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Watchdog solves your problems, plus you have your say
AFTERMARKET warranties can provide peace of mind for second-hand buyers, but what they do and don’t cover is often a matter of fine print and detail.
That’s what Stuart King, from Thatcham, Berks, found to his cost, after he paid £200 for a 12-month Platinum RAC policy on a 2010 MINI Cooper D, which he bought from RAC Approved dealer Berkshire Specialist Cars in Sandhurst.
After just 10 months’ ownership, the MINI’S timing chain snapped, causing catastrophic engine damage. With the cost of a new engine estimated at between £4,000 and £7,000, Stuart was initially glad to have his Platinum warranty to fall back on.
To his horror though, the RAC rejected his claim on the grounds the snapped chain was judged to have reached the end of its “normal working life”. While timing belts were covered by his warranty, no mention was made of timing chains at all – unlike in earlier RAC warranties seen by Auto Express.
Stuart turned to us for help, and we contacted the RAC, which sent an engineer to inspect the car. The subsequent report said Stuart should have noticed problems with the chain prior to it snapping due to “a rattling type noise from the timing chain area of the engine”. The report also argued that “reasonable steps have not been taken to mitigate the loss”.
Stuart strongly disputes these claims, saying: “I was unaware of any rattle or noise from the engine prior to the chain failure. As I cover 20,000 miles a year, maintenance is a priority, and I’d had two oil and filter changes carried out in March and August 2017.”
Despite these assurances, and Auto Express’s intervention, the RAC stuck by its original decision, saying the chain had snapped “as a result of wear from use and general deterioration”.
Responding to this decision, Stuart said he felt “exhausted” by the experience, adding: “In my opinion this product isn’t fit for purpose. You need to be a legal professional to understand the interpretation of their definitions and know where you stand as a consumer.”
“To Stuart’s horror, RAC rejected claim saying chain had reached the end of its normal working life”