RAC Inspection

scooby1111

Hello All,

I need an advice as to what can be done about the following incident:

I bought a car: Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec 2009 model. Prior to buying, as I don't know anything about the cars, I got an RAC inspection done. It was a basic check which costs around £99. The car was checked and report was sent to me.

Apart form some minor issues, it all looked OK, so I went ahead and purchased the car. Car was purchased on the 24th January. After about two weeks of buying the car I noticed that the screen washer wasn't working. Initial thought was that there was no water in the screen wash bottle so I went to top it up. As I was pouring water, it started to overflow and black slimy stuff started to come out.

I called RAC to find out if the screen washer wiper were checked or not as they promise 218 points check and one of them is to check the washer wipers. I was told that, Yes, it was checked but the fault must have been introduced after the check. There is no mention on the report that what 218 points were checked. I spoke to this guy and he kept on insisting that the fault is introduced after the check. I asked for the supervisor and he said that the RAC policy is to speak to the customer service but not their supervisor. I tried going through another avenue but ended up with the same guy.

So, the question I have is, how can I find out what has been tested? How can I speak to someone else but this guy? What else can be done?

Thanks in advance.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

bpatel111 wrote: »

Hello All,

I need an advice as to what can be done about the following incident:

I bought a car: Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec 2009 model. Prior to buying, as I don't know anything about the cars, I got an RAC inspection done. It was a basic check which costs around £99. The car was checked and report was sent to me.

Apart form some minor issues, it all looked OK, so I went ahead and purchased the car. Car was purchased on the 24th January. After about two weeks of buying the car I noticed that the screen washer wasn't working. Initial thought was that there was no water in the screen wash bottle so I went to top it up. As I was pouring water, it started to overflow and black slimy stuff started to come out.

I called RAC to find out if the screen washer wiper were checked or not as they promise 218 points check and one of them is to check the washer wipers. I was told that, Yes, it was checked but the fault must have been introduced after the check. There is no mention on the report that what 218 points were checked. I spoke to this guy and he kept on insisting that the fault is introduced after the check. I asked for the supervisor and he said that the RAC policy is to speak to the customer service but not their supervisor. I tried going through another avenue but ended up with the same guy.

So, the question I have is, how can I find out what has been tested? How can I speak to someone else but this guy? What else can be done?

Thanks in advance.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/281245299742?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108



for the sake of £32.00 and hours garage labor is it really worth the calls to RAC who really don't care? as you really should be contacting the seller of the vehicle instead to rectify it. I would just buy one and replace it myself if it were me.

forgotmyname

Its a £12? (aftermarket pump) part that can fail at anytime. Just flush the tank and change it and move on.

There is a filter on the pumps inlet that can clog up.

scooby1111

Hi

Thanks.

It really bothers me that after paying them I don't get the service and then they have attitude problem. Well, it will be first and last time I will be using RAC and warn others of them.

As I said I don't much about the cars, but I think it is not only the bottle but the line is clogged up. So I will have to get all of that replaced.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

bpatel111 wrote: »

Hi

Thanks.

It really bothers me that after paying them I don't get the service and then they have attitude problem. Well, it will be first and last time I will be using RAC and warn others of them.

As I said I don't much about the cars, but I think it is not only the bottle but the line is clogged up. So I will have to get all of that replaced.

OP have you got a hose pipe?


if not you cant still fill the kettle and do this.


Open wash bottle fill about 1.5 litres of water and then squirt it out, and repeat until the pipe's are clean.


If the pump wont pump (you cant hear it) replace the pump.


If the pump wont kick in and the bottle poors water out the bottom it could be the pump and pump seal is knackered or the bottle has a split (quite common when people just put water in and it freezes and expands the plastic to breaking point).


Either case its not an expensive fix.

scooby1111

Thanks, I will give it a shot.

Car_54

I think you need to be realistic about the test report.

£99 probably buys you about an hour of the guy's time, in which he apparently does 218 checks. It's entirely possible that he tested the screen-wash it worked. What he won't have done is delved into the innards of the engine bay to check the tank.

Spicy_McHaggis

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

OP have you got a hose pipe?


if not you cant still fill the kettle and do this.


Open wash bottle fill about 1.5 litres of water and then squirt it out, and repeat until the pipe's are clean.


If the pump wont pump (you cant hear it) replace the pump.


If the pump wont kick in and the bottle poors water out the bottom it could be the pump and pump seal is knackered or the bottle has a split (quite common when people just put water in and it freezes and expands the plastic to breaking point).


Either case its not an expensive fix.

Try checking the fuze first.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Spicy_McHaggis wrote: »

Try checking the fuze first.

more often than not the fuse for the wipers or stalks is also inline with the wiring for pump, if the pump fuse went odds on the wipers wouldn't work either. although I could be wrong. and they if did put a fuse on there for solely the pump so yeh check manual for fuse location.

forgotmyname

The pump may actually spin. But the plastic filter can clog and that starves the pump of water so it runs dry.

If you keep trying the pump it ruins the rubber inside. Been there and done that, although it spins when you press the button, it doesnt pump any water.

A new pumps cheap enough.

colino

I think a lot of posters are missing the point. The RAC and AA, "inspections" are an expensive waste of time that they simply wont stand by and their terms and conditions are excellent examples of how chancers work.
An expensive lesson OP, far better to do a proper HPI and get a check over by a friendly, trusted mechanic than pay for one of those tick-lists.