Breakdown Cover Articles

Why your car can let you down

Why does a car breakdown? Or more likely, why does a car breakdown now, when I need it the most or in the middle of nowhere. Or both!

There are no specific reasons why a car should break down, some time cars never break down, and need very little service till the owner becomes almost paranoid about when the breakdown is actually happen. There are other cars that break down almost every day till the owner begins to feel that they don't actually own a car, instead a bottomless pit that they just throw more money into. These are the people who have actually spend considerably more on their cars than it is worth, and they usually don't have a proper radio or car seat covers to show for it. These people fall into the category of "car junkies".

Thankfully these cases are few and far between, and most people have their cars break down once in a blue moon, and that's the way it should be. Car breakdowns can vary between the engine blowing up and the car bursting into flames (hopefully without the driver in it) or even a flat tire or running out of petrol, which is something that is inexcusable in this day and age with a petrol station every 100 yards or so.

The proper expression for a car breaking down is that it can no longer continue its journey which is fair enough. However most experienced drivers will sense that something is not right with their car and have the good sense to take it their local garage to get it checked over, and if repairs need to be done, that is certainly the best place.

At the side of the road is not a great spot to be carrying out repairs on a car and on a motorway even more so. But the statistics show that motorways are where most breakdowns to occur and it are logical when you think of it. Cars are travelling at higher speeds than they are used to, and with the engine working flat out, that when problems begin to show. Having a car stop dead on a motorway can be a very distressing experience, yet it is important for the driver to keep their head no matter what, especially if there are other people in the car.

Whatever the situation, anyone who has had the sense to take out car breakdown insurance is in a better condition than those without. A call to the insurance company or to the breakdown service directly will bring out a response and hopefully a fast one. After the roadside repair specialist has arrived on the scene of the breakdown, diagnosis will take place and hopefully some spot repairs will see the car continue its journey, if only to the nearest repair garage. And yes, in case you were wondering, breakdown insurance does cover changing flat tires or topping up petrol tanks. But use that information wisely.

< back