RAC have severely damaged my car, help!

Casper2510

Last Friday our car broke down because of a starting issue, arranged RAC to tow to our garage across town, no bother. They were very helpful and got to us swiftly because my wife was stranded with our one year old daughter. 

However on Monday the Garage have rang us to inform us that they are amazed that RAC haven't been in touch with us since as the technician who handled our case, towed our 4x4 as if it was a two wheel drive. He drove it for around three miles before he realised he made the mistake! He openly told the garage about his mistake and they know that nothing was wrong with the vehicle (which can be caused from this mishap) because it was serviced the week prior.

Currently waiting on a full diagnostic from the garage but it is looking like thousands of pounds of damage and close to writing the car off. 

I was on the phone to RAC customer care for other an hour and a half today, on hold for around 90% of the call and must have been sent to the wrong department about 6 or 7 times! Finally the opened a dispute for me but am very worried about this whole situation and that they will not pay what they owe because of their technicians negligence and they were very unwilling to send a courtesy car atm even though my wife and child now have no means of transport because of the technicians mistake. 

Has anybody else had anything somewhat similar?? Just trying to find some light at the end of the tunnel haha. 

lemondrops69

What vehicle is it? Is it manual or auto?

DullGreyGuy

Casper2510 said:

Last Friday our car broke down 

Casper2510 said:

they know that nothing was wrong with the vehicle (which can be caused from this mishap) because it was serviced the week prior.

How do these sentences work together? A car that has nothing wrong with it breaking down?

What sort of tow truck did they said? How did they tow it? 

Have you looked in the owners manual for your car? Some 4x4 do have settings which do allow safe towing

If your car has no way of being towed safely and he was driving a small recovery truck with just the wheel lift thing and no dollies then it should be a fairly simple matter to resolve if it was physically impossible for it to be moved by that vehicle in the correct way.

prettyandfluffy

I assume this is an all wheel drive car, I used to have one. Were the RAC made aware that the car shouldn't be towed when they were called out? 

Casper2510

Thanks for the replies. 

It is a manual. 
The initial issue was a starting issue, the car had been driven to a nearby supermarket. And then wouldn't restart after my wife had been shopping. 
The garage have come back and said the axel, gearbox and transmission have been severely damaged. 

My wife didn't inform them it shouldn't be towed because she didn't know, the technician met her there informed there was no issue and he'd get the car to the garage safely. 

daveyjp

What vehicle?

Look at your handbook about towing and see what it says.  If its states the vehicle should only be moved on a flatbed and not towed that's your claim against RAC written for you,

Jenni_D

I've never had a 4x4 so maybe I'm missing something, but .... if the gearbox was put into neutral, why couldn't it be towed with either front or rear wheels on the ground?

Casper2510

It is a 2013 Vauxhall Mokka, it does say in my handbook to not tow and only on a flatbed in case dage can be caused. Thank you for your advice. 

Car_54

prettyandfluffy said:

I assume this is an all wheel drive car, I used to have one. Were the RAC made aware that the car shouldn't be towed when they were called out? 

They shouldn't need to be made aware. They are the experts, the customer isn't.

daveyjp

Depends on the vehicle.

  A full time 4x4 such as a Subaru is very different to a temporary 4wd system as fitted to most softroaders,

Stress on transfer boxes/Haldex clutch mechanism etc due to huge difference between speeds of front and rear wheels if the front is lifted and car towed on rears.  Its called driveline or transmission windup.

FlimFlam01

Casper2510 said:

It is a 2013 Vauxhall Mokka, it does say in my handbook to not tow and only on a flatbed in case dage can be caused. Thank you for your advice. 

There you go - that's all the proof you need.  It was clearly towed which can't be disputed.  Open and shut case.