Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AA lied! WWYD?

261 replies

misstrot · 09/05/2023 12:48

I am FUMING! Lies! OMG-please read-sorry it's long-I need advice!
DD (20) hit a small piece of debris on motorway on the way home from uni on the motorway. Car seemed ok but next time she took it out it overheated so we called AA. Patrolman said everything was fine-it just needed oil and water (he filled water but we had to go get the oil) Now DD is a bit nervy driving so she asked was he sure it was ok to drive back to uni (2 hr drive) and he assured her-yes. Then I asked him and he said he 'wouldn't send a young girl onto the motorway in the car if he didn't believe the car was perfectly safe and roadworthy' Enter DH who asks him is he sure ok-doesn't need to be checked at the garage as his DD is very precious and he wants her to be safe etc-again AA reiterates 'all safe-all roadworthy-doesn't need anything doing"- I follow him to the van to input my email/sign attendance from and he tells me no need.
You guessed it-she goes back to uni and breaks down on the M4 in bad weather (it takes 5+ hours for them to send a recovery truck and she is traumatised!)
We get the car delivered back here and ask a local garage to come and look. The garage owner states the car had a severe water leak (the AA didn't pressure test the system) which has caused car to overheat and blown the head gasket-so dead. Bearing in mind DD worked and saved up all summer and only bought the car in August- from a reputable National chain and paid £4000 (it's a little mini) she is devastated.
Ok, so we send report to AA and ask for compensation/new (2nd hand) engine for car. They send an 'Independant Assessor' (paid for by AA and does most of his work for AA so not really independent!?) who literally spends 4 mins taking photos -opens the bonnet and says the head gasket has gone and leaves. His report states that it was our fault for driving it as the head gasket had gone (for clarity it was fine before-no smoke from exhaust and only had a full service and 120 point check in August etc)
The AA then state the patrolman informed us that the car was not roadworthy and should be taken to a garage so they don't hold liability!!!!!! WTF! A complete LIE and 360 on what he said to us. Sadly too late to download Ring doorbell footage to support us -as its gone and he never sent us an emailed report stating what he did or advised-normal protocol. Help! What can I do?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
SofiaSoFar · 12/05/2023 15:23

First rule of being a man is to never trust any expert’s advice.

Man/Brexiteer?

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 12/05/2023 12:43

DonnaBanana · 12/05/2023 08:06

Personally I blame the DH. Okay he asked the AA man but he should have known better and checked the vehicle and water pressure himself. First rule of being a man is to never trust any expert’s advice.

First rule of being a man is to never trust any expert’s advice.

GrinGrinGrin

DonnaBanana · 12/05/2023 08:06

Personally I blame the DH. Okay he asked the AA man but he should have known better and checked the vehicle and water pressure himself. First rule of being a man is to never trust any expert’s advice.

Testina · 12/05/2023 07:51

“Enter DH who asks him is he sure ok-doesn't need to be checked at the garage as his DD is very precious and he wants her to be safe etc”

Cringing so hard for you both right now 🤣

HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 12/05/2023 07:41

Absolutely @rumbusiness . I know if I ever get like this I need to slow down and take a good luck at myself.

Op later on to talk about her DH’s guilt, which seemed to bear out your point. Not that I’m casting any judgement on whether guilt is misplaced or not.

theGooHasGone · 11/05/2023 02:46

Most drivers are not going to notice temperature rising. What an arrogant comment.

I don't actually think this is true - but if it is then they shouldn't be driving. Any modern-ish car will warn you when the temperature increases too much anyway.

I agree that the AA have fucked up here because they've lied. However, given that car hit something on the motorway, then overheated soon afterwards and needed both water and oil to fix, it probably should have been obvious that there was further damage and gone into the garage to be checked before a long motorway journey. Especially considering that the driver was a bit nervous about it all. I wouldn't trust the AA for mechanical advice - they're there for jump starts and towing.

SofiaSoFar · 10/05/2023 23:42

maybe write to the Daily Mail...

Or Viz.

Ericabro · 10/05/2023 19:18

Please whatever you do do not delete this thread just think of all the mums and dads out there now thinking well I wont put my son or daughter on a policy with the AA and people are now because of you to not use the AA, maybe write to the Daily Mail gent who sorts out consumer issues love

Amispringy · 09/05/2023 22:36

dammiejodger · 09/05/2023 20:24

Why do people have to be such shoots on here?

OP, I am 36 and I would be terrified at having to stand on a motorway for 5 hours in any kind of weather waiting for a breakdown recovery help. I am not surprised your daughter is traumatised. I hope she's ok now.

The ombudsman is a good shout. Also, if you have this bloke's name, name and shame on Trustpilot.

Jesus. Get a grip

SofiaSoFar · 09/05/2023 21:01

@dammiejodger

Also, if you have this bloke's name, name and shame on Trustpilot.

Wow.

Spookysnake · 09/05/2023 20:34

... Trust pilot also won't allow what is clearly a revenge review. It would be taken down.

Spookysnake · 09/05/2023 20:33

dammiejodger · 09/05/2023 20:24

Why do people have to be such shoots on here?

OP, I am 36 and I would be terrified at having to stand on a motorway for 5 hours in any kind of weather waiting for a breakdown recovery help. I am not surprised your daughter is traumatised. I hope she's ok now.

The ombudsman is a good shout. Also, if you have this bloke's name, name and shame on Trustpilot.

Yes, go ahead and ruin his life without a shred of evidence! Fucking hell. If that's not a shooty thing to do I don't know what is. (I'm using your terminology here).

dammiejodger · 09/05/2023 20:26

Ha epic autocorrect fail, 'such shits' not shoots. My point still stands.

dammiejodger · 09/05/2023 20:24

Why do people have to be such shoots on here?

OP, I am 36 and I would be terrified at having to stand on a motorway for 5 hours in any kind of weather waiting for a breakdown recovery help. I am not surprised your daughter is traumatised. I hope she's ok now.

The ombudsman is a good shout. Also, if you have this bloke's name, name and shame on Trustpilot.

Atnilpoe · 09/05/2023 20:22

I am aware of someone recently successfully suing the AA for wrongly telling someone it was safe to drive off - and the car promptly burst into flames. The idea (of some PPs) that the AA can’t advise you on whether your car is roadworthy is clearly wrong- they literally either tow it to a garage - or reassure you it’s safe to drive to a garage…

also, I feel for your DD stranded by the motorway for 5 hours. I was recently alone by the side of the motorway for 3 hours? And I was starting to feel panicky as it began to go dark - they’re aren’t any lights (apart from the cars) it doesn’t feel very safe for a woman on her own in the dark.

SpeckledlyHen · 09/05/2023 20:17

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 09/05/2023 17:23

Have you seen your own username?

Show quote history

believe it or not but I am not a chicken

Ledwood85 · 09/05/2023 20:03

You probably won't get anywhere because the onus ultimately falls on the driver to monitor gauges/situation and respond accordingly, and that's been done to death.

What I will say though - and this is the angle you should approach this from - if both oil and water are low, then this is classic, almost dead-cert head gasket failure. When the head gasket splits, the oil and water mix with one another and cross/contaminate. Water turns to steam and disappears. Oil gunges up the cooling system (hoses, radiator) and will be lost from the engine itself. Both will be low or empty.

For any mechanic - I'm not one btw - to see a vehicle with both low oil and water and not consider that the head gasket may be to blame, is not worthy of being a mechanic. It's one of the most basic engine troubleshooting steps.

The hitting debris was a red herring. Mechanic was too focused-in on that being the only cause of the problem that he didn't even consider the most likely culprit. That's where the mechanic's fault lies. He looked only for debris damage, ignoring the completely obvious staring him in the face.

rumbusiness · 09/05/2023 20:02

HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 09/05/2023 18:39

i think you’re being unnecessarily harsh to @rumbusiness which is interesting because you laughed off everyone else but took exception here.. why do you think that is?

I’m sorry your DD had a crappy time, they should prioritise lone females and this would be one of the points I’d make in an email.
id be asking for the report, and asking and asking. If there isn’t a report then they will need to explain that. This is what I would focus on.

I think a proper diagnostic investigation would have been a better intervention than the AA, and if garages are shut then you have to wait unfortunately. But you know for next time!

How is your DD now? She must be feelin* pretty miserable with her much loved (I’m guessing) mode of transport gone on top of everything else. Could you send her a surprise little package? Doesn’t have to be a fancy hamper, a pack of biscuits and some good quality hot chocolate or something? If her anxiety increases can she access support through university?

Thanks @HoofWankingSpangleCunt

I think it's easier to laugh off things that don't hit home.

And it's easier to direct your guilt and anger at other people, rather than acknowledging your own mistakes.

SofiaSoFar · 09/05/2023 20:01

Boujee11 · 09/05/2023 19:43

I’ve got a Mini and the temperature gauge doesn’t show unless you cycle through the menu options, which I don’t usually I have it on the screen showing the mpg or my speed. I don’t think that makes me a terrible driver and I can’t believe that the majority of other people spend their journey flicking through the menus.

It does tell you if it overheats, though.

A big red thermometer appears in the screen in the middle of the rev counter, along with a red light. At least it did in my MINI, assuming OP is talking about a BMW era 'MINI' and not a 'Mini' (the very old one).

Boujee11 · 09/05/2023 19:43

I’ve got a Mini and the temperature gauge doesn’t show unless you cycle through the menu options, which I don’t usually I have it on the screen showing the mpg or my speed. I don’t think that makes me a terrible driver and I can’t believe that the majority of other people spend their journey flicking through the menus.

Jonei · 09/05/2023 19:42

VisionsOfSplendour · 09/05/2023 19:38

I'd be very surprised if the police would be interested, being a rubbish mechanic and lying about it afterwards isn't a criminal offence is it?

Show quote history

I would think being a rubbish mechanic and lying about it afterwards could be a criminal offence, depending on the potential consequences of their lies.

VisionsOfSplendour · 09/05/2023 19:38

2bazookas · 09/05/2023 18:42

Do you have legal protection veia your home insurance policy? If so, now is when to use it.

If not, I would contact police and pake a formal fraud and deception complaint about the named patrolman who endangered your daughter and lied to his employers.

I'd be very surprised if the police would be interested, being a rubbish mechanic and lying about it afterwards isn't a criminal offence is it?

AlphabetSue · 09/05/2023 19:23

ChairFloorWall · 09/05/2023 19:17

Don’t you think your OTT reaction to the word is creating a mountain out of molehill?

Show quote history

Yes this. Posters who look for one word that they can latch on and word police as being an exaggerated over reaction so they can have an actual exaggerated over reaction are all over here recently.

Jonei · 09/05/2023 19:20

misstrot · 09/05/2023 19:04

But he is now saying he told us it was unsafe to drive as the head gasket was going-completely opposite to what he told us! That’s what I’m upset about not his poor diagnosis- he is human!

Show quote history

As if anyone would continue to drive knowing the head gasket was going. Did you capture what he actually said on the ring doorbell?

itsgettingweird · 09/05/2023 19:20

I would email and ask them questions.

  • why didn't they complete the paperwork to be signed
  • why haven't you received the report

But other posters are right. If the temperature rose then DD also should have stopped and recalled AA at that time.

You also should have insisted on getting some paperwork.