RAC - Rip off All Car users.

[tvrslag]

Did any body see rogue traders last night on TV?
RAC should stand for Rip off All Car users.
Boy did the RAC get it!!
Basicly the RAC used to have an incentive scheme with sales targets for their patrols for selling car parts. Rogue traders concerntrated solely on Batteries as this was one of the easiest parts to blame according to their 'Grass'. As rogue traders do, they had set up several vehicles with good batteries but which had been drained through left on lights, and armed with an expert auto electrician, they then filmed the RAC patrols responding to the home callouts for various regions throughtout the country. The battery was perfectly OK it simply needed jumping then a run of 5 minutes to recharge.
Out of the 16 call outs, 6 people purchased new batteries on the advice of the RAC patrol, thats 37% and at about £55-£65 a pop.
The interview at the end was interesting with the RAC guy (apologies but I have forgoton his name) he got a right roasting from the host of the show. According to a statement at the end of the show the RAC has now confirmed that it no longer runs the incentive schemes for RAC patrols and doesn't now have the sales requirement quota figures for spares.
Still its depressing to learn that a such a motoring organisation is also willing to allos its patrols to fleece the motorists as well!!
Who can you trust?
Have any PH members had this happened, what about any other RAC or AA horror stories.

All the items in this note are from the Rogue traders program and not from me.....

[apache]

the AA and RAC are businesses so expect to get fleeced, the days of saluting a motorist and warning him of speedtraps is long gone unfortuately

[raceboy]

Yep saw it, what with this and there latest Ambulance chasing side line I certainly would not have choose them when I was looking for breakdown cover 2 months ago
The unfortunate thing is it's praying on the less knowledgable car owners out there, if an RAC bloke tried to sell me a battery I'd tell him to just get on with jump starting the thing, and would be very surprised if he had a TVR spec battery on his wagon anyway

[loserkid]

I had the bettery go on my Peugeot 306 a while ago and the AA came out to look at it.

He jumped it, got me to run the car for 20 minutes then we turned it off and it was dead. He then tried a few other things to test that it was just the battery then called the local MeriTyre place and followed me down there in the jumped car to get the battery replaced.

Once he'd dropped me off MeriTyre checked my battery and came up with the same diagnosis and replaced the Battery (6 years old).

I was EXTREMELY impressed by the quality of the service. What I saw on Rogue Traders last night amazed/shocked me. RAC in dodgy backstreet ripoff garage shocker...

[raceboy]

But I will add that in the last 3 years I've called out the RAC 5 times and every time the car has been fixed quickly and without them trying to sell me anything,

[tvrslag]

As an RAC member it must be said I found the program disturbing that the RAC were trying to force their patrols to fleece the motorists (under threats of being sacked put on report etc...), one point I want to mention was that this does not mean the next RAC patrol who helps you out is going to try and rip you off.
I am a member of the RAC and have found the patrol men I have spoken to, to be kind thorough and effecient.
I merely want to point out to the PH massive that even within an organisation such as the RAC making money appears to mean more than helping motorists, and if ripping of the customer means making more money then that is what they will do!!!

[angusfaldo]

The programme didn't fit with my experience of RAC, including a recent hub failure on the Griff, when the RAC guy worked in pissing rain for 2 hours trying to get my car driveable. When he couldn't he arranged a lowloader and drove it himself 100 miles to Dave Batty.

I was seriously impressed.

[pbrettle]

Never been an RAC member but known a few people that have and havent been impressed (this was a few years ago and therefore before the buyout). So therefore always been with the AA. Is that because the RAC are a bunch of shiesters that want to fleece us blind? Probably not, its all pretty subjective and lets be honest the BBC want to put some "spin" on it to make it more interesting - so take somethings in the programme with a pinch of salt. Not saying that they were lying, but they like to embellish the truth a little and make it sound much worse - should I mention Watchdog here?

However, I was also very shocked at the battery thing - and sales targets! It would be classified as a conflict of interests in something like the finance industry (who probably still wouldnt do anything about it either). However, very refreshing to see the MD trying to defend things and saying that "we will never get rid of the incentive scheme", only to get rid of it two weeks later.... I suspect that RAC MD might be looking for early retirement, pissing off members isnt a good idea for long term stability of the company....

On a separate note : I am a member of the AA and wanted to drive to Italy on holiday. They have a service to plan the journey and give you directions - pretty good I thought. Lets use it, but under the knowledge that the Mont Blanc Tunnel was closed. Therefore used the service and told them that the Mont Blanc Tunnel was closed and therefore can I have a route that didnt include it.... guess what - got a route via the MBT... Morons.... totally useless and even paid for the extra map information too.... So none of them are 100% perfect really.

Cheers,

Paul

[hut49]

Always slightly suspicious of these programs - they inevitably sensationalize the item since that makes better tv as judged by ratings.

We've been RAC members for more years than I care to remember and on the few occasions we've had to make that call the RAC has been both responsive and diligent - or else I would have taken my business elsewhere.

[apache]

to put my previous in perspective, there are bound to be patrolmen who are enthusiastic about their work as there is anywhere. I have actually called the AA to compliment the patrolman who helped me with an old Saab, business is business though.

[Fer]

I had to call the RAC two Xmases ago, when my car would not start after being stood for 5 days. They called out, and told me my battery was fcuked. I told them I had it booked in for a service the next day, and a battery was on the list. They instructed me to take ot for a drive to charge it up, and it should be ok.

(Still pi55ed about their "Personal Accident Claim" line, and not had a reply from my comments on their web site regarding this)

C

[viper]

I was more surprised when the said at the end of the programme the RAC had now dropped selling/supplying batterys, losing £3 million a year to them

[petercam]

I didn't see the programme, but I've bought a battery from the RAC for £55 2 years ago. At the time, I was busy getting my flat ready for sale, so I didn't have the time to pi$$ about on a Sunday looking for a battery, as I needed the car for work the next day. The guy did all the tests on the battery and alternator, and the old battery was probably 6 years old, so I had no problem forking out to get it changed. I was not pressured into purchasing it, but weighing up the odds, decided it was probably worth the extra £10 or so it would cost me, than having to take time off work etc. I have used the RAC a few times, one of which involved a relay from London to Glasgow ..... can't go into details for that one on a public forum, but needless to say I've had my moneys worth from them, and they have been helpful with other breakdowns in the past too.

[shnozz]

personally I cant stand the "watchdog" style programmes. 80% of the time its just whinging and then not letting the people accused have their proper say in matters. Anything they say I take with a pinch of salt - and never jump to conclude that the company as a whole operate in that manner, normally just certain individuals/arms working under the company umbrella.

[minimax]

gotta say - used the AA five (yep, that's the max in 1 year!) on various cars & ALWAYS found them to be helpful - even went as far as to call the HQ & thank the bloke who strove in crap weather to fix the 'box on the mini (in the end it was fcuked so nowt he could have done anyway). Doesn't mean I can't be swayed by the next sensationalist piece though!

[smeagol]

I was with the AA although they were okay but one bit that p*ssed me off was that they wouldn't listen to me over the phone. (This was a while ago so may have improved). Basically the only times I've needed the AA was when something major went wrong. Head gasket one incident, clutch plate shattered another incident and finally completely seized engine from 60Ahem mph. On all three ocasions I told them it was a kit car built by myself and I would need relay as the car was going nowhere. All three they ignored that and sent a bloke in a small van who turned up about and hour later to look at the car for 5 minutes and say "you're going to need relay", I know!!! another hour later the lowloader would arrive, why they couldn't send it straight away I don't know.

>> Edited by smeagol on Saturday 18th January 01:27

[Byff]

smeagol said: I was with the AA although they were okay but one bit that p*ssed me off was that they wouldn't listen to me over the phone. (This was a while ago so may have improved). Basically the only times I've needed the AA was when something major went wrong. Head gasket one incident, clutch plate shattered another incident and finally completely seized engine from 60Ahem mph. On all three ocasions I told them it was a kit car built by myself and I would need relay as the car was going nowhere. All three they ignored that and sent a bloke in a small van who turned up about and hour later to look at the car for 5 minutes and say "you're going to need relay", I know!!! another hour later the lowloader would arrive, why they couldn't send it straight away I don't know.

>> Edited by smeagol on Saturday 18th January 01:27

Heh heh! I had the opposite happen to me - somehow the bolts on my propshaft had come loose and dropped out,so, phoned AA, told them the problem, just need a man with a van and 4 bolts.

40mins later, low loader appeared with no bolts. Ended up getting a lift back home where I replaced bolts and was on my way again.

Nice chap even went via Blockbuster to return my DVD.


>> Edited by Byff on Saturday 18th January 02:43

[outlaw]

had full cover wirac and priority because mrs is disabled

once had some air wiring come of
sent themoron out couldent even fix it

had them try the battory one on me as well.

i new wht it was charge wire crim had come off.

then had them take longer and longer to respond
final straw was when i had a coil lead go and called them and was left stranded for seven hours buy the ****ers

remember i had payed the max for priority cove as my wife is diabled

had to leva her in car and walk 3 mile to get parts and fix it my self in the end.

so canceled it the next day

then fit for two years when they keep grabing the cash each year out of my acount

they are total w*nkers

save you cash

[SGirl]

I have to say I've never had a problem with the RAC. They do sometimes take their time coming out (never longer than an hour for the initial assistance, although their low loader subcontractors tend to be a bit of a law unto themselves...), but their guys are always professional, helpful and very knowledgeable. Haven't called them out to the Griff so I can't comment on that!

Don't recall them ever trying to sell me anything, either. The only time they replaced a part on my car was when the distributor cap burnt through on my mk 3 Cavalier. The engineer had one in the back of the van that he'd just taken off another Cav - it was due to be binned and was in a bit of a state, but it got me around until I could get a new one.

I've been a member of the RAC ever since I could afford it, and I certainly intend renewing my membership with them this year.

[joust]

Sounds strange. As a RAC member for 26 years I've never been offered a spare part for sale by the RAC bloke despite numerous callouts. I didn't even know they did offer spares, as they have always towed/got running then followed the car to the nearest garage for parts.

J