A1 Towing NYC
Flatbed towing NYC
A flatbed keeps all four wheels off the road. That is the difference between transporting a vehicle and dragging it, and for a great many cars in this city it is the only acceptable way to move them.
Why choose Flatbed towing NYC from A1 Towing NYC
Available 24 hours a day, every day, across New York City.
When a flatbed is not optional
Flatbed towing NYC is the service most people are looking for here. Any car with low ground clearance will have its front bumper, splitter or exhaust destroyed by a conventional wheel-lift. The same applies to all-wheel-drive vehicles, where towing with two wheels turning and two locked can wreck the center differential. Classics, EVs with no neutral, and anything that will not roll all need the same treatment.
What we put on the bed
Sports and lowered cars, all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles, electric cars, classic and collector cars, motorcycles, vehicles with seized brakes or missing wheels, and anything recovered from an accident where the suspension geometry is unknown.
How the load actually happens
The bed tilts and slides back to the ground, and the car is winched on rather than driven on wherever there is any doubt about clearance. We carry extended ramps for the low ones. Once on, the vehicle is strapped at the wheels rather than the chassis, because chassis hooks are what bend rocker panels. Our approach to flatbed towing NYC starts before the truck leaves.
Getting it off at the other end
Unloading is where most damage happens with an inexperienced operator, because the approach angle at the bottom of the ramp is steeper than it looks. On a low car we use the ramps again rather than letting it roll off.
What a tow actually costs, and what moves the number
Four things set the price and none of them are negotiable once the truck is moving, which is exactly why they are worth settling on the phone.
- Distance. Not straight-line distance but the route the truck has to take. Crossing a bridge or a tunnel adds tolls and time.
- The hour. Overnight and holiday rates differ, and so does traffic, which is the same thing in a different currency.
- Equipment. A flatbed costs more than a wheel-lift because the truck costs more and the load takes longer.
- Whether it rolls. A car that rolls onto the bed under its own weight is a cheaper job than one that must be winched, skated or dollied.
Get all four answered before dispatch. An operator who will not price it until they are standing next to your car is telling you something.
What to do while you wait for the truck
More people are hurt at the roadside after a breakdown than during it, and almost all of it is avoidable.
- Get out of the vehicle if you are in a live lane, and stand behind a barrier. A car in traffic is not a place of safety, whatever it feels like.
- Hazard lights on immediately, and turn the wheels away from traffic if the vehicle is on a slope.
- Do not attempt a tire change on a city highway. There is no shoulder worth the name on most of them.
- Take photographs before anything moves, especially after a collision. It costs a minute and is the best evidence you will ever get.
- Empty the vehicle of documents, keys, medication and anything you will want in the next few days.
The mistakes that cost people money
Letting the vehicle go to an unnamed yard. Storage accrues daily and you did not choose the yard. Name a shop or an address before it moves.
Accepting the wrong equipment. A wheel-lift under an all-wheel-drive car is cheaper on the invoice and can cost a transfer case. So is a standard bed under something low.
Not photographing anything. Once the vehicles are moved, the scene is gone, and after a collision that evidence is the difference between a straightforward claim and an argument.
Booking on price alone. The cheapest quote frequently belongs to the operator who has not yet asked what the vehicle is.
Frequently asked questions about flatbed towing NYC
How much does flatbed towing NYC cost?
It depends on the vehicle, the hour and the distance. Call 212 695-3157 and we will give you a price before anything is dispatched.
Is a flatbed more expensive than a regular tow?
Usually a little, because the equipment costs more and the loading takes longer. Set that against the cost of a bumper or a differential and it stops being a close decision.
Can you get a flatbed into a parking garage?
Often not. Flatbeds are tall. Tell us the clearance height on the garage sign when you call and we will either bring the right truck or move the car out to street level first.
Will my lowered car clear the ramps?
That is exactly what the extended ramps are for. Mention the ride height when you book so the right truck is dispatched.
Do you flatbed motorcycles?
Yes, with wheel chocks and soft straps rather than ratchet straps over the frame.
Do you give a price before you come out?
Yes. Distance, the hour, the equipment needed and whether the vehicle rolls are what set the price, and all four can be settled on the phone. You are told the number before anything is dispatched.
What areas do you cover?
All five boroughs, with the fastest response in Queens and midtown Manhattan because we are based in Long Island City. We also run out to Long Island and across to New Jersey on request.
Are you available on holidays?
Yes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Holidays and overnight are when fewest operators answer and most people need one.
Need flatbed towing NYC now?
One number, 24 hours a day, anywhere in New York City.