european breakdown/ warranty

[chas]

Hi- Anyone out there able to advise on breakdown cover in europe for a motorhome with 2 years left of warranty. What I would like to know is if I have a breakdown caused by a faulty part and the AA cover can only take the van to the nearest garage to fix it how will this effect the warranty. Assuming the part fitted is a genuine one but the garage is not a recognised approved one, { in my case Peugeot } would this invalidate my warranty I cannot get a definate answere from either my local Peugeot garage/ dealer/ or AA people. There are no dought many people out there who get proper cover for motorhomes while in France/Spain, with vans of this age/warranty. All advice gratfully recieved. Chas

[Clive]

I would have thought that if the breakdown was on the base vehicle and the vehicle was still under warranty then it should be taken to the nearest dealer for that particular brand wheverer you were in Europe. If however its a used vehicle covered by an "Insurance" type warranty then you will need to read the small print on the policy to check their requirements.

[David Dwight]

Chas, You should have with your vehicle warrenty some information about AA/warrenty breakdown cover. We broke down last year with our MH only 4 months old. Phoned AA Fiat warrenty centre they phoned me back and sorted it, it was a new battery that was needed. We had to ay for a new one, we finnished up with a bigger amp hr battery than the original. But it took 6 months to get the money back from the dealer. David

[chas]

Hi Clive, the vehicle has a 3 year warranty and the first year is nearly up for the first year it was covered by Peugeot/RAC breakdown cover in UK and Europe, but have know been told that I cannot extend this cover further because it being a motorhome! getting european breakdown cover is no problem and because I have been with the AA for many years contacted them, they are aware of its remaining warranty but can only say that if it cannot be repaired at the side of the road they would only take it to the nearest repair garage, if it should breakdown in darkest France or Spain I doubt it will happen by a Peugeot garage, hence my original quiry. Chas

[Mel E]

Someone out there will give us detailed 'chapter and verse', but I thought that under the new law (that applies throughout the EU), it was no longer necessary to have servicing or repairs done by an 'authorised dealer' in order to preserve the warranty, provided only genuine manufacturer parts are. Our Mobilvetta came with a pan-European breakdown cover for one year, which did work when the power steering sprang a fluid leak - we paid and got reimbursed very quickly. At the time our vehicle was on French plates with an Italian warranty and broke down in the UK. Our new van, a Renault Master comes with a 3 year pan-European warranty and breakdown cover, though, hopefully, we will not need it.

[enodreven]

Hi, Chas The first thing is please double check that the AA will cover your MH as i have been informed that a number of the main breakdown cover companies apply weight and length restrictions on their breakdown cover ?? and certain MH's are to large/heavy? don't find out when you need them ? I am no legal expert, but 2 things spring to mind the first is that you proberbly stand more chance of being taken to Peugeot dealer while you are in France than you would be if you broke down in the UK considering that Peugeot is a French company??. The second is that i would have thought that you could demand that any major repairs are carried out by a peugeot agent, and as the breakdown company i wouldn't have thought? would not want to have to move you again, they would take you to the nearest Peugeot agent in the first instant ? Just a thought if you still have Peugeot warranty then dosn't this include some form of recovery in the event of a warranty claim developing ?? And just a side topic which i think i may have posted this before, A lot of breakdown insurances do not cover RTA's , albeit most of them will recovery you from an RTA but they will expect to recover their costs from your insurance company so make sure you have fully comprehensive cover while you are outside of the UK, as some insurance companies do not provide this they only provide the minimum cover necessary unless you take a Green Card. so please double check before you go Hope this helps Brian

[chas]

Hi Brian. Thanks for the reply, regards the AA requirements I have informed them of the dimensions and weight of my van and because it is not a large one it does comply with what they will carry/tow. I agree with you that there are many Peugeot garages in France but as like the UK not all can accomodate a 2.9metre high coachbuilt. As with many things outside the UK the language barrier does cause problems. Although I still have over 2years warranty left on the vehicle I still feel that unless everything is done 100 percent I could find myself losing the warranty and finish up paying for parts and labour myself. Its easy to take out european breakdown cover but what I would like is total peace of mind in the event of a breakdown occurring. From what I have learnt I had full breakdown cover in the UK and europe for the first 12 months, after that you are on your own to sort something out. Chas

[enodreven]

Hi, Chas I take your point about being understood, but i don't think you will have a problem. Have you read the conditions of your remaining 2 year warranty as i would have thought if you still have Peugeot warranty then i would have thought that it would include some form of recovery in the event of a warranty claim developing ??. It does seem strange if Peugeot expects you to get the vehicle to them at your own cost in the event of warranty fault developing ? at the worst you must be able to reclaim the recovery costs from the, albeit that dosen't help with your orginal question ?.