FAQ’s

Subtracting the curb weight from the GCWR gives you the vehicle’s towing capacity. Manufacturers will stress that you should never exceed your car or truck’s towing capacity. We would add that, for safety reasons, it’s best to never come within 10% of that total.

If your car doesn’t start, our roadside assistance team may be able to solve the problem on site (if you need a jump or a new car battery, for example) or tow you to the nearest auto repair shop.

If you’re wondering how to tow a car without a tow bar, you can use a rope or chain, though as the RAC notes, the distance between the cars can’t exceed 4.5 metres.

The owner of private property can legally call a tow truck to have a vehicle on its property hauled away without notifying the vehicle owner or local police.

On the towing issue, your dad was correct that a car with an automatic transmission should not be towed with its driven wheels on the ground, even in neutral. The reason you can’t do it is because the driven wheels on the ground will turn the drive shaft, which will turn the internal parts of the transmission.

This is the most common method used for transporting broken-down vehicles. A tow truck will lift the front or rear end of the vehicle and tow it to its destination. This method is suitable for short distances and is relatively inexpensive.

Today, most automatic cars can tow without any great risk of overheating so long as the legal towing limit is respected. Bill McDonough of independent gearbox specialist, Hardy Engineering, sees no reason to fit extra cooling to a modern automatic when towing.

Gently raise the tongue of the tow bar and ensure that it is attached to the ball on the tow vehicle. After that is done, tighten the tow bar to the ball. Also, ensure that any other safety chains from the tow bar are fastened to the towing vehicle. For front-drive cars, a car dolly should be used.

If you’ve got a lot of traffic coming and going, it’s a torrential downpour, you’re by yourself, or you just plain don’t think pushing is practical, it’s wise to simply enlist the help of a tow truck. If you have access to one, great! Let the towing begin.

If you choose open car shipping, your car will be loaded onto an open trailer using a winch. Different types of winches might be used, but they will be either hand-cranked or manual. Your inoperable car is pulled onto the trailer using a chain.

If you’ve got a lot of traffic coming and going, it’s a torrential downpour, you’re by yourself, or you just plain don’t think pushing is practical, it’s wise to simply enlist the help of a tow truck. If you have access to one, great! Let the towing begin.

If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, we’d strongly recommend contacting a locksmith, a roadside assistance service, or even the local police if it’s a real emergency. The choice of who to get will depend on the seriousness of the situation.

To unlock your car with keys inside, use tools like a Slim Jim, wire hanger, string, wiper blade, or inflatable wedge. Newer cars may be unlocked via a smartphone app. Use these methods cautiously to prevent damage. If in doubt, contact a locksmith or roadside assistance for safe, reliable help.

If your car does not have a trunk release button, it may have fold-down rear seats. If so, you simply have to fold the seats down and wiggle your way into the trunk to access the keys.

If your car is equipped with a mechanical odometer, flat towing can indeed add mileage since the odometer is linked to the still-turning driveshaft. However, for vehicles with electronic odometers, mileage is typically not added during flat towing, given the odometer isn’t attached to the driveshaft.