Central Iowa Towing and Recovery — Local services in Ames

Yikes!! Today, wife goes in to Ames on Lincoln and car conveniently dies right outside Central Iowa Towing. Apparently the cold stuck the gas gauge so that it didn't show an empty tank. Wife calls me up for some help, tells me she's stuck right outside the towing company, so I tell her to call them up and have them deliver some gas since that might be the problem. The guy tows her to the shop (100 feet away, mind you) because he didn't have a gas can (weird). He then fills up the gas enough for her to get to the gas station right down the street (maybe another 200 feet away). We get charged some $55. The whole service, in total, took no more than 10 minutes according to my phone conversation time-stamps with my wife. $55 in ten minutes! I'm surprised at the amount for such a quick and easy service (throw a bone?). I call them up to ask why they made such an easy $55. I get Kristin (maybe spelled differently, or not her name at all) on the phone. Asked her about the work order she just received, and she acts fuzzy minded about it. After "reminding" her the service they provided not but 5 minutes prior, I ask where they came up with that number. She doesn't know. I ask is it on their website or validated somewhere else? She doesn't know. It's just their standard rate. I ask if there is record for how much gas they put in our car? No. She then tell's me they didn't charge us for the gas, and they didn't charge for the towing. She tries diverting my questions as if they provided us with some value deal. If there is a standard rate, then why suggest there is additional cost for the gas and for a tow that was unneeded? My wife wasn't stuck in the snow, engine wasn't broken, and she was immobile right outside their towing shop with a gas station a football field distance away. The only thing my wife needed was a way to get a bit of gas from that gas station in to the car mere feet away. I had composure--asking questions without hostility. What really gets me going is how the customer service lady (Kristin) is handling our conversation. She's talking in a way as if she knows they ripped my wife off. Kristin interrupts my questions with things like "We could have charged you for these other things, but we didn't," and, "She (my wife) called, and we provided her a service." I can't tell you how many times this lady talks over me while I'm trying to understand the reasoning of their decision making. My wife knows little about car stuff and I can see her an easy target to make a quick buck off the situation. Kristin was obviously done with the conversation once it started and further antagonized by asking, "Is ther anything else I can do for you," still interrupting my sentences. I tell her I'm going to write a review about this and she states, "Go ahead. Is there anything else?" Incredible response. From my side, I'm not raising my voice, I'm not cursing, I'm not attacking her being in any way. My entire side of the conversation was kept towards questions about the service provided (and her customer service) and understanding how they decided the charge (at least as much as she would let me get out). I've written maybe 10 reviews in my life and all of them were good reviews for products I thoroughly enjoyed. I was hands-down floored by how this all went. This company is obviously not keeping up with times in how businesses are handling value contribution to their customers. Profits must have been good for far too long to think acting in this way...

I want to give a big thank you and shout-out to Riley of Central Iowa Towing. Last night, Tuesday, January 21, 2025, part of this incredibly bitter cold snap we have been embroiled in, I received word from my eldest son that he needed me to come immediately to an address he was sending to me. His car was there and his keys were locked inside; meantime, he was hoofing it as fast as he could to an appointment across town while trying not to freeze to death. He had alerted AAA about his need for assistance--his keys were locked in his car--and they called Central Iowa Towing. My son needed me on the scene to meet the gentleman who would be helping to retrieve the keys. After about ten minutes or so I was very pleased to see the big tow truck turn onto the side street where I was waiting, and I flagged down the driver. He rolled down his window and asked if I was in need of an unlock, and when I said yes, for my son's car, he said he'd get turned around and meet me up in front of the car. This is how I met Riley, a very friendly young man, who knew exactly what needed to be done to retrieve those car keys. He had a long zippered kit that contained a variety of tools and mechanisms which he used in combination to literally pop the driver's side car door open. I located the keys in the ignition, removed them, and then provided my ID to Riley upon his request so he could verify who I was for his records. I had my AAA card ready, too, but he didn't require it. We had a nice brief exchange; I was glad to see him in insulated coveralls and a stocking cap and gloves considering the dangerously frigid temperatures, and I thanked him profusely for his help in such a timely manner. All of this occurred between 7:15 and 8 PM, and combined with the darkness and cold, it seemed very late and very bleak, but Riley was cheerful and took good care of us. Thank you, Central...

This place is ridiculous. Charged for 2 days storage when vehicle was there under 24 hours. Bill was over $300 for a 5 mile tow. Staff are not well trained or maybe they are just trained to lie. Told us repeatedly to just have sheriff come in or call them and they would adjust the $125 impound charge because the sheriff didn't request the vehicle to be impounded. Surprise...the officer called in and as soon as he did we were told there policy is "if a vehicle is in there lot than they always charge that amount." Shady business 100%. Insurance is reimbursing us so cost was not the issue, their BEHAVIOR and treatment of their customers was the absolute issue!! **Of course you would continue to lie!! I was told when I entered your office that if I could have the officer or somebody from the sheriff's office call in to tell you it was not an impound than the exaggerated bill could be adjusted. I immediately called the sheriff's office left a message for the officer, the officer called me back, he then called your office and then called me back again to tell me he told you it was just a tow and not an impound. And as soon as the officer called, you changed your story. Our roadside assistance was on their way to tow our vehicle and yes the male driver was a licensed driver #fact The male driver wasn't on the scene because it was -8° outside and the vehicle was stuck and the battery was dead so he walked to a farmer's house to warm up. You were never told that the sheriff's office was going to pay for the tow, you were told our insurance was...