That is the full cost (excluding VAT) for a call out on the A20 motorway in France to replace a 215/75 r 17.5 trailer tyre on our drawbar vehicle. £205.00 for the tyre, £312.50 for the call out, £264.00 additional callout for being on the motorway! and £71.50 management fee.
I have told ATS that i am not paying this invoice until they reduce it but they say that it is a standard charge for any call out in France. I beg to differ but I don’t think there is much i can do about it It is extortionate.
The trouble with carrying spare tyres is the dangers in fitting them, especially on motorways. Anyone got any advice for how to deal with this or if it happens again in the future - sensible advice that is? Thanks
If you can, throw a ratchet strap or chain on it to get it clear of the ground.
Drop the air, undo air supply pipe to airbag, fold it over and tie something around it (cheap set of vice grips work well), put chain/strap around axle/wheel, lift air back up.
Drive steady, get off the motorway and find a tyre place, who will pop yours on for you or supply and fit one for a less than “dry ■■■■” price
All call outs in France incur massive charges best advice, carry spare wheel. I recently had trailer brake diaphragm go on my rental trailer cost to the rental company 800 euros. Regards Biffo
Moonraker:
That is the full cost (excluding VAT) for a call out on the A20 motorway in France to replace a 215/75 r 17.5 trailer tyre on our drawbar vehicle. £205.00 for the tyre, £312.50 for the call out, £264.00 additional callout for being on the motorway! and £71.50 management fee.
I have told ATS that i am not paying this invoice until they reduce it but they say that it is a standard charge for any call out in France. I beg to differ but I don’t think there is much i can do about it It is extortionate.
The trouble with carrying spare tyres is the dangers in fitting them, especially on motorways. Anyone got any advice for how to deal with this or if it happens again in the future - sensible advice that is? Thanks
we were quoted 240 euros for a new tyre, and 100 euros for a puncture repair. i took the £50 off the boss for changing it myself.
Moonraker:
That is the full cost (excluding VAT) for a call out on the A20 motorway in France to replace a 215/75 r 17.5 trailer tyre on our drawbar vehicle. £205.00 for the tyre, £312.50 for the call out, £264.00 additional callout for being on the motorway! and £71.50 management fee.
I have told ATS that i am not paying this invoice until they reduce it but they say that it is a standard charge for any call out in France. I beg to differ but I don’t think there is much i can do about it It is extortionate.
The trouble with carrying spare tyres is the dangers in fitting them, especially on motorways. Anyone got any advice for how to deal with this or if it happens again in the future - sensible advice that is? Thanks
That is a scary price, I think spares are still a necessary item. Although I am fairly sure a driver is not allowed to change a wheel on an Autoroute, but must be either recovered or repaired by an official mechanique.
When i worked for Hill Hire back in the Mid-Late 90’s, we used to base ALL European tyre call outs on a minimum of £1000, which was nearly always re-chargable to the customer…
I remember sending a fitter to Northern France with a s/single on a rim to change one as it was cheaper than National Tyres was back then…
On a seperate note, when i was on PTM, Cliff the Tool got a puncture at Bordeaux, called the tyre company, £1300 on a UTA card later…
I got a puncture just south a Florence on a Friday afternoon in the Pirelli Factory, dropped the trailer, went and found a Tyre place and got it fixed for 25 Euros…
Wheel Nut:
That is a scary price, I think spares are still a necessary item. Although I am fairly sure a driver is not allowed to change a wheel on an Autoroute, but must be either recovered or repaired by an official mechanique.
That’s what the video says, but I’ve seen plenty of changes done on the autoroutes here recently. If you can limp along to one of the emergency refuges on the side of the autoroute you’d probably be okay (again have seen that done several times recently), provided some dozy trucker wasn’t already parked up there having his nine off!
That is the normal tarrifs for France,they have the prices marked up at all of the msa`s,and the prices for recovery of all vehicle types,it is all drafted up in their legal sytem.
I used to find agricultural machinery depots on the national free roads,if i could not locate a tyre depot,for a few euros,they would place a plug in the tyre.
My last but one boss was charged around £1000 for a Super Single replacement in France, our tyre fitter here said that around 90% of callouts come to £1000 and that a tyre fitter in France earns as much as a Doctor.
And they mostly bring out Michelin tyres,the most expensive brand,i had a blow out on a pork and cheese toll road,the fitter brought out a farm trailer tyre,they wanted £200 for it,it was knackered and second hand.
We have modifed all our trailers to be able to carry a steer, a super single for the trailer and a drive axle trye. I would replace it on the Autoroute if it wasnt on the side where the traffic is. ■■■■■■■■ to the Police in France, I would not pay nearly a grand for a trye fitter to come out and replace it! Limp it into an Aire or service area and do it yourself!
Those aire de repos are good,the rest areas,free too,and quiet,well designed,the uk government did have hot air talks of doing the same in the uk,due to long distances in between rest stops here,but once again,hot air,they hate trucks,so why would they help us out getting a decent nights sleep,in saftey,with lighting,and pleasant loos.
It is thousands for a crane and a tow job over there though,one time DKV sent two large cranes,for a air pipe that split near Pamplona,i only needed a van to come out for a spare part,by luck i did get billed for the cranes,think the police had a word with the them.
wyatt_erp:
We have modifed all our trailers to be able to carry a steer, a super single for the trailer and a drive axle trye. I would replace it on the Autoroute if it wasnt on the side where the traffic is. ■■■■■■■■ to the Police in France, I would not pay nearly a grand for a trye fitter to come out and replace it! Limp it into an Aire or service area and do it yourself!
Most of the time, the tyre is knackered anyway, so you may as well get it off the autoroute anyway
wyatt_erp:
We have modifed all our trailers to be able to carry a steer, a super single for the trailer and a drive axle trye. I would replace it on the Autoroute if it wasnt on the side where the traffic is. ■■■■■■■■ to the Police in France, I would not pay nearly a grand for a trye fitter to come out and replace it! Limp it into an Aire or service area and do it yourself!
Most of the time, the tyre is knackered anyway, so you may as well get it off the autoroute anyway
You got off lightly, that’s cheap for a tyre replacement on a French motorway. I remember having one let go about 8 - 10 years ago and it cost more than that then.
Deepinvet:
When I worked for Hargrave Int we used to change our own…A real Ball ache…
Yes, I’ve done a fair few in my time but they won’t let you do it in France nowadays, last time I had a puncture there the Police stopped and got a bit funny with me just because I was looking at it.
