My friendly (he remembered me from my last recovery) RAC man has taken my stricken coupe to a respected gearbox garage. Upon unloading I am informed by the garage, I've not seen it yet, that my front bumper was unduly removed by parts of the transport vehicle - he used the modern version of the A frame on the rear of his van.

So what will the RAC say when I inform them? I'm hoping beyond hope that it's not broken anything as the last bumper I removed was, well, rusted in place....

aaarrggghhhh!!!

Wow! Did you have a FMIC too?

Can't help with your question but thats bad news, I hope it gets fixed by them.

they should honour there mistake and repair it FOC to the standard it was or better as compensation at no impact to you... as in not claiming on your insurance for future premium impact.

Like what you did there benyon, did instead of do!
Thankfully not, I just hope my cooler pipes haven't been thumped too!

Once ive seen the damage I'll photo and email to them and then start the hard work.... Really can't be arsed, it's bad enough having the box and diff replaced without this too!

I have had them a couple of times and repeatedly request a de-mounting flatbed because my car is lowered and has no towing eyes, They grudgingly agree as they have limited numbers of these and tend to save them for exotics , then they go and sub-contract out to local tow truck companies that end up damaging bumpers. I feel your pain

The AA damaged mine a few years ago, coughed up no problem - good luck fella

I take the front bumper off to load and unload its a five minute job on my coops as ive no under trays...

He used a flat bed last time, there again it was a 100 mile trip to jbt!!!
I'm sure they'll cough up, its the time and frustration that annoys.

I'll start it off with a phone call tomorrow and maybe a tweet and a shot on their forum.

My front bumper, FMIC and various other pipe work was damaged around two months ago by sub contractor from the AA. Luckily your garage witnessed it, I didn't, so had to prove it with photos. Luckily mine had just been resprayed so had photos from a few weeks previously with no damage. Fresh paint etc.
Get some quotes of the damage. Send before and after photos and hopefully they will pay. AA paid for all the damage a few weeks back. Took time with assessors etc. First of all HOBBS deigned everything and then after the AA sent them all the photos they admitted causing it.

I was rather p*s* off when it first happened after spending loads of money having the front resprayed. Touch wood I don't break down again and need a tow truck but If I do i'll be requesting a demounting flatbed

Yeah, very greatful I have a witness, your experience sounds shit! Push comes to shove I have access to a spare bumper, albeit red.....

Ask them to write a statement with photos and you should have enough

I hoped you didn't have a FMIC fitted, talk about a ball ache had that been damaged.
Still fingers crossed the pipework & bodywork is untouched, Check your bonnet/wings (you know the bit I mean) incase the bumper scratched them when it ripped off.

Hmmm full front end respray....

I wish I'd listened to my dad on Monday when he said to 'get that f'in undertray outta my garage!' might not have got caught then.

Collected the car this evening, first of all gearbox feels brilliant - thanks Joe!! - Car's driving great.

I turned up to collect her, passenger side side light not connected to the car, grill not attached. I took a good look and there are multiple cracks, marks and grooves around the light and corner. Grill if fairly cracked, light brackets are broken, connectors snapped off the loom....

Somehow I've managed to fit a spare light I had, god knows how, then I had to solder, heat shrink and related tape the wiring loom. All lights are working. I've also bolted the grill on, but it looks a bit of a mess. Next job, photos to RAC....

I was wondering how things went, sounds quite bad I hope you get it sorted by RAC.

keep us updated.

Good to read you're back on the road and all is well again under the bonnet again, hope RAC sort the damage issues asap.

If I'm honest the damage isn't visible with the bonnet shut and it being month end I'm up to my nuts in work so haven't had time to talk to them.....

It'll be a pain I'm sure, but I'll update when I speak to them.