Can I Buy a 'Get Me Home' car Abroad???

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

can anyone point me in the direction of information re buying secondhand cars abroad, France, Spain, Italy partic.

we've been keen to get to the South of France and Rome for some while but one of the big worries of doing so is the potential for a sufficiently catastrophic break down that the old girl (our old 405 estate*) couldn't get us home.

Is it feasible to, if necessary; purchase a secondhand vehicle over there and drive it home? Insurance? Local regs? [shhh] weighing in abroad?

Those of you who've looked into this will realise that foreign cover is available for cars over 10 years old, if you look hard; but is expensive and the small print states that recovery costs are not to exceed the value of the vehicle itself; which therefore, for a <£500 car wouldn't get you very far.

Just back from Scottish Highlands (1,500miles, also been to Paris, Amsterdam and Koln), 220k & counting. Does everyone realise how cheap & easy it is to drive to Amsterdam via Harwich / Hook of Holland, amazing boat too.

*Daily Driver, Camper, Workhorse, etc.

[Xantia97]

Hi,
I'm a Brit living in France. It is possible to buy a RHD car over here, obviously LHD are easy, try Anglo Info which I believe has websites for all over Europe, but you would need access to a computer. It all depends whether your car insurers in the UK will insure a car with a foreign number plate.

As for recovery, have a look at ADAC, a German company who I believe is a favourite with mobile home owners. I have been with them for 2 years now and the cost for the top cover is 109 euros per annum for both myself and my husband. It is like the RAC Platinum service that I used to have in the UK (at £300 p.a.), you are covered not the car so whatever car you are in they will recover you to your home, they had no problem when I told them both our cars were 15 (17 now) years old. The site is in German but translates well with Google translate, there is one English page
http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You cannot join online, phone them and ask for an English speaking representative. Of course you have to phone Germany if you breakdown but they speak English well and are very helpful, they try to fix the car there and then if possible, not just tow you to the nearest garage and dump you - like the French companies!

Hope this helps,
Juliet

[handyman]

This looks like an interesting site. I'll have a good look to see what the cover is. Luckily fur mir, ich kann Deutsch sprechen und lesen.

Handyman

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

Thanks everso, Xantia and Handyman. Think I'll be popping up into the loft for my European Road atlas in a mo

[Xantia97]

Hi,
Just read on another site that ADAC are not accepting any more members from outside Germany for the time being, but this may change. I don't know how true this is but you'd better check before getting the atlas out.
Juliet