Rookey Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Oh my god, I just got off the phone with my mate who came to Nurburgring with me over the weekend... His car, a very modified Prelude, screwed a driveshaft coming out of Karussel, so we got it back to the hotel and called his European breakdown cover (RAC) to get the car picked up and "repatriated" back to his home address in the UK. All seemed ok to start with, very responsive service and all was good. They then said that it's not just a case of taking it home, they needed to get it to a garage to assess the damage... Sounded ok so he said to go ahead, but with the view just to get it home. He got a call today to say that Honda wanted £1500 to repair 1 broken driveshaft (a £50 part in the UK!), so as the cost of repair was more than the book value of his car (not taking into account the £800 worth of tyres, £3k brembo's, suspension etc) that he had 3 options... 1. Pay the £1500 to be repaired then collect the vehicle at his own expense. 2. Pay £700 for the RAC to repatriate the vehicle to his home address. 3. They scrap it. What a joke! It's just fortunate we have a mate racing at the 24hr Nur race next week with a space in his arctic to bring it back home... Otherwise he'd be a bit screwed! The way it was handled is absolutely appalling, and I for one am definitely not using RAC for European cover again. Just thought I'd spread the word and my disgust! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Well, I can see their point initially. Take Joe Bloggs whose car breaks down, they need to investigate whether its better and cheaper to get it repaired locally rather than ship it home if its a relatively simple fix. I'm not sure as the customer, you have the choice to say "Take me home now" as the first option. Its all a bit harsh though, and having read the T&Cs online, the whole policy doesn't seem up to much really, so many loopholes and extra bits to pay in evvery circumstance. Despite their policy excluding competitive events of any kind, and a trip round the Ring is not one of those, I wonder if they presumed from the hotel location and the type of fault that it was something they wanted to sting the driver for as they begrudged it was a track day but they still had to cover it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 No, this is standard on a lot of European breakdown cover T&C's. If the vehicles value is low enough, they would scrap it in the country where it broke down. On my last trip to Le Mans this was pointed out to me over the phone. I was lucky enough to be in a £25K Audi but there are loads of groups who go every year in a £200 banger and if it breaks down it only costs them £50 to get home, less than the cost on the train. FWIW I agree with the RAC as they must have the urine taken out of them in situations like this. That said, I do feel sorry for anyone who's pride and joy falls below their minimum value for repatriation. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Best thing to do is make a note of some specialists who'll tow you home from Nurburg for a fraction of the price the RAC wanted. Or send the car to a garage that won't take the piss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Sorry, but I can see the RAC's point, they are being used as a cheap race car transporter service, rather than a legitimate "on holiday with the family, broke down on the Champs-Elysees" moment. I was once told by a local living in Little Budworth, the village next to Oulton Park, that they were sick of the noise of cars ostensibly broken down near the pub, being loaded on to recovery vehicles, when really they had croaked having seven bells knocked out of them round Oulton on a track day They also see a few parked hard against trees, the tree unscathed, and the car having Armco paint on it, rather than moss.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4packet Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Am no expert on the T&C's of the RAC cover, but if these breakdown companies aren't prepared to repariate your car (due to value) then why do they charge you the same as for a new car? They generally won't cover you or charge you a fortune to cover a car older than 10 years. Anway, my plan is take out cover with ADAC this year. Full cover in Europe for about E80 and I think they use the AA when required in the UK. The only issue occasionally rumoured is that there is sometimes a limit on the cover offered in the UK. An added benefit is that they are the official wagon at the 'ring which would normally cost you E180 to be retrieved from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookey Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 I do see where you're coming from guys, and can see how their service can be misused... But surely this sort of thing should be addressed upon taking out cover? I mean if someone pays out money and is told that their car can be repatriated from anywhere in Europe, perhaps the RAC should be checking the value of the vehicle too? The fact is, all of these details are in the T&Cs which is fair enough, but if a problem arises that would cost £50 in the UK happens abroad I think that's a fairly tight limit to be able to bring the car back... I think it's just frustrating is all, as I can fully see why the RAC are covering their backs in this sort of situation, but for them to not make this situation clear to people when taking out the policy is taking the p***. We could have got everything sorted ourselves minus the cost of the RAC cover. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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