Poorly Zed

[billz]

As most know we left on Friday to travel through the Pyrenees down to Murcia in Spain.
Well things did not go to plan. Arrived in France on Saturday and set off on the toll road sowe could makeup some time (not often i use these)
Just after Rouen we pulled off to get a coffee at the Services and going slowly round the round about we heard what sounded like metal being dropped on the road.
Checked the Z when we pulled in to find a flat tyre. When i checked it i found about a 6" tear on the inside so totally irreparable using the foam spray.
Now this is where the fun starts.
Managed to converse with the Services (thanks to a French speaking Englishman) and arranged for the tow truck.
They took us to a garage and i called the break down insurance company who then sent another tow truck as the garage we were took to did not have a tyre in stock. So when the tow truck arrived we got transported to another Garage (a bit like our Kwikfit) and again no tyre in stock. Found out they could not get one till Wednesday (f***ing French do not rush) So insurance company left us for 2 hours without fluid in temps of 28 degree before a taxi took us to a hotel where to be honest i would not of put my dog (if i had one) in.
By this time we had f***ed about for 6 hours and i said to kim we will just stay here over night and deal with it tomorrow (Sunday) It turned out it was the only hotel in the town.
After thinking about what had happened to the zed i said to the insurance company to get us a hire car so we could carry on with our holiday and pick the car up on the way back (they were slightly reluctant to do this) as the car would be ready on wednesday but we would be using the hire car for 10 days after it was repaired. I explained to them that they will get us a hire car for the duration as when they check the car over when doing the tyre they may find something had broke and caused the tyre to burst and that it then maybe another 3 days or more for them to get whatever part that may of broken.
They finally agreed and we got took to the hire company who tried to put us in a zaffira but i spotted a Clio round the corner, after a long conversation we eventually got the hire company to give us that one (they did not want to as we were supposed to have a medium to large not small car)
So we set off on Monday 1700 hours and drove to Poitiers and spent the night. ( should of been in spain on this day ) So got up Tuesday and i told kim we would just drive and see how far we can get.
800 miles and 13 hours later YES epic drive we arrived at our destination in Murcia
Got a call from breakdown insurance to say no other issues found with the zed and it is now all fixed.
One note for people travelling through France if you have a brand of tyre on your car they will not put a different make on ( French law must have both the same brand of tyre per axel) So if you are travelling through France and have different brands you are breaking the law and can be fined for this and have your car taken off the road as it is illegal
But now we are having to endure temperatures of 30 degrees and having to drink lots of well earned beers to keep cool

 

[Mazza]

What a nightmare,,,

Should have taken the Portsmouth - Santander Ferry and by-passed France !,,,
Thats what I’m thinking of doing at the end of August.
Too many laws in France that you can break without knowing. And the first port of call is usually a cash machine to pay a hefty fine .

Hopefully there wont be a ‘ storage fee ‘ when you collect the zed on the way back

 

[billz]

The French have been appalling over this. Breakdown company could not get them to respond to requests being made. It took the French side all day yesterday from a request by the Insurance company to give us an update, All i kept getting from the Insurance company was that they were waiting for the French counterparts to respond. Makes you wonder how the French Economy is as high as it is supposed to be when no one seems to f***ing do anything.
I googled Black Circles on saturday and could of got a fitting slot on monday for the tyre of choice yet in France it took 5 days to get one. Crazy

 

[Mint]

Bliney, not a good start Bill. Sounds like lots of hassle you could have done without. Enjoy the rest of your time in the villa

 

[Nodzed]

As most know we left on Friday to travel through the Pyrenees down to Murcia in Spain.
Well things did not go to plan. Arrived in France on Saturday and set off on the toll road sowe could makeup some time (not often i use these)
Just after Rouen we pulled off to get a coffee at the Services and going slowly round the round about we heard what sounded like metal being dropped on the road.
Checked the Z when we pulled in to find a flat tyre. When i checked it i found about a 6" tear on the inside so totally irreparable using the foam spray.
Now this is where the fun starts.
Managed to converse with the Services (thanks to a French speaking Englishman) and arranged for the tow truck.
They took us to a garage and i called the break down insurance company who then sent another tow truck as the garage we were took to did not have a tyre in stock. So when the tow truck arrived we got transported to another Garage (a bit like our Kwikfit) and again no tyre in stock. Found out they could not get one till Wednesday (f***ing French do not rush) So insurance company left us for 2 hours without fluid in temps of 28 degree before a taxi took us to a hotel where to be honest i would not of put my dog (if i had one) in.
By this time we had f***ed about for 6 hours and i said to kim we will just stay here over night and deal with it tomorrow (Sunday) It turned out it was the only hotel in the town.
After thinking about what had happened to the zed i said to the insurance company to get us a hire car so we could carry on with our holiday and pick the car up on the way back (they were slightly reluctant to do this) as the car would be ready on wednesday but we would be using the hire car for 10 days after it was repaired. I explained to them that they will get us a hire car for the duration as when they check the car over when doing the tyre they may find something had broke and caused the tyre to burst and that it then maybe another 3 days or more for them to get whatever part that may of broken.
They finally agreed and we got took to the hire company who tried to put us in a zaffira but i spotted a Clio round the corner, after a long conversation we eventually got the hire company to give us that one (they did not want to as we were supposed to have a medium to large not small car)
So we set off on Monday 1700 hours and drove to Poitiers and spent the night. ( should of been in spain on this day ) So got up Tuesday and i told kim we would just drive and see how far we can get.
800 miles and 13 hours later YES epic drive we arrived at our destination in Murcia
Got a call from breakdown insurance to say no other issues found with the zed and it is now all fixed.
One note for people travelling through France if you have a brand of tyre on your car they will not put a different make on ( French law must have both the same brand of tyre per axel) So if you are travelling through France and have different brands you are breaking the law and can be fined for this and have your car taken off the road as it is illegal
But now we are having to endure temperatures of 30 degrees and having to drink lots of well earned beers to keep cool
View attachment 150467

What a proper bugger! This is always my fear when we are abroad in the zed, as you I am well prepared for a puncture but a blow out is a proper sod. Hope the Hols aren't spoilt by lack of a zed

 

[billz]

What a proper b*****! This is always my fear when we are abroad in the zed, as you I am well prepared for a puncture but a blow out is a proper sod. Hope the Hols aren't spoilt by lack of a zed

Not letting it spoil the rest of the holiday, just having to sunbathe, drink and eat more

 

[andyglym]

Crikey, that's a bit of a song and a dance mate, not good. Hope the rest of your Hols go OK.

 

[Shelly]

Hope you can enjoy the rest of your holiday
Hope the start of it doesn’t ruin it for you both
Enjoy

 

[t-tony]

Bad situation Bill, I suppose it could’ve been worse. I’m sure you’ll make the best of it mate.

Tony.

 

[Redline]

Quicker and cheaper for everyone all round if you had a mobile fitter bring a tyre out from the UK, fit it and return home.

 

[billz]

I have asked for photo evidence so can throw it at continental as tyres are almost new

 

[AleNod]

Thats a bit of a 'mare. Ouch !

On the plus side, beer !

 

[Grumps]

bloody hell!

 

[as400]

Get the impression France is a bit of a backward country.

Thanks for the tip regarding tyre brands had no idea about that.

Which breakdown insurance company did you use?...

 

[t-tony]

I fail to see how they can do that regarding tyres as our current MOT rules were drawn up by the EU to cover all member states. There is no such rule in the MOT test about mixing brands of tyres. The rules are still current as we are still members of the EU at the moment.

Tony.

 

[billz]

I fail to see how they can do that regarding tyres as our current MOT rules were drawn up by the EU to cover all member states. There is no such rule in the MOT test about mixing brands of tyres. The rules are still current as we are still members of the EU at the moment.

Tony.

Another thing that is different Tony is ours is 1.6mm across 3/4 of the tread in France it is across the whole tyre

 

[billz]

Get the impression France is a bit of a backward country.

Thanks for the tip regarding tyre brands had no idea about that.

Which breakdown insurance company did you use?...

Allianz

 

[Z Victor 1]

Sorry to hear all this , but my experience of driving through France on several occasions is why I decided to always take the ferry to Spain.Portsmouth - Bilbao or Plymouth - Santander. Hope you had a good holiday apart from that.