A WHEEL LIFT picks up one axle and tows with the other two wheels on the road. It is quick, it fits into tight spaces a bigger truck cannot, and it is the common answer for a straightforward breakdown on a standard vehicle.
A FLATBED carries the whole vehicle with nothing touching the road. It costs more and it is required, not optional, for all wheel drive and many four wheel drive vehicles, low clearance cars, most electric vehicles, anything with drivetrain or transmission damage, and anything already wrecked. Towing an all wheel drive vehicle on two wheels can destroy the drivetrain, and that damage costs more than every tow you will ever pay for.
WHAT TO TELL DISPATCH, and it takes ten seconds: year, make and model, whether it is front, rear or all wheel drive, whether it rolls and steers, and whether the wheels turn. That is what decides which truck gets sent, and getting the wrong one means waiting twice.
SOMETIMES A TOW IS THE WRONG CALL. A dead battery, a flat with a good spare, keys locked in, or running out of fuel are roadside jobs and cost far less than a tow. Say what is actually wrong instead of just asking for a tow, because dispatch cannot suggest the cheaper option if they do not know.
BEACH AND SAND RECOVERY IS ITS OWN CATEGORY around here. Soft sand needs equipment and experience a standard truck does not have, and a rising tide turns an inconvenience into a total loss on a schedule nobody controls. Say the word sand immediately, and say whether the water is coming in.
AFTER A CRASH, the priorities are people first, then the police report, then the vehicle. Where a wrecked vehicle gets taken matters, because storage fees accrue daily and moving it again costs money. If you are able, say where you want it towed rather than letting it default to the nearest lot.
- Wheel lift is quick and fits tight spaces; flatbed carries everything off the ground
- All wheel drive, low clearance, electric and wrecked vehicles need a flatbed
- Tell dispatch drive type and whether it rolls and steers, or you wait twice
- Dead battery, flat with a spare, lockout or no fuel are roadside jobs, not tows
- Say the word sand immediately, and say whether the tide is coming in
Questions people ask about which tow truck: flatbed or wheel lift
Do I need a flatbed or a regular tow truck?
A flatbed is required for all wheel drive, low clearance cars, most electric vehicles, anything with drivetrain damage and anything wrecked. A standard wheel lift is fine for most straightforward breakdowns.
What should I tell the towing company on the phone?
Year, make and model, whether it is front, rear or all wheel drive, whether it rolls and steers, and whether the wheels turn. That decides which truck they send.
Can they fix it here instead of towing it?
Often, for a dead battery, a flat with a usable spare, keys locked inside, or an empty tank. Say what is actually wrong instead of just asking for a tow, because roadside service costs far less.
My truck is stuck in the sand at the beach. What now?
Say sand right away and say whether the tide is coming in. Soft sand recovery needs different equipment and experience, and the tide sets a deadline nobody controls.