Car and caravan roadside assist

aastek · Veteran Member

Car and caravan roadside assist

Possum3 · Guru

100 klm tow should get you to most service centres - that is allowing you to travel 200 klm between towns which would normally suffice.

If you service you tug and van regularly paying particular attention to suspension and tyres (including age) - you would be unlucky to be caught short.

Mike Harding · Guru

I have had top level RACV cover for 25+ years. I think I've only used it once. It specifies a 100km towing limit too. I used it about 12 years ago when my 4WD died 300km from home, the RACV organised a tow truck on a Sunday afternoon in a country Victorian town, it towed my vehicle home and the RACV said to let them know when I had decided upon a repairer and they would send another tow truck to transfer my vehicle.

I'm still waiting for a bill for those additional services :)

dabbler · Guru

Get the top cover available for the motoring club in your home state or state of residence. The difference in cost between basic and top cover is quickly forgotten (unless you need to use them). Some of the restrictions are not as hard and fast as they seem because local contractors often have better resources than the minimum specified (they all use contractors in regional areas). On Tuesday I had a fuel flow issue between Griffith and Hay. The tilt tray back to Griffith was 2km over NRMA basic roadside but the invoice is covered by RACQ Ultimate as was the full cost of transporting my Teardrop camper. Well worth the money for my money. (Issue was easily fix with no damage but too awkward for me as B-doubles blew past.)

aastek · Veteran Member

Thanks guys for the help. I know as sure as hell if you dont have the insurance something will happen and if you do have insurance nothing will happen. That is the case with all Insurances

oldbloke · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
100 klm tow should get you to most service centres - that is allowing you to travel 200 klm between towns which would normally suffice.

If you service you tug and van regularly paying particular attention to suspension and tyres (including age) - you would be unlucky to be caught short.

100% ^^^^^ RACV Assist is the go.

Greg 1 · Guru

We have top level RACWA cover. Have used it via the NRMA in Wentworth NSW when my start battery collapsed. Most of the auto clubs have cross service agreements, so if you cross state borders you still have coverage. Note. In some remote areas they will not assist.

Hylife · Guru

Each state motoring association will require you to be a resident in their state to be a member with them but they all have reciprocal agreements with each other so you just call your home state club who arranges it with the club of whichever state you are broken down in.
https://www.racv.com.au/on-the-road/roadside-assistance/total-care.html
Emergency Roadside Assistance - RACV Total Care | RACV
Towing for your vehicle and caravan or trailer
Metropolitan areas: 100km in any direction from where youve broken down.
Country areas: 100km in any direction from where youve broken down, or to the nearest attending RACV Service Centre.
Mechanical breakdown benefits
Within 100km of home: receive up to $300 in total per incident to use on taxi fares or alternative transportation.
Over 100km from home: receive up to $2400 in total per incident to use on accommodation, car hire and taxis.

Friends of ours we were travelling with had issues with their 200 series Land Cruiser whilst we were heading to Katherine via Birdsville, Mt Isa, Heartbreak Hotel, etc.
As it wasn't repairable within 3 days, RACV total care bussed them to Darwin, taxi from the bus depot to put them in a motel overnight, taxi to the airport next morning, flew them to Sydney and then on to Melbourne, and a taxi home, where they came back to join us on the Old Savannah Way near Hells Gate in their older 80 series that they kept instead of trading-in.
RACV also had their 200 series trucked to Melbourne to a repairer approved by RACV approved mechanic because they also had RACV insurance. It was diagnosed that the engine damage was deemed to be caused by bad fuel.They were able to make an insurance claim for a complete engine ($45K) just as if it were a crash accident.

All was covered by RACV except for a $500 excess on the engine insurance claim.

Meredith · Senior Member

Mike Harding wrote:
I have had top level RACV cover for 25+ years. I think I've only used it once. It specifies a 100km towing limit too. I used it about 12 years ago when my 4WD died 300km from home, the RACV organised a tow truck on a Sunday afternoon in a country Victorian town, it towed my vehicle home and the RACV said to let them know when I had decided upon a repairer and they would send another tow truck to transfer my vehicle.
I'm still waiting for a bill for those additional services :)

RACV Total Care is 100km OR to the nearest service centre, that OR makes a big difference as in some places it may be 500km to the nearest one. If they can't fix it within 3 days at that service centre (they will normally be able to decide that immediately) then you can have it towed home or to another place where they can fix it.

Eaglemax · Guru

Used RACV total care several times over the years- including

- car broken engine main seal 58km west of Katherine NT. They towed car and caravan back to town for repairs

- Towed a vehicle Noojee to Euroa 203km no extra charges.

I think RACV bend their own rules for total care members. Wouldn't be without it.
Tony

-- Edited by Eaglemax on Friday 7th of May 2021 12:55:14 AM

gdayjr · Senior Member

I just checked out R.A.C.V Total care.

At $255 a year, its a very affordable package, and a bit of peace of mind.

There is a monthly option of $21.75 if you prefer.

How about Cravan insurance?, does one company stand out above the rest?

Mike Harding · Guru

Meredith wrote:
RACV Total Care is 100km OR to the nearest service centre, that OR makes a big difference

In my case the breakdown occurred in Bairnsdale and we passed through Sale and Traralgon on the way back to Melbourne each of those town has many service centres and Sale has a dealer for my vehicle make.

I think it's simply that the RACV treat Total Care customers very well and don't stick to the letter of their rules.

Mike Harding · Guru

Incidentally, something well worth noting about RACV Total Care is the "Nominated Vehicle" aspect:

The Total Care policy holder is covered in any vehicle he/she is driving eg. their own car or a borrowed car. However you can also nominate a specific vehicle to be covered, in my case I have nominated my son's vehicle. The upshot of this is that my son has full cover for his vehicle and I have full cover in my vehicle and that for $255 per year is outstanding value.