, Chris Watts and TJ have used them in the UK, although TJ had some issues this was down to the AA and not ADAC. I only have ADAC cover now after all we are all part of Europe. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Excellent thanks Jason! Don't think the RAC will be getting my renewal this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I also felt that service was slow on my 2 UK breakdowns but on both occasions the AA were at least partly to blame. On the second occasion ADAC insisted on having the car looked at by an AA roadside patrol rather than just accepting my diagnosis and sending a flatbed and this contributed to the delay the AA started - though the AA roadside man did bend the rules a little and removed a propshaft to dolly my car home rather than me waiting for another flatbed... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan110 Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Amazing to hear of such good service from ADAC; in stark contrast and as a final nail in the AA coffin for me, I took out European AA cover a few years ago on a 1992 defender - same reaction regarding its age etc. Total cost (as memory serves) was around £160 for about 10 days cover. Part way through a week's mountain biking in the Alps, we managed to snap the ignition key off in the barrel. Being short of time and tools, we called the AA to see what they could do. After some back-and-forth, the short answer from them was "you're not covered because the small print states that you should have brought a spare key with you". The fact that a spare key would have been no use when half of the old one was jammed in the barrel, and that the cover was taken out over the phone 24 hours before we left so there WAS no small print didn't seem to cut the mustard. They wouldn't budge so we lost a day of the holiday searching for locksmiths and motor-factors in a borrowed car. Worst £160 I ever spent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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