RAC surely there must be a better way
Discussion
So I'm currently at the side of the road having called the RAC.
I've diagnosed the problem as the alternator belt - not hard as its snapped and sitting on the engine.
They insist on sending a guy to diagnose it despite me telling them I have the belt in my hand and even giving them the part no.
Its an hour eta for them and he's not bringing the belt, they can't even tell me if he will fit a belt or if I'll be recovered.
I'm moving house today so waiting isn't an option but they say I have to wait with the car - I've offered to leave my card here and sign something or even take a pic to prove it's me here - no joy.
Off to speak to the local businesses to see if I can borrow a tool kit.
Not the service I was expecting having paid for everything but home start and never using them before today.
I've diagnosed the problem as the alternator belt - not hard as its snapped and sitting on the engine.
They insist on sending a guy to diagnose it despite me telling them I have the belt in my hand and even giving them the part no.
Its an hour eta for them and he's not bringing the belt, they can't even tell me if he will fit a belt or if I'll be recovered.
I'm moving house today so waiting isn't an option but they say I have to wait with the car - I've offered to leave my card here and sign something or even take a pic to prove it's me here - no joy.
Off to speak to the local businesses to see if I can borrow a tool kit.
Not the service I was expecting having paid for everything but home start and never using them before today.
Had similar experiences from the AA.
Borrowed a Passat 1.8T from a friend and the engine blew. I rang the AA and requested a recovery truck. Nope, they didn't trust / accept my assessment and insisted on sending an engineer out to inspect it first. So he arrived, then duly requested a recovery truck, ffs.
On another occasion I had to call them, I hit a rock on a dual carriageway (didn't see it in time, it fell off the back of a tipper lorry) which buckled my rear wheel and deflated the tyre instantly. There was no way the factory puncture kit was going to fix that. The AA classed that as an RTA and advised I call the police, ffs.
Borrowed a Passat 1.8T from a friend and the engine blew. I rang the AA and requested a recovery truck. Nope, they didn't trust / accept my assessment and insisted on sending an engineer out to inspect it first. So he arrived, then duly requested a recovery truck, ffs.
On another occasion I had to call them, I hit a rock on a dual carriageway (didn't see it in time, it fell off the back of a tipper lorry) which buckled my rear wheel and deflated the tyre instantly. There was no way the factory puncture kit was going to fix that. The AA classed that as an RTA and advised I call the police, ffs.
BugLebowski said:
I'm guessing this is stating the obvious, but if it is only the alternator belt couldn't you drive for a while just on battery power?
I did this once, belt snapped so I instantly pulled over. Waited 2 hours for RAC in the rain and gave up, then risked it home where made it all the way. What a fool. 
In a way I can understand.
I once had a new pug 407 which would not lock. We eventually discovered that it was because I had caught the tailgate glass unlock button on the button. Bloke was good about it and was getting their screen updated at the control centre....
But I'd had a couple of problems with Limp modes. First time RAC reset it, and dealer decided nothing was wrong. I was therefore instructed if it happened again to not let them reset it, but get it recovered. Said that to the girl who said still have to send van out. Van chap rang 3 minutes later said no point coming out I'll get it recovered....
Luck of the draw.
I once had a new pug 407 which would not lock. We eventually discovered that it was because I had caught the tailgate glass unlock button on the button. Bloke was good about it and was getting their screen updated at the control centre....
But I'd had a couple of problems with Limp modes. First time RAC reset it, and dealer decided nothing was wrong. I was therefore instructed if it happened again to not let them reset it, but get it recovered. Said that to the girl who said still have to send van out. Van chap rang 3 minutes later said no point coming out I'll get it recovered....
Luck of the draw.
Never assume that the general public know their arses from their elbows, because usually they don't.
"It's snapped the fan belt" - No, it's snapped the cambelt and wrecked the engine. It's not a roadside repair.
"It's developed an oil leak" - Yes, the oil is leaking from the huge hole that the con-rod is now poking out of.
"I've got a puncture" - No, you've got a bit of burnt, shredded rubber on your rim where you've tried to drive for twenty miles. And a flat spare that you forgot to fix last time this happened two years ago.
"It's been rattling for five miles but now it's stopped" - Yes, it's been rattling like a Dalek having a w
k in a dustbin for ten miles because it has no oil in the sump. At all. No - your battery is not flat, it's seized solid.
"It's snapped the fan belt" - No, it's snapped the cambelt and wrecked the engine. It's not a roadside repair.
"It's developed an oil leak" - Yes, the oil is leaking from the huge hole that the con-rod is now poking out of.
"I've got a puncture" - No, you've got a bit of burnt, shredded rubber on your rim where you've tried to drive for twenty miles. And a flat spare that you forgot to fix last time this happened two years ago.
"It's been rattling for five miles but now it's stopped" - Yes, it's been rattling like a Dalek having a w
k in a dustbin for ten miles because it has no oil in the sump. At all. No - your battery is not flat, it's seized solid.I agree they have to pander to the lowest possible competence, but I had a similar experience once.
The diagnosis was the cambelt idler retaining bolt has snapped, leading to a slack cambelt, so 16 bent valves and a dead engine. I described and explained it thoroughly, yet they still insisted on having someone come and "diagnose" it, which was a 5s sniff under the bonnet and another 70 minute wait for a flatbed.
The diagnosis was the cambelt idler retaining bolt has snapped, leading to a slack cambelt, so 16 bent valves and a dead engine. I described and explained it thoroughly, yet they still insisted on having someone come and "diagnose" it, which was a 5s sniff under the bonnet and another 70 minute wait for a flatbed.
and Yet I've seen a story on these forums along the lines....
Old chap in an old car got recovered home 300 miles after fuel pump seized or some such. Persuades control room to just send recovery. On relay 3 he mentions to the recovery driver that it's the 3rd year in the row that he'd run the car dry of fuel to get a lift home. He got dropped off at the nearest safe spot.
True story? No idea, but I would not bet that they have experienced this and hence stick to their system.....
Old chap in an old car got recovered home 300 miles after fuel pump seized or some such. Persuades control room to just send recovery. On relay 3 he mentions to the recovery driver that it's the 3rd year in the row that he'd run the car dry of fuel to get a lift home. He got dropped off at the nearest safe spot.
True story? No idea, but I would not bet that they have experienced this and hence stick to their system.....
Of course, the other side to this is Statistics...
If they send a local man in a van without any means of repairing or removing you, they can still truthfully claim that they matched their claim of "Attendance within 40 minutes or your money back" or whatever their Key Performance Indicator is. Matters not that he was as much use as a one-legged midget in an arse-kicking contest, they've still matched their promise and don't owe you any money.
If they send a local man in a van without any means of repairing or removing you, they can still truthfully claim that they matched their claim of "Attendance within 40 minutes or your money back" or whatever their Key Performance Indicator is. Matters not that he was as much use as a one-legged midget in an arse-kicking contest, they've still matched their promise and don't owe you any money.
When you see / hear some of the reasons that drivers call out recovery, you'd be amazed!
They're prepared to wait on the H/S of a motorway for:.............
The indicator is stuck on.
The wipers have packed up (not raining )
My windscreen is dirty and the screenwash isn't working.
I've a yellow warning light on. (Stop for RED ones, yellow ones can be sorted later)
These are what I can remember off hand, but there are others that any "normal" driver should be able to overcome / sort out off the motorway.
They're prepared to wait on the H/S of a motorway for:.............
The indicator is stuck on.
The wipers have packed up (not raining )
My windscreen is dirty and the screenwash isn't working.
I've a yellow warning light on. (Stop for RED ones, yellow ones can be sorted later)
These are what I can remember off hand, but there are others that any "normal" driver should be able to overcome / sort out off the motorway.
Gafferjim said:
When you see / hear some of the reasons that drivers call out recovery, you'd be amazed!
They're prepared to wait on the H/S of a motorway for:.............
The indicator is stuck on.
The wipers have packed up (not raining )
My windscreen is dirty and the screenwash isn't working.
I've a yellow warning light on. (Stop for RED ones, yellow ones can be sorted later)
These are what I can remember off hand, but there are others that any "normal" driver should be able to overcome / sort out off the motorway.
I got an amber light up the other day in my hire car, had to pull over cause i had no idea what it was.They're prepared to wait on the H/S of a motorway for:.............
The indicator is stuck on.
The wipers have packed up (not raining )
My windscreen is dirty and the screenwash isn't working.
I've a yellow warning light on. (Stop for RED ones, yellow ones can be sorted later)
These are what I can remember off hand, but there are others that any "normal" driver should be able to overcome / sort out off the motorway.
Turned out to be low screen wash!
justanother5tar said:
Gafferjim said:
When you see / hear some of the reasons that drivers call out recovery, you'd be amazed!
They're prepared to wait on the H/S of a motorway for:.............
The indicator is stuck on.
The wipers have packed up (not raining )
My windscreen is dirty and the screenwash isn't working.
I've a yellow warning light on. (Stop for RED ones, yellow ones can be sorted later)
These are what I can remember off hand, but there are others that any "normal" driver should be able to overcome / sort out off the motorway.
I got an amber light up the other day in my hire car, had to pull over cause i had no idea what it was.They're prepared to wait on the H/S of a motorway for:.............
The indicator is stuck on.
The wipers have packed up (not raining )
My windscreen is dirty and the screenwash isn't working.
I've a yellow warning light on. (Stop for RED ones, yellow ones can be sorted later)
These are what I can remember off hand, but there are others that any "normal" driver should be able to overcome / sort out off the motorway.
Turned out to be low screen wash!
I get a bright orange triangle with a explanation mark in it, to warn me it's low. I've been driving the car for 2 weeks, using screenwash daily and it's still warning me, and it still keeps working.
I imagine to the nervous driver or idiot, it'd be more than enough to warrant a phone call.
Had this on a couple of occasions with the rac phone monkeys
Including telling them the car needs recovered and getting a van turn up to diagnose the issue, you think telling them there's a hole in the side of the engine and a Conrod embedded in my radiator which is now empty would be enough to send a wagon out straight away.
Including telling them the car needs recovered and getting a van turn up to diagnose the issue, you think telling them there's a hole in the side of the engine and a Conrod embedded in my radiator which is now empty would be enough to send a wagon out straight away.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff