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Original poster

RAC complaint

67 replies

popcornfrenzy · 08/09/2022 10:23

My car was making an awful rattle noise when I was driving and as I'm a qualified mechanic I knew that the timing chain had either stretched or had jumped a tooth and was causing my car to run rough.

So I'm a member of the RAC and called them. I'd already contacted the garage that I use and told them the timing chain needed to be looked at. All fine, the RAC patrol man rocked up after nearly 4 hours (!) and checked my engine oil - great! It's one of the first things you do however my car was parked on an incline which gave the wrong oil reading, he has misdiagnosed my car and said it was low oil. He started my car and has catastrophically damaged the engine, anyone who is a qualified mechanic knows you do not start a car that has a timing chain issue!

So now the RAC are absolutely refusing to take responsibility for trashing my engine, the RAC man has lied on his report. I've been left with no car and a quote of nearly £1.5k for his fuck up. I need my car for work and as a single parent am absolutely fucked with no car. I've had to cancel a trip to Lapland (luckily kids had no idea we were going) to pay for my bloody car. I've been paying monthly for this holiday for 18 months. I've lost £450 deposit but getting the rest refunded.

I have a report from the garage that it was not an issue with low oil but the timing chain had indeed slipped and him starting the car caused the damage.

Where do I stand with taking this further legally?

Thank you in advance for anyone that reads this through as I'm at the end of my tether.

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 10/09/2022 21:09

Does 100m mean 100 metres or 100 miles?

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 21:11

oviraptor21 · 10/09/2022 21:09

Does 100m mean 100 metres or 100 miles?

100 metre - I was on my way home from the shop

OP posts:
AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 21:17

But didn’t you need to sign the form when the RAC made the report? It was digital the last time they were out to me and I signed on an iPad thing. Or did you refuse to sign the report?

AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 21:21

Also you drove the car 100m, you say yourself the car was running rough therefore the engine would have already been damaged before the guy started it. I don’t see how this is the mechanics fault tbh

Wisteriaroundthedoor · 10/09/2022 21:24

So hang on, you driving turning it on and driving it didn’t cause the damage, But him just turning it on did? That’s what you are trying to sell?

SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 21:28

Wisteriaroundthedoor · 10/09/2022 21:24

So hang on, you driving turning it on and driving it didn’t cause the damage, But him just turning it on did? That’s what you are trying to sell?

Exactly. OP knows full-well that it’s near-certain that the damage occurred before. She’s a chancer.

Grimbleton · 10/09/2022 21:31

Assuming you told the call handler it was a suspected timing belt issue then that’s the specific category the call goes down as (timing belt) and they are usually straight tows - it’s what I used to pick if I deliberately wanted to push a job for a tow straight away when I worked as a rac call handler. The fact you waited for 4 hrs means they were cleared rammed that day and timing belt jobs are the type of jobs that get farmed out to a contractor as a tow / not fixable when it’s busy. So the fact it was still a patrol that came out to you and he didn’t whip out his tow dolly before he had even said hello makes me think there’s a bit more to story (if it’s true)

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 21:52

I refused to sign the form as I didn't believe it was oil starvation. Also I called them again and they sent another patrol out who did then tow to the garage. I'm not sure why posters are not believing this happened. It did and is causing all sorts of stress I don't need right now.

Whoever said it was a straight tow is correct - the second patrolman did just that, he confirmed that is protocol for timing chain issues. So why this first guy didn't just hook up and tow me is beyond me. I wasn't actually bothered about the 4 hour wait as I was stuck at home anyway.

OP posts:
AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 21:58

popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 21:52

I refused to sign the form as I didn't believe it was oil starvation. Also I called them again and they sent another patrol out who did then tow to the garage. I'm not sure why posters are not believing this happened. It did and is causing all sorts of stress I don't need right now.

Whoever said it was a straight tow is correct - the second patrolman did just that, he confirmed that is protocol for timing chain issues. So why this first guy didn't just hook up and tow me is beyond me. I wasn't actually bothered about the 4 hour wait as I was stuck at home anyway.

Why did they send a second patrol?

Wisteriaroundthedoor · 10/09/2022 22:01

Grimbleton · 10/09/2022 21:31

Assuming you told the call handler it was a suspected timing belt issue then that’s the specific category the call goes down as (timing belt) and they are usually straight tows - it’s what I used to pick if I deliberately wanted to push a job for a tow straight away when I worked as a rac call handler. The fact you waited for 4 hrs means they were cleared rammed that day and timing belt jobs are the type of jobs that get farmed out to a contractor as a tow / not fixable when it’s busy. So the fact it was still a patrol that came out to you and he didn’t whip out his tow dolly before he had even said hello makes me think there’s a bit more to story (if it’s true)

Indeed.

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:01

I phoned them again and explained what had happened and they sent another patrol!

OP posts:
AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 22:03

Grimbleton · 10/09/2022 21:31

Assuming you told the call handler it was a suspected timing belt issue then that’s the specific category the call goes down as (timing belt) and they are usually straight tows - it’s what I used to pick if I deliberately wanted to push a job for a tow straight away when I worked as a rac call handler. The fact you waited for 4 hrs means they were cleared rammed that day and timing belt jobs are the type of jobs that get farmed out to a contractor as a tow / not fixable when it’s busy. So the fact it was still a patrol that came out to you and he didn’t whip out his tow dolly before he had even said hello makes me think there’s a bit more to story (if it’s true)

According to the OP they’re a level 3 qualified mechanic. You’d have thought (a) they’d have realised there was a timing belt issue and not continued to drive the vehicle and (b) they’d have advised the call handler who, as you say, would have put the call up for a direct tow. I’m baffled as to why 2 patrols attended.

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:04

Hello from the RAC. Based on what you've told us, you may need a repair at a garage. Find out what happens next: rac.co.uk/info/localfix

This is the message they sent me when I'd spoken to them - they knew all details.

OP posts:
AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 22:04

popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:01

I phoned them again and explained what had happened and they sent another patrol!

So, are you are saying is one patrol attended and left you at the side of the road or are you saying you didn’t like the first patrol and they sent a second at your request?

AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 22:07

popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:04

Hello from the RAC. Based on what you've told us, you may need a repair at a garage. Find out what happens next: rac.co.uk/info/localfix

This is the message they sent me when I'd spoken to them - they knew all details.

You still drove the car 100m though, you’re not accepting this. The damage was already caused.

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:08

@AutumnIsUponUs that's exactly what I'm saying - he was adamant it was oil starvation and I disagreed - he said you need to tip the oil up and left!

I phoned them back pretty angry at this point and they sent another patrol.

OP posts:
EssentialGarage · 10/09/2022 22:10

I don't believe this you are talking about timing chain when you mean timing belt.

AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 22:10

popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:08

@AutumnIsUponUs that's exactly what I'm saying - he was adamant it was oil starvation and I disagreed - he said you need to tip the oil up and left!

I phoned them back pretty angry at this point and they sent another patrol.

But you drove the car 100m in the first place, knew there was something wrong and are now blaming the RAC! The damage was already done. I think there’s more to this story tbh. No RAC patrol leaves people stranded at the side of the road for no reason.

Hopeandlove · 10/09/2022 22:11

I’d send the report the full facts eg
I did this
as a level 3 qualified mechanic I phoned you and said this
he turned up at x time
i told him y
he told me about the oil I explained it was on an incline
he started it up against my wishes and consent
he mansplained me
he was use unprofessional and intimidating
I believe he dismissed me in a way he wouldn’t of dismissed a male

I complained you haven’t rectified it so I am giving you 28 days to pay
x to repair the car for the damage caused by you
y for my refund of my trip to lapland
z for my stress and unconvinced - lost of work hours, et

you have 28 days to respond or I will apply to the court for my money to be repaid in full total amount is:

give them 28 days and if they don’t pay
file with the small claims court

easy…

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:12

@AutumnIsUponUs read the post! I was at home when this happened. The car started again then died and death and wouldn't start again. This suggests although the chain had slipped it hadn't actually caused any damage and was repairable - he was told not to start the engine but did!

A Suzuki K10B engine has a timing chain.

OP posts:
SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 22:13

popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:08

@AutumnIsUponUs that's exactly what I'm saying - he was adamant it was oil starvation and I disagreed - he said you need to tip the oil up and left!

I phoned them back pretty angry at this point and they sent another patrol.

You clearly damaged the engine long before they arrived. I understand that maybe this isn’t your area of expertise, but really, driving 100m after the timing chain had jumped would have caused the problem. At 30mph that’s about six seconds. At even 2,000 rpm the engine turned over 200 times with the valves and the pistons out of sync. To allege that no damage happened at that point is ludicrous.

If the timing was far enough out that the valves could hit the pistons then you had each one of them smack into it, at speed, under load, 200 times.

AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 22:13

he was use unprofessional and intimidating

Don’t make things up, the OP has never said he intimidated her, that’s an outrageous, untrue and dangerous complaint to make against anyone.

SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 22:15

popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:12

@AutumnIsUponUs read the post! I was at home when this happened. The car started again then died and death and wouldn't start again. This suggests although the chain had slipped it hadn't actually caused any damage and was repairable - he was told not to start the engine but did!

A Suzuki K10B engine has a timing chain.

And you are genuinely claiming to be a car mechanic?The timing was the same when it started as it was when you stopped. What possible reason can you have to allege that you ran the engine for 200 revolutions with this timing with zero damage but someone else ran it under no load and wrecked it?

AutumnIsUponUs · 10/09/2022 22:15

I believe he dismissed me in a way he wouldn’t of dismissed a male

The OP has also never said she felt this way. Again, untrue, dangerous allegations.

Original poster
popcornfrenzy · 10/09/2022 22:16

@SianNotAMan ok we're taking about a 3 cylinder engine that idles about 950rpm - I literally drive at a snails pace that 100 metres. I have been a mechanic for over 20 years and can strip and rebuild engines with my eyes closed. 100 metres with a chain that's just jumped would not cause catastrophic damage. If I'd been going at 70mph for 100 metres yes it would.

OP posts: