Car breakdown recovery?

OK, i\'ll start the ball rolling here. In the UK, USA & my last home, Malaysia we had the faithful \'Automobile Club (AA, AAA,AAM) to do their impression of the cavalry and come to the rescue when the battery was flat or the fan belt broke or worst case scenario, get your car to a garage or home. Now I know in Metro Manila the AAP operate and that some insurance companies offer breakdown assist but what does the average Expat here do if miles from home? I have to say, I have been here for a year & half and (touch wood) not had a problem BUT what if....? 

What would you do?

There was a time long ago when a rock cracked my radiator and it didn\'t take long for the engine to nearly seize.  Of course it wouldn\'t run, so I had it towed about 10 km by caribou.  It took several hours to get it to a mechanic who in turn took 2 weeks to repair it and that\'s a story for another day.  We didn\'t have cell phones then and the roads weren\'t paved.  What to do?  Just suck it up and use what wits you might have about you.  We didn\'t have many options in those days, but fortunately I didn\'t have any pressing business to miss ether. 

[ELJ]

flag down a taxi or jeepney and have it tow ur car to the nearest gas station as most have service bays and u can safely leave ur car while being fixed....less possibility of getting ripped off as well since they usually have a standard service fee unlike in small mechanic shops.....i\'m not an expat but this is what i usually do when my car breaks down and i\'m by myself.....(don\'t know anything about troubleshooting)....

Filipinos are a pretty resourceful bunch

Had a tire blow out on me at Alona Beach on a rented motorcycle, sods law as I was in the process of returning it.

Two guys saw my dilemma, helped me walk the \'cycle up the hill to the junction with main road and chatted with the local repair guy. Offered to buy them a drink, they asked for cokes.

Repair guy had all the tools but I\'d never have found him as there was no sign in front of the store.

Nothing for me to do but wait.....so went and bought a cold 2 liter bottle of soda and rested my best feature......

Offered a drink to repairers kids, after momma allowed them, and waited.....

20 minutes later bingo, bango, bongo....\'cycle ready to go.... bill came to P60....gave him a 100 with many thanks and still got \'cycle back to renters in time

I\'ll stop by and thank him again when I\'m back in Feb 

A few weeks ago when I came out of the local supermarket, I found I had a flat tyre. There are always at least 30 tricycles waiting outside for passengers. Immediately about 6 of them came over and had the wheel changed in minutes. I gave them all my small notes (about P300) to share. I took it to a tyre shop for repair and it looked like someone had pushed a knife into the side wall. I\'ve now got to take back again because it gets soft in a week. The repair only cost P70.

Colin

Colin,

Now if I was a suspicious guy, I would wonder about the eagerness of the 6 trike owners & if any of them had a small knife handy? I\'m sure it\'s just me \

Colin,

Now if I was a suspicious guy, I would wonder about the eagerness of the 6 trike owners & if any of them had a small knife handy? I\'m sure it\'s just me \

The thought had crossed my mind, but I couldn\'t prove anything. The guy at the repair shop said it was done by catching the kerb, but I don\'t recall doing that. We have lived here over a year and most of the drivers know us. A foreigner with a wife with white hair is hard not to remember We only live a few minutes from the supermarket and it is not worth using the car unless we are going somewhere else as well. The tricyles are more convenient and only cost a few pesos.

Colin

OK, i\'ll start the ball rolling here. In the UK, USA & my last home, Malaysia we had the faithful \'Automobile Club (AA, AAA,AAM) to do their impression of the cavalry and come to the rescue when the battery was flat or the fan belt broke or worst case scenario, get your car to a garage or home. Now I know in Metro Manila the AAP operate and that some insurance companies offer breakdown assist but what does the average Expat here do if miles from home? I have to say, I have been here for a year & half and (touch wood) not had a problem BUT what if....? 

What would you do?

I just noticed that Prudential Guarantee Auto Insurance includes breakdown and towing coverage......don\'t know if they are any/much more expensive than other insurance....but if one\'s offering it I reckon others might be too

hell even AAA offers auto insurance, tit for tat in my book