What is your roadside breakdown plan?

A tow?
Why should I need one?
I drive a Ferrari!

John

 

Bulworth-You're the image of your name.

 

Yeah and tool kits values are around $10K these days, doesn't sound like the wisest decision. I can have an enclosed transporter take my car cross country and loaded onto a boat for Europe, fly over to meet the car and still have change left over.

 

The same AAA and a cell phone. I try to carry a few tools, a F40 spare tire ( a can of fix a flat), and some old clothes, incase I work on it. Have you ever talked with a AAA wrecker driver about what AAA pays on a run? 2 years ago it was under $20.

 

I remember once when my friend bought his first new Ferrari a 360 he asked the same question of what to do in the event of a breakdown...only to be told by the head of Ferrari South Africa...."heres my card, call me anytime you have a problem and I will come and assist".....wonder if the head ot FNA does the same thing....

 

My roadside breakdown plan was to sell my 20+ year-old car and buy a newer one. I never got completely stranded, but after a few close calls, it begins to eat at you as you drive farther and farther from home. How will I get home from here if I break? That sick feeling in the pit of my stomach was limiting my enjoyment of the Ferrari experience.

I supplemented my pretty factory tool kit with some more useful tools and gloves.....remember the gloves! That engine is HOT and if you want to start poking around on the side of the road you need gloves. Besides, if get her running again, you don't want to get grease all over your pretty interior. When all else fails, a cell phone and AAA work great. Make sure to upgrade to the preferred status that comes with 100 miles of free towing. Just tell them you have a Ferrari and need a flatbed. I never needed one on the road, but had them tow me from my home to the garage a couple of times. There are a lot of exotics around here, so the drivers were not virgins. They were always very careful and got my approval on every move they made.

 

That is the nice thing about the RX-7. I can switch out an alternator in 5 min any where any time w/ a crecent wrench & crow bar. Not so easy w/ Ferrari. I've changed the transmission fluid, etc. w/ jack stands & it is scary being under a car w/ 5in of ground clearance.

 

Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!

 

Flare Gun

 

Bill,

I've done it on my 348 (Changed the alternator at home, actually in my parking area before I built a garage) using a floor jack and two jack stands. Not 'easy' but by no means extremely difficult. It would have been MUCH easier with a lift, but sometimes you just have to go with what you've got...

Mike in Kuwait

 

I don't have to worry about it. I haven't been able to start my 360 for the last 5 weeks!

 

If I can't fix it on the road I wait for someone to stop so I can borrow their phone.

Otherwise, I abandon it and walk. It will be there when I get back, or it won't. I had to do that once, a long time ago, with my Harley and the Sheriff assured me there was no point in going back as my bike would not be there. He was wrong.

I probably belong in another century .

Seamus

 

Cops spend too much time with dishonest people.
It shades their outlook.

 

(reality) I kept the number of the best 24 hour flat bed tow service in my wallet.
(dream) Leave the car at the side of the road.. Heidi (Klum) and I walk to the nearest field and make mad passionate (5hit wife coming...)

 

If the Audi breaks down, I just dial the 800 number for roadside assistance and drive the Ferrari while it's being fixed. No biggie.

(OK, also keep the flatbed towing guy's number on my cell phone...)

 

.............................
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German version of AAA; ADAC, is on cell phone Speed Dial #01 ...................

 

That would be more awesome if "you're" wasn't misspelled.

 

308 broke down only once, cooling hose blew which led to a nice steam cloud rising over the engine bay. Called AAA and told them the car had a low front end (Euro chin spoiler). Flatbed shows up about 45 minutes later, without any boards to get the car onto the bed. Ended up spider-webbing the paint on the middle of the spoiler where the cable pulled the car onto the bed. Towing guy gave me his insurace co phone # and they paid for spoiler repaint. I gave the towing guy $50 for his efforts .

After that, I used Autosport's exclusive towing guy for my 308 and TR. Had his # in my cell phone, just in case

TR broke down once on the Tappan Zee bridge. I was coming back from Jersey on a hot July day. TR had been cruising all day at 120 + and even had fun with a Suzuki GIXXER. But the Tappan Zee was loaded with traffic and the traffic wasn't moving. Couple of people drove alingside me and told me that my car was leaking something. I pulled into a lane that was closed off from traffic, a road repair crew was working on the bridge. Got out and found that coolant was pissing out the overflow tube. State trooper happened to be driving by, and I told him of my situation. He had a bridge and tunnel supervisor come out immediately (I guess they wanted to make sure I wasn't a terrorist with a bomb, looking to blow up the bridge) and check things out. He came out and spoke with me briefly, and then had a flatbed come out to get me off the bridge. They loaded my TR onto the flatbed and got me off the bridge. I then fired up my TR, got off the next exit, found a diner and called Autosport's towing guy. Had a few beers while waiting for the towing guy , and eventually got out to ASD. Then rented a Prius (not my choice!! Enterprise forced it on me ) since my TR was gonna be out of commission for a few days.

Nowadays, I love my Nissan Xterrable !!!

 

Same Here I always carry a local towing company number for local issues

 

All this reminds me about the issue of what do when you meet another Ferrari driver on the road. You stop and wait with him until the tow truck shows up. I read that here on Ferrari Chat.

Bob Wassam

 

:lol

i saw a guy stranded the other day on my way somewhere (food shopping or something) and on the way back (30m later) he was still there. i was going to stop but i was in my truck and i didn't want him to think i was some loser. plus i figured the tow truck must be nearly there.

 

i swear by AAA. they even towed me when i forget to renew. my membership was 6 weeks expired. i was a long time member (10 years?) but i don't know if that played a factor or not.

this was not in a ferrari (didn't have one then). now that i've endorsed AAA i have to say, not sure i'd trust any tow service they would call for my ferrari. i have a trailer, i'd call someone and have them either bring it or get me and stay with the car until i got back with it.