Anthony1
Too young to be old
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- Messages
- 1,268
- Vehicle
- T5 SE 180 4Motion
Just returned from a 4000 mile trip to southern Portugal, via the Tunnel, France, Spain etc.
All going well and heading back home via various places in France. Pulled into a service station on the A10, en route t to La Rochelle. Filled up and then it all went pear-shaped. The van wouldn’t start. Had to get help from the shop for a push into a parking bay. Battery was completely flat.
Called Green Flag. They told me that private recovery vehicles are not allowed to enter Autoroutes and I had to go via the police. Green Flag initially told me to find the nearest emergency phone box. I said I wasn’t going to start walking up and down the autoroute looking for one. They eventually gave me a number for the police. I called, they sent out a vehicle and after a bit of checking, the chap said my alternator was finished.
Bizarrely, he offered to sell me a new battery for 165 euros but said he didn’t know how long it would last. I said no thanks, please just get me off the autoroute so Green Flag can take over.
He loaded me up using a heavy duty jumper to keep the engine running. After a lot of faffing about he took us to his depot (a Ford dealership), unloaded the van onto the forecourt and locked the gate and left. Green Flag had offered us an hotel but we decided to stay with the van.
No power to put the roof up. We had already run out of gas, so used a small camping stove to cook a horrible French tinned meal. Next morning Green Flag sent a truck. Even with his jumper pack the van would not work in reverse (DSG gearbox). He eventually got us loaded and took us many miles to their garage (another Ford garage), where it was confirmed, a new alternator was required. All conversations undertaken via schoolboy French and Google Translate.
Eventually Green Flag called and said the nearest hotel was 40k away and subsequently sent a taxi – a brand new gull wing Tesla. It was a Thursday and the garage said they would order a ‘new’ exchange alternator and fix it by the next afternoon.
The hotel was ok, no restaurant though. The first impressions of the town were dismal. It was Angouleme. I pre-empted the garage calling the next day, and asked Green Flag to send a taxi (same Tesla and off to the garage we went. En-route, Green Flag called to say the alternator the garage had been sent was broken and they had to order another one, and the van would be ready on Monday. We about turned and went back to the hotel for three more nights. Depressed or what?
A couple of days wandering around the city. Very nice it is too. But we were trapped in a town we had never heard of just killing time.
Monday came and we packed and waited. Late afternoon, I chased Green Flag who chased the garage who texted me and said the car was fixed. A Tesla ride to the garage and a bill of 1,318.53 euros later and we were on our way. I am going to try and claim back the VAT of 243.59 back but it could be complicated.
I cannot fault Green Flag, they arranged and paid for all recovery, taxis, hotel , but not parts and labour.
A few essential things, take out breakdown insurance, download Google Translate, keep your mobile phone fully charged and carry a bag of sorts to move stuff into an hotel, if the worst happens.
Here endeth my tale.
All going well and heading back home via various places in France. Pulled into a service station on the A10, en route t to La Rochelle. Filled up and then it all went pear-shaped. The van wouldn’t start. Had to get help from the shop for a push into a parking bay. Battery was completely flat.
Called Green Flag. They told me that private recovery vehicles are not allowed to enter Autoroutes and I had to go via the police. Green Flag initially told me to find the nearest emergency phone box. I said I wasn’t going to start walking up and down the autoroute looking for one. They eventually gave me a number for the police. I called, they sent out a vehicle and after a bit of checking, the chap said my alternator was finished.
Bizarrely, he offered to sell me a new battery for 165 euros but said he didn’t know how long it would last. I said no thanks, please just get me off the autoroute so Green Flag can take over.
He loaded me up using a heavy duty jumper to keep the engine running. After a lot of faffing about he took us to his depot (a Ford dealership), unloaded the van onto the forecourt and locked the gate and left. Green Flag had offered us an hotel but we decided to stay with the van.
No power to put the roof up. We had already run out of gas, so used a small camping stove to cook a horrible French tinned meal. Next morning Green Flag sent a truck. Even with his jumper pack the van would not work in reverse (DSG gearbox). He eventually got us loaded and took us many miles to their garage (another Ford garage), where it was confirmed, a new alternator was required. All conversations undertaken via schoolboy French and Google Translate.
Eventually Green Flag called and said the nearest hotel was 40k away and subsequently sent a taxi – a brand new gull wing Tesla. It was a Thursday and the garage said they would order a ‘new’ exchange alternator and fix it by the next afternoon.
The hotel was ok, no restaurant though. The first impressions of the town were dismal. It was Angouleme. I pre-empted the garage calling the next day, and asked Green Flag to send a taxi (same Tesla and off to the garage we went. En-route, Green Flag called to say the alternator the garage had been sent was broken and they had to order another one, and the van would be ready on Monday. We about turned and went back to the hotel for three more nights. Depressed or what?
A couple of days wandering around the city. Very nice it is too. But we were trapped in a town we had never heard of just killing time.
Monday came and we packed and waited. Late afternoon, I chased Green Flag who chased the garage who texted me and said the car was fixed. A Tesla ride to the garage and a bill of 1,318.53 euros later and we were on our way. I am going to try and claim back the VAT of 243.59 back but it could be complicated.
I cannot fault Green Flag, they arranged and paid for all recovery, taxis, hotel , but not parts and labour.
A few essential things, take out breakdown insurance, download Google Translate, keep your mobile phone fully charged and carry a bag of sorts to move stuff into an hotel, if the worst happens.
Here endeth my tale.
