Towing and damage question:
Towing and damage question:
I was almost towed last night (see other thread) and while I was out there he lifted the rear of my I30 (FWD) to tow. Had he towed it by the rear wheels, what damage could have occurred to the drivetrain by it being in gear? It is a 5MT left in 1st gear, if that matters.
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Darius
- Posts: 4820
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2003 9:48 am
- Car: RB25DET S14 - 665 WHP (SOLD)
- Location: Chicagoland
Have a transmission shop look at it, then send the bill to the towing company even if there's nothing wrong with it. If they screwed something up, I'm pretty sure its their liability otherwise they could drag every car down the highway on the roof and pay no consequence. If they dont pay for it, threaten to take them to court or report them to the better business bureau. Things dont usually get past those steps.
if it was in gear when he was pulling it, it could have caused the motor to jump timing [cam] since it was in 1st gear and going backwards.
if the car runs fine, then there will be no damage. manuals are not damaged as easily as auto trannies when towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
i cant stand it when tow drivers tow cars with the drive wheels on the ground. i was a tow truck driver for years, and it bothers the hell out of me when they dont know what their doing.
towing an auto car in neutral with the engine off and the drive wheels on the ground for more than 15 miles or so is a recipe for transmission soup. if an auto must be towed like that, the engine should be running inorder to keep line pressure in the trans so the clutch packs arent dragging.
manuals dont mind being towed with the drive wheels on the ground as long as its a reasonable distance.
if highway is involved, or speeds of more than 35 mph, then the drive wheels must be lifted.
if the car runs fine, then there will be no damage. manuals are not damaged as easily as auto trannies when towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
i cant stand it when tow drivers tow cars with the drive wheels on the ground. i was a tow truck driver for years, and it bothers the hell out of me when they dont know what their doing.
towing an auto car in neutral with the engine off and the drive wheels on the ground for more than 15 miles or so is a recipe for transmission soup. if an auto must be towed like that, the engine should be running inorder to keep line pressure in the trans so the clutch packs arent dragging.
manuals dont mind being towed with the drive wheels on the ground as long as its a reasonable distance.
if highway is involved, or speeds of more than 35 mph, then the drive wheels must be lifted.
[quote=" IvoryJ30t
i cant stand it when tow drivers tow cars with the drive wheels on the ground. i was a tow truck driver for years, and it bothers the hell out of me when they dont know what their doing. [/quote]
Where you worked, at what point was a drop-charge assessed if it was patrol towing (as opposed to dispatched)?
i cant stand it when tow drivers tow cars with the drive wheels on the ground. i was a tow truck driver for years, and it bothers the hell out of me when they dont know what their doing. [/quote]
Where you worked, at what point was a drop-charge assessed if it was patrol towing (as opposed to dispatched)?
if my truck came in contact with your vehice, you paid.
if you were illegally parked, then that would be a police call [dispatched] and you would pay if i touched your car or not.
the officer would wait for me, and if you showed up while i was on scene, you had to pay me to release your vehicle. if you didnt have the money, the car came with me.
if you were illegally parked, then that would be a police call [dispatched] and you would pay if i touched your car or not.
the officer would wait for me, and if you showed up while i was on scene, you had to pay me to release your vehicle. if you didnt have the money, the car came with me.
if you were on the street, and a cop called dispatch and requested a tow, you have to pay the driver if he shows up before you.
in a private property lot, there needs to be a sign posted stating the name of the company contracted to tow, the phone number, and the hook charge, mileage charge, and storage charge. [laws vary, but most of the time, if that sign does not exist, you can call the police and have the vehicle released on a technicality]
in a private propery impound situation, the driver has to either lift the car [in any manner], or go-jack or dolly a wheel or wheels inorder to charge you the drop fee.
if the tower has not disabled the vehicle by a dolly or hooking up the car to the truck, you do not have to pay.
in your case, the guy probably just hooked the car up so you would have to pay him.
in a private property lot, there needs to be a sign posted stating the name of the company contracted to tow, the phone number, and the hook charge, mileage charge, and storage charge. [laws vary, but most of the time, if that sign does not exist, you can call the police and have the vehicle released on a technicality]
in a private propery impound situation, the driver has to either lift the car [in any manner], or go-jack or dolly a wheel or wheels inorder to charge you the drop fee.
if the tower has not disabled the vehicle by a dolly or hooking up the car to the truck, you do not have to pay.
in your case, the guy probably just hooked the car up so you would have to pay him.
from they way you describe it, you were on private property, the call was not dispatched, [you were not impeding the unloading of a truck], and he was not hooked up.
you would have been perfectly in the clear to get in your car and drive away.
at that stage, [you present, car not hooked up] he had no legal right to detain the car or charge for its release since the car was not in his possesion [on the truck].
you in line for a refund [he did give you a receipt, right?]
if you did not get a receipt, he was trying to get some money out of you for his own pocket.
you should be refunded, because you were charged improperly.
you would have been perfectly in the clear to get in your car and drive away.
at that stage, [you present, car not hooked up] he had no legal right to detain the car or charge for its release since the car was not in his possesion [on the truck].
you in line for a refund [he did give you a receipt, right?]
if you did not get a receipt, he was trying to get some money out of you for his own pocket.
you should be refunded, because you were charged improperly.
yup. he bullied you into giving him money. supported by the fact he gave no receipt. with no slip, as far as the company is concerned, he was not there.
he pocketed the money. probably figured you would be happy that your car didnt get towed, and you would forget about it.
when i used to tow, if i found a disabled vehicle or some other work that was not called in, and i had no calls, the money was mine. i wouldnt actively search out impounds, because there not worth the hassle. repossesions on the other hand pay VERY well.
he pocketed the money. probably figured you would be happy that your car didnt get towed, and you would forget about it.
when i used to tow, if i found a disabled vehicle or some other work that was not called in, and i had no calls, the money was mine. i wouldnt actively search out impounds, because there not worth the hassle. repossesions on the other hand pay VERY well.
Well, I found out tonight from my townhouse management company that he was NOT supposed to charge a drop fee. the towing company agreed to refund my money, because I had his card AND could describe the driver and passenger.
On top of that, I do not have to worry about the driver coming back and towing me out of spite- at leat not while he is on duty. He is not allowed to tow from this property any longer, because he violated the local ordinances, and according to the contract between management and the towing company, any driver deemed to be guilty of an unlawful tow may not return to the property. NICE!
On top of that, I do not have to worry about the driver coming back and towing me out of spite- at leat not while he is on duty. He is not allowed to tow from this property any longer, because he violated the local ordinances, and according to the contract between management and the towing company, any driver deemed to be guilty of an unlawful tow may not return to the property. NICE!