Motoring Assistance

Motoring Assistance with a breakdown - car failed to start with no power.

I called Motoring Assistance at 11:12 to report my car would not start / had broken down on my drive, describing the electrical failure with the non-starting Rev counter and speedometer arms only flicking up slightly and failing to start / engine not firing / turning over.

I was told to check the garage would accept the car before I could get any assistance as your operator said it sounded like the starter motor was faulty and I would need recovery instead of roadside assistance.

At 11:31 I confirmed Charles Hurst Belfast would accept my vehicle and I wanted to accompany it. I was informed by Motoring Assistance that as I had no power to turn off the electronic parking -brake I would have to pay £150 extra, which I paid before Motoring Assistance would task a specialist recovery vehicle to lift my jeep on to the recovery vehicle.

At 11:59 I received a text from EGERTONS stating that Agnew would recover my car at 12: 56.

At 13:34 I called Egertons contact number and informed them my car had not been collected, they informed me the recovery vehicle would be with me in 30 minutes.

At 14:20 I called Motoring Assistance and spoke to Chris who informed me it would be about an hour before Agnew's would turn up to recover my car, or within 2 hours.

At 15:40, some 4 plus hours after calling Motoring Assist, Agnew's did turn up, in a normal recovery vehicle, without any lifting capability, The driver asked why I thought it needed to be lifted, he said from what Motoring Assistance had informed them via Egerton it was clearly an electrical / battery issue, and that the battery had no charge to turn over / fire the engine.

He then connected a power source to the battery on my car, turned off the parking brake, pushed my car off my drive and then winched my car onto his recovery vehicle bed. I have sent them 3 photos showing this, and I also have video footage of same.

He also informed me I could not accompany my vehicle as he was taking it to their yard, where it would be transferred to another vehicle for onward transportation to Belfast later in the evening, probably after they had closed for the evening, but had arrangements in place with security to deposit both the car and keys.

He departed with my car at about 15:55.

At 15:55 I called Motoring Assistance and spoke to John, and requested a refund of my £150, which he stated he would process.

My car was stranded at the garage for want of a battery until the Monday before I can get a replacement battery fitted, and I have been charged £150 for a service I did not require or receive (please see photo of my car being winched onto the Agnew recovery vehicle, which is incapable of lifting a car).

In addition to not getting the correct breakdown assistance, my wife's car was stranded on our drive by my car, meaning she could not go into work on Friday afternoon and I have been stranded without my car for the weekend and at least into Monday, all for the want of a battery, all of which Could have been resolved a lot quicker, more conveniently and cheaper with the correct response.

I had to make my way into Belfast to retrieve my car, once the battery has been replaced, not so easy for a disabled person, given my wife has to go into work and may not be able to drive me there.

As I am disabled, requiring my automatic Jeep, I have been left without a vehicle from 11:31 until some date in the next week, should an appropriate response have been made by Motoring Assistance a new battery could have been fitted on my drive, or my car could have been started, so I could have driven to Kwik Fit or Motorway Tyres for a replacement battery.

I requested an immediate refund of the additional £150 charge for the specialist vehicle to lift my car onto the recovery vehicle, which was not needed and was not actually supplied.

Over a week later and still no refund or acknowledgement of my complaint.

I contacted AMEX as I used my Amex card to pay the £150 additional charge, and they are going to refund my money and resolve my dispute with Motoring Assistance.

Come renewal time I will be choosing a reputable breakdown service such as the RAC. motoring Assistance