No one likes to find that their car won't start or that there's another problem preventing the car from being driven. If you've found yourself in that situation and are waiting for the tow truck now, take some time to prepare your car. Good tow truck drivers and auto repair shops will do their best to protect your car, but there are still a few steps you have to take out of an abundance of caution.
Remove Belongings
Remove your personal belongings from the car, or at least as many of them as you can carry if the car is on the side of the road right now and not at home. If your car has to be stored overnight in the repair shop's lot, you don't want to leave any valuables in the car that could be stolen.
If your car is not at home, and you're waiting for the tow truck driver in a parking lot or on a street somewhere, remove what you can, place the rest in the trunk, and take a picture of the items in the trunk. That way you'll at least have proof something was in there if it later goes missing.
Remove Your Registration (Possibly)
If you live in a state where you don't have to keep the car registration in the car itself when the car is not moving -- in other words, you can keep the registration in your wallet as long as you have it on you when you're actually driving -- remove the car registration before letting the car be towed away. If you leave the registration in the car and someone breaks in, that person will have your name, address, and other registration information, opening your home up as a possible burglary target.
Take Pictures -- Inside and Out
As your car is towed, it will be subject to road debris and the usual risk of someone damaging the car, so take pictures of the outside of the car as soon as you can. That way, if noticeable damage occurs, you'll be able to prove it happened after the car was towed and sent to the repair shop. Also take pictures of the interior of the car; if the repair shop people accidentally damage something inside the car but deny causing the damage, you'll have proof that the damage wasn't there before you sent the car to the shop.
As mentioned, good towing companies and repair shops will do everything they can to protect your car. However, there's only so much they can do in real life, and taking these steps will help keep your car and you a lot safer.
Share5 December 2016
I drove small compact cars for over a decade. After I got married and had children, I began to realize that we could use more room than we had in my small car. I was considering buying an SUV or a small van, but I hesitated on making the change for quite a while due to thinking that it would be very difficult for me to learn to drive a new automobile style! Finally, I got up the nerve to test drive an SUV at a local dealership, and I was shocked at how easy it was to drive! I felt a little higher in the air, and that was the only difference. I decided to start a blog to share my story with other people afraid to switch vehicle styles and share other auto tips I have learned! I hope I can help you!
