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In a hectic vehicle breakdown situation, ideas about towing cost estimator may help you make smart decisions. Around 69 million American vehicles face breakdowns every year. Most car o wners in the US need towing services at least once in their lifetime. So, you can be one of them anytime.

It’s better to have proper ideas about towing cost estimator to avoid puzzling scenarios. In this article, we explained the whole towing cost estimator thing. After reading this, you can calculate your car’s towing cost and hire an accurate towing service.

So, let’s dive in.

Calculating The Towing Cost For Your Car

Calculating possible towing costs relies on different factors and circumstances. Here we present the tow truck cost estimators and a detailed breakdown of the costs in the following. So, keep reading.

Towing Cost Estimator Or Factors Affecting The Cost

Several factors affect or estimate the cost for towing your car. The major tow truck cost estimators are like the following:

• Type and Size of Your Vehicle: The towing cost of a vehicle depends on its model, size, or weight. For instance, a large SUV will be costlier to tow than a small car. Again, the cost will rise for electric and hybrid cars as these need special handling.
• Distance: Distance is the most crucial tow truck cost estimator. The distance from the vehicle’s current location to the final destination determines the core part of towing cost.
• Additional Recovery: The cost will rise if the vehicle needs special treatment to make it ideal for towing. For example, if the car is stuck in the ditch or has a flattened tire, it has to be made convenient for moving on the road.
• The Time and Location: The cost will vary depending on what time you need the service and where you are. The cost will be higher if you need the service in unusual times or dangerous terrain.
• Storage: Storage is another towing cost estimator. You have to pay extra for the storage facility if you need to store the car when you can make the insurance claim.

Breakdown Of The Cost Of Towing

Let’s break down the amount of money you pay for towing to understand how the pricing works. There can be three parts of the total tow bill which are:

1. Standard Towing Cost

This is the amount of money most car towing companies charge for hooking and towing your car. Most towing companies charge a flat or base amount for hooking your car to the tow truck. In addition, to hook up costs, you’ll have to pay the per-mile fee.

2. Additional Towing Cost

The towing service can cost you more money in the following situations.

• If you need the towing at night, on weekends, or on holidays.
• If you own a larger, heavier, or oversized vehicle.
• If you call in for the service during bad weather like flooding, snowstorm, wildfire, etc.
• If you lock the key inside or the car needs to be unlocked before towing.
• If you demand the service in a remote, hard to reach or uneven and dangerous terrain.

3. Towing Cost For Special Services

In specific scenarios, your car may need additional services along with towing. These are:

• Moving struck car
• Gas-delivery
• Jump-start
• Tire-changing
• Transporting un-drivable car

Most car towing companies also offer these special services. If you need one of these, you will have to pay extra.

Average Costs Of Towing

First thing first, how much are tow fees? The cost varies depending on distance, vehicle type, and other towing cost estimators. Also, different car towing companies charge differently. However, the average rate of a tow in the US is around $100.

Another thing to note here is there can be a hookup fee before the per-mile cost applies. You can be charged just for hooking your car to the tow truck. And this amount can be about $35-$100, depending on your car’s type and condition. After that, the cost of moving your car kicks in, which is $2.5 to $7 per mile.

For a better idea, here is how much your car can cost for towing.

• 5-7 miles: $35 to $125
• 40 miles: $125to $275
• 100 miles: $275 to $600

You must pay a base amount or hook-up costs for less than 5 miles. On the other hand, a significant or severely damaged car will cost you more than the regular one for the same distance.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about towing in this section.

What Do Most Tow Companies Charge Per Mile?

You can get the cheapest towing services at $2.5 in the US, up to $7. The amount varies on the type of vehicle to be towed, towing company, and many other towing cost estimators. You can also check out the information of your nearest towing companies about how much are tow fees.

Should You Ship Your Car Or Tow It?

Towing your car will be the best option if your primary concern is budget, among many other factors. Towing will cost less than half as much as shipping a car. So, towing will be a more convenient and cost-friendly option for you than shipping. It would be best if you also considered how much tow fees and shipping fees are in your territory to find out which one is convenient for you.

Does Towing A Vehicle Add Miles?

Whether towing a vehicle adds miles depends on two main factors. These are- the type of odometer and type of towing.

• In terms of the Type of Odometer: If your car has an electrical odometer, your car will not add any miles. On the other hand, if your vehicle has a mechanical odometer, it will possibly add miles.
• Regarding the Type of Towing: Dolly tow with front-wheel drive vehicles will not add mileage to your odometer, while a vehicle with rear-wheel drive will add mileage. However, no mileage will be added to trailer towing.

How Can I Save Money On A Tow?

If your auto insurance covers roadside assistance, towing would be entirely free. Otherwise, you can try Visa’s Roadside Dispatch Service to get towing and other related services at only $70. Likewise, you can also use the premium roadside assistance credit cards of American Express and MasterCard to get the cheapest towing.

Another way of having the cheapest towing services is to register with an auto club or roadside assistance subscription program. For instance, you can join the Automobile Association of America(AAA) and immediately start enjoying the facilities.

Is A Heavier Truck Better For Towing?

Towing companies are professionals who provide the best tow truck for your towing job. But, if you’re doing it yourself, you need to remember that the larger the towing job, the bigger displacement engine you’ll need. So, heavier trucks are considered better for heavier loads indeed.

The Bottom Line

There could be several reasons you want to get towing services. Whatever the reason, it can be tricky when you’re interested in towing. Hopefully, this article helped you with enough information about towing cost estimators to help you hire one efficiently.