Tip #74: To compare two tow quotes, compare the totals and what each one leaves out
Two tow quotes are only comparable if they are for the same pickup, the same destination and the same kind of truck, and if both are totals. Ask each company the same questions and compare the final number, not the hook fee.
Tip #74 in one line
Two tow quotes are only comparable if they are for the same pickup, the same destination and the same kind of truck, and if both are totals. Ask each company the same questions and compare the final number, not the hook fee.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowAsk both companies the same questions
Give each dispatcher the same information: the exact pickup, the exact destination, the make and model, whether the car rolls. Then ask each one: what is the hook fee, what is the per-mile rate, how many miles, and what is the total? Is anything added for fuel, nights, weekends, paperwork or waiting? What kind of truck are you sending?
Write the answers side by side. Now you are comparing like with like.
Ask about timing as well. A quote that is a little cheaper but comes with a much longer wait may not be the better deal if you are on a narrow shoulder at night. Price matters, but so does how long you are standing next to a disabled car.
Finally, ask each company to send its quote in writing. The one that does it without fuss is usually the one whose price holds.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhere quotes that look cheaper are not
**A low hook fee with a high per-mile rate.** Cheaper for a short run, more expensive for a long one. Do the math on your actual distance.
**A quote without the extras.** A total that leaves out a fuel line or an after-hours fee is not a total.
**Different trucks.** A wheel-lift is not the same job as a flatbed. If your car is all-wheel drive or low, the cheaper truck may be the wrong one.
**A different destination.** A company that offers to take the car to its own yard may quote less for the tow and make it back in storage.
**Miles counted differently.** One quote from pickup to drop-off, the other from the company's yard.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowThings that are not on the price sheet
Did the company give you its name and a written price without being asked? Does it take cards? Will you get an itemized receipt? Those answers tell you how the job is likely to go.
Call us at (908) 444-0129 as one of your two. You will hear the hook fee, the miles and the total, with no surcharges, to the destination you choose. See local towing and long distance towing, or request a quote through book online.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on towing rules & pricing
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
- What happens to your car after a police-ordered tow in New Jersey
- Towed from private property in New Jersey: your rights
- Towing pricing red flags in New Jersey
- Local tow company vs national roadside network: who actually shows up?
- Moving a car long distance from New Jersey: towing vs car carrier
- Tip #34: Choose the destination before the truck arrives: home, shop or dealer
- Tip #35: Ask the destination about storage charges before you pick it
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.