boxster02

Long story short, my S was towed from the area I live in, by this shady *** tow company...

Bottom Line, I didnt have to pay to get the car back because of my association's screw up.

When I went to pick the car up, I asked the nice gentleman at the front office at the tow place how the car was towed since its awd etc... He just spat out some mumbo jumbo and off I went after letting him know I was going to get the car checked out.

There now is a clicking / rubbing noise now from the front left wheelwell... Im going to get the car looked at and see what is wrong. Could be a cv joint/tie rod, etc...

Bottom line... Wasnt a happy easter, still very angry about this. How tough will it be to pinpoint the problems to the towing? Could it have happened from towing? I am trying to get them to pay for it.

Any help/ideas/suggestions would be much appreciated.

-Thanks

Krav_S4

Just had my car towed last weekend due to a blown upper oil pan gasket.

The Audi Roadside Assurance rep told me they only tow quattro cars on flatbeds. So, I had a flatbed tow my car back to the dealer. Unfortunately, flatbeds are hard to come by in the Manhattan, so I had to wait about 3 hours for it.

boxster02

works exactly....

Any thoughts?

Krav_S4

Weren't you there when it was towed?

boxster02

it could possibly have been, but I wasnt there to see it towed. Either way, could damage occur?

Krav_S4

In theory, the damage you're describing would be unlikely to happen with a flatbed. A flatbed uses a winch to pull the car up the (angled) bed. The wheels at most have to travel 25-50 feet. Problems with flatbeds usually involve bumper damage with a lowered car. The lowered clearance can complicate the approach up or down the steeply angled ramp to the flat ground.

As the wheels are secured and immobbile during transport on a flatbed, I doubt any serious drivetrain damage would occur.

Of course, there are possibilities. Did you car have to be extracted from a parking spot? This can be brutal to a car in Manhattan. The tow driver usually attaches the winch to your front tow hook or axle and just pulls the car sideways out of the spot, against the tires, wheels, axles, parking break, tranmission in gear, etc.

If the tow driver had access to your car, and put it in neutral, release the parking brake, and had a clear shot up the flat bed, I'd think you're drivetrain would be unaffected.

The syptoms sound like a conventional hoist was used, leaving the car's rear axle on the ground. You should probably speak to a dealer, as they are more knowledgeable with this. I only experience with my own car being towed, and talking to the tow driver.

boxster02

Did they have to break into the car to get the brake down and gear in neutral? They just YANK the F-ing car out via the tow hook?

Even if a flatbed was used, thats still horribly brutal on the car (flat spot on tires too?)

boxster02

There could be more damage, going in for a check up this week.

Krav_S4

If you're lucky, they opened the car to release the brake and transmission. The NYPD doesn't bother with that though, they just pull you.

I'd have to imagine though that the NYPD is worst case scenario. Hopefully a private company would take more care. I've seen garages ues some kind of jack system that uses small tire dollies which put 4 casters around each wheel and then lift the car off the ground. This allows them to roll a car out of the way if the owner forgets to leave their keys. I guess a tow truck would have these also, and could be used to extract your car from the spot.

Again, I'm by no means an expert here. Just sharing my experience. I go out of my way to make sure the NYPD doesn't tow me.

boxster02

I do have the right to get the current damages on my car payed for by my association/towing company... On the grounds that it was towed illegally.

Or am I just thinking irrationally?

I will have to contact the towing company and see by which means the car was towed, but not sure that this shady place would tell me they did something causing damage...