Stephen Millar and his partner were thrown into a panic when their car developed a mechanical problem the night before they were due to start a driving holiday to Europe.
The couple, from Aberdeen, had recently renewed their BMW’s European breakdown cover so called their insurers for advice.
However, Stephen was dismayed when the AA couldn’t locate his policy and told him it would be the next day before it could confirm whether he was eligible for a home visit.
“Our vehicle displayed that it had developed an issue with the anti-locking braking system or similar, meaning it could not be used for long journeys,” said Stephen, 51.
“I contacted the AA European breakdown team as I wasn’t sure if we were covered for a replacement vehicle before leaving home or not. I couldn’t believe it when I was told by an operator that their system showed that our policy had expired that day and that no renewal had been made.
“I was advised that nothing could be actioned until it was verified that we had renewed our policy, which would not be until after 9am the next day.
“I couldn’t understand this as I had renewed it weeks beforehand and had all the paperwork. In fact, I have been with the AA for 34 years.”
Waiting until the next day for an answer would have meant Stephen and partner Lynne Cooper missing their ferry to Europe from Newcastle, and forfeiting a £3,000 hotel stay in Germany.Undaunted, the couple dusted down their classic 1978 Ford Capri for the 2,000-mile round trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
© SYSTEM“We got a call just as we were leaving home from the breakdown call centre to say that we did have cover and that they could send someone out to assess the car, and then a decision would be made with regards to a car hire for the trip,” said Stephen. “But it was already too late for that.”
Instead, Stephen changed the policy to cover the Capri. “We were told at first that this would cost an extra £138 but then they reduced this to £92 which I reluctantly paid.”
When they set off they had no idea if the 43-year-old Capri would last the journey. Stephen has owned a Capri since he was 18 after falling in love with the classic design.
“It was certainly quite an adventure and we were taking quite a chance,” he said. “However, it turned out that the old car was amazing.
“The only issue we had was that the fan belt began to fray but I managed to get a replacement belt for it in Germany and had it fixed no problem.”
When the couple returned they wrote to Raw Deal about their experience. When we contacted the AA on their behalf, the firm apologised and gave Stephen £100 for his troubles.
The AA said: “We have apologised and offered a goodwill payment, which takes into consideration any inconvenience Mr Millar has encountered.
“We do try our best to accommodate our customers’ needs but in this case outside factors prevented us from doing so. Mr Millar chose to take a different vehicle on his trip, rather than waiting for us to attend his vehicle and provide him with a diagnosis as per the terms and conditions of the policy.”
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