best roadside assist

Submitted: Friday, Mar 18, 2022 at 17:52
ThreadID: 143411 Views:9650 Replies:6 FollowUps:9
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Can anyone tell us if 24/7 Roadservices Australia covers (1) off-road van and car and (2) roads like Birdsville Track, Strezleki, Gibb River Road etc?
We need to look for a new cover as NRMA only covers vans up to 2 tonne; ours is a tad under 3.4 fully loaded (we don't fully load it)
Cheers and thank you
Bryan and Fran
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Reply By: Member - John - Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 06:55

Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 06:55
RACV has this listed as the weight/length limits. But not sure you can get cover if not living in Vic?
Size and Weight Restrictions
Weight
(GVM*) Height Width Length^

TOTAL CARE 8 Tn
3.3m 2.5m 9.0m
10’9” 8’2” 29’6”
* GVM (gross vehicle mass) of a vehicle means the maximum loaded mass
of the vehicle, including passengers and cargo regardless of whether the
vehicle is loaded at the time of the incident.
^ For caravans and trailers, length refers to the entire length of any tow vehicle,
including the A-frame.
John and Jan

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Reply By: Kenell - Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 08:44

Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 08:44
I had need to claim against my RACV Total Care about 5 years ago. We had been remote but fortunately we were back on the black top when the breakdown occurred. Because we were in Qld it was the RACQ who attended.

For all intents and purposes it was the gearbox that had failed. Under escort I managed to drive the 10ks or so back to the mechanics workshop. We disconnected the van and put the car on the hoist. It still sounded like bearing/s in the gearbox. The RACQ agent said he couldn't look at it for at least 3 weeks.

RACV put us up in a motel (the caravan parks were all full) until they could fly us home - there was a weekly FIFO plane for mine workers. The car and van arrived a few days later.

A friend who lived outside Vic enquired after hearing my story and he was able to take out the same cover. You don't have to reside in the state.

I just read their policy and it references safety for recoveries to roads where vehicles can safely pass. It also refers to "in Victoria". My take is that whilst the RACV attend they would go "remote" (subject to size limits etc) but they contract their equivalent in other states ie NRMA, RAA, RACQ etc to perform recoveries in those states. It would then be limited by the contracted coy's particular position.

Call each of them and enquire but I think you will struggle to find a roadside assist coy who will attend the roads you have listed. There are of course others who will but at a considerable cost.

My van is only around 5m and <2t so fitted snugly on a flat top with the 4wd.
A note for the unwary. Check your van insurance to see if your van is covered when it is being transported (as opposed to towed). Mine doesn't unless I call and nominate the dates and times and pay an extra premium. Real handy when you are on the side of the road somewhere. The towing coy including RACV generally don't insure them.


AnswerID: 639866

Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 11:51

Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 11:51
I have had a similar good experience with NRMA
They covered a flatbed to Sydney from near Canberra and arranged hire car for us to drive and keep for two weeks whilst our vehicle was repaired.
Another in SA where we were flatbedded 70k to Coober Pedy and provided accommodation for the night
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Reply By: PeterInSa - Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 09:54

Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 09:54
Club 4x4 will cover you and from memory also Shannon's.

https://www.club4x4.com.au/
AnswerID: 639867

Follow Up By: Member - Freckle50 - Sunday, Mar 20, 2022 at 14:57

Sunday, Mar 20, 2022 at 14:57
We insure through Shannons so will check that thank you,
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Reply By: Member - Graeme W (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 10:14

Saturday, Mar 19, 2022 at 10:14
NRMA lists a larger vehicle towing add on as an option. Says it's for vehicles with a gross mass over 3.5t. It adds $11 a month though.

Scroll down to "add ons":

NRMA road service

Lake Eyre 2011

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Reply By: Itchyfeet Pete (Erina NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022 at 15:17

Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022 at 15:17
I have just made a few enquiries directly with 24/7 Roadservices Australia and yes, they have a car + caravan roadside assist package that would cover your car and off-road van. The same as NRMA, nowhere in their published terms and conditions do they tell you what roads their service covers so I asked both of them "Can you tell me please whether your car + caravan road assistance service covers all gazetted roads in Australia?" (A gazetted road being "a sealed or unsealed road regularly maintained by a local, state or government body or council and upon which the general public have unlimited rights of access. “) NRMA said "Your service is nation wide and available to all gazetted roads as long as they are safely accessible." and 24/7 said "We cover all sealed roads all over Australia. Other roads are serviced on a case by case basis, depending if our service vehicles are able to travel on them." I went back to 24/7 and asked them if they would be able to make a similar statement to NRMA and their response was "Yes, 24/7 Roadservices would be able to make the same statement. As long as the road is easily accessible to our service vehicles, we will provide service nationwide." So, in answer to your 2nd question, yes, 24/7 covers gazetted roads like the Birdsville Track, Strezleki, Gibb River Road, etc.
AnswerID: 639917

Follow Up By: OzzieCruiser - Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022 at 16:11

Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022 at 16:11
The reality is that the recovery 2wd tilt tray is going to have to get you so that limits remote locations.

Will they go over to the eastern side of Fraser Island to get you - noting it is a Gazetted Road.
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Follow Up By: Itchyfeet Pete (Erina NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022 at 17:40

Wednesday, Mar 23, 2022 at 17:40
Absolutely agree, but that would apply no matter whether you bought your roadside assistance from NRMA or 24/7 . That's why they say "as long as they are safely accessible" and "As long as the road is easily accessible to our service vehicles". That's their get out.
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 08:54

Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 08:54
“The devil is in the detail”. That statement regarding safe access means that if in their opinion it is not safe to access, then they will not pick you up. What you deem safe, and what they deem safe may be two completely different things.

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Follow Up By: Itchyfeet Pete (Erina NSW) - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 11:04

Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 11:04
The only comfort I take from the statement that they cover all gazetted roads is that, if you request assistance, they can’t simply dismiss the request on the basis you’re on an unsealed road. They are obligated to at least consider your request and attempt to find a solution to assist you. The final outcome will obviously depend on the availability of suitable recovery vehicles and their ability to access the location at the time of your request. However, as you say, if they really want a way out they will find it.
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Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 21:44

Friday, Mar 25, 2022 at 21:44
I have used the NRMA service on the William Creek road about 50 k from Coober Pedy and they flat bedded us into town
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Follow Up By: OzzieCruiser - Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 13:07

Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 13:07
I had the top level NRMA service - had an issue down a firetrail but the NRMA would not attend even though the section they needed to travel on was really 2wd - there were normal cars down on that section. I had to get another 4wd to tow me the 10km to the main road where the NRMA would then pick me up - service from there was great but really you need to break down on some sort of main road.

If you need recovery from remote areas you need something like Club 4x4 recovery insurance - not the greatest company but they are about the only organisation that does offer recovery from just about anywhere - as long as you have bought the right level of coverage.
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 17:54

Saturday, Mar 26, 2022 at 17:54
I have Club 4X4 with remote area recovery. My BT50 had a catastrophic engine failure on the Pacific Hwy north of Newcastle. I tried to have them recover my ute and camper but they wouldn't as it wasn't a remote area. I had to sign up for roadside assist. Club4X4 offered that but they contract out to NRMA, so I signed up with NRMA to get their extra benefits.
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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 11:53

Thursday, Mar 24, 2022 at 11:53
Have a friend who broke down in the Great Victoria Desert a few km from the SA-NT-WA border intersection in SA when the torque converter in his (5T) OKA failed.
He had a private tow with a bit of rope about 200km to to Oak Valley Community then privately arranged for a Dial-a-Tow flat top from Ceduna to get him from there and take him to Ceduna where the driver's family lived. They stayed there for the week end with them and then continued to Adelaide. Spectacular service.
NRMA subsequently made a large contribution to the large bill.
On the basis of that experience, I have taken out cover with the NRMA, despite being a SA resident.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
AnswerID: 639920

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