Flatbed towing in Denver

When to ask for a flatbed

Ask for one by name if any of these fit your car. Then say it again when the company calls back, because not every truck in a fleet is a flatbed.

• All-wheel or four-wheel drive. Many owner's manuals warn against towing with two wheels on the ground, which can damage the drivetrain. Subarus and most crossovers fall here, and Colorado has plenty of both.
• Electric and many hybrid cars. Most makers say to tow them with all wheels off the road. Check the manual or the tow mode instructions.
• Low or classic cars. A wheel-lift can scrape a low front end. A flatbed with a gentle angle can't.
• A car that won't roll. A locked wheel, a seized brake or a crushed corner after a crash means the car has to be winched up.

What to check when it loads

Take a few photos of the car from every side before it goes up. State law already makes tow companies photograph cars they take without your say-so, and doing the same on a tow you called for costs you nothing. Watch that the straps go over the tires or on the frame's tie-down points, not over the suspension arms or the body.

Price

A flatbed often costs more than a wheel-lift tow, and a winch to get a stuck car onto the bed can add more. The company sets these prices. Ask for a single total before the truck rolls: hook-up and miles, plus any winch or after-hours fee. How to read a towing bill.