Help!!!!

my sons car has suffered total brake failiure, he is a member of the AA, called them out and they have sent another company to recover the car, who have said that because its so low to the ground he will have to pay £250 to get it bought home???

Surely his all singing all dancing membership should cover that?

 

surely you need to call aa, not post question up , think there just trying it on they carnt have an agreement with the aa like that surely

 

I have phoned them, and they are looking into it, was just wondering if anyone knew if they had the right to do this, so i have some kind of idea if i have a case or need to pay, all i want to do is get him home atm

 

sounds like this aa contact recovery firm to recover your son , said firm tell aa your son wasnt there, tell him its gonna be £250 extra he pays them they get nominal fee from aa for turning out, wouldnt think they can do that thats the whole point ov haveing the cover in the first place

 

thats my thoughts exactly, they didnt even look at the car, just got out of his truck and said, whats up with it, Lee said, something to do with the brakes, the bloke said you need a demountable flatbed mate, £250 to get you home....

I just think its dodgy

 

dodgy is the understatement ov the year, only problem can see arising is if your son agrees to the £250 then its out ov the aa's hands effectively, hope you get it sorted can you let me no how you get on would be interested to see how it pans out

 

had one of these recovery dudes come out the first time I ever called the AA when I had a metro.

The bloke wanted to break my locking wheel nuts cuz he couldn't get them off

 

I have told him under no circumstances to pay the money, I am just waiting for a manager to phone me, cos the poor lad from the AA who answered the phone really didnt have a clue.

what is the point of me paying for the whole family to have the all singing all dancing membership though if firstly they arent even going to look at the fault...and secondly then charge to get us home? This is only the second time we have called them out in 5 years so it cant exactly be because we use the service to much.

 

metro? locking wheel nuts?? but bet you knew the recovery guys on a first name basis with a metro please say it was your first car to try and redeem yourself

 

Im not sure if its the same with the RAC but with their full membership it was no cost at all to get a flat bed out. I had a double tyre blowout and told them the car was lowered, they got a flatbed out straight away and didn't even mention any extra cost....

 

They have said that because the car is so low and has a bodykiit on it they need a demountable flatbed....I havent a clue what one of those is though.

The manager is just trying to sort it out for me now but i cant see how they cam charge me

 

Its just the type of recovery truck they send out. The ramp demounts from the back of the truck and lies flat on the road, so rather than driving up the truck at an angle the car can drive onto the ramp flat on the floor, which will then lift back up onto the back of the truck.

 

of course it was my first car.

What else was I supposed to drive as a student back in the day?

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

General exclusions from service

1. AA service and/or cover does not include the following:

1. vehicle servicing or re-assembly, eg where this is required as a result of neglect or unsuccessful work on the vehicle other than on the part of the AA or its agents;
2. the cost of garage or other labour required to repair Your Vehicle, other than that provided by the AA or it's agents at the scene of the breakdown or accident;
3. any costs of draining or removing fuel, lubricants or other fluids as a result of the introduction of an inappropriate substance. We will arrange for your vehicle to be taken to a local garage or another appropriate location but you will have to pay for any work carried out;
4. any additional charges resulting from Your failure to carry a legal and serviceable spare wheel(s) or tyre(s), except where this is not provided as manufacturers standard equipment. The AA will endeavour to arrange on your behalf, but will not pay for, assistance from a third party;
5. having Your Vehicle stored or guarded in Your absence;
6. the provision of service when Your Vehicle is on private property e.g. garage premises, unless You can establish that You have the permission of the owner or occupier;
7. the provision of service to any persons in excess of the number of seats fitted in the vehicle at the time of breakdown, or to anyone who was not travelling in the relevant vehicle at the time of the breakdown. If there are more people than the maximum allowed, the AA will seek to arrange, but will not pay for, their onward transportation;
8. any ferry, toll or congestion charges incurred as a result of the vehicle being recovered;
9. the recovery of any vehicles bearing trade plates or which the AA has reason to believe have just been imported or purchased at auction;
10. the transportation of immobilised vehicles where the AA considers this to be part of a commercial activity, for example, to, from or for motor dealers or delivery companies;
11. the cost (including any call out charge) of any locksmith, body-glass or tyre specialist, should the AA consider this to be required. The AA will endeavour to arrange this help on Your behalf, however it will not pay for these specialist services and any contract for services provided will be between You and the relevant specialist. If, in the AA's reasonable opinion, Your Vehicle requires recovery to such a specialist to be mobilised and, to effect that recovery, specialist lifting equipment not normally carried by AA patrols is required, the AA will arrange the recovery but at Your cost. If use of a locksmith or other specialist would, in the AA's opinion, mobilise the vehicle, no further service will be available for the breakdown in question;
12. the cost of any specialist lifting equipment (not normally carried by AA patrols), if this is, in the view of the AA, required to provide assistance e.g. when a vehicle has left the highway, is standing on soft ground or is stuck in snow. In these instances, the AA will arrange recovery but at Your cost. Once the vehicle has been recovered to a suitable location, normal AA service will be provided;
13. the transportation or arrangement of the transportation of any animal. If the AA or its agents agree to transport an animal, then this will be at Your own risk. It is Your responsibility to secure any animal being transported or to make alternative arrangements for its transportation;
14. in the event that You require vehicle recovery following an accident, the AA can, if You require, provide this for You but will not be responsible for meeting the costs involved. If the AA does agree to provide recovery in these circumstances You will be responsible for, and required to pay, the AA's charges for this service (including, but not limited to, any charges relating to any specialist equipment used). In the event that, following an accident, You require one of the additional services available under Relay Plus (and You have the relevant cover), the AA can arrange this for You but will not be responsible for any costs involved. You will, therefore, be required to pay on request any applicable charges. In regard to all matters referred to in this clause, You must give the AA, on request, any relevant information it reasonably requests. Please note that, following a road traffic accident, or otherwise, it is and remains Your responsibility to ensure that You properly comply with any requirements of Your motor insurer in making a claim under Your motor insurance policy;
15. service for vehicles broken down as a result of taking part in any 'Motor Sport Event', including, without limitation, racing, rallying, trials or time-trials or auto test. However, for the avoidance of doubt, the AA does not consider 'Concours d'elegance' events, track test days for road-legal vehicles or rallies held exclusively on open public highways where participants are required to comply with the normal rules of the road, to be Motor Sports Events.

General rights to refuse service

Please note: if a Member is refused service by the AA the Member has the right to an explanation in writing (see 'Compliments and complaints' for Member Care contact details).
2. The AA reserves the right to refuse to provide or arrange breakdown assistance where:

1. service is requested to deal with the same or similar cause of breakdown to that which we attended within the preceding 28 days. It is Your responsibility to make sure that emergency repairs carried out by the AA are, where appropriate, followed as soon as possible by a permanent repair. Nothing in this provision shall affect any rights You may have in relation to any negligence or breach of contract or breach of any other legal duty on the part of the AA or its agents;
2. You are not with Your Vehicle at the time of the breakdown and You are unable to be present at the time assistance arrives;
3. in its reasonable opinion, Your Vehicle was, immediately before breakdown, dangerous, overladen or unroadworthy;
4. in its reasonable opinion, due to the circumstances surrounding the breakdown or accident, the giving of service would involve any breach of the law;
5. in its reasonable opinion, there has been an unreasonable delay in reporting the breakdown;
6. You cannot produce a valid Membership card (or appropriate receipt) and some other form of identification. If these cannot be produced, and the AA is unable to verify that the appropriate Membership entitlement is held, the AA reserves the right to refuse service, or may, at its discretion, offer service on the immediate payment of a 'security payment'. In these circumstances:
   1. any sum required ('security payment') will consist of the full relevant Membership subscription and an additional surcharge, which will be notified to You at the time, payable by credit, debit or Switch card in advance of any service being given;
   2. any security payment made will be refunded in its entirety, provided the Member can establish to our reasonable satisfaction that they were a Member at the time of the breakdown, with the relevant level of cover;
   3. without prejudice to Your statutory rights, no refunds will be given if Membership entitlement cannot be proved, or simply because Your Vehicle cannot be fixed at the roadside;
   4. if You require a replacement vehicle or any other service under Relay Plus entitlement, this must be agreed with us in advance and paid for by You. Any costs incurred which would normally be paid in full or by the AA as part of the Member's Relay Plus entitlement will be refunded if it is established to our reasonable satisfaction that You had effective Relay Plus cover at the time of the incident in question.
7. the AA reasonably considers that You:
   1. or anyone accompanying You, is behaving or has behaved in a threatening or abusive manner to AA employees, patrols or agents, or to any third party contractor; or
   2. have falsely represented that You are entitled to services that You are not entitled to; or
   3. have assisted another person in accessing AA services to which they are not entitled; or
   4. owe the AA money with respect to any services, spare parts or other matters provided by the AA or by a third party on the AA's instruction

 

i had a problem a few years back with my v.low fiat coupe 20vt , it needed a flatbed , and i didn,t get charged any extra to get the car taken directly to the garage !

 

Yes does sound dodgy... I don't believe they can charge you! So... what happened???

 

My mate had a lowered car, very low infact, and when he joined the AA he told them this, and that it would not go onto a normal transporter in the event of a breakdown ...

What they told him was if he ever needed recovery he would have to explain this over the phone and they would send out a suitable truck ...

He did eventually have too use their service after blowing a radiator hose, he explained over the phone that his car was lowered etc and they sent out a demountable flatbed truck at NO extra cost ...

Maybe you have to inform them when you first take out the brake down cover ...

Hope you get it sorted ...

 

I had an AA membership for 5 years,first time I required their service for a flat tyre on my mates Impreza(wheel was stuck on car due to knackered locker)they refused to recover the car as it didn't have a spare wheel and was apparently not covered as the car wasn't road legal. They quite happily drove away and left us stuck there !!

Phoned them next day to complain and was told that they should have at least taken the car home for me

Needless to say I cancelled my membership with them immediately.£100 a year for 5 years and the first time I need them thats the best service they can provide !

 

Eventually the AA agreed to pay the money, so after the initial call out at midnight he was finally recovered at 4am....the service was appaling and i have already made a complaint this morning just need to put it in writing now

 

They need to fit a dolly to both axles. It should take about 20 minutes tops and any decent recovery vehicle will have them as part of its kit. It is definately what you have already paid for...

 

I've never had a problem getting a flatbed out when it was needed. Nor have I ever had them say that they wouldn't take me home if I had a flat, just because I didn't carry a spare. That's bull****. It happened to a mate of mine, and he told them, correctly, that is is unroadworthy if you carry an underinflated or unuseable spare tyre, but not to simply not have one at all. And they had to recover him home. Many modern cars do without a spare, and just have a can of foam instead.

It's incredible the amount of bull**** that is talked about the MOT /roadworthiness regs.

 

Nothing to do with Ice Maiden's car BUT,Surely if it was a Scoob they would have to either put it on a flatbed or tow it with all 4 wheels down due to the AWD system.
i am sure someone got a knackered car after the tried to tow it on rear wheels, oouch.

Mac

 

I tried telling them that the car was mot'd without a spare and passed and they just tried telling me that wasn't possible.

I also explained that it wouldn't make a difference if there was a spare or not as the wheel was stuck on the car due to the locker,all I wanted was the car recovered but they refused.

They did apoligise for this and told me that it shouldn't have happened but it was a bit late for that !

 

And thats why I went to RAC

They sent a 2 post lift out to my escort cossie when I stuffed it into a kerb. The guy didn't even get out, he juset said "thats not going on here is it" He called and said it had to be a flat bed (like I told them in the 1st place)

Cut a long story short, they got it right after the 3rd try and nearly 5 hours later.

I crashed at 11pm and got home at 4am. And I was only 3 miles from home

 

blimey, is this in english?

 

So the pertinent question is whether they required specialist lifting equipment? If the AA have no demountable flatbeds, then the answer is yes. It should also flag a warning up to anyone with a seriously lowered car that their AA membership might be worthless when they really need it.

 

The dollys will be found in the lockers of all 7.5 tonne flatbed recovery lorries. There is absolutely no way that this qualifies as specialist lifting equipment.