car woes :( (and an RAC mini rant)

John_P

So tonight the tt stopped working...  looks like a problem with the infamous dsg gearbox computer.

Called the rac - he had a tinker and said it was beyond anything he could sort - fair enough I thought, until he pointed out that the tax disc had expired and couldn't recover it. (my fault - I taxed it online on Friday night and the disc hasn't arrived yet).    He did offer to ring someone who could pick it up for about £100

Luckily it was on minor road going into town so I've left it there til my garage can come and recover it tomorrow - my other half picked me up and we went and posted the key at the garage so they can start adding up the insane repair bill.

Just a good job I wasn't on a motorway in the middle of nowhere.   I can understand the rule about a displayed disc but I still think it's harsh not taking it 1.5 miles to my garage.

That's put a dent in my GAS for the next few months

bertie

isnt that a girls car ?

BenSirAmos

But if you bought the tax disc online before the old disc expired then you have 14 days before you need to display the new disc. 

https://www.gov.uk/tax-disc

So why couldn't they recover you>

Ianpdq

My son in law is an Audi mechanic where are you he is mobile 

John_P

BenSirAmos said:

But if you bought the tax disc online before the old disc expired then you have 14 days before you need to display the new disc. 

https://www.gov.uk/tax-disc

So why couldn't they recover you>

He was adamant that the rac rule is that it must be displayed or they won't take you anywhere.   No offers of bribery or persuasion that it's so close to the garage and late at night worked...    I was ranting til I googled and found loads of people have had the same problem - lesson to make sure the disc is ordered in plenty of time.

Ianpdq said:

My son in law is an Audi mechanic where are you he is mobile 

I'm near Hull  - thanks

Ianpdq

Sorry too far away he is in Bristol

John_P

Ianpdq said:

Sorry too far away he is in Bristol

Just a bit - but thanks for the thought, I appreciate it.

ESBlonde

I had the RAC attend another puncture Sunday (see elsewhere for a rant about cars with no spare). Despite coming to the 10th hour of his 12 hour shift on the eighth consecutive days work, he was pleasant and did his best to get me in limp home mode rather than wait a further 90 mins for a lift up tow truck. He did a running repair that was never going to last and then followed me home. Damn fine fellow he deserved the cup of coffee he got at the end of it.

And it's such a fetching shade of Orange too!

Panama_Jack666

John_P said:

So tonight the tt stopped working...  looks like a problem with the infamous dsg gearbox computer.

Called the rac - he had a tinker and said it was beyond anything he could sort - fair enough I thought, until he pointed out that the tax disc had expired and couldn't recover it. (my fault - I taxed it online on Friday night and the disc hasn't arrived yet).    He did offer to ring someone who could pick it up for about £100

Luckily it was on minor road going into town so I've left it there til my garage can come and recover it tomorrow - my other half picked me up and we went and posted the key at the garage so they can start adding up the insane repair bill.

Just a good job I wasn't on a motorway in the middle of nowhere.   I can understand the rule about a displayed disc but I still think it's harsh not taking it 1.5 miles to my garage.

That's put a dent in my GAS for the next few months

I think it's appalling they wouldn't help you when your car was legally taxed. I'd be cancelling my cover with them if I was in your position - their reasoning is shite.

EDIT - also, it may be a girls car but it's a bloody nice one! Always liked TT's!

bertie

does lack of (proof of) tax not nullify any insurance ?  (or is that just MOT ?)

I know when I do mrs berts,  on-line  you can get a 'covering letter/email

ICBM

The law still requires the tax disc to be displayed when a car is on the road even if the car is legally taxed - I don't really see why it needs to be either now everything is stored on computer at the DVLA, but it does. The RAC are only following the law. Harsh perhaps, but I can see why they won't bend the rules.

They have never been anything other than helpful above and beyond the minimum requirement, for me.

John_P

Well now the car has made it to the garage and they've sent the mechatronic gearbox computer away for repairs I'm less stressed (and ignoring the size of the bill).

I did offer to show the RAC chap the conifrmation email but his line was very straight - no disc, no tow.     I've had really helpful ones in the past - like ESBlonde I don't have a spare wheel and when I had a blow the rac chap took me and my wheel to a garage to have a tyre fitted.  I don't blame the mechanic for sticking to the rule (however much I wished he would bend it) I just think it's a harsh rule.   I really don't understand why if they load my car onto a transporter why the fuss about a tax disc - I'm just glad I was in town and it wasn't shmbo out on the motorway.

dchwhite

Sorry to hear it didn't go well with the RAC, but it's not a reason they'll be able to give as of October next year, as the government has said tax discs are are to be replaced with an electronic system then.

bertie

John_P said:

.   I really don't understand why if they load my car onto a transporter why the fuss about a tax disc -

probably to do with insurance and legal red tape etc etc.

chillidoggy

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/autumn-statement-2013-tax-discs-073429932.html

Panama_Jack666

bertie said:

John_P said:

.   I really don't understand why if they load my car onto a transporter why the fuss about a tax disc -

probably to do with insurance and legal red tape etc etc.

If the car has no gearbox, technically it's MOT is invalid so car tax is relatively minor in comparison.

Agree with what your saying about red tape e.t.c. e.t.c.

It's a balls rule though if the owner can prove it's taxed and the only reason they don't have the disc on display is because they haven't received it yet.

bertie

it could be that the RAC will only 'transport'  vehicles that comply with a strict set of criteria because the company that insures the RAC rec trucks will only insure them ( against damage to a customers vehicle) IF that vehicle complies with a strict set of criteria

ie if mr RAC man tows your car to safety, and it then has an accident that damages YOUR car -  the RAC is only covered  (by its insruance co.) IF your car  complies with the insuring companies rules, so its in RAC's best interests to strictly enforce these "rules"

and breath  

Fusionista

Maybe it's in the stars.  Last week my 335i (BMW E92 for the pistonheads) started missing.  A week later (having checked coils, engine management, fuel pressure etc) it turns out an injector is faulty. But wait, you cannot change just one, you have to change ALL 6,  @ £170 + VAT each.  Including labour, no change from £2k then.  Yet a tiny bit of digging shows that BMW have had 'design' problems with these injectors since they were introduced (in the 2007 'Engine of the Year'). Will they admit it ?  Guess.

John_P

Ouch. That's does sound a bit like the dsg saga with Audi. I can't help but think back to owning cars I could fix myself.

Bogwhoppit

I had a brand new car which developed a fuel pump fault a few weeks into ownership, the RAC were asked to recover the car back to the dealer for a replacement fuel pump. Mr RAC man turns up insisting he knew best and would repair the car - in short, he used an 1/2 drive ratchet to remove eight 6mm bolts that held the fuel pump in. When he realised the pump was U/S and understood the dealers instruction, the dickhead used the same ratchet to tighten said 6mm nuts stripping the threads in the process . So now the car requires a new fuel tank as well.

My dealer came down the following day collected the car and had it ready for me in under four hours. Since that day, I wouldn't touch an RAC mechanic with a Winnie the Poo shit stick. I don't know what the outcome was between the dealer and the RAC, but it was inferred the RAC would receive a large bill and a request that the idiot they sent out be sent on a basic mechanics course.