Overhaulin'

Is it right to be charge fees if you decide to leave your car at a tow company because you can't afford?

We live in southern California and My grandparents' car got towed from the street on Dec. 29,2009 because of expired sticker registration. Today, Jan. 5, 2010, 8 days later, I tried to get the car from the towing company and they are charging is $645. It took me awhile to get the release paper from the police station because the car registration was suspended. The DMV was close for a three day weekend and it takes two days to clear the suspension. Anyway, the towing company said to get the 95 Toyota Camry is $645 because $175 for towing service, $70 lien sale fee and $400 for storage fee(50 times 8 days=$400). My grandparents couldn't afford to pay for the fees, they're both retired and they have a fixed income. We tried to bargain but they said they can't lower the price. Since, we don't have that amount of money, we decided to leave the car. Pretty much giving the car away. The problem is and my question is that the towing company said there are still going to be fees to be charge later on to the registered owner if you leave the car. The towing company said "if you leave the car, they have to keep the car for 45 days before they can sell it and while the car is there, it is being charge lien sale fee for $70 a day, the towing company said that's $2000 fee. If the car is sold for less than $2000, then the difference is going to get charge to the registered owner. For example, the fee is $2000- $1000(amount the car is sold)=$1000,this amount will be charge to my grandparents. Is this right?? We already surrendered the car to them. In addition, the towing company said, "in order to not get charged like that, you give us the pink slip and pay $375." I replied, " We're already giving you the car and you want us to give you the pink slip and pay you $375?," and they answered, "Yeah." Isn't this a rip off? We left the car there because we can not afford it. $645+170( release car from police station)= $815 not included the registration fee from the DMV. " We went back to Bob's Towing and decided to get the car and pay the total fee of $695. The lady that helped us yesterday is the dame lady that helped us today. She did the paper work and gave is the receipt. When they pulled up the car in the front lot. My dad said he would not be able to drive the car because the tire is popped. We told the lady the tIre is popped and we also told her that the car was in good condition that's why we looked for money and came back for the car. She said she can't check the paper work until the time between 4-5pm because she already dropped the paper work in the safe box. So, she wouldn't be able to check to see if the car was in good condition when they towed it. We got that. We will come back around 4-5pm but we asked her if we can leave the car until then because we can't drive it because of popped tire, and she replied that to leave the car, we're going to have to pay for another $50. It's not our fault she can't open their file until 4-5pm. <a href="http://s731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/tintin_22/?action=view&current=a3f7b6d7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/tintin_22/a3f7b6d7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a> <a href="http://s731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/tintin_22/?action=view&current=8156dfd9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/tintin_22/8156dfd9.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a> Here's the picture of the popped tire. http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/tintin_22/a3f7b6d7.jpg http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/tintin_22/8156dfd9.jpg

Public Comments

1. That's not cool. It isn't fair you had to get it over from police station, which would take long because the DMV was closed. I totally support you man.
2. If the towing company keeps and sells the car they settle for whatever the high bid is and you are absolved of any accumulated fees and such. Don't even bother giving them the pink slip. They sell the car and the new owner gets to sort that out with the DMV. They are just trying to have their cake and eat it too. Tell them to piss off and leave you alone. They aren't out anything except some time to tow it to their yard.
3. Wow $50 bucks a day that is steep, when my car was impounded from being stolen, they found it the same day since it was involved in a wreck, but still charged me 18 days storage fee being they didn't bother informing me until 17 days later.But their fee was only $12 a day.Not sure on being a dmv fee on registration,but usually after 45 days they can obtain a title for it to do whatever, i would think you should be good ,to leave it and not pay anything since you are leaving your vehicle, sounds like they just want more of a cut, for their services since its possible they are losing money on it.But i would contact another towing yard and ask them about their policies on leaving cars or even speak with your local law enforcement im sure they deal with towing yards enough to be able to straighten out any confusion on the matter.GL
4. Option 1: Pay the $375. Option 2: Find someone who is wants to buy the car. Make a deal that they pay the towing company whatever money is needed to pick up the car and then you let them have the car. Option 3: Find someone who is wants to buy the car. Make a deal that they pay for it in advance. you then use the money from them to pay the towing company to let you get the car and then you deliver it to the buyer.
5. well yeah, that's how the process works. You cannot park a car in the street with an expired registration sticker. I don't know how much it costs to register a 95 Camry in CA, but I'll bet it's less than $645.