European breakdown cover
Discussion
I picked up a nail in Spain, which gave a slow puncture. By France it was losing 7 psi overnight, so called the European breakdown number on the windscreen sticker, which got me through to the RAC, who told me that they no longer held the Renault contract. They gave me a number for who they thought held the policy -it didn't connect. Phoned St Albans, who didn't have the number but promised to look and phoned me back with another number. The operator on that number then forwarded me to the right place. All the while trying tyre places (neither a repair or a new tyre for four days) and the Renault dealer in town, who wouldn't touch an Alpine, even for a tyre. The breakdown guy turned up in a flatbed truck, and recommended a local tyre place, who were closed for a two-hour lunch break. Deployed the tyre repair jollop so the car was driveable. Tyre guy checked the tyre, found a nail, but said the repair was holding. Continued our journey; May try tyre places in Bordeaux or La Rochelle if it has lost pressure overnight; or continue, if it is holding.
Moral: make sure you try the breakdown number before leaving home -the most stressful part was getting through. And don't look to a Renault dealer for help.
All of this was made harder by the original error of the dealer allocating a registration number (which the car has never carried) instead of a private plate: some systems have one number, some the other, so they are suspicious when you give them the wrong one -like a spy having two names.
Finally, heartwarming help from a French man we met at the roadside, who had perfect English, returned later to talk with the breakdown guy and phoned round for a tyre on our behalf. Found one too, but we were on the motorway by then...
Moral: make sure you try the breakdown number before leaving home -the most stressful part was getting through. And don't look to a Renault dealer for help.
All of this was made harder by the original error of the dealer allocating a registration number (which the car has never carried) instead of a private plate: some systems have one number, some the other, so they are suspicious when you give them the wrong one -like a spy having two names.
Finally, heartwarming help from a French man we met at the roadside, who had perfect English, returned later to talk with the breakdown guy and phoned round for a tyre on our behalf. Found one too, but we were on the motorway by then...
Hi Le62nde,
Thanks for the info on recovery/assistance. This is worrying as I am off to northern Spain and Portugal in a few weeks. I have checked the MyAlpine app and the number for assistance is still the same as the one on the sticker that comes with a new car, so the RAC. For info if you have the app you can select help and then follow the links to make a call, albeit it is set up for a call in the UK. Can’t believe, or can I, that Alpine would have changed the recovery agents without telling owners. Anybody on the forum going to a dealership in the near future who can confirm the correct numbers/situation for us all? Anyway hope the tyre situation doesn’t stop any further enjoyment of your trip.
Thanks for the info on recovery/assistance. This is worrying as I am off to northern Spain and Portugal in a few weeks. I have checked the MyAlpine app and the number for assistance is still the same as the one on the sticker that comes with a new car, so the RAC. For info if you have the app you can select help and then follow the links to make a call, albeit it is set up for a call in the UK. Can’t believe, or can I, that Alpine would have changed the recovery agents without telling owners. Anybody on the forum going to a dealership in the near future who can confirm the correct numbers/situation for us all? Anyway hope the tyre situation doesn’t stop any further enjoyment of your trip.
As the owner of a vehicle with extended warranty I can confirm I have been refused recovery in the uk once “because I wasn’t on the system and the extended warranty didn’t include roadside assistance”.
The next time I called I was on the system…
Having seen the nightmare a friend with a lotus emira went through on the Le Mans trip last year with a puncture I now also carry a puncture repair kit as well as the tyre foam alpine supply.
The next time I called I was on the system…
Having seen the nightmare a friend with a lotus emira went through on the Le Mans trip last year with a puncture I now also carry a puncture repair kit as well as the tyre foam alpine supply.
We've had a day without driving today, but are due to cover La Rochelle to Fougeres (about 200 miles) tomorrow. Finding a tyre has not proved easy so, slightly against my better nature, I'm continuing with nail plus Alpine tyre repair gloop in place. I'm working on the theory that it was a slow puncture that has been sealed, so it is only going to revert to a slow puncture if the repair fails. I don't know how easily available Pilot Sport 4 tyres are, but have had some eye-rolling and sucking of teeth when I've mentioned them...
The saga drags on...
If we weren't doing a drive/stop/drive holiday, things would be easier, no doubt. I ordered a replacement tyre repair capsule at the Renault dealers in Dinan and was told it would be in at 9 am the next day -today. It wasn't, and my French isn't good enough to know if its being for an Alpine was an issue. The parts dept. guy was going to investigate and give me a ring, but it wouldn't be in until tomorrow at the earliest, and we are on the ferry first thing tomorrow. Without any means of a repair. I called in at a tyre place on the way back from the dealers: helpful, but nothing doing before tomorrow. If we were staying in one place, it would probably be possible to get a new tyre, but no one holds stock these days, in the UK or France.
So, it is not straightforward travelling with a French-built car in France -or not with this car, it seems. I've not had any problems with cars when on holiday in the past, so statistically I'll probably be OK in the future; but will I trust Alpine Assist, and parts supply? The jury is out; which is a pity, because the car is a great long-distance tourer, and of course, great in the twisties.
If we weren't doing a drive/stop/drive holiday, things would be easier, no doubt. I ordered a replacement tyre repair capsule at the Renault dealers in Dinan and was told it would be in at 9 am the next day -today. It wasn't, and my French isn't good enough to know if its being for an Alpine was an issue. The parts dept. guy was going to investigate and give me a ring, but it wouldn't be in until tomorrow at the earliest, and we are on the ferry first thing tomorrow. Without any means of a repair. I called in at a tyre place on the way back from the dealers: helpful, but nothing doing before tomorrow. If we were staying in one place, it would probably be possible to get a new tyre, but no one holds stock these days, in the UK or France.
So, it is not straightforward travelling with a French-built car in France -or not with this car, it seems. I've not had any problems with cars when on holiday in the past, so statistically I'll probably be OK in the future; but will I trust Alpine Assist, and parts supply? The jury is out; which is a pity, because the car is a great long-distance tourer, and of course, great in the twisties.
Edited by LE62NDE on Wednesday 22 May 09:25
Edited by LE62NDE on Wednesday 22 May 10:04
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