vehicle dimensions re break-down cover.

I have checked with the AA re their relay service for vehicles over 20 years old, and they say the 1995 Duetto is covered - relay is fine so long as the vehicle is no more than 2.3 metres wide and not exceeding 3.5 tons.

Width of my van seems to be 1.972m which is fine but I can't find its weight at all - does anyone know roughly what a Ford Transit 2.5 weighs?

Its certainly less than 3.5.

I'd agree with Peter, but it should be in the log book. If not, get it weighed, this needs 3 weightings for your future reference. Vehicle fuel 3/4 full, water 1/2 full. Total weight, is 1, front axle weight is 2 and rear axle weight is 3. Out local scrapyard will do this for free, I always pass them a Fiver as they are so kind.

Once you have this information, you are much better placed for the future. We're just off an a EU epic and had the weighing done recently. I know what I'v put into it for this trip, quite accurately actually, so am confident that we are 220Kg below the max of 3500 in our case

Transit 2.5D is 2543 Transit 2.5TDi 2561 and both figures are MIRO. Fully loaded (MTPLM) it's 3300, the sort of figure you would only be at if on tour for example. So you are well within the 3.5 limit.

Width with mirrors extended is 2315.  Mirrors folded 2063

For the width stipulation, it's with the mirrors folded. I once asked, and it's for towing/low loader restrictions.
Al.

bikeralw wrote:For the width stipulation, it's with the mirrors folded. I once asked, and it's for towing/low loader restrictions.
Al.

The only time i've had my van recovered (fuel pump electronics stuffed so van on 'limp mode') was an aborted tour where i'd got no further than Belgium. That was the AA who dealt with me and the low loader was ready waiting at Dover when i came off the ferry. All they'd asked me over the phone was the van type. The AA in Europe is run from a place in France and the folk there despite speaking excellent English, are pretty bonkers. Initially they wanted me to leave my van on a campsite and fly back to UK which i refused to do.

Once in Dover the AA guy was brilliant no messing about. The only problem he hadn't enough drive time to do the whole 300 mile run to get me back home so arranged to rendezvous with another AA truck at Oxford Services and just made it with one minute to spare....as we entered the car park a beeper went off indicating he'd got just 60 seconds left before his truck had to park up!

Do most breakdown firms have a relay system? I am with Britannia Rescue and have only had to use them once for my car and they took me home with no changing a distance of 200 miles.

I have heard of relay taking ages due to change overs, I cannot see the advantage of such schemes.
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Richard

Hi, years ago I had breakdown cover with Adrian flux, a local garage picked up me and my van in Cornwall, they said they were busy so took me down the road and give me a car to drive home in and bought my van the next day on a low loader, 240 miles each way, and all because a £2.45 part broke and couldn't get one on a Sunday, great service though, got to me in less than half hour , so me and the kids were on the way in no time

Matt

rgermain wrote:Do most breakdown firms have a relay system? I am with Britannia Rescue and have only had to use them once for my car and they took me home with no changing a distance of 200 miles.

I have heard of relay taking ages due to change overs, I cannot see the advantage of such schemes.

Richard.....as mentioned above it depends on how many drive hours they have left. In my case a change over was necessary purely due to that reason. Had he just started his shift for example he'd have been able to take me the whole distance in one go. The change over only took 10 mins anyway so it's no big deal plus gave me a fag break and they aren't that daft to risk losing their HGV licence and job for the sake of 10mins!

Bulletguy wrote:

rgermain wrote:Do most breakdown firms have a relay system? I am with Britannia Rescue and have only had to use them once for my car and they took me home with no changing a distance of 200 miles.

I have heard of relay taking ages due to change overs, I cannot see the advantage of such schemes.

Richard.....as mentioned above it depends on how many drive hours they have left. In my case a change over was necessary purely due to that reason. Had he just started his shift for example he'd have been able to take me the whole distance in one go. The change over only took 10 mins anyway so it's no big deal plus gave me a fag break and they aren't that daft to risk losing their HGV licence and job for the sake of 10mins!

I see, I Think because I have never had a "Relay" policy I might be out of date, just that I read once that each driver works within a zone and cannot go past his zone, hence relay. Whereas like Matt says he was taken on one lorry.

Just my choice, the word "relay" puts me off. Mind you I don't expect to be transported all the way from S France home, although I have heard CMC Red Pennant take some beating and I never travel without it.
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Richard

rgermain wrote:

Bulletguy wrote:

rgermain wrote:Do most breakdown firms have a relay system? I am with Britannia Rescue and have only had to use them once for my car and they took me home with no changing a distance of 200 miles.

I have heard of relay taking ages due to change overs, I cannot see the advantage of such schemes.

Richard.....as mentioned above it depends on how many drive hours they have left. In my case a change over was necessary purely due to that reason. Had he just started his shift for example he'd have been able to take me the whole distance in one go. The change over only took 10 mins anyway so it's no big deal plus gave me a fag break and they aren't that daft to risk losing their HGV licence and job for the sake of 10mins!

I see, I Think because I have never had a "Relay" policy I might be out of date, just that I read once that each driver works within a zone and cannot go past his zone, hence relay. Whereas like Matt says he was taken on one lorry.

Just my choice, the word "relay" puts me off. Mind you I don't expect to be transported all the way from S France home, although I have heard CMC Red Pennant take some beating and I never travel without it.
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Richard

I can't remember the hours (at the wheel) allowed now, he did tell me, but everything is governed by their 'tacho' which only begins logging time once the truck moves off....so loading/unloading your vehicle etc isn't logged. But once they get going they don't want to stop for anything. I asked if he wanted to take a coffee break but there was no chance...he just kept going because he'd already told his manager to get the second truck on Oxford Services as he figured he could just about make it to there which he did, and the second truck was already waiting so it went very smoothly.

I'd been transported from Belgium to Dunkerque ferry port on a flat bed as even though the van was driveable in 'limp mode' and was only about 50 miles from the port, the AA refused to allow it.

In Europe ADAC give excellent value for money and often works out cheaper than whatever breakdown your policy charges for (which you can tell them you don't want it); [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

30 December 2014, 3 months out of warranty, Mercedes failed on M6 near Penrith. The recovery service took us north to their depot at Carlisle to see if they could fix it and get us on our way but no it was a fuel problem that had to have Mercedes attention.

Back on the van and south to some café car park near Lancaster to swap transporters as our man had run out of hours. Back home at Stoke in the dark with frozen snow on the road and paths, he wouldn't put the van on the drive in case he damaged it so left it on the road and I had to do a complete drain down rather than plug into electric.

Next morning (31st) another transporter to take the van to the Mercedes Agent.

2nd January a call from Merc to say van fixed - new fuel injectors.

Inconvenience and loss of Hogmanay, upsetting. Cost of recovery and out of warranty repair £0. Summary, it could have been worse.

I forgot to mention that both cats were in boxes in the van and the manager at Carlisle wouldn't let us in the van. After some discussion he went and brought them in their boxes into the waiting room so we could give them food and water.

Peter Brown wrote:30 December 2014, 3 months out of warranty, Mercedes failed on M6 near Penrith.  The recovery service took us north to their depot at Carlisle to see if they could fix it and get us on our way but no it was a fuel problem that had to have Mercedes attention.

Back on the van and south to some café car park near Lancaster to swap transporters as our man had run out of hours.  Back home at Stoke in the dark with frozen snow on the road and paths, he wouldn't put the van on the drive in case he damaged it so left it on the road and I had to do a complete drain down rather than plug into electric.

Next morning (31st) another transporter to take the van to the Mercedes Agent.

2nd January a call from Merc to say van fixed - new fuel injectors.

Inconvenience and loss of Hogmanay, upsetting.  Cost of recovery and out of warranty repair £0.  Summary, it could have been worse.

I forgot to mention that both cats were in boxes in the van and the manager at Carlisle wouldn't let us in the van.  After some discussion he went and brought them in their boxes into the waiting room so we could give them food and water.

Peter,

I have always been a bit concerned about recovery firms leaving animal transport up to the recovery driver. We have a dog, so far I have not required recovery while in a van and lets hope it stays that way.

Has anyone found a firm who will transport pets? bearing in mind most seem to use third party firms.
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Richard