RAC Vehicle History Complaint - Audi/VW VIN Decoder

[nodecentral]

Hi,

I have been having some back and fourth with RAC about the Vehicle History Report (£15) I paid them for, which had a number of mistakes on the T6 I bought, 1st they said it was 6 gears, turns out it was only 5, then they said it was 148bhp, turned out to only be 102bhp.

I raised a complaint, but they will not do anything until I send them an Audi/VW VIN Decoder report, which I assumed is simply a translation of the van’s VIN Number (which I gave them at the start) ? Either way, they’re insisting I go and find a VW garage and have them produce the report.??

Is there more to this VIN Decoder report I’m missing, do I need to take the van in, or it it simply something they enter in and print out the resulting report ?

Can any garage do it ?

 

[JOG]

Is this the same van you were advised to get a factory build sheet for through the forum VIP membership?

At this stage, I’d advise you to pop into a dealers and get their opinion - much better than “some geezer on t’internet told me” opinion.

I can understand why they’d get defensive if they suspect an incoming argument that a reliance was placed on the report when making a purchase decision.

The VIP membership seems even better value for money.

 

[nodecentral]

Hi @JOG, I don’t recall getting that advice through the VIP forum, but a factory build sheet could help (and would be of interest for me)

I did not know that was an option? How is that done? So far, I hadn’t felt the VIP access was justified but you’re tweaking my interest.

I’ve seen VIN Decode services advertised online, and other posts showing how you can decode it yourself, but I could only take my VIN so far.

 

[Sasquatch]

Pay for VIP access and a new forum appears. Inside it's quite obvious how to get a build sheet from the VIN.

 

[JOG]

Deciphering a T6 (V5) Model number - Conflicting Information ?

Things never seem to be easy, when it comes to learning exactly what you’re getting ? I’m looking at buying my first T6 conversion, and I’m trying to make sense of exactly what the model is I’m contemplating; primarily to know (without a shadow of a doubt) that it has a EURO 6 engine so I’m...

www.t6forum.com

Posts #2 and #3

 

[nodecentral]

Deciphering a T6 (V5) Model number - Conflicting Information ?

Things never seem to be easy, when it comes to learning exactly what you’re getting ? I’m looking at buying my first T6 conversion, and I’m trying to make sense of exactly what the model is I’m contemplating; primarily to know (without a shadow of a doubt) that it has a EURO 6 engine so I’m...

www.t6forum.com

Posts #2 and #3

Thanks for the reminder @JOG - getting old…

 

[nodecentral]

Hi @JOG - I’m up for the VIP Membership, but what does the Build Document actually look like ? Will it reference the VIN ? Are there any examples - Google was not giving me anything specific ?

 

[Bav]

Hi @JOG - I’m up for the VIP Membership, but what does the Build Document actually look like ? Will it reference the VIN ? Are there any examples - Google was not giving me anything specific ?

It provides all the details you need to identify exactly how your van left the factory, including the VIN. Not surprised you can't find online examples - I wouldn't share mine.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Hi @JOG, I don’t recall getting that advice through the VIP forum, but a factory build sheet could help (and would be of interest for me)

I did not know that was an option? How is that done? So far, I hadn’t felt the VIP access was justified but you’re tweaking my interest.

I’ve seen VIN Decode services advertised online, and other posts showing how you can decode it yourself, but I could only take my VIN so far.

What are you aiming to achieve? Are you just after your £15 quid back or are you hoping for some kind of compensation?

 

[Sasquatch]

Just pay the membership, get the sheet, and see for yourself. There is no third way.

 

[T6Plumber]

Paying £12.99 for VIP to hopefully get the info you need in order to start proceedings for a £15 refund from the RAC seems a bit mad to me.

 

[nodecentral]

Hi @Salty Spuds, I don’t really have a plan, I just wanted to let them know there were a few mistakes, but they just didn’t seem to take it seriously or they didn’t believe me, perhaps they hoped I’d go away.

But, as it takes a few seconds to chase them every week or so and they are now saying prove it ! And to do they said they need a VIN Decoder done, like that is some sort of recognised thing..

Not sure where all this would go, but they claim it’s accurate and obviously they charged me for it, and it did influence my purchase.

 

[Bav]

Paying £12.99 for VIP to hopefully get the info you need in order to start proceedings for a £15 refund from the RAC seems a bit mad to me.

Worse, they paid the £15 to get duff info, when they could have got accurate info by paying the £12.99!!

 

[nodecentral]

Paying £12.99 for VIP to hopefully get the info you need in order to start proceedings for a £15 refund from the RAC seems a bit mad to me.

If it was just for that I agree.. .

However I do see membership as being a bit more than just that - joining up has been in the back of my mind for a while - I’d been holding off till all Xmas (c-card) spending was out of the way - plus I need the money to do all the work I’m planning (which would support the membership)

As things stand - this seems to only route to get RAC to acknowledge they have made mistakes.

Also / Why are they not getting the info they sell from build documents or VIN decoders - the place where they expect me to go to prove to them what the van is.. (Shouldn’t they have given me that first??? - it just seems messed up)

 

[nodecentral]

Worse, they paid the £15 to get duff info, when they could have got accurate info by paying the £12.99!!

Hi @Bav, I don’t recall seeing getting a build documents being on the VIP promotion page - plus to give RAC some credit their report provides past MOT history etc. so some good post build content ..

 

[Alster]

You can get mot history for free on the gov site!

 

[Bav]

Hi @Bav, I don’t recall seeing getting a build documents being on the VIP promotion page - plus to give RAC some credit their report provides past MOT history etc. so some good post build content ..

As per @JOG's post above (post #5), you were advised to go VIP and get a build sheet from VW.

BTW, MOT history is available free at www.gov.uk/check-mot-history.

 

[nodecentral]

Hey @Bav, agreed sorry not sure why we keep revisiting what @JOG said, I totally agree.

Remember - I wasn't aware of any of this, this forum, any VIp membership, build document options etc. when I purchased the RAC report to help buy the van - Hindsight is a wonderful thing

 

[Paul Sussex]

If it was just for that I agree.. .

However I do see membership as being a bit more than just that - joining up has been in the back of my mind for a while - I’d been holding off till all Xmas (c-card) spending was out of the way - plus I need the money to do all the work I’m planning (which would support the membership)

As things stand - this seems to only route to get RAC to acknowledge they have made mistakes.

Also / Why are they not getting the info they sell from build documents or VIN decoders - the place where they expect me to go to prove to them what the van is.. (Shouldn’t they have given me that first??? - it just seems messed up

 

[Bav]

Hey @Bav, agreed sorry not sure why we keep revisiting what @JOG said, I totally agree.

Remember - I wasn't aware of any of this, this forum, any VIp membership, build document options etc. when I purchased the RAC report to help buy the van - Hindsight is a wonderful thing

Okay, I've re-read your original thread (the one linked to by @JOG) and can now see that the timeline of events was ambiguous. It makes much more sense now that you've confirmed that you got the RAC report prior to starting that thread, but that also renders my above observation unfair on you, for which I apologise.