Breakdown question

MINCTbw

Hi. I need to ask my provider (RAC) directly about this but in the mean time I want to know where I stand.

My vehicle broke down on the way to the airport, and by the time the RAC chap arrived I was really pushing it for time. He said he thought he could ID the problem visually and suggested 10-20 mins for a good chance of repair, and if not then he will take me to a local garage of his recommendation. But I didn't have this much time to risk so I asked to go straight to the garage, from which I got a taxi onwards.

Have I relinquished my rights to a repair attempt by the RAC? The garage has already quoted me something absurd, saying they need to change the battery terminals for £70, because it won't start. I know very well that the battery simply died as part of my re-start attempts on the roadside (old van, battery drains within a month on the drive), and if they had just charged it or jumped it I'm sure it would have worked. This makes me think the garage are going to take me for a ride on this one. I emailed back to their quote asking if they had attempted to charge the battery, and had no reply yet. You know how mechanics can get when you question their methods. I'm abroad until the weekend, btw.

Would the RAC come back and attempt to enact the repair that was offered, or was it a "now or never" offer, generally? And, say, what if I drove it half a mile away from the garage and it broke down again, do I have the right to a second callout?

How quickly does your callout right reset, in other words?

Thanks,

Shaun_of_the_Dead

You want a breakdown service to attend a garage and fix your car after being taken there by them? It's not going to happen.

elsien

They get you going so you can get to your destination. If the problem is still there then it's your responsibility to get it fixed.
They don't do repairs in the sense that I think you mean.

From their terms and conditions:
Exclusions

Any breakdown resulting from a fault that we have previously attended and:
a. the original fault has not been properly repaired; or
b. you have not followed our advice after a temporary repair.

BoGoF

Ask them to do a service while they're at it.

Aylesbury_Duck

And people wonder why the cost of breakdown cover keeps rising....

Ms_Chocaholic

How much would it have cost you if you had missed your flights/holiday and had had to rebook?

born_again

And, say, what if I drove it half a mile away from the garage and it broke down again, do I have the right to a second callout?

Would that not mean it was fixed and you could drive it home, if as you are saying it is simply a flat battery?
To which how are you going to charge it?

MINCTbw

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

How much would it have cost you if you had missed your flights/holiday and had had to rebook?

Unfortunately, I did still miss the flights :rotfl: (by 3 minutes, literally) so the taxi (£170) was wasted and I now would rather of course I'd let Mr RAC have a go at the repair, since he seemed confident. I took the gamble I'd get to the airport, fair enough, and have to pay for the van repair now at the garage but it just sounds like they're starting the whole thing off wrong. They say they need to replace the battery terminals before they can do any further inspection, while RAC said he could see the likely problem.

^^ to the other guy, ok, so previously attended issues they won't look at a second time, that's fair enough.

AdrianC

MINCTbw wrote: »

I know very well that the battery simply died as part of my re-start attempts on the roadside (old van, battery drains within a month on the drive), and if they had just charged it or jumped it I'm sure it would have worked.

Leaving it for a month unused with the battery connected is going to flatten the battery - stereo memory, clock, alarm, remote locking all use power.

Lead-acid batteries hate being flattened. It kills them internally.

If you couldn't restart roadside, though, the battery is not the cause of the problem. Either it was churning without starting, or the alternator isn't charging the battery.

Scrapit

MINCTbw wrote: »

Unfortunately, I did still miss the flights :rotfl: (by 3 minutes, literally) so the taxi (£170) was wasted and I now would rather of course I'd let Mr RAC have a go at the repair, since he seemed confident. I took the gamble I'd get to the airport, fair enough, and have to pay for the van repair now at the garage but it just sounds like they're starting the whole thing off wrong. They say they need to replace the battery terminals before they can do any further inspection, while RAC said he could see the likely problem.

^^ to the other guy, ok, so previously attended issues they won't look at a second time, that's fair enough.

You know you aren't gonna get the same rac man? Whoever did attend might not be able to fix it.You know that they are a breakdown service and help you get going, not repair the motor? If you don't trust the garage you can use any other of your choosing but you'll have to arrange it and the transport. Also rac may get you going but it isn't necessarily the same as fixing the fault.

born_again

Scrapit wrote: »

You know you aren't gonna get the same rac man? Whoever did attend might not be able to fix it.You know that they are a breakdown service and help you get going, not repair the motor? If you don't trust the garage you can use any other of your choosing but you'll have to arrange it and the transport. Also rac may get you going but it isn't necessarily the same as fixing the fault.

It would be fair to assume that RAC keep notes on breakdowns. As such they should know where the car was taken and what the believed problem was.
So a 2nd one coming out maybe aware of the problem. That is if they will send anyone out given it is still at the location it was taken to.