The Ford Capri Laser Page

My son is with Start Rescue, and when his car suddenly stopped just outside the city centre this week, he rang them to be told he would get a call back within the hour....In the meantime his mate came out and put the offending power steering belt back on for him, so he didn't get to use the service.

Andrew 2.8i wrote:

jackinthegreen wrote:My recommendation for breakdown cover would be just to go with the very cheapest, as this was the service I received as an AA "gold" customer. I dread to think how they'd treat you if you were an "ordinary" customer. As for the AA, avoid them like an ebola victim.

It's good to hear of experiences of breakdowns, as so few of us have cause to use our breakdown cover it's difficult to know how good the providers are when we need them.
It sounds as though you have not received particularly good service from the AA. In reference to the patrols not carrying spares in their vans, I suppose these days it's not really practical to carry spares for every single model of car.

Andrew.

Yes, I've been really fortunate. Over all my cars, in 18 years I only needed them 3 times. Of course, you don't want to take the chance by having no cover, just in case this year is your 1-in-6! It's a shame, I spent all that money, and gave them 3 opportunities to prove their worth, which they completely d-up.

When they came out to one of my mates a few years previously, the van had a couple of different belts in (about 4 sizes of V-belt and maybe 6 sizes of the wider modern serpentine drive-belts) all hanging on 1 hook taking up virtually no space, so that they could botch most cars by the side of the road as a "get you home" measure. It had just enough cables, belts, tie-wraps, hose-clamps, etc. in it that you could botch the vast majority of cars by the side of the road safely-enough to get the driver home or to a garage under their own steam. I guess I was working under the vain hope that this was still the case. Unfortunately, nowadays all they can do is tell you what a fault code means, charge your battery or inflate your tyre with tyre-weld. Otherwise it's a tow. Such is the world we live in now. Everything is a sealed unit to be thrown away not repaired. Cars included. God, I sound like an old fart. I'm not even out of my 30s yet!

Very strange but I phoned the RAC to stop my breakdown cover on the Capri . My policy is Apri to April 2019 I payed £96 for the year . I said to them it’s in the garage now so will not need the policy and the bloke said well keep in running and we can give you £50 back ? So I get the documents and all is the same and £50 on its way back .

Very strange .

Jasonmarie wrote:Very strange but I phoned the RAC to stop my breakdown cover on the Capri . My policy is Apri to April 2019 I payed £96 for the year . I said to them it’s in the garage now so will not need the policy and the bloke said well keep in running and we can give you £50 back ? So I get the documents and all is the same and £50 on its way back .

Very strange .

That's great, half price cover! Plus you've still got breakdown cover in case you decide to take the car out during Autumn or even Winter.
Are you SORNing your car this year then? You usually keep it taxed all year don't you?

Andrew.

No i did Sorn last year and it worked out well as the weather was pants I think young Nick Keeps his Taxed , I will do mine after the MOT what’s October 2nd .
What about your self as the weather looks like rain and storm for the next few months .

Jasonmarie wrote:What about your self as the weather looks like rain and storm for the next few months .

I SORN the Capri during the winter as that gives me the chance to catch up with the service/maintenance jobs.

Andrew.

Andrew 2.8i wrote:

Jasonmarie wrote:What about your self as the weather looks like rain and storm for the next few months .

I SORN the Capri during the winter as that gives me the chance to catch up with the service/maintenance jobs.

Andrew.

I sorn mine for the same reasons. Bad weather & good intentions of getting lots done, then finding I’d rather be indoors in the warm and end up cramming what jobs I can around driving it in the summer

Well, to draw this topic to a conclusion, I put the renewal on the back burner while I formulated some tactics to go into battle with the AA renewel helpline. To cut a short story even shorter, I got the renewal dates mixed up and the new cover period had already started. So I got spanked this year but I'll put all the excellent advice to good use at the next renewal.
Thanks to everybody who took the time to respond.

Andrew

Andrew love it you sound just like me I just got a quote for some fencing on Saturday . The door bell went so out I went told the bloke what I wanted and he said will email you back .

Go in doors to be told by the wife she has sorted it and they will be fixing the fence in a few weeks . I just said you never told me , but she did because I had put it down on the calendar .

When they put me in a home I hope we can have a Capri members nursing home can I put your name down mate

Jasonmarie wrote:
When they put me in a home I hope we can have a Capri members nursing home can I put your name down mate

Whoever gets there first save some seats....We can bring our own dash mats

I use Auto Aid https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/

It covers me and the wifey in any car we are driving. I haven't needed them yet but others I know rate them for good service. It hasn't got home start or anything fancy but I just need basic cover to get me and the car home if the worst happens.

Neil

Andrew 2.8i wrote: So I got spanked this year

Andrew

You on the right forum with that confession

Looks like 4 seats book 3 with dash mats and the other with aircraft weekly

Peter-S wrote:You on the right forum with that confession

This is the BDSM section, right? Or is that a driving school?

Andrew.

I have just taken out the 3 star cover with Start Rescue for just under £48 https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown-cover

Hopefully won't need it but time may tell if good or not....

andyd wrote:I have just taken out the 3 star cover with Start Rescue for just under £48 https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown-cover

That's great value, Andy. Looking at what you get, as long as you don't take the car abroad, the three star cover is the one to go for.
I'm sure with your low-mileage beauty you won't be needing to use it anyway.

Andrew.

Andrew 2.8i wrote:

andyd wrote:I have just taken out the 3 star cover with Start Rescue for just under £48 https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown-cover

That's great value, Andy. Looking at what you get, as long as you don't take the car abroad, the three star cover is the one to go for.
I'm sure with your low-mileage beauty you won't be needing to use it anyway.

Andrew.

Hi Andrew,
Yes on paper it sounds good....
My new insurers Brentacre only do a recovery service for £24, so I declined that and opted for this instead....Otherwise Brentacre were very good with free agreed valuation that lasts for 2 years

andyd wrote:Otherwise Brentacre were very good with free agreed valuation that lasts for 2 years

Hi Andy,
That's a great move. Prices of Capris are so high, agreed valuations are essential now. Did they accept your estimation of vaue?

Andrew.

Andrew 2.8i wrote:

andyd wrote:Otherwise Brentacre were very good with free agreed valuation that lasts for 2 years

Hi Andy,
That's a great move. Prices of Capris are so high, agreed valuations are essential now. Did they accept your estimation of vaue?

Andrew.

Yes Andrew, full value agreed within 3 hours of emailing pics and relevent form

Funny was talking to Nick this week about car insurance value they give on our capris as they have gone up again this year and with the price of spares I can only see them going up .
I think and hope you don’t think I have gone mad ( you all think that anyway ) that’s the 2.8i should be £20k and our lasers should be around the £12k mark .

What’s your thoughts ?