RAC Breakdown Cover: Money for old Rope

CaptainBeaky007

Beware the once proud brand RAC!

What is David Hobday, RAC’s CEO, doing for his 1.24 million remuneration package?

I have been a member for many years but it’s only when you claim on any insurance policy you find out if it’s any good.

The RAC did absolutely nothing for 2 hours and 12 minutes after I reported my breakdown and that the car was not fixable.

RAC finally organised a van, after sending it to the wrong postcode.

After 4 hours a van arrived, confirmed the car was finished, which of course I knew.

RAC falsely told the 3rd party contractor the car was drivable, which was a lie.

It took 6 hours to get a recovery vehicle,
by which time I was cold and hypothermic, having been told I must wait with the vehicle.

It was midnight.

The RAC would not send the recovery vehicle until a van had intended despite my telling them at 6pm I needed a tow.

When the RAC finally arranged a tow they demanded £167 in additional fees.

RAC operates coercive and unethical business practices.

Beware!

The tow truck driver shared with me that he often encounters such mindless delays with the RAC and Barclaycard treated the £167 as fraud as payment had be extracted under duress.

RAC was once a brand that commanded respect, like M&S or John Lewis but now they’re bandits!

I tried to ring in the complaint over the weekend but all Customer Services were closed for the weekend - but all sales lines were open - reflecting the RAC’s priorities!

I don’t think Mr Hobday is worth £1.24 million per annum and I think the RAC are as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Gone is any pretence of customer service - a breakdown is an opportunity for them to predate upon “members”, however long standing by extorting additional fees.

Appalling! 

8 hours and £167 additional to travel 48 miles! They’re deeply dishonest.

Acquinas

In December they left me my the side of the A1 from 15:25 hrs until 11:30 hrs. They then recovered me to a motorway services, arriving at about 01:00 hrs and left me there until they agreed to send me a hire car at 10:00 hrs. I made numerous calls to them speaking to a different operator every time, and on each occasion was assured that my case had been "escalated". They couldn't have cared less. I'm with Britannia now.

Car_54

OP, what was the £167 for?

As for Mr Hobday, he presumably had some part in making £220 million in profir last year.

paul_c123

The times I've called them out, their service has been really good - better than the AA. Arrive within about 40 mins, promptly fixed the vehicle I was in.

born_again

CaptainBeaky007 said:

Beware the once proud brand RAC!

What is David Hobday, RAC’s CEO, doing for his 1.24 million remuneration package?

I have been a member for many years but it’s only when you claim on any insurance policy you find out if it’s any good.

The RAC did absolutely nothing for 2 hours and 12 minutes after I reported my breakdown and that the car was not fixable.

RAC finally organised a van, after sending it to the wrong postcode.

After 4 hours a van arrived, confirmed the car was finished, which of course I knew.

RAC falsely told the 3rd party contractor the car was drivable, which was a lie.

It took 6 hours to get a recovery vehicle,
by which time I was cold and hypothermic, having been told I must wait with the vehicle.

It was midnight.

The RAC would not send the recovery vehicle until a van had intended despite my telling them at 6pm I needed a tow.

When the RAC finally arranged a tow they demanded £167 in additional fees.

RAC operates coercive and unethical business practices.

Beware!

The tow truck driver shared with me that he often encounters such mindless delays with the RAC and Barclaycard treated the £167 as fraud as payment had be extracted under duress.

RAC was once a brand that commanded respect, like M&S or John Lewis but now they’re bandits!

I tried to ring in the complaint over the weekend but all Customer Services were closed for the weekend - but all sales lines were open - reflecting the RAC’s priorities!

I don’t think Mr Hobday is worth £1.24 million per annum and I think the RAC are as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Gone is any pretence of customer service - a breakdown is an opportunity for them to predate upon “members”, however long standing by extorting additional fees.

Appalling! 

8 hours and £167 additional to travel 48 miles! They’re deeply dishonest.

Guess not having right level of cover did not help given the extra charge..

Given the number of members they have. Then they are never going to sort everyone out in minutes..

Good advise is to always make sure you have something to keep you warm just in case. 

mills705

CaptainBeaky007 said:

Beware the once proud brand RAC!

What is David Hobday, RAC’s CEO, doing for his 1.24 million remuneration package?

I have been a member for many years but it’s only when you claim on any insurance policy you find out if it’s any good.

The RAC did absolutely nothing for 2 hours and 12 minutes after I reported my breakdown and that the car was not fixable.

RAC finally organised a van, after sending it to the wrong postcode.

After 4 hours a van arrived, confirmed the car was finished, which of course I knew.

RAC falsely told the 3rd party contractor the car was drivable, which was a lie.

It took 6 hours to get a recovery vehicle,
by which time I was cold and hypothermic, having been told I must wait with the vehicle.

It was midnight.

The RAC would not send the recovery vehicle until a van had intended despite my telling them at 6pm I needed a tow.

When the RAC finally arranged a tow they demanded £167 in additional fees.

RAC operates coercive and unethical business practices.

Beware!

The tow truck driver shared with me that he often encounters such mindless delays with the RAC and Barclaycard treated the £167 as fraud as payment had be extracted under duress.

RAC was once a brand that commanded respect, like M&S or John Lewis but now they’re bandits!

I tried to ring in the complaint over the weekend but all Customer Services were closed for the weekend - but all sales lines were open - reflecting the RAC’s priorities!

I don’t think Mr Hobday is worth £1.24 million per annum and I think the RAC are as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Gone is any pretence of customer service - a breakdown is an opportunity for them to predate upon “members”, however long standing by extorting additional fees.

Appalling! 

8 hours and £167 additional to travel 48 miles! They’re deeply dishonest.

What do the T+C's of the breakdown cover say you are covered for?

The AA/RAC both state that they will try and fix the vehicle before recovery is attempted. Both include a local tow as part of there base package and then you need to include recovery (whatever they call the add on) and probably a surcharge as you do not have the cover to waive a 24 hour exclusion to prevent people buying and including cover they need in a breakdown situation. 

What was the original ETA provided? Did they exceed it? 

Who's fault was the wrong location? Yours or there's? 

Complaints tend to work Monday to Friday as its a back office role in large companies. There will be an email address or postal one for complaints within your T+C booklet. 

Ibrahim5

I had a policy once with roadside assistance. It was a rainy night and no way would he even look at my car. Just gave a silly price for a recovery.

paul_c123

Ibrahim5 said:

I had a policy once with roadside assistance. It was a rainy night and no way would he even look at my car. Just gave a silly price for a recovery.

You mean you didn't buy recovery cover, and they didn't give it to you for free??


To the OP, they have an app. Having never broken down recently I don't know if the app sends your location, but it would make sense. Postcodes are probably only useful if you break down at a house, rather than on the road, I can't see them relying on it for a decent location.

Goudy

You can also use What Three Words.
In this case that would have been Cough.Up.More

Ibrahim5

paul_c123 said:

Ibrahim5 said:

I had a policy once with roadside assistance. It was a rainy night and no way would he even look at my car. Just gave a silly price for a recovery.

You mean you didn't buy recovery cover, and they didn't give it to you for free??

I had roadside assistance cover which they were refusing to honour.

paul_c123

I'm with the patrolman in this instance. Its a bloody dangerous job working at the roadside, its bad enough trying to fix many things in the comfort of your own garage/workshop/whatever. Poor light, rain, he's qualified and can judge the likelihood of success of a repair vs customer moaning on the internet and being a penny-pincher.