The towing company won't tell me anything about my car! How can I get my car back?????

Question

My car is MISSING and I suspect that it got towed. I called up the towing place and asked if my car was there. The guy said "yah, it's here". I then asked if he could read the license plate or tell me a distinguishing feature about the car so I would know for sure it's mine. (The tow place is in a bad ghetto, & quite frankly I don't want to travel to a ghetto by myself with $200 in my pockets if the car might not even be there) He said "I KNOW it's yours" so I said "what? you don't know me. I need to find out if it's my car for sure" and he hung up.

So I called back and again asked him and he refused to tell me anything about my car. I asked what time they were open & he said 9-5, but I'm supposed to be at work until 5pm & I'm an hr away from the tow place. I also do not have someone to accompany me to the ghetto til after 6pm. I asked him what I was supposed to do, and he said "Fine, just leave it then" and hung up!

What can I do? And is it possible that he's going...

...And is it possible that he can just keep my car and refuse to give it back to me, as he claimed? I still owe money on a car loan for it. What if he refuses to give me my car? What am I legally able to do?

TO BerlinDoll: They won't accept money orders, only cash(he told me this). Money orders leave a paper trail, and sleazy towing businesses in the ghetto want to avoid paying taxes!(I'm not saying ALL towing businesses are sleazy, but ones in the ghetto where people talk rude probably are)

By the way to all of you, I called up the police station as some of you suggested. They forwarded me to a # where a helpful lady looked up my plate# and answered all the questions that I wanted the towing guy to answer that he never did. I thanked her for her time. She also told me that if the guy refuses to give me my car if I present cash, then I should call 911 & I can even press lawsuit. She said that another towing company was recently sued, & that she recommends it if something bad happens. So I feel a little better, but I have no one to go to the ghetto w/ and I'm worried about people robbing me or the towing guy giving me a hard time.

Answer 1

You suspect it's been towed? Why? You parked it illegally in someone else's property? Usually only police or department of parking give tow-away tickets and orders in a tow truck. You're supposed to call the cops to verify your auto was towed. And in general there's a ticket or two you need to pay, THEN you pay the tow place for tow charges AND storage.

Guess you'll have to get off work a little early to get your car back.

Yes, they can hold your car. And if you don't claim in a certain amount of time (14-30 days, depending on your location) it could be considered "abandoned" and they can put a lien on the car, auction it off, keep their fees, and give the rest of the money to the city or state. And you end up with no car.

So get it back ASAP! Get off work if you have to! it's rackign up storage fees every day it sits there!

Answer 2

Was your car towed at the request of the police? If so, then you may have to contact the police department first and get all that squared away first. If it was towed by request of someone the towing company has a contract with or because you parked without permission on private property, then you will need to go down there and pay the towing company to get your car back.
Personally, I would contact the police department to see if they towed your vehicle or contact the people who own the property you parked at. Otherwise, I'd report it stolen.
The person on the phone sounded pretty rude from what you said. Ask to speak to the owner or manager if this guy won't at least verify the license plate number. That's very poor customer service. You can report them to the Better Business Bureau or complain to the local chamber of commerce if they are a member.
To be on the safe side, you might want to just get a money order made out to the towing company rather than carry cash. Its the same as cash,so they can't refuse.
As for leaving you car there, I'm sure they are charging you storage fees which will rack up daily. Legally, he can't do anything with your car right away without a title. If the bill is more than the value of your car, then you can sign the title over to the towing company. If you refuse to pay your bill or leave your car there too long, you may be arrested and charged with "theft of service". This can lead to getting a lien against your car.
It appears they operate 9am-5pm. Are they open on weekends? You are expected to pickup your car within their operating hours which seem reasonable for a business. They do not have to stay open late just for you. If they would make arrangements with you, that would be nice of them, but don't hold your breath.

Answer 3

Your car being towed to the "ghetto" may be God's way of knocking you off your high horse. Your phobia of the "ghetto" and only God knows who else (what race of people you're all paranoid and afraid of) is only going to get worse as you get older. Take your father or even the police with you if you're that scared, but either way, either come down off your high horse about the ghetto or let them keep your car and keep tacking on all kinds of fees. And don't be so sure that just because the tow place is in what you call "the ghetto" that there aren't some even worse or just as tacky tow places in your own neck of the woods. You sound so high and mighty that I can't even feel sorry for your situation. Get over yourself and next time watch where you park!

Answer 4

Why is the motor vehicle being towed? in case you had it towed as a results of fact it replaced into no longer working - this would impact the fee of the comprehensive loss motor vehicle. so a techniques as a comprehensive loss is going...... In maximum states: if the fee to repair the motor vehicle (inclusive of areas and complicated artwork) equals or exceeds seventy 5% of the motor vehicle's value then the insurance corporation has to declare the motor vehicle a comprehensive loss. If the motor vehicle replaced into no longer working - so which you towed it - that reduces the vehicles value and the seventy 5% threashold is decrease. so a techniques as settling a comprehensive loss is going....your coverage has a clause in it that asserts the insurance corporation has to guard the lienholder's interest (A loss payee clause). meaning...first money is going to the finance corporation and something is going to you. So...while the corporation comprehensive losses your motor vehicle - they'll purchase it from you. They deliver the money to the finance corporation and the finance corporation sends the identify to the insurance corporation. You the two sign the identify over to them or sign a POA. so a techniques as suing the tow corporation.....if the insurance corporation will pay you for the motor vehicle - you are able to no longer sue the tow corporation on account which you have transferred the spectacular of restoration to the insurance corporation. you don't get to be paid via the insurance corporation for the motor vehicle and via the tow corporation. You very own one automobile and purely get to be paid for it one time. Now...in case you think of the motor vehicle would be repaired for much less.....have your physique save flow out and look at the motor vehicle and write an estimate for the restore. If the physique guy says he can restore the motor vehicle for decrease than seventy 5%, the insurance corporation could be waiting to do an agreed value with you. meaning - they comply with settle with you (and the finance corporation would be listed on the verify) for the quantity of the physique guy's estimate much less your deductible. If the maintenance exceed the agreed volume - you will desire to pay that out of pocket. The insurance corporation won't pay to any extent further. in spite of the undeniable fact that - no longer all states enable an insurance corporation to do this. Odds are - if the insurance corporation says the motor vehicle is a comprehensive loss -- it is a comprehensive loss. enable the motor vehicle flow.

Answer 5

I'd call the police, and report it missing. Explain the situation to them. If the police had it towed, they would have a record. And if they don't know anything about it, I'd consider it stolen.

note: when I started answering this question, there were no answers. now wonder how many are ahead of me.

Answer 6

What the man did on the phone is totally illegal. What you should do is call thew police or something. Do not go in the getto place, if u do not want to. WHy was your car towed?? If it was legally towed the company has to report it to the citys police department.