TOW PROS

Review: My daughter’s truck was towed from an apartment complex in Poway on Saturday November 2, 2013. I paid the $370 to get her truck back after they only had it for about 15 min, however, during the tow the front bumper was damaged. I called everyday for weeks and could never get someone to help me or answer questions. I was told I needed to speak to the manager ([redacted]) and have left messages everyday asking him to return my call.

To this day I have not been able to get a call back from the company (or manager) and when I do get someone on the phone all they say is I need to speak to the manager (who is never there). They take my name and number but never call back. I would like to get this resolved as soon as possible.Desired Settlement: Have the damages fixed.

Consumer

Response:

The Car is registered in my name, my daughter is 16 years old.

Thanks,

My wife and daughter were rear ended by a white Toyota on 8 Jan, on Pomerado Road just north of the hospital in the north bound lanes by the Good Will. My daughter was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. While on scene I started to call AAA when a Pacific Autow Center tow truck pulled up with AAA emblazoned across the vehicle. I hung up, approached the driver and handed him my AAA card information and asked him if he could take the information off the card and make arrangements for my vehicle to be towed to my home in Sabre Springs (about 4 miles). I am assuming the police called in the tow for the white Toyota that rear ended ours, which was obviously not drive-able.

The Pacific Autow Center driver said sure, but recommended that since we were obviously not at fault that we should have our vehicle towed to Poway Tow Pros. He said that he had been towing for 18 years and that this was a no brainer because all the costs would be paid for by the other driver's insurance company. Since I was in a rush to get to the hospital I disregarded the guidance from my USAA insurance agent and agreed to the tow.

What the driver SHOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED, is that I call in my service call to AAA and that he could not handle that.

Later that day my USAA insurance agent recommended again that the vehicle not be towed to the tow yard. When I initially called the yard I was told that I was going to be charged for the tow of both vehicles, including the Toyota that rear ended me if I wanted to get my vehicle off the lot ($400 + storage + late fees). After further discussion they agreed that I would only be responsible for the tow and storage costs on my own vehicle. On Friday evening I made arrangements through AAA to have my vehicle towed from Poway Tow Pros to my home. When I arrived the tow lot was closed in Poway and arrangements to open the lot and tow my vehicle had to be made through another office. During the course of this transaction the price fluctuated between $290 and $350 and finally settled on a price of $250.

Note that the Pacific Autow Center web site does state that a tow will cost only $65 within 5 miles! This is emblazoned across their web site. However, this only applies if your vehicle is broke down. Additionally, if your vehicle is ever towed to Poway Tow Pros by CHP, or city/county Sheriff the cost of the tow is $200 PER HOUR with storage fees of $50/day.

Just because you the other party is going to have to pay exorbitant tow and storage fees does not make what Pacific Autow Center did right. Towing my vehicle to my home would have been covered by AAA with no storage fees whatsoever. I believe that every company has the right to make money, but taking advantage of a situation like this is not the right way to (1) treat customers, nor is it the right way to make money. Just because the company can make more money off of the insurance company doesn't make it right.

If you are a AAA member and need a tow, make sure that when you call that you tell the AAA operator that you DO NOT WANT to use Pacific Autow Center or Poway Tow Pros for your service. Ask for another company.