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Broken car on tow truck after traffic accident, on the road service

When To Insist On A Flatbed To Tow Your Car

Flatbeds are a crowd favorite when it comes to towing. Some even suggest not getting your car towed unless the towing company uses a flatbed. As much as towing companies would love to follow your request, there are instances when they just can’t. It may be due to the fact that they don’t have a flatbed or all their flatbeds are already dispatched. 

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.

https://www.reliableguystowing.com/towing-service/tow-truck/

Reliable Guys Towing

Looking for a reliable towing company in the St. Louis area? Why not choose the towing team with over 20 years experience exclusively in our proud Gateway City. Fully insured, licensed and bonded in the states of Missouri and Illinois, the folks at Reliable Guys Towing pride themselves in clear communication to ensure that services, prices and quality far surpass our competition. We know our talented technicians are the best in the business, and we go that extra mile in resolving our clients issue so that they feel comfortable and assured for their Roadside Assistance needs. Whatever be your need; big or small, far or near, we're more than happy to serve you. Give us a call at (314) 325-1016 and one of our knowledgeable towing service reps will help assist getting a tow truck to you so we can quickly get you on your way.