written by lvRoss1990 on 07/03/2024
My car broke down and they quoted 8 hours+ to arrive. After 2 hours the police arrived and towed it - saying it could not stay at the side of a busy road for 8 hours. The next day the RAC could not commit to attending my car. On the next day at 7AM i called and they confirmed they would arrive at 8.51AM. I drove 60 miles to be there - as they wont do any checks unless the driver is present. They then cancelled. A nightmare
written by kimberleyswright on 22/02/2024
DO NOT USE RAC - especially for Motorhome/ Caravan cover. We broke down 8 hours from home, vehicle wouldn't start. RAC towed us to a local garage, within 2 days the garage said they couldn't help, it needs to be towed to a Nissan specialist. We called RAC to get it towed to our home by a Nissan specialist, they said that while the car was in the garage they towed it to, it's MOT ran out (two days ago) and they cant tow a car without MOT. We can't get an MOT as the car wont start. We can't get RAC to tow as they wont without MOT. So our £26k car and motorhome (our second home) has been stranded 8 hours from home for 5 months. We're completely stuffed as we cant afford a tow. It's literally created a critical circumstance for our life and the complaints department don't care.
written by Jayt100 on 17/02/2024
I just received my complimentary 1 year breakdown cover for my triumph motorcycle and there is nowhere online as suggested to do this, is this a problem with the RAC or Triumph or both, if they can’t make it as easy as the letter suggests then don’t bother.
written by MelanieMee on 13/02/2024
Rang the RAC at 12 oclock no body bothered to turn up despite being promised 4 to 5 hours rang at 5.30 will be 1 to 2 more hours at 10.30pm told it will be around 9am the next day WHAT A JOKE! DONT HAVE FULL COVERPaying over 300 pounds per year as they wont bother to turn up and wont let you know until 10.30 hours later that actually it will be 21 hours after your first breakdown call. ABSOLUTELY APPALLING!!
written by ColtenAbbott on 07/02/2024
Complete waste of time and money! At the beginning of December, we had an extremely cold snap in the south east. It was literally freezing. My car broke down at 10:30am. I reported my breakdown at 12pm and was told I would be rescued before 4pm. Just to add, I am diabetic. I had no food, water or medication with me as I had simply popped out to run an errand. I told the RAC this and was told that I was a medical priority and they would get someone to me ASAP. Long story short, by 10:30pm I decided to defer my rescue for the following morning. Told to be with my car by 8am and someone would be with me very soon after. 9:30am a mechanic finally arrived. He was lovely, followed me to a local garage and dropped me home with the contact number for onward travel. I made 4 different phone calls to 3 different departments trying to get them to honour my 3 day car hire. They gave me one day car hire and a £50 cheque for my delayed wait... I didn't want the £50, I wanted the hire car! After more phone calls and many tears, they finally agreed to the hire car my policy included! The absolute worst experience I've ever had. I have been posting on Facebook about their poor service and now they are threatening me! What a wonderful company ????
written by Moser459 on 25/01/2024
I broke down on the M1 going south at Junction 29 shortly before 15.00 hrs on a bitterly cold Wednesday 24th January and reported the situation from SOS bay 4303B and explained that I was a member of the RAC via Barclays and my car was non-driveable. They told me to report the breakdown directly to the RAC. The noise of the motorway traffic made it virtually impossible to hear but I was told by an automated answering service that I had to complete an online app and fill out all my details; it would take about an hour to pick me up and that I should stay near my car and wait. I waited over an hour and nothing happened. I was then texted to say that the recovery would be in the region of 2 hours. The phone call to the RAC was handled so very poorly; dimissive, impersonal and abrupt and obviously could not care less. Out of desperation and with no one showing any interest I resorted to phoning 999 from my phone and they arranged for a highway patrol vehicle to come out. As my phone charge was getting low the patrol driver suggested that she would take me to the nearest service station which she thought was called Markham Vale and I could get coffee, warm up, and charge my phone. When we arrived the RAC phoned to say that the breakdown vehicle would be with me in 30 minutes so she drove me the 15 minutes back to my car and said that the maximum time allowed at these SOS laybys was 2 hours. Meanwhile, my wife was trying to speak to the RAC from my home near Reading, and was given so many brush-offs with questions like is the car used for business or pleasure I ended up making 60 calls to the RAC and associated parties and I was advised to try and take my car off the motorway to a safe layby and then let the RAC know where it was, which I did. I rang them 3 times to say I was still waiting and when I asked them if they knew where my car was they said that they thought it was still on the motorway. The RAC eventually outsourced the recovery to a third party who arrived and took me to the Premier Inn in Alfreton where there would be a taxi to take me to Chesterfield where I would either get a train or taxi the next day to my home.; there is no Premier Inn in Alfreton and when I arrived with the transporter driver he suggested I try the Days Inn and to confirm it with the taxi driver who was going to pick me up. The taxi driver eventually found me and agreed to take me home which is about a 3-hour drive and a `£250 fare. I got home at midnight having broken down at 3 pm; 9 hours is not good by any standards but is compounded by the appalling attitude and manner of some of the call-handling staff; not one word of sympathy. Reading the many 1-star reviews they are an exact mirror of the terrible experience I received. Finally this morning, I got a text message saying that they are very busy but one of their drivers would be there to help me as soon as possible and I would have to pay for further tows if the garage was closed; that was timed at midnight by which time I had just arrived home. Meaningless words from a meaningless organization and no one had any idea what was going on. Difficult to think of The RAC as a "Club" I would be interested to see the reply to this complaint so I can decide what I should do next.
written by GeorgeabandonedbyRAC on 23/01/2024
RAC left us broken down for thirteen hours on a garage exit On the A1 , 8th January 2024 one of the coldest nights I’ve ever experienced, Sent an empty recovery vehicle after four hours , but just to asses the situation , he was ‘over his hours’ so refused to recover us and we waited another nine hours in the freezing cold , Myself my partner and our small dog were totally abandoned by this so called service , Eventually a third party recovery arrived and told us we were not a priorty as we were near a garage !!!! Shocking .
written by Crai on 11/01/2024
Rac are a waste of money they are unreliable having left me with a broken down vehicle forv28 hours! With sod all communiation and NONE of the regular text upsates they claim to issue...
written by Briai4 on 11/01/2024
SHould have left them a couple of years ago when they left me a single woman by the motorway for more than 7 hours in summer heat. Definitely going elsewhere after today: waited more than 12 hours today for them to respond to my husband's van which broke down and blocked our back lane at 07.30 this morning ... so rubbish! Been saying all day that they will be here in a couple of hours. SO angry!
written by Melphil on 30/12/2023
I waited 24hrs to be recovered but after many phone calls to them I decided to cancel it and arrange another recovery company. Total disgrace just kept pushing the time back and even had a patrol drive past me. They did offer a hotel but I declined.
written by DeclanDaly on 27/12/2023
6 hr wait today 5hr wait in November Will be cancelling Been customer 5 years
written by jrcexpress on 20/12/2023
Truck broke down on Tuesday afternoon 19/12/2023 at 16:30. The driver is still stranded over 28 hours later and they are now saying the recovery will be Thursday morning, absolutely ridiculous, take your money then don't want to know - DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!
written by hkMatthews397 on 18/12/2023
Broke down 5 o clock this morning still waiting ETA 11.45 what a joke reading reviews there bad for it join the AA this company is not fit for purpose
written by 161Duncan on 10/12/2023
Disgusting company left my daughter to wait for hours at roadside then phomed and said they werent coming.RAC happy to take payments for a Year to do absolutely nothing.No Regards for anyones life!!!
written by 200Abbott on 08/12/2023
Left me stranded twice now. In freezing cold conditions. 1st time on motorway DANGEROUS CONDITION in the freezing cold. 8&half HR wait. Even the traffic patrol cars felt sorry and let us sit in their car to warm up and gave foil blankets. 2nd time left me stranded again 1hr from home freezing cold conditions. I have onward travel. Makes no use. Unless their patrol car comes out 1st. Said could be 6 hrs and after call back several times. They tell me not likely gonna happen today. The manager says everytime no help can be provided u til patrol car comes. BUT NO PATROL CAR IS COMING Unbelievable they can do this to people!! Stay away and stay alive. Even their own patrol cars have said. Someone will have to die before they do something
written by on 03/12/2023
Disgusting level of service. Contacted rac at 0831 hrs, was given an ETA if up to 1135 hrs. Was called twice to ask if I could weight until tomorrow. I explained that is not an option and was told they would get an RAC Patrol or a contractor to me asap. At 18:35 hours I am given a new ETA update of up to 23:35 hours. An absolute disgrace, there are plenty of local contractors who could assist but the RAC will not use them because they have to spend money. Profit before people and never mind the customers, they do not a matter.
written by wgPrater214 on 30/11/2023
I phoned at 1500 because I'm car broke down whilst picking up my children from school. I phoned and was told as I have three very young children in the car I would be a priority. An hour waiting in minus 2 I managed to get a friend come and take the children home whilst I waited. Two hours later I was still waiting with no contact from RAC my friend came and picked me up so I could go and do dinner for children. I got home where I had internet and the online waiting time went up to 2200. This was a full 6 hrs after I rang. So how was this an emergency time from them. Lucky for my friend or I don't know what I would of done. It got to nine at night and still no contact, I got someone to tow it home with me sonat least it was at my house. Very dangerous with no engine but options were limited. We got it home and I phoned RAC again. They said it'll be tomorrow now,early morning. I'm sitting here now writing this with still no contact. It's been a full 22 hrs of waiting for them to help me. I would of died in the car if I was left waiting. STAY AWAY! I wil never use these again and will cancel my membership today. Pay ore and go AA.
written by mnKeating378 on 28/10/2023
I can’t even begin to say how awful RAC are, they have no respect for their customers or people well being. My car broke down on a rural road Thursday afternoon and I rang for recovery and they sent texts out with time slots etc, I was only about 2 mins from home and had my youngest son with me who was tierd, hungry and cold. So my husband took us home and I left the car in a slight ditch, at this point my car wouldn’t even turn over. I kept getting text updates with different times and by the time my last time slot ran out I still heard nothing so I rang and apparently someone came out took pictures and left, no call or anything to say they were there. So they gave me another dozen time slots all night and I stayed with my car then and still a no show. By midnight I was freezing, I called and a lady answered and I was shivering, hearing my teeth clattering with the cold and crying done the phone and she only said it will be another 5 hours, she did not care how much of a state i was in. So I walked home. By morning still no luck with them, our car wasn’t recovered until nearly 24 hours later!!! I wouldn’t treat my dog like the way we were treated, it’s totally inhumane they way they treat people! I don’t recommend this company to anyone, the only way we got recovered were by a self employed company who could tow our car back to Shrewsbury. The last two days have been hell and so stressful as a family!
written by on 10/10/2023
See below for text of the long and detailed complaint email I sent. This was then completely ignored for 2 months. I have now lodged a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman instead, as the RAC clearly don't give a **** about their customers. Hello I'd like to raise a serious complaint regarding your abysmal levels of service. I understand that this may already have been reported to a relevant company director via your own staff internal procedures, so you may wish to check with the relevant director or forward this email on to them for comment before replying. I only joined the RAC recently, after many years with the AA. Unfortunately, I had to make an early callout on Sunday (13/08/23) after a breakdown in Lanarkshire, somewhere south of Moffat on the A74M. (I was returning from a family get-together in Forfar, to my home in Chesterfield.) The initial call-out took place shortly before 11:00. Your operative arrived around 12:00, was professional, polite and helpful, and diagnosed that my car was no longer safe to drive, or able to proceed, and required towing for the remainder of the journey. I have no complaint at all about this member of staff or their behaviour, although the same cannot be said about your call centre staff, one of who simply hung up on me when I asked him to speak up due to traffic noise. (Suspected car fault: broken rear axle or differential.) He stated that I would be registered as a high-priority call-out for towing, due to being on the hard shoulder of the motorway, so should be picked up relatively quickly. Shortly after he left, I noticed that I had received a text on my phone while talking with him. This stated that I could expect a tow truck at approx. 17:30. [Q1] I found this both disturbing and alarming - if a high-priority motorway callout takes 5.5 hours response time, what is your response time on quiet back streets? I understand that in England, National Highways would have towed me off themselves as a risk to traffic well before this point, and charged me personally for doing so. As matters turned out, you sent out a local sub-contractor instead, who arrived at approx. 15:00 (I didn't check the exact time.) Again, I have no complaint about the individual concerned. They took me to Tebay Services, south of Penrith, where I was to be collected by another truck, as part of what I understand you operate as a "relay" system. Despite being dropped off/unloaded at approx. 16:45, my next truck was not due until 20:45. [Q2] This seemed like appalling planning - surely if you expect me to be dropped off at (say) 17:00, you should already have arranged for another truck for the next stage, rather than treating me as a completely fresh case and putting me to the back of the queue again? 20:45 came and went - no updates, no sign of a truck. I phoned in yet again, to ask where the truck was and what was happening. [Q3] I was given a revised time of 22:30, with a vague and unhelpful excuse that the relevant (sub-contractor) driver had apparently been on their last call of the shift, and had therefore not been able to attend. 22:30 also came and went; again, no text updates, no contact at all. After phoning in again, I was promised that a replacement driver/truck was being assigned and would be with me around 23:30 or so. Thankfully, this time the driver did eventually arrive, although they would only be taking me as far as Lancaster Services, about 45 minutes or so further towards my destination. [Q4] I was unloaded at Lancaster by 00:45. My next relay pickup was texted as being at 05:15. [Q5] Again, how come you can't organise relays to mesh with each other? It's not as if you would be experiencing peak callout volume during the small hours of the morning. In reality, this target time yet again came and went, with no updates or communication at all from your team. I called in to complain at 06:15, and asked for a call-back, as by now my phone was running low on credit. I received no call-back, until at 07:10, just as I was about to phone in and complain again, I received a text (rather than a call) stating that I was once again being assigned to a subcontractor [Macadam.] It appeared clear to me that my case had simply been ignored up until that point, and not assigned to anyone at all either internally or via subcontractor until my phone call to complain. [Q6] Macadam phoned me directly shortly afterwards, and apologised that the first driver they could send me was currently in Blackpool, and had an estimated arrival of 09:30. In fact, he arrived slightly ahead of schedule at approx. 09:00, so only 8.25 hours after my arrival. Again, the individual driver was professional, helpful and friendly - I have no complaint about them or Macadam. Macadam dropped me off at Lymm Services. On this occasion, the relay system had been properly organised. There was an RAC operative who, rather than just turn up within a reasonable timescale, was in fact already waiting for me on arrival, and had phoned beforehand to ensure a smooth handover. This - to my mind at least - demonstrates that operating a proper relay system is perfectly feasible, and within the capabilities of your company. [Q7] Unfortunately, the (internal RAC) driver waiting only had a towing dolly on a van, rather than a proper tow-truck. Due to the nature of the breakdown (possible broken axle) he was unable to load my vehicle. He was however extremely helpful (again, professional, helpful and polite, no complaints whatsoever about the individual, just praise in this instance) and arranged with the office for an immediate transfer of a proper (internal RAC) tow-truck to take me forwards. This arrived very shortly, and took me on to my destination. Again, professional, helpful and polite, no complaints whatsoever about the individual driver, very happy with their assistance. I arrived at my final destination at 14:30, 27.5 hours after the original callout. [Q0] So, my questions that I would appreciate answers to are as follows: [Q0] Do you regard it as acceptable that a journey that would have taken me around 4 to 4.5 hours if I hadn't broken down, takes 27.5 hours relying on your company? Is this standard for your level of "service" provision? [Q1] Do the RAC regard 5.5 hours for a priority motorway hard-shoulder callout as acceptable ? Again, is this standard for your level of "service" provision? What sort of SLAs do you operate to in terms of anticipated response times? [Q2] If you choose to operate a "relay" system, why are you apparently incapable of operating it in an efficient manner, with minimal waiting times between drop-off and next towing stage? [Q3] Your text messages state that you will keep the customer informed and updated on the progress of their case. This does not happen in practice - your texts are a series of lies. Why do this? Customers (like me) will accept that delays happen, we do not accept being lied to. (Similarly, your recorded message about how breakdowns can be stressful but you do not accept abuse towards staff, try not lying to us, it's that behaviour that produces abuse!) [Q4] What was the point of this mini-transfer? Did I really need to wait approx. 8 hours either side of an approx. 45 minute relay - could one of the other drivers really not have extended their leg of their journey to avoid this? [Q5] At no point throughout any of my long recovery process did anyone mention or offer the option of either a courtesy vehicle so that I could return home and have my vehicle dropped off as/when you could get it to my destination, or overnight accommodation. I understand that your company does offer either/both of these when appropriate. What constitutes an appropriate case, and why was I not offered either of these options, or anything else to alleviate the endless waiting times? [Q6] How was this non-assignment allowed to happen? Does your control room system not have any kind of "flagging" process to indicate when calls are overdue etc? How can a call remain unassigned for so long? I would suggest that whoever is responsible should be visiting their local Job Centre very soon, as they are clearly incapable of controlling operational processes. [Q7] This refers back to Q2 - if you can organise proper handovers in a relay system, why does this only happen in some cases, while others leave 8-hour gaps between relay legs? I suspect that you would like to retain my business as a customer (businesses don't survive when they don't retain their customer base.) Apart from wishing to obtain answers to the questions above I would also like to ask the following: are you prepared to offer me some form of minor compensation for the abysmal service I have received on this occasion? Apart from the (approx.) £10 spent on food while stranded in service stations, plus the (approx.) £15 spent on repeated phone calls to chase up why I had been ignored and forgotten about, I have also lost a day's wages due to being stranded well beyond what could be considered an acceptable recovery timescale and therefore being unable to attend work. Offering me a £5 "apology voucher" is clearly not going to resolve my bad feeling towards your company.
written by bentley999 on 08/10/2023
On Sunday 27th August myself and my wife set out on an adventure to ride our motorbike from Bilbao Spain to our villa in Calpe. Approximately 360 miles from our destination our motorbike suffered an over heating problem which led to catastrophic engine damage. We managed to pull the motorbike into a motorway service station and that's where our nightmare began. Because I had paid in full my Europe breakdown cover I was expecting a level of service which would meet my needs and help us to get to our destination in fact when the first call went in we was told someone would be with us within the hour! as all your calls are recorded I would like to think you can play them back and have a listen. After 2 hours of waiting still nothing we was told they would email us a time when they are going to attend. I clearly stated to the European team I have no access to emails and use my phone. After 5 hours of waiting and lots of calls in between a truck arrived which looked like it was a throw back from the 60's and the driver was informed it was a flat battery not an engine problem. When I was sold the European cover from the RAC sales team I was told they would get me to my destination or take me home. I requested to the driver that he take me to Calpe where we was going and he refused to take us, however he did say he would take the motorbike and drop it off the following weekend. As we were not going to be in Calpe then there was no one to hand the bike over so this wasn't an option. I then called the RAC uk department ( PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR RECORD PHONE CALL ) And was gobsmacked to be told 'I haven't been trained to deal with Europe breakdown and can't help you , you have to speak to there department' We were stuck on a motorway service having this conversion. We were then told to leave the bike and get a taxi ourselves to Calpe. Again speaking to the Europe breakdown department they told me I have refused service and they can't help me which I was in disbelief what I just heard. I PAID MY MONEY FOR MEMBERSHIP AND GOT LEFT IN A MOTORWAY SERVICE STATION WITH NO WAY OUT. It got to the stage where by now it was dark and we was begging anyone who pulled up with a large van to help us get to our villa. Finally after finding a French man with a van we offered him all the euros we had 960 to go out of his was to take us home. This man we will always be thankful for because without him we would still be there now. We did not refuse the service, we just explained that if they took the bike we would not be there to take arrival of it the following weekend. What was we meant to do? I cannot leave my bike with them for months. The service we received was absolutely awful and I am really disappointed with the RAC. I have had numerous calls from the European cover since coming back saying I 'refused the service'.
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