Howto avoid being stranded

Mike Holswich looks at the question of paying to keep your car on the road.

How many times have we heard the following statement: ‘‘ Gosh, he’s never been sick in his life, he was just telling me last week that he hasn’t seen a doctor in the last 25 years.’’

Those of us who know Ben personally will all agree. He’s never missed a day’s work, he eats well, is sport minded, jogs every day and plays tennis every Saturday morning. Fit as a fiddle as the saying goes. Then how come he is in hospital today, having luckily survived a massive heart attack?

We hope to live a perfectly normal life. We can maintain our body and mind in good order. We can consume all the ‘‘ good’’ things the experts tell us we should eat, and of course we will always try to limit all the nasties in our daily life.

It’s all a bit like looking after our car. Of course we can’t deal with a car’s emotions, but if things do go wrong with our vehicle – and there’s a good chance something will go wrong at some stage – we most certainly will have to start dealing with our own emotions!

The thing is, just like Ben all cars do age. They might still start OK in the morning, seem to drive well and pass their regular WOF inspections with flying colours, but just like Ben, there are often certain things that aren’t checked.

Oil and filters, radiator hoses and coolant systems, fuel pumps and charging systems, as well as batteries, are some of the items not necessarily checked at WOF time. These items are classified as non- safety and are therefore excluded from the WOF test procedure.

So therefore it’s up to you, the vehicle owner, to address these ‘‘ other safety’’ items.

You may ask as to why I use the term ‘‘ safety’’ when these items are excluded from the scheduled WOF test. Let me explain. There are many items in a motor vehicle that can fail, which can leave you stranded on the side of the road. This type of situation can occur at any time, but you can almost guarantee it will happen late at night on a deserted roadway in torrential rain.

That can place you in an unsafe situation. So what happens now? Even a clever motor mechanic or automotive electrician can only perform so much without his tool kit on hand! It doesn’t leave much hope for the average motorist to entice a vehicle back to life does it?

There are numerous roadside assistance organisations that offer breakdown assistance. I strongly encourage you to investigate which one might be right for you. Most types of policies are extremely cost effective and if you are ever placed in the unfortunate position of car failure, rest assured attended to promptly. Here are some questions potential insurer:

What is the annual service?

Will I need to become a ‘‘ member’’ to obtain roadside assistance ( note – there are many benefits in some memberships )?

Will I have cover New Zealand?

Do I have excess service performed?

What are the limitations breakdown policy?

Does the policy cover me and any car I drive – or just me and the car I own?

What other benefits are offered if a serious breakdown occurs, such as accommodation, rental car, and haulage fees?

Are you able to select the repairer of your choice?

Ask as many questions as you like. If the answers offered are unclear, shop around until you feel satisfied with the company you will be dealing with.

As a mechanic, I believe it is vital that vehicle owners have a comprehensive service programme for their vehicles, to help prevent any drama from occurring in the future. Why not talk with your trusted automotive mechanic and ask to set up such a service programme? You won’t be disappointed with the outcome. It, plus a proper roadside assistance policy, will give peace of mind. Safe Motoring, Mike Holswich

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