Westside Tow — Local services in Los Angeles

Sorry for the long post. If I could leave zero stars I would. Was involved in a minor accident late at night that required a tow. As I have my car insurance with AAA, they both put in the call for the tow, and recommended an affiliated body shop to have the car towed to in the morning. AAA sent Westside. The driver arrived when I was still on the phone reporting the accident to AAA Auto Insurance and waiting from the police. From the moment the driver got out of his truck, he tried to get me to hang up with the claims agent. I told him I was waiting for instructions on the tow, and he began pressuring me to forget the shop they were recommending and have Westside handle the repair. I ignored him, and he towed the car away. In the morning when I called about when the car would be taken to the AAA recommended shop, Westside tried to talk me out of it, saying that they couldn't move the car until late in the day, but they could begin work right away. I called AAA, and they arranged the tow immediately. When Westside arrived at the AAA recommended shop, they refused to leave the car until they were paid both a towing fee and an impound fee. When the other said no, that was not the procedure, Westside refused to leave the car. When I called Westside, I was told that unless I came down and paid a now inflated amount of money, they would keep the car, which would continue to rack up impound fees, and that they wouldn't take my calls anymore. Again I called AAA and informed them. After 10 minutes, AAA called and told me they would send another tow company(!) to pick up the car, and that I ended to Westside to release the car. When I called, the owner started apologizing profusely, claiming it was all "a misunderstanding" and "a paperwork error" and they had delivered the car to the other shop. Bottom line - they will try and use high-pressure tactics to get you to use their services and affiliated businesses, which is against the law. They are not to be trusted under any circumstances. If AAA stays affiliated with them, and I hope they don't, and they send them to tow your car, REFUSE the tow. AAA will have to send...

My vehicle wouldn't start. I was about a block from Westside Tow. My hood was up. A driver from Westsife tow pulled up next to me, and started helping me, which I thought was odd, because I hadn't called AAA yet. He had concerns about the size of my van. I understand that. He then got me on his flatbed. We were about to drive away, and he realized I was not the person he was supposed to tow. He then Dropped my non running vehicle back onto the street with my rear tires to feet from the curb, and my front tires four feet from the curb, then he left. I called AAA, and asked for a tow. They sent another driver from Westside Tow, who was immediately making excuses that I would not fit on his truck. He began taking pictures of my vehicle. I explained that the previous driver from his company left me illegally parked. The lazy driver did nothing but make excuses about why he refused to help. I called Westsude tow, and a woman named Myra answered the phone. She immediately began making references to the photos and saying my van was too large. I explained that their other driver left me four feet from the curb, as I was standing next to the vehicle. She told me over the phone that I was not four feet from the curb. She was looking at photos from the rear of the vehicle. The previous driver drilled me in the street at an angle. Westside refused to help get me back into a legally parked position, then put me on hold indefinitely. They left my vehicle at a 45 degree angle parked 2 feet and 4 feet from the curb, then abandoned me there. Disgusting work ethic....

I have had good experiences with West Side Tow in the past. However I write this review after an extremely inconvenient experience.

I had called to arrange a tow and was given a commitment from them for a a tow truck to come pick up my vehicle between a specific one hour window at a certain price and that they would follow up with me ahead of time to let me know when the truck was on its way. That time came and went and when I called them to see what what's happening they denied that they make such commitments and told me that they could not send a truck for me at all today due to how busy they are. I pressed back and they were able to find the notes that they took regarding my earlier call and their commitment to my pickup but insisted that they would not honor it and could not help at all today. Because of this I was unable to deliver the vehicle at the time of my appointment and was financially inconvenienced.

I recommend that no one attempt to use West Side Tow in any circumstance that requires professionalism on the part of the dispatchers and company.

The truck drivers and operators have been very professional in my past experience so for that reason I rank the...