Topic: Do you care what kind of tow truck is used to tow your car?

[Ilpav]

Whenever your car breaks down and you need to call a tow truck, do you specify what type they should send? The regular pickup-based ones are OK for 2WD, but shouldn't they send a small flatbed for 4WD ones? Are you even allowed to ask for a flatbed if you have a 2WD vehicle, just because you don't want extra wear on your car?

[dr_spock]

Yes.  Flatbed since that is what's recommended in my owner's manual. 

[initial_D]

Most tow trucks are equiped to tow all types of vehicles. But you can request a flatbed.

I would be more worry about the skill and the 'careness' of the tow driver than the type of truck he is driving. Saw a guy trying to put an Audi S6 onto the flatbed in a Home Depot parking lot, walk by when I started to go in the store, 1 hour later, car is still not on the bed, and he is on the phone, customer looks rather pissed and worried.

[tpl]

the one time my AWD BMW needed a tow they lifted the fron and put a dolly under the back wheels. This was BMW roadside assistance, they apologized for not having a flatbed unless I was willing to wait longer.
( this was not a breakdown by the way it was a pothole ripping the sidewalls of two crummy goodyear tires)

[johngenx]

Subaru cannot be towed with any wheels on the ground.  All must be off somehow, whether on a flatdeck or dolly.  Haven't had to tow any of our cars for over 10 years, touching wood...

[xviper]

Flatbed here, too.  My car's got too much plastic in the bumpers to be lifted from one end.

[Leviathan]

Manual says flatbed due to the 4WD setup.

[Trainman]

My manual says all wheels off the ground, dolly or flatbed only.

With a proper set up, there should be no damage to bumpers if using a dolly.  I wonder how some low slung vehicles can get on/off the flat deck without damage to the front/rear ends (unless you are Johny English    ).