There is nothing worse than having a major accident around Bridgeton, Chesterfield, Florissant, Wildwood, Maryland Heights, or South County, Missouri and having to get your automobile towed away, unless your automobile is delivered to an auto body shop you didn’t choose and held hostage until you pay up.
The problem has been around for a long time, but is becoming worse, because of trucking and towing industry deregulation which allows private operators a lot of leniency in picking up cars and taking them to the highest bidder.
How could you avoid getting cheated when you get a tow? There are some rights you have as a consumer, and some clever things you ought to know to prevent a towing operator from taking advantage of you.
Car Craft Auto Body recommends the following:
1. Stay with your car until the tow truck shows up whenever possible.
2. Get the towing company’s name, address, phone number, driver’s name, tow truck operator license number, and license tag number from the truck.
3. Ask where the automobile will be brought, the address, on location contact person, and pickup policies.
4. Request an estimate on the price of the tow and any extra charges – in writing and signed by the driver.
5. Keep in mind that you’ve got the right to have the automobile towed anywhere you want. That’s why it’s important to have an accident plan set up ahead of time that details your selected collision repair center.
6. Do not forget that when your vehicle is delivered to a storage facility or unapproved auto body shop, you’ll be responsible for daily storage charges, pressured to use their repair facility, and will owe delivery fees if you tow it to your selected shop.
7. Make a spare set of your title, registration, and insurance papers from your glove box so you’re able to bring them with you if the car is towed.
8. Remove all of the electronics, sports equipment, office materials, and personal items from the vehicle before it’s towed.
9. Double check how your car is hooked up for towing. Usually, if it is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, these should be above the ground to avoid damaging the transmission. For a front-wheel drive automobile, the front tires should be off the ground.
10. Call your insurance company right away to let them know where your car is being towed. They cannot mandate where you have your automobile brought or repaired, but may have some guidance on high quality collision repair shops if you don’t actually have one chosen.
If you have your car towed to Car Craft Auto Body in St. Louis, Missouri, you can trust that we will do the work required, on time and on budget, all backed by a lifetime warranty. You don’t ever want to be at the mercy of a tow truck operator who is not working with a trustworthy auto body shop.