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Hit & Run -> Absurd tow charge (Update)
ApexMirage
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I was at a party drinking and spent the night to avoid D/D. I woke up and got my car, only to find the mirror smashed off, the bumper hanging off and the front rim bent out of shape with a flat tire (thats what I get for not D/Ding, har har har, just kidding) . I called the cops before I touched anything to get a report for the insurance, and they called a tow for me. The tow brought my car to their lot and told me they'd tow it to the shop I'd mentioned I wanted it fixed at.
The problem: turns out I didnt have insurance (don't ask) and I'm gonna have to pay for tow/repairs myself. They're charging 265$ for the tow, which was only maybe half a dozen blocks, calling it a flat rate for accidents. It's basically a bullshit rate to charge the insurance companies so they can make as much money as they can, but in this case it's a pretty much having me bend over sideways. Is there anything I can feasibly do to avoid paying this absurd sum? I've got no problem paying a reasonable price since they did tow it after all, but this is a bit much.
Edit: downtown Montreal, Quebec.
Update 1: Paid about 500$ total for towing alone
Update2:
The problem: turns out I didnt have insurance (don't ask) and I'm gonna have to pay for tow/repairs myself. They're charging 265$ for the tow, which was only maybe half a dozen blocks, calling it a flat rate for accidents. It's basically a bullshit rate to charge the insurance companies so they can make as much money as they can, but in this case it's a pretty much having me bend over sideways. Is there anything I can feasibly do to avoid paying this absurd sum? I've got no problem paying a reasonable price since they did tow it after all, but this is a bit much.
Edit: downtown Montreal, Quebec.
Update 1: Paid about 500$ total for towing alone
Update2:
ApexMirage wrote: »The impact to the wheel was so severe that it cracked my transmission and bent the suspension. I dont understand how that could have happened when there's essentially zero structural damage to the panel above the wheel itself.
Estimate: 3k
Looks like I'll be eating macaroni for a while.
I'd love to be the one disappoint you when I don't fall down
ApexMirage on
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*sigh*
those fuckers.
I've never heard of a regular tow costing more than 100$ around here, which is why I'm so aggravated.
A locksmith once told my friend over the phone that it'd cost 50 bucks to pop the lock on his car door when he got locked out, which seemed reasonable. He got there, popped the lock in about 10 seconds, and stuffed a bill in his hands for 300 bucks without even mentioning the markup he was going to give from his initial estimate.
Basically though, I don't think you have many options since it's already happened. =(
"Well there's your problem!"
If you mean the cops called the tow company, that's always bad news. Cities always choose the most shaddy, crappy companies to do their dirty work. Always call for your own service. And I'd ask for an "adjusted bill" this time anyway - might as well.
Repeat this outloud.
They have my car.
Each day you let it sit in their lot is more money they're going to get. Just do it.
It cost me something like $100 or so to get my car towed ONE BLOCK and picked up the same afternoon.
Towing companies suck.
The ironic beauty of it is that it was towed Saturday morning, and I was essentially told that I could not get it back until I talked to the boss for the bill, who was not in until monday. Fuckers.
Dunno how to bargain that without copping to the heftier crime of driving without insurance though. It may not matter in the end, most companies have confidentiality clauses that prevent them from spreading knowledge like that to the cops, but I dont know about the towing industry.
Not sure about the great north, but down here in civilization most tow shops are 24/7 if you're getting a car out.
That said, I'd be bullshit over the "sorry you can't get YOUR OWN VEHICLE till Monday."
Update: The impact to the wheel was so severe that it cracked my transmission and bent the suspension. I dont understand how that could have happened when there's essentially zero structural damage to the panel above the wheel itself.
Estimate: 3k
Looks like I'll be eating macaroni for a while.
Wow that sucks. My car got towed from a bar once, so I went to pick it up around 4 or 5 am once my buddy and I sobered up. (not that I was going to drive it home from the bar but dammit...) Never mentioned any extra charge but maybe it was in there.
Easy: the wheel took the hit. I once went into a curb sideways so fast that I cracked the wheel, demolished the bearings inside it, split the drive axle in half, and destroyed enough other shit that it took hours of cutting away bent metal just to figure out what was really broken. But the body panels were just fine.
I can understand that, but what part of another car can possibly pertrude enough to hit the wheel and not the panel?
mix some tuna fish into it every now and then. it's delicious.
Depends on the car, of course. If it's worth less than, I'd say 6k, junk it and buy something else. It'll be a better investment.
But I wanna know what happened to his insurance.
I hadn't considered scrapping it, but it's not sounding like a bad idea. I paid 6300ish almost two years ago for it, and considering the 1200 tranny/500 tow I don't think its worth another 3k. It's sounding like the best course of action but it's making me really sad, because I'd grown quite fond of my car.
What bothers me even more is that it's an 03 with only 79000 on it
not really something you want to drive home
I'm with everyone that says just get a new car
this time though you miiiight want to get it insured
When my sister totaled her car (not hard since it was an old POS) she signed it over to the tow company to cover the tow charges and such. You'll get crap for scrapping now and you'll likely have to pay to tow it to the scrappers.
he definitely won't have to pay... scrap yards are actively looking for late model cars with good body panels, and will take it off your hands and even give you beer money
that said, sorry OP! shit happens
my cousin once woke up to a huge crash sound, and found that a drunk driver had essentially *driven* into the back her parked jeep cherokee as if it was a garage
specifically make sure your insurance covers collateral (which i think a hit and run while your car is parked falls under, correct me if im wrong)
basic car insurance required by most states is only medical coverage and uninsured driver coverage. thats why geico can save you hundreds of dollars... by not giving you Tort, collision and collateral. unless your car is worth nothing.