Recovery truck rates

Ross95

Hi all,
My girlfriend crashed her 2003 micra and turned it onto its side but luckily she walked away. A recovery truck came from 5 or 6 miles away max, and took the car back to where he was based (so 10 miles round trip roughly). The recovery man is looking to charge €180 plus vat. I think this is a bit steep and he may be trying to overcharge her as she is young and was on her own at the time. I don't have much experience with vehicle recovery so any opinions are appreciated, thanks.

easygoing39

The fact that the recovery truck has already recovered the owners car and has taken it off the road to a safe location takes any barganing power away from the owner. The owner of the car has received a towing bill,if they dont pay it goes to court.Refusing to pay for a service lands people in trouble.

kirving

What do you think it should cost? Did she call the truck herself, and ask the price before ordering it?

vandriver

I got a 4.5 mile tow for €60 in Dublin.

wonski

Ross95 wrote: »

Hi all,
My girlfriend crashed her 2003 micra and turned it onto its side but luckily she walked away. A recovery truck came from 5 or 6 miles away max, and took the car back to where he was based (so 10 miles round trip roughly). The recovery man is looking to charge €180 plus vat. I think this is a bit steep and he may be trying to overcharge her as she is young and was on her own at the time. I don't have much experience with vehicle recovery so any opinions are appreciated, thanks.

If another driver was at fault she won't be out of pocket. Hope she's OK. If single car - tough luck.

Was it in Naas by any chance? Was passing accident on Sallins road around 11...

Ross95

Kevin Irving wrote: »

What do you think it should cost? Did she call the truck herself, and ask the price before ordering it?

I'm not really sure to be honest that's why I asked, I thought maybe 100-120 max. No the gardai who came on scene knew he was local and suggested him as it "would've been the cheapest" I'm not sure if it was the Garda or my girlfriend that called.

biko

I don't think he tried to overcharge her. But if you like, ring a few local recovery places and get quotes for moving a car from A to B.

Ross95

wonski wrote: »

If another driver was at fault she won't be out of pocket. Hope she's OK. If single car - tough luck.

Was it in Naas by any chance? Was passing accident on Sallins road around 11...

She's fine thanks. No it was last weekend near Kildare town.

kirving

I mean it does seem a bit dear, but if it's late at night, there could be a set fee at that hour. I would say she would have been doing well to get recovered got under €100. Will insurance cover any of it?

biko

Maybe, usually insurer have given you a number to ring if you break down.
Not sure if that was done in this case.

martinr5232

Is there any storage fees ??

Ross95

Kevin Irving wrote: »

I mean it does seem a bit dear, but if it's late at night, there could be a set fee at that hour. I would say she would have been doing well to get recovered got under €100. Will insurance cover any of it?

It was 8:30 Friday evening so yeah maybe a weekend rate or something. No not claiming as she's a young driver and the car isn't worth claiming for.

Ross95

martinr5232 wrote: »

Is there any storage fees ??

I never even thought of that, I must ask.

Car was on its side add to that storage fees. They charge what they want, are you gona turn it back upright and tow it or capable? They charge what they want, its been towed now and she rang them, you have absolutely no comeback.

Glad she is alright!!

Check if insurance covers it? I had my car towed last week and cost me nothing , Zurich paid it.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I had a tow truck pull my car out of a ditch, it was laying on its side too so it was tricky. He came from 10 miles away, pulled it out of the ditch and I drove it home because it was fine. He charged €80.

Esel

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

I had a tow truck pull my car out of a ditch, it was laying on its side too so it was tricky. He came from 10 miles away, pulled it out of the ditch and I drove it home because it was fine. He charged €80.

Be grand, you said...

€180 - €100 (recover your car to somewhere safe) = what you paid.

Don't worry, you said...

9935452

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

I had a tow truck pull my car out of a ditch, it was laying on its side too so it was tricky. He came from 10 miles away, pulled it out of the ditch and I drove it home because it was fine. He charged €80.

A few years back during the frost a friend managed to get stuck on a rail on a roundabout. He called a towtruck who got him off the rail and charged him 120. My friend was able to drive the car home

whippet

€180 isn't all that steep for a call out on a Friday evening.

Even if it was only a 10 mile round trip - taking the call, getting the truck out, fuel costs, min 1 hour labour unsociable hours, tax, insurance etc .. it all adds up

R.O.R

Cost about €220 3 years ago when the wife's car was recovered off the central reservation of the motorway (not driving) to the compound. Wasn't happy with the charge and had some words, so they dropped it up the house as part of the charge, so we didn't have any storage fee's and I could get it recovered from the house to a bodyshop much cheaper.

Esel

whippet wrote: »

€180 isn't all that steep for a call out on a Friday evening.

Even if it was only a 10 mile round trip - taking the call, getting the truck out, fuel costs, min 1 hour labour unsociable hours, tax, insurance etc .. it all adds up

I was with you apart from the fuel costs and taking the call.

whippet

Esel wrote: »

I was with you apart from the fuel costs and taking the call.

why?

It was 8pm on a Friday evening, to be available to take the call and ready for work would entail not having any other plans .. in the Pub, football match, cinema date etc. .. there is a cost to having a service readily available.

Also, even for a short journey recovery trucks consume fuel. If it was a private car charging back mileage you'd be looking at approx. €6, more for a large engine truck. So, while relatively small its not insignificant.

grogi

Elliott Scary Stranger wrote: »

Car was on its side add to that storage fees. They charge what they want, are you gona turn it back upright and tow it or capable? They charge what they want, its been towed now and she rang them, you have absolutely no comeback.

You walk into the hairdresser, get a cut and get a bill of €250. Or €1000 bill for oil change. No comeback?

Although I cannot find the exact name of this doctrine, there is a concept of expectation of reasonable price for a service unless agreed otherwise.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Esel wrote: »

Be grand, you said...

€180 - €100 (recover your car to somewhere safe) = what you paid.

Don't worry, you said...

The car was genuinely fine. It needed a new indicator and the front headlight re aligned. Car slid off the road at about 10 miles an hour...Big shout out to the farmers who leave muck on the roads.

EndaHonesty

The Hunky Monster wrote: »

The car was genuinely fine. It needed a new indicator and the front headlight re aligned. Car slid off the road at about 10 miles an hour...Big shout out to the farmers who leave muck on the roads.

Car was fine, it just slid off the road on it's side... :pac:

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

"Fine" :pac:

Noccy_Mondy

Check your insurance OP. Got mine towed last week, recovery fella said that the vast majority of insurance companies have breakdown assist as part of the policy, but most people don't even think to check! It should be covered by the insurance company if it's on the policy.

Esel

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Check your insurance OP. Got mine towed last week, recovery fella said that the vast majority of insurance companies have breakdown assist as part of the policy, but most people don't even think to check! It should be covered by the insurance company if it's on the policy.

Mine has, but I have to call a designated number. Not sure if I would be covered if I called Acme Recovery instead.

bladebrew

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Check your insurance OP. Got mine towed last week, recovery fella said that the vast majority of insurance companies have breakdown assist as part of the policy, but most people don't even think to check! It should be covered by the insurance company if it's on the policy.

^^
My Mums car got a smack from an idiot drink driving a few weeks ago, I think she said it was a fireman at the scene said to her to ring her insurance company, he said the guys the Gardai contact will charge a fortune, within an hour the car was collected for free!
The car was parked at the side of the road when it happened but the Garda was keen to get a tow truck in a hurry for some reason?

Pkiernan

The 180 may well include a 20 euro finders fee for the Garda