RAC Platinum car warrantee experience

RAC Platinum car warrantee experience

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Car mad enthusiast

Original Poster:

571 posts

88 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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Hi, I currently have a Platinum spec RAC warrantee which I purchased with my nearly new/used 3 year old Chrysler 300c 3.0 CRD with a £4000 max per claim limit.

It was sold to me by the main Chrysler dealer Meridien Majestic in Bournmouth 11 months ago and runs for 2 years with a 1 year RAC full breakdown cover which will be due to renew end of next month.

I never envisaged having to use it but after encountering a partially seized front brake caliper today I need to ring them tomorrow for advice and guidance. As far as I can read in my warrantee booklet the brake calipers are covered under a major component part failure section.

Pads, discs and pipes and fluid are not amongst other wear and tear items which I understand fully.

Has anyone had one of these RAC warrantees and had to use it and were they good or did they try to wriggle out of paying out for repairs etc???

I would like to hear anyone's thoughts and experiences please be it very recent or in the past.

I paid £450 for this warrantee and was assured it was " the dogs " so we shall see.

Thanks in advance.

carreauchompeur

17,852 posts

205 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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  • warranty

750turbo

6,164 posts

225 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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carreauchompeur said:
*warranty
Thank you!

750turbo

6,164 posts

225 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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Sounds like a routine maintenance issues, as in the part has not failed.

Good luck.

itcaptainslow

3,704 posts

137 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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It's seized, therefore not a sudden failure, therefore preventable, therefore not covered.

Just to prepare you...

POORCARDEALER

8,526 posts

242 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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For a short time we provided the RAC product with used cars....had to stop using them as they were not paying out legitimate claims.

The are RAC in name only, its a private company that have licence to the name

carreauchompeur

17,852 posts

205 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
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Yeah, if the caliper had shattered into tiny pieces you may have had a claim, but partial seizing? Wear and tear.

Car mad enthusiast

Original Poster:

571 posts

88 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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Cheers guys for the replies.

I stripped it down today and found that 1 of the twin rubber piston covers was NOT seated correctly over its piston thus letting st and dirt in etc and probably the cause of my intermittent issue yesterday.

I have fully cleaned up the entire brake station ( OSF ) and sprayed as much brake cleaner in there as I can and then re-set the rubber gator as it was 100% intact thank god. Used my caliper tool to gently wind in the piston and it did with no effort required on the tool so I am guessing fingers crossed it will be ok now but if not at least I now know the cause of yesterdays problem.

My slider pins were all nice and free too and plenty of anti seize on them and sound rubber gators around them too so it was not them as 1 utube video suggested.

I will now carry out the same checks and clean up and re--lube on all 3 other brake stations later and then I know they are all ok. Discs and pads are all fine as as new still.

Regarding my RAC warrantee I will bear those comments in mind and arm myself ready when I make the call to them as I will try and see if they will pay for a new pair of calipers or not. We shall see. Either way I will report back and take any action I need to if they don't play ball.

TBH, when you pay a good amount of money for a " so called " top end warranty you do expect to be treated fairly but I suppose its the same old case of we have had your money now bugger off attitude.

Thanks again for the replies.

xjay1337

15,966 posts

119 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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I would be very very surprised if they did.
Sounds like a wear and tear to me.

jamei303

3,005 posts

157 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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I am surprised by how bad the current warranty products are

It shouldn't be that hard for someone to come up with a warranty that covers everything with an e.g. £200 excess, except for say, worn tyres as long as the car is serviced to its specified intervals.

I am sure there would be demand for such a product and it shouldn't be prohibitively expensive, since it will only be the averaged maintenance cost for that vehicle type plus a profit margin. You can get similar third-party warranties for e.g white goods...

xjay1337

15,966 posts

119 months

Monday 27th February 2017
quotequote all
jamei303 said:
I am surprised by how bad the current warranty products are

It shouldn't be that hard for someone to come up with a warranty that covers everything with an e.g. £200 excess, except for say, worn tyres as long as the car is serviced to its specified intervals.

I am sure there would be demand for such a product and it shouldn't be prohibitively expensive, since it will only be the averaged maintenance cost for that vehicle type plus a profit margin. You can get similar third-party warranties for e.g white goods...
Problem is it's very hard to break a dish washer due to driving it flat out and throwing it up and down curbs. So there's a lot more in the way of variables.

The warranties in theory are good but in practice they get out of paying due to "loop holes" and claiming on it is never easy, having to use specific garages or pay up front first...

Dr Doofenshmirtz

15,252 posts

201 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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Remember to get that RAC periodic inspection done as you're coming up to 12 months.

Car mad enthusiast

Original Poster:

571 posts

88 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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Update: I rang RAC today and discussed my issue with them in DETAIL. TBH the guy I spoke with was really good and very helpful and he fully understood I was a qualified mechanic and did not at any time try and put me down.

After telling him what I had done he did say my car would still have to go to an approved garage of my choice and he also informed me that the RAC have a direct account with Halfords auto centres across the entire UK and that if I did take it there they would be able to do the money side of things a lot easier as they had an account with them which was food for thought.

My local garage will do any work too but he insists on payment immediately from myself and he will supply a full invoice for me to claim it back from RAC. The reason for this is that he has been messed about by other warrantee companies and not been payed by them for upto 3 months so I understand as to why he has taken this step.

RAC did say they DO NOT like MAIN DEALERS and would prefer if we did not take our cars to them due to their high cost they charge which again I fully understand and agree with. They buy parts cheap and then mark em up high and they don't like this. I tend to agree as I hate main dealers TBH.

Now that I have rectified the problem and test driven my car all now appears fine again albeit I will be monitoring the issue closely in case it re-appears. If it does RAC who have logged my call to them today have said they will after a garage report to them honour the full cost of a new caliper which I was happy to hear so not all bad eh so far with them.

I can get 2 x new " Pagid " 300c front calipers off ebay for £250 free delivery and RAC also said that once authority has been granted I can get the garage to source these but it does not really matter as they will be paying for it anyways.

I shall ring them again and seek advice re: the annual inspection as not sure if this is a mandatory requirement as part of the warrantee.

Cheers


xjay1337

15,966 posts

119 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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I won't believe they'll pay it until you get a cheque.

Someone on here had a story it was approved over the phone but when they went to claim, it was denied.

I'd get it all in writing to be honest.

andymc

7,363 posts

208 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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will be astounded if they pay, you really should have took the car to halfords first

Mercury00

4,105 posts

157 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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Stop saying "warrantee", you've already been corrected!

OddCat

2,541 posts

172 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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Mercury00 said:
Stop saying "warrantee", you've already been corrected!
Maybe for such wanton word abuse there should be some sort of penaltee ?

cuprabob

14,686 posts

215 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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OddCat said:
Maybe for such wanton word abuse there should be some sort of penaltee ?
Wonder if he likes Miss Dynamitee..

Osinjak

5,453 posts

122 months

Monday 27th February 2017
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OddCat said:
Mercury00 said:
Stop saying "warrantee", you've already been corrected!
Maybe for such wanton word abuse there should be some sort of penaltee ?
laugh

Car mad enthusiast

Original Poster:

571 posts

88 months

Tuesday 28th February 2017
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We shall see.