RAC Europe - advice please.

[HexBramble]

My car broke down on our family holiday to France this summer. To cut a long story short, our insurance has RAC Europe cover and they arranged collection and storage of our vehicle, hire car whilst in France, and help home. Disclaimer: I say 'help' very loosely since the whole process has been an absolute nightmare from the start. RAC Europe quite frankly, don't give a shiny shit about their stranded customers.

Car was meant for repatriation at the end of August. It didn't happen.
Then it was meant to be collected on September 10th. Guess what? It's still there. We have telephoned constantly since last week and we either cannot get through, or we get promised for a call back. But, nothing.

I'm furious. I really want to call the garage where it's being stored to ask them how much it will cost them to repair my car. If it's reasonable, then I'm sorely tempted to fly out there and drive it home myself.

Will this negate the existing work RAC have done for us so far? Will we be presented for a bill for everything?

RAC Europe are shite. Fact.

Hi, I have no "legal" advice but I couldn't not comment! When I read your post it could of been mine!! We broke down just outside Paris on the 16th august, 3.5 hours away from our final destination. Our insurance provider is AXA, who are also terrible!

We were told straight away by the recovery garage that collected us that "this car will not be looked at in Paris in August, your insurance company should just get it home ASAP" the garage passed this message on to AXA , we passed the message on, they ignored us. We waited at that garage for 10 hours in total, AXA could not sort out a hire car , all they could find was a Fiat 500!! For 2 adults, 3 children (all in car seats) 2 bikes and luggage! Next they offered to put us up in a motorway motel for 3 days then they would start looking for a hire car!! Luckily at this point my father in law got in his van and drove the 3.5 hours each way to pick us up and get us to his house.

We contacted AXA who finally got us a hire car on Thursday 21st. They told us they had contacted 6 garages and only 1 had agreed to take our vehicle and "possibly" look at it on the 29th August. We were leaving on the 1st. The 29th came and went and the garage never looked at the vehicle. AXA were surprised we were not prepared to wait around for the car to be looked at!!

So here we are back in the UK 34 days after we broke down, our car was due to be repatriated and arrive on the 15th of September. They called us on the 15th approx 4pm to say it has not left and will "possibly" be here on the 30th September, so 46 days after we broke down!

So I feel for you and can add to yours that AXA are also shite!

Raspberry - am gutted for you. Is AXA the European cover? We have RAC Europe not out of choice, but because that's who our insurance in the UK are with (AVIVA). To be fair, we have been treated a bit better than you but I suspect it's only worked out that way because our car failed whilst safely in our gîte therefore no hanging around garages. Thereafter, it's been a shower of shit.

Today, a representative has phoned us to say that the car will be collected for repatriation on the 19th. By close of business, they'd left a message on our answer machine to say 'oops, perhaps not the 18th afterall. More like the 28th. I am beyond angry now.

RAC Europe are terrible. Last time EVER we renew our policy with AVIVA.