Daniel Hussey wrote:
>
> Well, thanks for the info on this subject. That is one thing I have alway
> s wondered. And, of course, if I ever had to have my car towed, I would have i
> t towed *ONLY* on a flatbet! I know that much. But, I always wondered about w
> hat would happen if the car was towed without my permission. They use a cheap
> service with standard issue towtrucks here, and I figure if they tow it that wa
> y (with rear two wheels rolling) than it would seriously mess up the drivetrain
> of the car. That scares me enough that I will not park illegally *although I h
> ave done it before). And, I seriously doubt that these guys here use that book
> before they tow a car. I've seen them do it before (not to my car), and they c
> an get a car out of a spot in 1 minute fat! They are not real careful either.
> But, they get the job done. Luckly, around here they usually just hit you up w
> ith tickets, and don't bother towing.
One caveat about using "only" a flatbed . . . if a road club such as AAA or Sears Motor Club is
paying for the tow, you can only get the flatbed if that is the truck that happens to be
dispatched. If you insist on getting a flatbed, you will most likely find yourself paying for
the entire tow yourself. This is because most tow companies only maintain one or two flatbed
trucks per division; and they command a higher premium.
As long as you insist that the driver use the dollies, your car will be just fine. I had the
opportunity to do an entire hook-up on my quattro myself (with my friend/driver supervising) and
he let me even drive the truck around the parking lot once. This was a very enlightening
experience, and I'm confident that if my car ever has to be towed by somebody other than him, I
have enough knowledge to see that he does it properly.
>
> My two reccomendations to quattro owners are:
>
> 1. Don't park illegally. You never know what will happen and I shu
> dder at the thought of what could happen.
>
> 2. And, like me, always carry a business card of a reputable towin
> g service that uses flatbed tucks with you at all times.
Until now I had not been mentioning the name of my friend's tow company, but if any of you are in
the Portland area and need a lift, I would highly reccommend Speed's Towing. They also happen to
be the major provider for 85% of the road clubs in the area.
> (3. If they did tow it incorrectly...can you say lawsuit?)
Difficult to prove that it was their fault. (At least in the Portland area) the driver have to
do a visual inspection of the impounded vehicle, and log it with the local PD. That's also why
the signs that warn you not to park someplace have the phrasing ". . . will be towed at the
owner's risk and expense . . . "
If anybody has any specific questions about towing in general or their cars in specific, let me
know and I will forward them to Nick.
Hope this helps!
Gary