Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 541
RAC refused to recover my car because it’s on SORN
I sorned the truck for lockdown and it sat in the drive for three months with the battery on trickle charge. Yesterday I fired up the beast and went to drive it up and down the drive but the EPB had seized and began screeching.
I have a warranty with WD and full RAC cover so no worries - or so I thought. Local RAC representative came out and agreed with my diagnosis and called in to RAC control to seek authorisation for recovery to Inverness dealership only to be told that as my truck was sorned, it couldn’t be recovered as technically my car was ‘not roadworthy’.
I was not impressed so called RAC myself only to be told the same story. I pointing out we have been in a national lockdown due to C19 for 3 months and that sorning a car for the duration was not unreasonable.
Eventually, after pointing out that I have been a customer of RAC for 20 years they agreed that if I taxed my car immediately (and provided proof), they would ship the car to Inverness.
What a joke!
Last edited by NC500 on 8th Jul 2020 8:16 pm. Edited 1 time in total
8th Jul 2020 6:42 pm
Oxford-boy
Member Since: 07 Sep 2015
Location: Oxford
Posts: 1108
I wouldn't be giving the RAC a 23rd year of my business for that response....
Do you ever play the annual renewal off against the AA price?
How does 22 years loyal membership translate into price?
Interested..
8th Jul 2020 8:03 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10352
what do the T&C's of your contract with RAC say?
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
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Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
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9th Jul 2020 7:12 am
Farmer Chalk
Member Since: 06 Mar 2013
Location: Independent Republic of Kentishshire.
Posts: 4195
In fairness I can totally see RAC’s policy is fair... in normal circumstances would you ever expect the RAC to recover vehicles that are off road... where would it end? My barnfind 20 yr old MG won’t start.... my Discovery D3 rebuild is kaput....would you expect RAC to deal with this? The problem is people have taken the over the years and abused their service...this is why they added the caveat...
Once you explained the circumstances relating to an enforced Covid lay down they understood and relented... I think that’s fair..
9th Jul 2020 7:20 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73079
Would prob just say “must be “roadworthy”“ then that depends on their definition of roadworthy. Interesting they even looked to see the car tax state of the car, obviously looking for a get out of jail card.
9th Jul 2020 7:21 am
Trailered Movements
Member Since: 16 Jan 2020
Location: East/West Sussex Coast Borders
Posts: 1200
Just because it's SORN'd, doesn't mean it's not roadworthy, what utter rubbish.
I've just unsorn'd my SAAB, which was insured and had an MOT, so as soon as I had taxed it, it could legally be used on the road, however it had always remained fit for the road whilst under SORN.
Dave2011 Discovery 4 Commercial SDV6 (Gone)
2010 RRS TDV8 (Gone)
1980 OBLIC 4.0ltr Range Rover (went a long time ago)
9th Jul 2020 7:36 am
Discoveringcomfort
Member Since: 16 Sep 2015
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 637
Farmer Chalk wrote:
In fairness I can totally see RAC’s policy is fair... in normal circumstances would you ever expect the RAC to recover vehicles that are off road... where would it end? My barnfind 20 yr old MG won’t start.... my Discovery D3 rebuild is kaput....would you expect RAC to deal with this? The problem is people have taken the over the years and abused their service...this is why they added the caveat...
Once you explained the circumstances relating to an enforced Covid lay down they understood and relented... I think that’s fair..
The only reason I went to the RAC was because of the off road cover (motorsort) recovery.Series 1 V8
Series 2 Hibrid V8
Discovery 3 HSE V8
9th Jul 2020 7:59 am
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Trailered Movements wrote:
Just because it's SORN'd, doesn't mean it's not roadworthy, what utter rubbish.
I've just unsorn'd my SAAB, which was insured and had an MOT, so as soon as I had taxed it, it could legally be used on the road, however it had always remained fit for the road whilst under SORN.
Dave
How would a third party know the reason why it was SORN’d?Now Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
9th Jul 2020 8:02 am
Trailered Movements
Member Since: 16 Jan 2020
Location: East/West Sussex Coast Borders
Posts: 1200
Anyone can do a simple check via the DVLA website to see the tax status of a vehicle, and as said before, they were looking for a get out clause.
Dave2011 Discovery 4 Commercial SDV6 (Gone)
2010 RRS TDV8 (Gone)
1980 OBLIC 4.0ltr Range Rover (went a long time ago)
9th Jul 2020 9:04 am
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Fully aware of the website - doesn’t explain to a third party why it was SORN’d. Depends on what the contract T&C’s state as to what the rescue company will or won’t do and goodwill if disputed.Now Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
9th Jul 2020 10:09 am
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
I'd imagine it's a blanket policy so that they don't end up towing cars on A frames that technically aren't allowed to be on the road.
Obviously the Disco would be lifted on a flatbed, but for ease they make it a blanket rule.
As for "if its sorn, it doesnt mean its not roadworthy"
Well, I'd imagine in the eyes of the law it does - same as an uninsured or un-MOT'd or un registered vehicle is not roadworthy either. 2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
9th Jul 2020 10:19 am
Trailered Movements
Member Since: 16 Jan 2020
Location: East/West Sussex Coast Borders
Posts: 1200
You're confusing the term 'unroadworthy' with 'road legal', 2 different phrases which could be, but do not mean, the same.
As an example, I SORN'd one of my trucks and during this time the MOT expired, I then used trade plates to take it for a test. Under your definition it was unroadworthy, however it complied with the law and was considered both roadworthy and legal. It passed its MOT.
Dave2011 Discovery 4 Commercial SDV6 (Gone)
2010 RRS TDV8 (Gone)
1980 OBLIC 4.0ltr Range Rover (went a long time ago)
9th Jul 2020 10:31 am
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Understand what you are saying, but the issue was the RAC refusing to flat bed the vehicle as it was on a SORN. Thats a commercial / contractual condition based on the T&C’s in the Agreement. Looks like common sense and goodwill prevailed in this instance, but I don’t think you can expect a Rescue company to automatically recover a SORN vehicle as they have no idea as to the reasons it was taken off the road in the first place.Now Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
9th Jul 2020 10:47 am
Farmer Chalk
Member Since: 06 Mar 2013
Location: Independent Republic of Kentishshire.
Posts: 4195
Discoveringcomfort wrote:
Farmer Chalk wrote:
In fairness I can totally see RAC’s policy is fair... in normal circumstances would you ever expect the RAC to recover vehicles that are off road... where would it end? My barnfind 20 yr old MG won’t start.... my Discovery D3 rebuild is kaput....would you expect RAC to deal with this? The problem is people have taken the over the years and abused their service...this is why they added the caveat...
Once you explained the circumstances relating to an enforced Covid lay down they understood and relented... I think that’s fair..
The only reason I went to the RAC was because of the off road cover (motorsort) recovery.
Perhaps I used the wrong expression when saying off road...I should have said Sorned or even taxed and insured...I think that is why the RAC ordinarily applied this caveat... to stop people abusing their recovery collection service which generally would be for the average motorist who had broken down....and not for the recovery of a vehicle which had been laid up for whatever reason.
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over the years and abused their service...this is why they added the caveat...
