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Lara Fox

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Review of the RAC, Breakdown cover:
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My experience with RAC was incredibly frustrating fr...

1
My experience with RAC was incredibly frustrating from start to finish. On 29 April, an engine warning light appeared and the engine began rattling and running unevenly. An RAC mobile mechanic attended and advised that the vehicle was still safe to drive. I booked a service for 1 May, during which the warning light was cleared, but it returned during a journey to Nottingham later that day. On 3 May, a drivetrain warning light appeared and the vehicle entered limp mode. A second mechanic attended on 4 May and identified nine fault codes relating to the VANOS solenoid. Recovery was arranged for the following morning. This is where the real problems started. Recovery was booked for between 07:30 and 08:00 on 5 May, but nobody arrived. Throughout the day I was given multiple revised ETAs, promised callbacks that never happened, and no clear explanation as to why the recovery kept being delayed. By the evening I was told a third-party contractor would attend the following day. The next morning, a tow truck arrived unexpectedly at around 7am with no prior notification. As I was asleep, the driver left and I was told I would have to rebook. After rebooking, I was given another collection time, only to discover later that the recovery had been cancelled without anyone informing me. Again, nobody could explain why. After two days of chasing updates, waiting at home, and repeatedly contacting RAC for information, the vehicle was finally collected at 4:53pm on 6 May. Even the recovery driver questioned why the vehicle was being taken into storage rather than directly home and described the process as "lazy". I am also concerned about the advice I received from the first RAC mechanic. When the engine warning light first appeared and the vehicle was running poorly, I was advised that it remained safe to drive. A few days later, after the vehicle entered limp mode, a second mechanic identified nine faults relating to the VANOS solenoid and recovery was arranged. The vehicle has since required repairs costing approximately £5,500. While I cannot say with certainty whether earlier diagnosis or recovery would have altered the outcome, it is difficult not to question whether the advice that the vehicle was safe to continue driving contributed to the situation becoming significantly worse. What disappointed me most was RAC's response to my complaint. After detailing the delays, missed appointments, poor communication, financial losses, and concerns about the initial advice I was given, the complaint was largely dismissed. RAC refused to reimburse even basic expenses such as meals purchased while I was effectively stranded waiting for recovery over two days. I appreciate that delays can happen, but the repeated missed ETAs, lack of communication, unexplained cancellation of recovery, and dismissive handling of my complaint fell far below the standard of service I expected. Based on this experience, I would have serious reservations about relying on RAC in the future. Reviewed on: 25th June 2026

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