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From a terraced street in Southsea to the ferry port queue or a supermarket car park in Havant, a car that will not start in Portsmouth needs sorting quickly. We cover the city and the towns around the harbour, coming from our Reading base with a professional jump pack, and we are honest about timing before you agree to wait.
Portsmouth is one of the furthest places we travel to, roughly 60 miles from Reading. Most runs go down the M3 and then east along the M27, or across to the A3(M) depending on traffic. A journey like that can change with one accident, so we never give you a figure off the top of our heads. We look at which technician is free and closest, check the roads, and then tell you what to expect.
Most of the city sits on Portsea Island, and that shapes how breakdowns play out here. Only a few roads lead on and off the island, chiefly the M275, the A3 through Hilsea and the Eastern Road, so a stalled car near one of them backs traffic up fast. Inside, tightly packed Victorian streets mean cars are often parked nose to tail, with no room to bring a second vehicle alongside for jump leads. Salty air from the Solent does older battery terminals no favours either.
Where cars let people down
Drivers waiting to board at the international port sit with the engine off, lights and radio on, sometimes for a long time. When the queue starts moving the car will not. Tell us your lane and booking details if you have them, and speak to port staff so they know help is coming.
With cars parked bumper to bumper on both sides, a neighbour cannot always pull up close enough to help. Our technicians carry a portable jump pack to your bonnet, so there is no need to move your car or block the road.
An evening at Gunwharf Quays or a long walk along Southsea seafront can end with a battery that will not turn the engine over, often because a light or charger was left on. Let us know the car park, level and nearest exit.
Staff, patients and visitors at QA Hospital often return to their cars at odd hours. If you are stuck there, tell us which car park you are in and whether you need a permit or a barrier code to get out.
If you live in Gosport and commute to work in the city on the foot ferry, your car can stand on the driveway for days at a time. By road, Gosport is reached through Fareham, so give us a full postcode and we will plan the route.
Services
Our standard first step for a car that will not crank. A professional jump pack lets the technician restart your car without positioning another vehicle beside it, which suits Portsmouth's crowded streets and multi-storeys.
More about jump start serviceSea air and short city journeys shorten battery life. We test the battery properly and, if it has reached the end, explain what your car needs. Where a matching battery is carried on the van, it can be fitted where you are; if not, you will know before any work is done.
More about car battery replacementSome faults cannot be fixed at the kerb. If your car still will not run, we can arrange recovery to a garage in Portsmouth, Fareham or Havant, or to your home address.
More about breakdown recoveryIf you are unsure what has gone wrong, tell us exactly what happens when you try to start the car and which warning lights appear. We will give you a straight answer about whether we are the right people to help.
More about roadside assistanceTell us where you are, the vehicle and what happens when you try to start it.
We confirm the price and give you a realistic arrival estimate before anyone sets off.
The technician connects a professional jump pack to the correct points and starts the engine.
We test the battery and charging voltage and tell you whether it needs replacing.
Coverage
On Portsea Island we cover the city centre, Old Portsmouth and Gunwharf, Southsea, Fratton, North End and Hilsea. North of the creek we cover Cosham and Port Solent, and around the harbour we go to Gosport, Fareham, Havant, Waterlooville and Emsworth.
Every request from this far south is looked at individually. Send us your postcode or a map pin, tell us where the car is parked and what it is doing, and we will let you know right away whether we can reach you and how long it is likely to be.
No surprises
The price depends on where you are, the time of day and your vehicle. We tell you the price on the phone and confirm it before any work starts.
Coming from Reading, Portsmouth is a long run, and the M3, M27 and A3(M) all have their bad days. That is why we will not give you a number until we know who is free and where they are. Call us, and you will get an estimate based on the real situation that day. If it is longer than you can wait, we will tell you.
Call Now +44 7480 800352Common questions
Answers for drivers who need help in and around Portsmouth.
Still unsure? Call and we will talk you through it.
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Flat battery or a car that will not start? Call FastBreakdown for a 24/7 mobile jump start, battery replacement or recovery.
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+44 7480 800352We confirm the price and give you an arrival estimate before anyone sets off.
