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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:
Spookysnake · 09/05/2023 19:05

Blossomtoes · 09/05/2023 19:03

So he couldn’t possibly have foreseen that there would be a problem then. I can see the headline now - AA sued because patrol man wasn’t clairvoyant.

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Not AA sued; patrolman arrested and sent away for lyfe! He tried to k*ll OP's daughter!

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 09/05/2023 19:05

Blossomtoes · 09/05/2023 19:03

So he couldn’t possibly have foreseen that there would be a problem then. I can see the headline now - AA sued because patrol man wasn’t clairvoyant.

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This is a very good point.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 09/05/2023 19:07

misstrot · 09/05/2023 18:50

Yes he did check it-it was fine- he said it just need topping up.
Also white smoke from the exhaust and oil in the coolant are strong indications-neither of which were present when he checked it!

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So he checked the car was safe to drive and it was. So there was no reason for him to repair it or take it to a garage.

It's not his fault it went on to fail when your DD next drove it.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 09/05/2023 19:08

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!

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Ultimately you have no proof either way, so I think you really need to just let this go now. I understand you're frustrated and upset but you won't get anywhere trying to fight this - it's just a waste of time.

TheFluffiestHobo · 09/05/2023 19:12

I had a similar situation with the RAC. We were on the m25 and heard something break under the car. Got off at the next exit and called RAC out and assumed it was a wheel bearing that had gone. An absolute knob showed up and jumped in the car, sped off, and then did a doughnut right in front of us. Said the car was perfect and it was probably just a rock hitting the bottom of the car. I took our 2 dc home on the coach (200 miles away) as I didn't trust him. Ex dp tried to continue on in the car and the ENTIRE wheel came off and rolled away down a slip road joining the m25. It then took the RAC 2 days to tow ex dp and the car home.

widowtwankywashroom · 09/05/2023 19:12

Your daughter is dramatic and so are you

Soapyspuds · 09/05/2023 19:16

Why didn't she pull over when she saw the temp rising

Perhaps she was spending more time looking at the road.

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

ChrisPPancake · 09/05/2023 19:17

@misstrot can I just ask how many times her vehicle has done a long journey? And if it had done long journeys before she got it? Because we had similar (about a thousand years ago when I was a similar age to your dd) - car had only been driven locally, looked in good nick, full servicing record and low mileage. First time we went on a long trip it overheated. Head gasket went on that too. Garage (different place to where we bought it) said low mileage isn't always a good thing, you need to know how the car is used.

Sucks that he lied though. Go through AA complaints procedure and escalate to Ombudsman if no joy (telling them you're going to do that may mean they take action?). Or as a pp has said, might be worth talking to her insurance about the initial mishap.

ChairFloorWall · 09/05/2023 19:17

LisaVanderpump1 · 09/05/2023 17:34

I'm sure she might be, but why? Either 1) daughter is "traumatised" in which case she needs to get a bit of a grip or 2) OP is being hyperbolic to create drama and she needs to get a grip. Why create a mountain out a molehill?

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

SofiaSoFar · 09/05/2023 19:18

Soapyspuds · 09/05/2023 19:16

Why didn't she pull over when she saw the temp rising

Perhaps she was spending more time looking at the road.

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

If you can't look at the instruments you shouldn't be driving.

You are clearly a danger to everyone.

ChrisPPancake · 09/05/2023 19:19

SofiaSoFar · 09/05/2023 19:18

If you can't look at the instruments you shouldn't be driving.

You are clearly a danger to everyone.

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The temp guage doesn't actually show all the time on the display in my car 🤷

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.

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!

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

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?

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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.

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?

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?

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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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

SpeckledlyHen · 09/05/2023 20:17

bd67thSaysReinstateLangCleg · 09/05/2023 17:23

Have you seen your own username?

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believe it or not but I am not a chicken

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.

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.

dammiejodger · 09/05/2023 20:26

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

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).