Most people learn how towing works at the worst possible moment. These are the things we wish everyone knew beforehand.
We are a towing company, so there is an obvious self-interest in some of what follows. We publish it anyway, because most of the complaints people have about towing come from operators who count on customers not knowing any of it — and because a customer who knows what to expect is easier to help than one who does not.
A couple of these articles will actively save you money, including the one explaining why you should check your insurance before you pay us.
Posted rates, itemized bills, retrieving your belongings, police holds, and where to complain. What RSMo § 304.154 actually requires.
The six things that drive a towing bill, the questions to ask on the phone, and why nobody can quote you honestly from a web page.
The first five minutes in order, when the car should not be driven away, and the mistake that costs you the choice of tow company.
Highway shoulders, rural two-lanes, dark parking lots and winter. Where to put yourself while you wait, by situation.
What the symptoms tell you, the three-question test, and how to tell a dying battery from a failing alternator.
Two ways to pick up a car, and why AWD, lowered cars and classics only have one right answer.
Four things to check before you pay anyone, the hidden key most fob owners do not know about, and why coat hangers wreck modern doors.
Call sooner than you think you need to. If you arrange the tow yourself, you choose the company, the destination and the price. If you wait until police order the vehicle moved, all three of those decisions are made for you, and storage starts accruing the same night.
And get yourself somewhere safe before you worry about the car. The vehicle is recoverable in almost every situation. See staying safe while you wait.