Warning ! If you cancel on the day of the booking you lose $70. (Half the cost of the inspection). i had to cancel because in the meantime the vehicle was sold to someone else. Hardly an unlikely scenario, but the AA is not understanding of that, even for members.
I know some of you out there will be keen to state how useless the inspections are anyway, but it was a requirement of the finance company! Perhaps they are trying to buy Ferraris for their roadside assistance servicemen.
wardz4,
Jan 27, 1:50am
I'm sure its in the fine print when you do an online booking.All you can say is buyer beware.
pollymay,
Jan 27, 2:11am
AA is a rip off anyway, they can't inspect to save themselves.
pauliewaulie,
Jan 27, 2:17am
You usually would sign the deal up subject to AA inspection and give a holding deposit that way it couldnt be sold until you had got your inspection done. What finance co requires an AA inspection first never heard of that either!
jcwholesale,
Jan 27, 2:22am
If someone wants an AA Inspection on one of my cars I tell them I will not remove from TM. Sometimes up to a week before they can inspect them, and I tell the people they probably won't buy the car anyway. As I sell mostly under 5k cars the AA just crucify them. As they inspect them subjectively and not objectively.
mcscottwgtn,
Jan 27, 2:58am
Last car I purchased, just a run about, the AA check I got said 'Grade 2, May require unplanned maintenance and repair'. You could say that about a brand new motor too. Seemed like a useless statement. They were the ones paid to 'look' at the car. How did the underside look! Got to do a check thou.
wardz4,
Jan 27, 4:06am
Marac
neo_psy,
Jan 27, 5:10am
I was wondering if it was AA finance that was demanding an AA check - seems like something they'd do.
Haven't known any 1st tier finance company to do that though. If you can pay for it, they don't care if it goes bang and sits in your driveway.
OP - don't use the AA. Use a trusted mechanic (And not your mate Steve who "knows a bit about cars" - that way lies trouble_)
stevo2,
Jan 27, 7:57am
Nah use Steve. Anyone called Steve can be trusted lol. Cheers Stevo
carstauranga001,
Jan 27, 8:07am
I'm a bit concerned about stevo1, TM member since 2001 and zero feedback mate!
frank1,
Jan 27, 8:09am
Don't blame the AA vehicle inspectors-all instructions for inspection come from the so called Directors of AA head office-AKA bullshit castle-and they generally accept NO responsibility. Could say a lot more,but won't.
tgray,
Jan 27, 9:26am
Unless they specifically say there is a cancelation fee of $70 if youdo not go ahead with the inspection, I believe they have no legal right to charge you for a service they did not provide. If it was me, I would simply refuse to pay as it's pure extortion.
tim8069,
Jan 27, 9:45am
Why people think AA checks are reassuring I will never know, if you can't see the brakes without removing a wheel they don't check them, they carry out A RELATIVE compression test, which really only checks the compression is even, not if its down on all 4 cylinders. This is done by sensing alternator current draw, and takes one minute. They basically check for oil leaks, worn bushes, leaking shocks, general oil or fluid leaks, fluid & belt conditions, air con performance and tyre tread. Oh and that the gauges work. Sometimes dont even drive the car. For $165 for a non member, its pretty steep, a good mechanic will do all this AND change the oil and filter for the same price or less.
wardz4,
Jan 27, 10:29am
They absolutely do requirevehicle inspection for a private sale. I can quote their email if you want.
icemans1,
Jan 27, 11:12am
my mechanic charges $90 for an inspection and it's done properly, after all he does have his reputation at stake and doesn't want to lose customers.
mellisa2000,
Jan 27, 11:31am
Obviously, only the good ones! All the best. Fish.
r15,
Jan 28, 12:06am
lol, AA stories.
once sold a GTi pulsar- with SR18DE motor.
part of what the buyer wanted was a compression test.
AA reported that they couldnt do a compresssion test because it was too hot. - the car sat in their carpark all morning for a 1pm appointment, the only reason it got hot was when they drove it.
and then it only got as hot as any other engine would get you would think -(no over heating problems etc)
pauliewaulie,
Feb 15, 6:52am
That explains most of this then, it was a private sale.otherwise Kazs statements would have been spot on
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