WRX was towed incorrectly...damages?

[YBNormal07]

Hi everyone,

I was in a car accident last week and they did not use a flatbed truck to tow my WRX. They towed it like a normal car with its front wheels off the ground and the rear wheels on the ground. This is my first AWD car, and after the shock of seeing my subie hurt and while giving a statement to the police I didn't even think about how it has to be towed on a flatbed.

Now I cannot change the gear in my car. The shifter is stuck in one position and I cannot move it at all. This was not a problem after the accident, as I put it into first and turned the vehicle off after the wreck. So I'm thinking this was caused by their improper towing but I want to be sure. What exactly happens when you incorrectly tow the WRX?

And will they be liable for the damages done to my car? The police called the tow truck to tow my car and they did not even come up to me to ask me anything about the car. What options do I have to make them pay up?

Thanks for any help.

1. Get the towing company info and have it handy. Phone number, address, etc.
2. Have you already called them and if so, what did they say? If not, don't call them yet.
3. Cally insurance company first and ask them what you should do. Since this was started by an accident, you will need to take direction from them, regardless of weather the accident was your fault or not. By bringing them into the loop early on, you remove any issues of them denying you coverage or payment for any damages, regardless of who caused it or for what reason. BE SURE TO DOCUMENT THIS....NAME OF THE PERSON, TIME CALLED, ETC.) sorry for yelling....

Depending on what your insurance company says, you may be left with several options. Hopefully, the accident was not your fault and your insurancde company is already dealing with the at-fault person's insurance company. More than likely, your now-blown center diff will be covered regardless of who is at fault, but it sounds like it might have been a fairly minor accident, and thus, your insurance company may question as to why you are in need of a new tranny/center/front diff assembley (all pretty much on unit).

Be patient and polite no matter who you talk to for whatever reason. Start a log NOW and document each phone call date and time, who you spoke to, and the particulars of the discussion. This could be invaluable later on if anyone starts the run-around on you.

good luck, and keep us posted.

[GraysonSubaru]

1. Get the towing company info and have it handy. Phone number, address, etc.
2. Have you already called them and if so, what did they say? If not, don't call them yet.
3. Cally insurance company first and ask them what you should do. Since this was started by an accident, you will need to take direction from them, regardless of weather the accident was your fault or not. By bringing them into the loop early on, you remove any issues of them denying you coverage or payment for any damages, regardless of who caused it or for what reason. BE SURE TO DOCUMENT THIS....NAME OF THE PERSON, TIME CALLED, ETC.) sorry for yelling....

Depending on what your insurance company says, you may be left with several options. Hopefully, the accident was not your fault and your insurancde company is already dealing with the at-fault person's insurance company. More than likely, your now-blown center diff will be covered regardless of who is at fault, but it sounds like it might have been a fairly minor accident, and thus, your insurance company may question as to why you are in need of a new tranny/center/front diff assembley (all pretty much on unit).

Be patient and polite no matter who you talk to for whatever reason. Start a log NOW and document each phone call date and time, who you spoke to, and the particulars of the discussion. This could be invaluable later on if anyone starts the run-around on you.

good luck, and keep us posted.

+1

documenting the date/time and person spoken to at the insurance company is huge in this case.

insurance may try to go after the towing company themselves so dont bother calling them (towing company) if you have not already called. if you have, probably not a big deal, but i would address it with the insurance company to see how they would like to handle this first...

if it has done that much damage, there is a pretty good chance that it may total out because the diff/transmission isnt going to be cheap to replace with new factory parts from a dealership on top of the already needed things needed to be done from the accident or whatever caused it to have to be towed.

[devilfluff]

I feel like their defense would be "the owner was present and didnt say anything when they saw the tow and not flat-bed"

The tow company is 100% liable for any damage done by improper towing. The owner is not expected to be trained/knowledgeable in the particulars of proper towing, while the tow driver is.

I agree w/ calling your insurance company first. If they are not going to cover it or go after restitution, you have every right to stick it to the towing company.

[P8baller07]

This happened to a buddies evo, he ended up getting a new tranny believe it or not..
They tried to "pull" his car while he was parked in 1st gear.

[snorlax]

**** sorry to hear man, hope everything goes well

[kiger0183]

got to love incompetence of a "trained" professional...

I just got a brand new engine because the dealer forgot to put oil in my engine after draining the old oil. Keep fighting and you'll get what you deserve.

Keep us posted

[Fuchs]

The tow company is 100% liable for any damage done by improper towing. The owner is not expected to be trained/knowledgeable in the particulars of proper towing, while the tow driver is.

I agree w/ calling your insurance company first. If they are not going to cover it or go after restitution, you have every right to stick it to the towing company.

+1

Saying the towing company has some defense that the owner was present and didnt say anything is pretty ludacris. You think all of the 16 yr old drivers out there know everything about their cars? Especially the typical mommy's little girl driving an expensive car?

They will try to squabble out of it but it's CLEARLY their fault. THat's why you pay insurance too. This in any way shape or form should not be your cost.

[Superorb]

Another idiot towing a car. I see cars being towed with the drive wheels on pavement all the time; that includes Subarus towed not on a flat bed. I can't believe they don't tell them on their first day to tow an awd car on a flat bed. Idiots.

[e-merlin]

While I agree that it's the towing company's fault, I think it's pretty harsh calling a tow truck driver an idiot. Nobody knows everything about every car ever made. I'm sure there are things you have done not knowing it that make you look like an idiot to someone who's an expert on that particular thing. Knowing that a Subaru is AWD is not something I would expect a tow truck driver to know. It's just plain stupid to expect someone to know everything about every car.

[devilfluff]

While I agree that it's the towing company's fault, I think it's pretty harsh calling a tow truck driver an idiot.

Agreed.

Nobody knows everything about every car ever made. Knowing that a Subaru is AWD is not something I would expect a tow truck driver to know.

Obviously, I wouldn't expect anyone to know everything. I would expect a tow driver who hasn't had experience w/ a particular vehicle to find out, however.

[Superorb]

Honestly, the first thing they should tell a tow truck driver is how to tow a vehicle. They should tell them not to drag the drive wheels because it can damage the vehicle. Dragging a Subaru by any wheels will damage it. I agree, perhaps idiot was the wrong word. Not properly trained would probably be a better assumption. My mother who knows nothing about cars knows that Subarus are AWD. She has seen all the "beuaty of all wheel drive" commercials.

[CaRboNaDo]

While I agree that it's the towing company's fault, I think it's pretty harsh calling a tow truck driver an idiot. Nobody knows everything about every car ever made. I'm sure there are things you have done not knowing it that make you look like an idiot to someone who's an expert on that particular thing. Knowing that a Subaru is AWD is not something I would expect a tow truck driver to know. It's just plain stupid to expect someone to know everything about every car.

Actually its not harsh in the LEAST BIT. For one thing its THEIR job to know what kind of cars they are towing when THEY tow them. They require a license to do that job. And they require training and knowledge so this kind of bs doesnt happen. They don't own the car, and therefore they are accountable for their own actions. Do you just think they have unlimited power and zero liability when handling other peoples property?

Saying 'no one knows everything aobut every car made' is about the stupidest gesture of ignorance I have ever heard. By law they have to know from a production car standpoint if a car is fwd/rwd/awd. Its common sense for all the legal reasons you can think of. If the car doesnt show up in their records, then they would call someone to find out. Its not hard. If you don't expect these people to know this kind of information, then you must support having some really stupid people behind the wheel towing your car.

Its obvious to me you don't know the industry and perhaps don't realize how easily people could be sued over this and that this problem would have become a big deal many years ago when the towing industry first began. AWD is not new technology, its been around for about a century now.

[TheFNG]

Actually its not harsh in the LEAST BIT. For one thing its THEIR job to know what kind of cars they are towing when THEY tow them. They require a license to do that job. And they require training and knowledge so this kind of bs doesnt happen. They don't own the car, and therefore they are accountable for their own actions. Do you just think they have unlimited power and zero liability when handling other peoples property?

Saying 'no one knows everything aobut every car made' is about the stupidest gesture of ignorance I have ever heard. By law they have to know from a production car standpoint if a car is fwd/rwd/awd. Its common sense for all the legal reasons you can think of. If the car doesnt show up in their records, then they would call someone to find out. Its not hard. If you don't expect these people to know this kind of information, then you must support having some really stupid people behind the wheel towing your car.

Its obvious to me you don't know the industry and perhaps don't realize how easily people could be sued over this and that this problem would have become a big deal many years ago when the towing industry first began. AWD is not new technology, its been around for about a century now.

Listen to this.


Any updates?

[EvolutionIXMR]

That sucks so much. I would be so pissed. But I agree with what the others say, it is 100% the tow truck driver's fault.

[P8baller07]

What happened? did you get a new tranny with PPG gears?