Joe Lee Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Hi All - Sadly, I was involved in an accident in NC. Highway Patrol wouldn’t let me use my Good Sam’s Tow because he said they would be too slow in responding. I just got the tow bill …. $35,000! I was on the interstate and all they did was disconnect the driveshaft and release the brakes. Towed the coach about 5-10 miles. My insurance guy said he had never heard of such a high fee. Have any of you had an experience like this? And, would you please share the costs? Thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDCrow Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Not with a coach, but with my truck. They aim high to negotiate with insurance on the tow. And they hold the coach hostage with a daily “storage fee”. Where I’m at they had to pass a law that made the cops use a next in line system. It’s seems (not proven) that at the time a certain tow company was getting all the call from a local law…….makes you wonder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Yep, sounds like a scam! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Lee Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 Daily storage fee is $100/Day! So, $35,000 is kinda normal for a truck? I need to get into the towing business! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 1 minute ago, Joe Lee said: Daily storage fee is $100/Day! So, $35,000 is kinda normal for a truck? I need to get into the towing business! Pay off a new class 8 tow truck in the first couple of months! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Lee Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 Yes sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDCrow Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 29 minutes ago, 96 EVO said: Pay off a new class 8 tow truck in the first couple of months! My wife and I joked that the tow company got 2 new trucks after ours was towed. I laughed and said I didn’t even get a thank you card. I wish I could say I’m kidding but I’m not. What they told me they needed to do and what they did were 2 different things. Took more trucks, took more crew, ended up using their hazmat gear yada yada yada I told the insurance company to tell the tow company to keep the truck, it was totaled. But they wouldn’t listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpperk Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 We were in an accident on I 81 in September of 2021 and the tow bill to go 1/2 mile to the towing company garage was $6600. Then another company was employed by progressive insurance to tow the bus to Texas to the factory for repairs. That bill was just short of $16K. That company was supposed to use a Landol trailer lowboy to get it there. Instead and in the dark of the night, they showed up with a huge tow truck and used a front wheel lift to drag it to Texas. They bid on the job saying they would use a lowboy trailer. They damaged the back of the RV. That way they didn't need special permits for over length and over height. Progressive paid the bill. and the 90k for the repairs which took 12 months. But the bid was for the trailer which is the recommended method of towing a 45 foot bus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Actually, I recall recently reading a thread where the poster said Good Sams, Coachnet etc, don't tow vehicles involved in MVA. Your insurance Co is on the hook (pardon the pun), for that tow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneC Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I don't know who you would talk to,this is what I know ,for a heavy tow in my area, big rig with a 7' boom,drive shaft off,brakes released, and towed 10 miles. Cost $ 175.00/hrs, minimum 2 hours plus tax. Canadian dollars That is pulling 45' coach. Hopefully you can sort it out Wayne 1999 Signature ceaser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck B 2004 Windsor Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Nothing to sort out. If that is the going rate, either pay it or sit on the side and let the law enforcement handle it. Might cost you more. Huge tow trunks cost a lot of money for the owner to own and operate properly plus the liability insurance they carry. If cannot run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. Chuck B 2004 Windsor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDCrow Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 33 minutes ago, Chuck B 2004 Windsor said: Nothing to sort out. If that is the going rate, either pay it or sit on the side and let the law enforcement handle it. Might cost you more. Huge tow trunks cost a lot of money for the owner to own and operate properly plus the liability insurance they carry. If cannot run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. Chuck B 2004 Windsor Your family reunions just have to be epic. 3 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 42 minutes ago, Chuck B 2004 Windsor said: If cannot run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. Chuck B 2004 Windsor Chuck, I don't think too many 'big dog's' would leave the safety of the porch if they thought a fender bender may cost them $35,000! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpperk Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Right on 96EVO! My family’s business is 104 years old. We would not have made it this far without impeccable ethics and honest and fair and transparent pricing. No company should be otherwise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmw188 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 2 hours ago, WayneC said: I don't know who you would talk to,this is what I know ,for a heavy tow in my area, big rig with a 7' boom,drive shaft off,brakes released, and towed 10 miles. Cost $ 175.00/hrs, minimum 2 hours plus tax. Canadian dollars That is pulling 45' coach. Hopefully you can sort it out Wayne 1999 Signature ceaser That’s a very reasonable rate as long as the have the proper equipment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I would think the insurance Co will pay this towing Co the going rate, and if they don't accept it, their lawyers will see them in court, where they will have an opportunity to justify their ridiculous charge! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary 05 AMB DST Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 From what I'm reading, if you are a Coachnet customer, they may not come. And if they do, is your insurance going to pay them? It may be safer to get your towing coverage with your RV insurance and eliminate one step of the process. Gary 05 AMB DST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ray Davis Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 3 hours ago, bpperk said: We were in an accident on I 81 in September of 2021 and the tow bill to go 1/2 mile to the towing company garage was $6600. Then another company was employed by progressive insurance to tow the bus to Texas to the factory for repairs. That bill was just short of $16K. That company was supposed to use a Landol trailer lowboy to get it there. Instead and in the dark of the night, they showed up with a huge tow truck and used a front wheel lift to drag it to Texas. They bid on the job saying they would use a lowboy trailer. They damaged the back of the RV. That way they didn't need special permits for over length and over height. Progressive paid the bill. and the 90k for the repairs which took 12 months. But the bid was for the trailer which is the recommended method of towing a 45 foot bus. Do you know if the insurance actually paid those amounts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck B 2004 Windsor Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 1 hour ago, bpperk said: Right on 96EVO! My family’s business is 104 years old. We would not have made it this far without impeccable ethics and honest and fair and transparent pricing. No company should be otherwise. The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low prices are forgotten. Chuck B 2004 Windsor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpperk Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Ray, I confirmed that the bills were paid as submitted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ray Davis Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 13 minutes ago, bpperk said: Ray, I confirmed that the bills were paid as submitted Thanks Brad. WOW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbircky Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Coming from a LE side of this: we removed or suspended tow companies from the rotation for excessive complaints or excessive fees. Our written policy had a maximum storage fee. The policy also had the phrase “reasonable and customary” in it for accidents and clean up. I’d file a complaint with the LE agency over the fee. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomevansfl Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 Boy, I thought $650 to tow mine 8 miles in Orlando was high. They did all you said, backed it in where Cummins told them to, and still didn't charge that much. This was through Coach Net, and it took about 1 hour & 30 minutes for the truck to arrive to pick my coach up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl_racing427 Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 On 1/23/2023 at 6:52 PM, Dbircky said: Coming from a LE side of this: we removed or suspended tow companies from the rotation for excessive complaints or excessive fees. Our written policy had a maximum storage fee. The policy also had the phrase “reasonable and customary” in it for accidents and clean up. I’d file a complaint with the LE agency over the fee. Aparantly, many in LE are not as ethical as you. 🤬 These charges are RIDICULOUS!!! I know things have gone up, but back around 2000, my old 31' gas coach had a transmission problem shortly after leaving Charlotte, NC. I called my Ins. and they contacted a tow company who arrived with a class 8 tandem axle boom truck. They disconnected the driveshaft, and towed the rig to my home in Bedford, VA. IIRC the bill was in the $800 range. (Interestingly, after talking to several trans shops, who all said I needed a transmission rebuild, I finally contacted a retired trans mechanic who told me exactly what the problem was. The plastic governor gear, similar to a speedometer gear, had stripped, preventing the trans from sensing speed and upshifting properly. A $5 part, and about 15 minutes to replace, had I only known. LOL) The key was not only knowing enough to accurately explain the symptoms, but finding someone with the experience who would actually be honest with me. SMH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemermcr Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 If I recall correctly, the record in Wyoming to tow a wrecked semi truck that was blocking the interstate was $276,000. It seems there is no limit to what a company can charge if the tow is ordered by the highway patrol. Wyoming legislature last year refused to pass a bill that would limit tow bills in such circumstances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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