They might try to convince you into having your car towed with a dolly. In some situations that is possible. However, there are certain situations when you must really insist on getting a flatbed. If you’d have to wait, then wait. Here are some of those situations. 

When Your Car Is An All-Wheel Drive

It can be a headache to have a car breakdown. What is worse is if the towing process further damages your vehicle. Even if you are in a rush to get your car out of the road, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than a flatbed if you have an all-wheel drive. 

All-wheel drives can’t be towed while dragging two wheels on the road. That will damage the transmission. You can only agree to have your car towed that way if they can figure out how to disconnect the wheels from the transmission before towing it. That is a tricky process and would require a professional to do. Although it can be done, it would also take time. Compare the time you’d have to wait for an available flatbed vs the time it would take to do the process. 

When Your Car Is Totaled

Some people might think that a car that has been totaled won’t really need as much care because it is already ruined. That may be true but some cars that are totaled wouldn’t be safe to be towed unless a flatbed is used. If the total car is accidentally released on the road because of poor attachment points, it could cause injuries and other accidents to the people on the road. 

Professional towing companies know this and they can assess the vehicle whether there are still viable attachment points. If there are, they could decide to proceed in towing without using the flatbed. It is important to work with trustworthy and experienced towing companies to ensure the safety of your vehicle as well as others on the road. 

When Your Car Has A Low Profile

Even if your car has already stalled on the road, there is no reason to cause further damage to it by towing it improperly. Low-profile cars are better towed on flatbeds because there is a high risk of dragging the underside or tail of the vehicle when other methods are used. For that reason, it is best to insist on using a flatbed tow truck. 

When You Want To Minimize Damage

Flatbed tow trucks will be less risky than other types of tow trucks when it comes to damages. If you are transporting a car that’s not damaged at all and you’d want to preserve it, then insist on getting a flatbed. Those who are taking their car to a show or moving should make sure towing companies use a flatbed tow truck to move the vehicle.

When There Is A Long Distance To Be Covered

In some cases, when the car is stuck in the middle of the road, isn’t an all-wheel-drive or an electric car, and needs to be immediately moved to a nearby facility, a tow truck with a dolly can be used. However, if the distance to be covered is quite long, then you should insist on using a flatbed tow truck. 

Any guy with a truck and hook can tow a car – that’s the easy part.

If you want the trip to be damage-free, well requires a certain finesse – and the right equipment. Reliable guys has a comprehensive fleet of trucks to get you the right service for your unique needs.

The post When To Insist On A Flatbed To Tow Your Car appeared first on Reliable Guys Towing Service.

But because your electric car has moving parts, tires, and batteries, you still can’t escape the fact that you may still need towing services for your electric vehicle from time to time despite all it’s benefits.

Reasons Why Your Electric Car Gets Towed

Let’s face it, electric cars are pretty neat but they aren’t perfect nor are they indestructible. Like other vehicles they act up too especially if you don’t maintain them properly. To set things clear, here are a few reasons why your electric car may need a towing service.

• Flat Tire – A flat tire is a common problem for both electric and non-electric vehicles. There is a simple fix and that is to change the tire but electric cars mostly do not have a spare tire. Instead they have some sort of patching kit. Unfortunately, they are not the best solution at all times.
• Battery Problems -The battery of your electric car is its life. Charging it is essential but sometimes, you or the last person to use the car forgets to charge it. Unlike diesel or petrol that you can easily buy from a gas station and bring to refill your stalled vehicle, you cannot charge your electric car in the middle of the road. Another scenario related to your batteries is when they get worn out and need to be replaced.
• Break Problems – Like gas powered vehicles, your car’s brakes should also be maintained because they can be worn out due to use. If you notice the start of brake problems, don’t risk driving the vehicle and end up crashing it. Call a towing company and get your car to the nearest car shop servicing electric vehicles.

Before get your electric car towed…

If you are getting your electric car towed, make sure you call a service provider with a flatbed tow truck. Why? Because flatbed tow trucks carry the whole vehicle and don’t drag them down the road.

Many electric cars don’t have a neutral position which allows the car to move the wheels without affecting the motor. If you have your electric car towed with a hook and chain tow truck, you’ll be damaging the motor and will be risking more damage to your car.

Charge Instead Of Getting Towed

Instead of getting your electric vehicle towed the nearest charging station, you can ask the towing company if they have a charging truck that can charge your vehicle wherever you are. There specifically designed trucks for this purpose but not all offer them.

Charging trucks can only be an alternative to towing your electrical vehicle when the problem is a drained battery. If other problems exist, there is no other way to get your car to the shop than to have it towed by a flatbed tow truck.

Can Towing An Electric Car Really Recharge It?

There have been claims of of electric car owners who were able to recharge their electric cars by having it towed by another vehicle. Although many have claimed to do it, it isn’t advisable because you can break the warranty on your vehicle and it is even illegal to do in some US states.

In order to recharge the electric car with the towing method, the wheels should be touching the ground and a driver should be using the brakes. This triggers recharging through regenerative breaking. Control over using the brake is very important and the driver should not simply step on the breaks because it can trigger the real brakes.

To Wrap Things Up…

No matter what kind of car you own, it is best to be prepared. Although proper care and maintenance of your vehicle can prevent the need of a tow service company, there can still be unforeseen emergencies.

You should always have a contact number of a towing service provider no matter what type of vehicle you are driving. You also have to make sure that the towing company you are trying to contact offers the right kind of tow service for your vehicle.

The post Essentials Of Towing An Electric Car appeared first on Reliable Guys Towing Service.

How do we, as drivers, mitigate these risks?

We make sure to put on seat-belts, we buy cars with multiple airbags, we buy insurance, we remember to drive slowly – but accidents sometimes are inevitable. Thankfully, the majority of accidents are minor, and do not cause injury. There is, however, the problem of getting your damaged car off the road, and to a body shop for repair. What if your car is so damaged that if cannot be towed conventionally on its back wheels? That’s where companies like who provide flatbed towing come in .

Flatbed Tow Trucks Rock

Flatbed towing trucks are trucks that transport vehicles on, as the name suggests, a flat bed. Cars are wheeled or driven onto this flat bed, and strapped in securely. This ensures that the wheels of the vehicle never touch the ground during transportation. Flatbed towing is required in several instances. The most obvious example is for a totaled car, which cannot be towed by a dolly tow truck. Heavy vehicles, or cars which are built very low to the ground also cannot be towed conventionally. Vehicles with four wheel drive also require flatbed towing – dolly towing may cause significant damage to the transmission.

Flatbed towing is also suitable for non-accident related towing. Owners of classic cars or otherwise expensive vehicles may prefer the relative safety of a flatbed truck, which better ensures that the vehicle will be delivered without any accidental damage during transport. Finally, for longer distances, flatbed towing is safer for the car, as there is less wear and tear.

Trust Reliable Guys for your Flat Bed Towing

Reliable Guys Towing of St. Louis, Missouri offers one of the best flatbed towing services in the country. We understand that whether you have just been in a car accident, or just want your vehicle transported safely, you want a towing company to be reliable, affordable, and be available anytime you need service. We meet all your needs, and the “Reliable” in our name is a guarantee that we provide:

• 24/7 service
• Guaranteed arrival within 30 minutes
• Short and long-distance towing
• Transparent pricing

We offer 24 hour service across St. Louis, and guarantee that one of our service experts will arrive to your location within 30 minutes of your phone call. We offer both short and long distance towing and can tow to your home, an auto repair shop or a wrecker service. Finally, our pricing scales are completely transparent – there are no hidden fees, and prices are fixed.

There are horror stories circulating about tow truck drivers who refuse to lower your car unless you pay them an extra “service charge”, or you receive an invoice only to see that there are extra line items for services that were never disclosed. At Reliable Guys Towing, our tow truck professionals will never ask for a single cent beyond the prices listed, and our service experts will never ask for gratuities or any additional fees.

Stay protected in your next towing service call and check out our latest article on common towing scams to avoid…

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