Most expensive towing bill

[Jeff Clark]

Watching that show on ice road truckers had me thinking. Who has spent the most at one time for a tow truck?

A few years ago a friend and I went to visit his grandparents on their cotton farm in Plainview, Texas (panhandle area). We were out driving through a field when my truck got stuck. Trying to get it out we got two John Deere tractors stuck. The only tow truck that would be able to remove all of this mess was a wrecker for semi's. He had to drive the truck on a road between two ditches that was barely wide enough for my truck and then winch the whole mess from 140 yards a away. All said and done it cost me $550 bucks. Would have been more, but he didn't charge me for a few things.

Anybody else?

[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 01-12-2001). ]

 

[Briar Hopper]

Flew to Los Angeles a year ago to visit a female friend from the Frank Simkowski... We drove to Las Vegas in her Toyota Corolla, spent 4 days having a blast, then drove home on I-15. About the other side of Primm, going through the Mojave, the windshield washer tank broke loose and splashed it's contents on the alternator. I made 5 stops along the way, asking for parts places, or hotels we could stay at. Nothing. Running with the headlights on, after it got dark, it finally died somewhere in Antelope Valley. The guy from triple A was a real big help, he knew of NOTHING open, not even a motel he could tow us to, near a parts place. over my objections, the poor girl ended up paying $350 for a flatbed tow all the way from south of Victorville to Oxnard, where she lived. I borrowed her neighbor's car the next morning, went to Pep Boys got another alternator for $120, and a cheapy set of metric wrenches for $8, and had it running 20 minutes after we got back.

 

[Happy Camper]

New rig with 60gal fuel tank.
Guage said full. Asked dealer and as near as they figured they filled it.
4:30 am 25miles from a small town with a little over 1/2 tank on the guage bingo, no more fuel. Towing insurance could not locate on their computer where I was but could send someone out from 90 miles away instead of 20. I paid for the 20 miler $180 and am waiting, waiting for reimbursement.

 

[illflem]

Per mile mine was very expensive. I was on I-90 in WA in a snow storm,went to pass a semi and didn't realize he was half way in my lane because everything was white. I went into the center median where the snow was three feet deep and got stuck. Cost $125 for the tow truck to pull me 10 feet.

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95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks Stinger,Warn fender flairs and running boards(work truck)
95 3500,5 speed 3:54,Driftwood,Banks&Psycotty,34,000 GCVW apple and tractor hauler(works harder truck)

 

[joesoot]

O$ i have full coverage including towing

 

[Chad Sheets]

The wifes parents have a large towing business. They collected over $15,000 for one accident scene a few years back.

It wasnt just a hook and tow however. Air cushions, four 50 ton wreckers, a crane, a backhoe, and lots of elbow grease was required to get the interstate back into action.

Most overturned semis (loaded) command a $5000-$10000 bill depending on situation. Sounds like alot until you consider the cost of just one big wrecker. $200,000 isnt an uncommon price for BIG wreckers. Add in the cost of insureance, plates, road taxes maintenance and so on, and it gets real costly to have those big monsters sitting around.

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Always ready to help!
2000 2500 Red Sport quad cab, 4x4, K&N, DDI's, straight piped, boost, pyro and fuel pressure gages, Hot Power Edge, mean looking set of 33. 5" tires, Snap On diamond tool box, Marine Corps window sticker, Semper Fi!

1972 340 Cuda'. Original tripple Black, 340 car w/air. Good clean car, super stock springs, Weld Prostars, shaker hood, strong 340 with a 727/4000 stahl, 4. 56... . Bombs away!
NRA Life Member. http://www.geocities.com/chadsheets

 

[Koa Man]

Seeing what towing companies get I think I should go into the towing business! Paid $347 to get my Ford F700 aerial lift (GVW 27500) towed 15 miles when the brakes went out. Cost me $550 when a Honda cut in front of one of my drivers on a rainy day and the truck he was driving fishtailed and the 6000 lb brush chipper he was towing broke the pintle hitch and ended up side down on the freeway. It took two tow trucks to flip it over and a big flatbed type tow truck brought it to my yard 20 miles away. Two weeks ago I paid $320 to get my Dodge and the chipper it was towing, towed to my house 17 miles away when the rubber trans line blew. Lucky for me the trans was not damaged. Naturally Dodge dealer did not have the replacement in stock so I had a hose company make one up.

 

[Jeff H]

I had my Dodge truck hauled 50 miles home this summer. He's from my home erea too. He did not charge for the drive down. He just charged for the haul. Cost was 112 bucks.

 

[rich m]

about $200
was fishing on one of the small peninsulae that protrudes into Lake Mead(was between Las Vegas Wash and Government Wash)... had been there before, and left during daylight. . this time it was after dark, and i lost my return path. ('89 Plymouth Voyager has no ground clearance to speak of) wound up in some deep sand and had to have the tow truck come out, extend about 70-80' of cable and extract the van. watched the sun rise... caught one decent striper. referred to it as the $200 fish

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Mine was last January 14th. Grand Am had 183K. I was returning to Bend from Eugene and for you locals stopped at the Vida Store, to grab a snack, still about 100 miles from home. I walk out 10 minutes later and fire her up, and my low coolant light comes on. I pop the hood and notice that I am standing in huge amounts of coolant. Figuring I might have boiled over, I go back in side and buy a gallon of distilled water. As I add the water, I hear what sounds like a faucet running under the car. It turns out the heater core had split, and all of the water was running out of the AC weep drain tube sticking out of the fire wall. It was Friday night, after dark, and I am at a place with no services. It is bad weather on the Sanitam Pass up ahead with chains required. My options are tow back to Eugene, about 30 miles and hole up for about 3 days, hopefully getting it repaired on Monday or buy a huge tow bill and have it towed home. About 4 hours later and $300 lighter I am home and sleeping in my own bed. I had a roll back truck come retrieve me from my home town.

Shelby

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2001. 5 2500 QC LB 4WD, ETH (Built 09-10-00), DEE, 3. 54 gears, Laramie SLT, Camper Special, Trailer Tow, Travel Convenience Group, Power Driver Seat, Alarm System, Remote Keyless Entry, Fog Lamps, Cab Clearance Lamps, HD Transfer Case, Bright White with a Gray Interior. Built 09-15-00, took delivery on 10-06-00, 3873 miles as of 01-04-01. Custom aluminum work body / flat bed. Coming soon: E-Brake and gauges.