RAC Mobile Mechanics

Enufsed

paul_c123 said:

At the end of the day, you (the driver) are 100% responsible for the roadworthiness of your car. You can't blame anyone else. You should have done a check on the brakes and declined to drive it, then got the car transported.

The fact that the MC was faulty, doesn't mean the mechanic can't still charge for the labour involved to date. And he had fitted the parts too.

Did he give the option of also replacing the master cylinder, at a later date? Or just say he didn't fancy it and its for a garage?

paul_c123 said:

Some people say "don't pump the pedal to bleed the brakes" but IMHO its always worth giving the MC a good exercise when bleeding brakes, to see if there is anything wrong with it. If its going to fail, you want to do it in a controlled environment where you can take the next steps to fix it, rather than out on the road and hundreds of miles from home.

The circumstances here (a mobile mechanic) are slightly different but it still broadly applies.

Would be interesting to hear the other side of the story.

What is the make/model/age/mileage of the car?

It's a 2012 Vauxhall Corsa Automatic. I've had it from new and it has a full service history. Mileage is 40474. 

paul_c123

Thank you for the update, let us know the outcome of the complaint. At least its at a garage now.

Mildly_Miffed

Enufsed said:

paul_c123 said:

What is the make/model/age/mileage of the car?

It's a 2012 Vauxhall Corsa Automatic. I've had it from new and it has a full service history. Mileage is 40474. 

The sort of thing that's ripe for the brake fluid not having been changed for years... if ever.

Enufsed

paul_c123 said:

Thank you for the update, let us know the outcome of the complaint. At least its at a garage now.

The garage contacted me yesterday. Not good news, now needs new ABS. Nothing from RAC Mobile Mechanics, not even the report for the work he did. 

Enufsed

Enufsed said:

paul_c123 said:

Thank you for the update, let us know the outcome of the complaint. At least its at a garage now.

The garage contacted me yesterday. Not good news, now needs new ABS. Nothing from RAC Mobile Mechanics, not even the report for the work he did. 

Having spent just under £2,000 I decided to use it in part exchange . Still haven’t heard from RAC Mechanics, given up waiting for the report and I'm now concentrating on getting my refund of £84.59 (I paid £434.16 upfront and was invoiced £349.57). I've emailed, telephoned and messaged them using X. It'll be next year before this is resolved.

Mildly_Miffed

Enufsed said:

paul_c123 said:

Thank you for the update, let us know the outcome of the complaint. At least its at a garage now.

The garage contacted me yesterday. Not good news, now needs new ABS.

So it was the ABS block that failed, not the master. But otherwise, exactly as I posited.

When was the brake fluid last changed?

Enufsed

Mildly_Miffed said:

Enufsed said:

paul_c123 said:

Thank you for the update, let us know the outcome of the complaint. At least its at a garage now.

The garage contacted me yesterday. Not good news, now needs new ABS.

So it was the ABS block that failed, not the master. But otherwise, exactly as I posited.

When was the brake fluid last changed?

November 2024, after The RAC Mechanics serviced my car and said it needed front brake pads and discs. They returned replaced brake pads, discs and changed brake fluid. 

Ibrahim5

Oh dear you do read some rubbish on these fora. Of course the RAC mechanic shouldn't have left you with a dangerous car. If you had an accident,  forensic engineers would be all over your car and the RAC mechanic could have ended up in jail where he needs to be to stop him endangering more lives. If the RAC engineer isn't compentent enough to fix your car who better than the RAC to arrange a recovery to a garage where it may have been possible to find a competent mechanic? Unfortunately mechanics don't have to do any exams or tests so they don't need to be competent. If you want to find someone who is competent you are always advised to ask a friend, relative or neighbour. Unfortunately as you have found some mechanics just keep changing things because they don't know what they are doing. In the abscence of anyone getting injured the only thing you can do really is to take them to the small claims court and claim money back that you have paid for their useless and unnecessary repairs. It's not easy to do though and you could end up losing more money. It's sad that people lose out because mechanics don't know what they are doing, but that's how it always seems to work.