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[vista]

  many thanks to you all who have given me you opinion on this problem with the rac. i only took the car there becouse my insurance company told me thats where it had to go. im on my way back there now to see what exactly they are going to do about it but, i have a gut feeling that they will be doing a very good job of bulls***in me off, if that happens and i get no joy with these people then il let the insurance company deal with this one. i dont intend to be footing a bill that is not of my making il let you all know what they say when i get back  

[Kevin Wood]

My RAC breakdown cover is up for renewal. Should I or shouldn't I? :-/...

Kevin

[tmx]

RAC Windscreens are franchised i forgot to mention this!

complain to RAC's Direct PR Dept and tell them im sure they will send u in the direction of a vx dealer n foot the bill!!!!

[Beconboy]

just a thought Neil if they give you grief send ere indoors in


to sought them out

[Kevin Wood]

RAC Windscreens are franchised i forgot to mention this!

complain to RAC's Direct PR Dept and tell them im sure they will send u in the direction of a vx dealer n foot the bill!!!!

This is a good point. They are "qualified" to change windows and little more. I would point out that they are now working with a safety system of the car without the necessary training. Point out that they haven't even accurately located all the airbags yet they promise to repair the system. That should get head office squirming.

Kevin

[Lazydocker]

My RAC breakdown cover is up for renewal. Should I or shouldn't I? :-/...

Kevin

Kevin,

I used to live in Basingstoke and worked for a garage who worked for various breakdown agencies. I wouldn't use the RAC in that area because of the number of times I got called out to be greeted by an irate customer who has been waiting for a considerable time... Once it was a young couple, with an infant, who had been waiting over 3 hours on the hard shoulder on a winter's night! Luckily they knew that the RAC had only passed the job to me 15 minutes beforehand!

I'm not saying they aren't good in other areas, and I know one of their patrol drivers in that area, and he is a fantastic bloke but the company let him down!

FWIW we were the main Green Flag agent for that area and had an average turn out time of 17mins and a roadside repair rate of 92%!

However, that was 4 or 5 years ago so the situation may have changed. Besides, I don't work there anymore!

[Marks DTM Calib]

My RAC breakdown cover is up for renewal. Should I or shouldn't I? :-/...

Kevin

Kevin,

I used to live in Basingstoke and worked for a garage who worked for various breakdown agencies. I wouldn't use the RAC in that area because of the number of times I got called out to be greeted by an irate customer who has been waiting for a considerable time... Once it was a young couple, with an infant, who had been waiting over 3 hours on the hard shoulder on a winter's night! Luckily they knew that the RAC had only passed the job to me 15 minutes beforehand!

I'm not saying they aren't good in other areas, and I know one of their patrol drivers in that area, and he is a fantastic bloke but the company let him down!

FWIW we were the main Green Flag agent for that area and had an average turn out time of 17mins and a roadside repair rate of 92%!

However, that was 4 or 5 years ago so the situation may have changed. Besides, I don't work there anymore!

I have just cancelled my Green Flag membership having had a flat battery in an airport car park last year, with a two year old child and a baby at 3.30am and being told I was not a priority and that it would cost me 140 quid as I only had recovery.

I said that I only wanted recovery......they told me they would be able to fix it so I would be charged.

[Lazydocker]

My RAC breakdown cover is up for renewal. Should I or shouldn't I? :-/...

Kevin

Kevin,

I used to live in Basingstoke and worked for a garage who worked for various breakdown agencies. I wouldn't use the RAC in that area because of the number of times I got called out to be greeted by an irate customer who has been waiting for a considerable time... Once it was a young couple, with an infant, who had been waiting over 3 hours on the hard shoulder on a winter's night! Luckily they knew that the RAC had only passed the job to me 15 minutes beforehand!

I'm not saying they aren't good in other areas, and I know one of their patrol drivers in that area, and he is a fantastic bloke but the company let him down!

FWIW we were the main Green Flag agent for that area and had an average turn out time of 17mins and a roadside repair rate of 92%!

However, that was 4 or 5 years ago so the situation may have changed. Besides, I don't work there anymore!

I have just cancelled my Green Flag membership having had a flat battery in an airport car park last year, with a two year old child and a baby at 3.30am and being told I was not a priority and that it would cost me 140 quid as I only had recovery.

I said that I only wanted recovery......they told me they would be able to fix it so I would be charged.

That's dreadful! I suppose all the companies must have good and bad areas! I called the AA once for recovery, told them i had a broken engine mount and as it was very late at night i'd need recovery. Waited just under 3 hours for a roadside bloke in a van to turn up and say... 'You're right mate... Can't do anything with that. I'll get a recovery usual to come out!' Took another hour and a bit!

£140 is just greedy though... Jump starts are bread and butter for breakdown agencies... Sounds to me like he didn't want to get out of bed! I'd have charged no more than £40 if you'd had no breakdown cover at all!

[Kevin Wood]

A mate of mine with a kit car had a rather terminal engine failure in Marlow high street of all places. Not sure how he managed it but it was proper knackered.

Phoned AA :

Mate: I need a recovery truck....
Call centre worker: I'll send a patrol van...
Mate: Waste of time. I definately need a recovery truck.
Call centre worker: But did you know, sir, 99.8% of breakdowns can be fixed at the roadside..
Mate: Not this one, it can't. I need a recovery truck....
Call centre worker: But 99.8% of break...
Mate: I'm currently standing in a 5 litre pool of oil, and in it I can see bits of con rod, bits of bearing, bits of sump,...
Call centre worker: But did you know, sir, 99.8% of breakdowns can be fixed at the roadside..
Mate: You don't know much about cars, do you?
Call centre worker: Nope.
Mate: Does your manager?
Call centre worker: A little.
Mate: Well, go and tell him what I found under my car...

<pause>

Call centre worker: Recovery truck is on its' way.

 

Kevin

[Lazydocker]

 

Very good... I'm surprised he even managed to get the call centre worker to understand him though! I thought the AA call centre was in a very easterly direction!

[vista]

well half a day later im back home and still no further forward with the rac....the bloke took of the door panal concerned grabbed a bunch of wires (which could have been anything) and looked at me like man who wished he was some where else,after fumbling about he proclaimed everything was "ok" and nothing was loose or damaged. having put all the door panal back he restarted the car then turned it off  :-? :-? "yep its ok the lights gone of" he shrieked, "feekin hell mate just give me my car back" "of course the lights out" i said
    THE BLEEDIN IGNITION IS OFF....... :-? :-? :-?
NOW IM BACK HOME AND THIS AINT GONNER REST IM GONNER BASH THE RAC PR DEPT..... AND IF MY INSURANCE COMPANY DONT MOVE OVER THIS IM CANCELLING MY POLICY....ENUF SAID

[jonathanh]

It is an insurance company problem ultimately.  Insurance exists to put you back into the position you were in before whatever happened.  RAC are the insurance company agent.

They've fixed the window and caused another problem so the insurance company must fix it.  Phone them and then follow up immediately with a letter repeating the call and what they have agreed or not to do.  Demand they reimburse the cost of a visit to the VX dealer to sort the problem out.

threaten things like:

Letter to insurance ombudsman
Letter to head of customer complaints as insurance company
Letter to Watchdog (tell them that you've got frends with similar experiences at RAC windscreens)
Letter to Honest John
Small claims court because their agent damanged your car

[Andy B]

I needed recovery in the summer of 95 when I was in Green Flag. I now can not stand the song Rescue Me!!        

[Marks DTM Calib]

well half a day later im back home and still no further forward with the rac....the bloke took of the door panal concerned grabbed a bunch of wires (which could have been anything) and looked at me like man who wished he was some where else,after fumbling about he proclaimed everything was "ok" and nothing was loose or damaged. having put all the door panal back he restarted the car then turned it off  :-? :-? "yep its ok the lights gone of" he shrieked, "feekin hell mate just give me my car back" "of course the lights out" i said
    THE BLEEDIN IGNITION IS OFF....... :-? :-? :-?
NOW IM BACK HOME AND THIS AINT GONNER REST IM GONNER BASH THE RAC PR DEPT..... AND IF MY INSURANCE COMPANY DONT MOVE OVER THIS IM CANCELLING MY POLICY....ENUF SAID

I assume the light is back on coz it requires Tech 2 to turn it off. It wont clear when the fault is fixed like te ECU one does!

[Kevin Wood]

I assume the light is back on coz it requires Tech 2 to turn it off. It wont clear when the fault is fixed like te ECU one does!

Yep. Not good enough just to plug the wire back in. They should know it'll need a reset. Time to lay it on thick with the insurance company about how they've dabbled with a safety system on the car and insist it gets sorted by someone competent (if a stealer can be called that - at least they'll have a Tech 2).

Kevin