What You Should Know About The Cost of Towing Services in Sacramento, CA
Requiring a tow truck can be quite a stressful situation. You might be overwhelmed with the options available on the market. In fact, knowing what to expect to pay when calling a tow truck can make your decision much easier. It is imperative to know the factors that determine the costs of towing services. First, you should know that there are many types of fees involved in hiring a tow truck service such as price per mile and the hook-up fee.
Hook-Up Fee:
As the name suggests, you are getting billed for the process of getting the car hooked to the tow truck. The hook-up fee more often than not covers the first 5 to 7 miles, and if your vehicle needs to be towed for a longer distance, you may have to pay additional mileage costs.
The Price Per Mile:
This is another type of fee to consider when your car is being towed. Perhaps you want your vehicle taken to the nearest station, or maybe you want it towed to your favorite auto repair shop, which could be miles away. In some cases, you just want the car to be delivered at your house. The price per mile comes into effect when your vehicle is being towed a long distance. You might be wondering what other things might affect the cost of towing your car. Well, there are other factors that can affect the time needed on site and even the equipment required to tow your car.
After Hour Rates Covering Holidays, Nights, And Weekends
You can ideally expect to pay more for towing services in such days and times.
Location and Situation
If you are stuck off-road, in a ditch or maybe somewhere in the mountains, expect to pay more because these locations call for more time and effort, particularly if it is in a dangerous region. In case your SUV, sedan or pickup is stuck in ice, mud or snow, the towing service will have to spend a long time dealing with the situation.
Type of Vehicle
In some cases, it will be the vehicle itself that hikes the cost of the towing service. For example, a broken axle, locked up brakes, losing a tire, or being stuck in a park are some instances where the towing company will have to work hard to get you out of the mess. Hence, you should expect to pay more for dollies or to remove the drive line of a heavier pickup or SUV.
The type of your vehicle will also affect the price of such a service. Towing prices are calculated differently for All Wheel Drive cars, trucks, semi-tractors trailers, farm tractors, and similar heavy-duty vehicles as they need specialized tow trucks and equipment.
You can expect even higher fees if other issues like flat tires, oversize tires, low profile etc. make your vehicle difficult to tow.
When I've been in an accident, will it influence the cost?
If you were involved in a car crash, chances are you need a wrecker service as soon as possible. The cost of towing your vehicle will be rolled into the cost of your claim under such circumstances. Hence, you might be covered even if you don't have access to roadside assistance. However, the fine print on the policy will ultimately determine what is covered, so always read it with understanding and ask questions when you have doubts.