Do you need to find a towing truck service? There are plenty of companies out there, so you figure you can just call the first name that you see and you’ll have what you need.
The thing to remember is that not all towing companies have your best interests in mind. There is a small percentage of towing companies that are engaged in illegal activities or are out to rip you off.
You also have specific needs from a towing company that you want to make sure they’re able to do them.
Here’s how you can tell which towing companies are legit and how you can find the right towing truck service for you.
1. Know the Scams
You need to get up to speed on the latest towing scams.
Did you know that there are towing companies that will intentionally park cars in illegal areas? That’s because they know that if you’re hunting for a parking spot, you’re likely to park in an area where there are other cars. You just assume that it’s OK to park there.
Towing companies bank of your assumption. You’ll park there illegally and you’ll have your car towed away, costing you a bit of cash to get your car back.
You may find yourself in a car accident and a towing company shows up out of nowhere like they happened to be driving by and they offer to tow your car to a body shop for repairs.
What may seem like a generous offer isn’t. There’s a joke about lawyers being ambulance chasers. Well, there are towing companies that do something similar. They listen to police scanners for car accidents and they show up on the scene pretending to offer help.
The thing is that they have a plan for your car. They’re already working with a body shop that fully intends to charge the insurance company a ton of money to fix your car. They’ll charge thousands of dollars even for a fender-bender.
There are more scams that some companies will use. If there’s something that doesn’t seem right about the towing company, you should skip that one and move on.
2. Choose a Company that Offers What You Need
You have certain needs that you need a tow company to handle. You need to make sure that they offer the services you need, and they serve your geographic area.
Do you need a boat or construction equipment to be towed? That’s a whole different ballgame than having your car towed. Remember why you’re looking for a towing company as you’re researching them.
Some may offer 24-hour towing, like Freehold Towing. Others may only work specific days and times. You also want to check the area that they serve. Some may even offer to tow across state lines, which is great if you’re relocating.
3. Ask for an Opinion
If you’re not in an emergency situation, you’ll want to take your time doing research to find a towing company. Ask around for an opinion to find the right towing company.
Who you ask will largely depend on your towing needs. For relocations, you should check in with a moving company or real estate agent. They’re likely to have ideas or connections to companies that can assist you.
If you need a tow because your car broke down, check in with your regular mechanic for recommendations.
4. Check Reviews & Websites
You’re likely to do a search for a towing company on your phone in an emergency situation. You’ll probably search for something like “towing companies near me.” Search engines will give you a range of options, but you want to dig a little deeper before making a call.
Check the reviews that accompany the search results. You’ll also want to check the website of the towing company to better understand the services they offer.
5. Licensed and Insured
One of the most important pieces of information you can find on a towing truck service company is their license to operate. States and cities have different requirements to obtain a towing truck license.
You can bet that just about all states require some kind of license and insurance to be able to operate. Make sure that you ask for their license number or look for it online.
6. Clear Pricing
In a lot of cases, you need a towing truck service now, rather than later. You don’t think that you don’t have time to shop around.
There are towing companies that bank on that and will charge you very high prices for their services. You owe it to yourself and your wallet to make sure that you make a couple of calls to compare prices.
7. Special Services
If your car breaks down and you can’t get it to the repair shop, you want to find a towing company that can take it there. Better yet, they have their own repair shop which makes life much easier.
Some towing companies will help you get your car back on the road immediately. They can change tires or give you a jump start if that’s all that’s needed.
Some might even bring you gas if you run out of fuel. It depends on what your needs are
Find the Right Towing Truck Service
When you’re looking for towing truck service, it can be hard to spot the scams from the legitimate towing services out there.
Your first step to finding the right tow truck company is to educate yourself on the various scams out there. You also want to work with a company that offers the services you need and serves the geographic location that you’re in.
The more research you can do ahead of time, the better. You’ll be able to spot the best towing company to work with.
Ready for more car tips? Check out the car repair section of this site for tips to keep your car running strong.