the Cost of Towing Services

For $50 ($40 plus $10 extra for the late night call) my car was loaded on to a flat bed pickup truck and hauled 10 miles to a garage for service. The towing company also offered locksmith services and car repair at extra cost. The driver refused a tip.

My car broke down a few miles outside the city one night. The temperature was nearly 100F even though it was past midnight. I called a tow truck. It was in the wee small hours of the morning so it took an hour for the driver to get to me and another hour to get the car loaded and back to the garage for repair. The driver was professional, if quiet, and the truck's cab where I rode back to the garage was clean.

Needing to call a tow truck isn't an experience I'd want to repeat given the choice, but, like seeing a dentist to get a dodgy tooth fixed, it's comforting to deal with a professional.

By the time you need a tow truck, it is likely to be too late to shop around for competitors. Shopping around by phone on the side of the road isn't may people's idea of fun, either, so consider finding two or three towing services before you need them and keep their numbers in your wallet or glove box. You'll want to look for a place that does work at all hours, every day of the week, though expect to pay more for service in the middle of the night or on holidays. When in doubt, join an automotive association or traveler's association as they often not only vet towing companies for you, but likely have negotiated discount service.