Roadside & Repair

Without roadside coverage, you're on your own for the tow bill — and stranded if you don't have the cash on hand. Note: after a wreck, insurance-arranged tows are simple, but some independent tow operators won't move a wrecked vehicle without a police report. Having accident coverage doesn't mean you have roadside assistance too — ask your insurance company directly, before you need it.

Before you call a tow

If it won't start but the dash lights are dim, or you only hear a click, it may be the battery. A portable jump starter (about $60 to $100) can get you going, but a battery that's too far gone won't take a jump and has to be replaced. On many newer vehicles the battery is hard to reach, so if you don't have the right tools, a tow to a professional is often the smarter call.

WHY THIS PAGE EXISTS

When I moved back to Durango from Aztec, I spent a night in my Jeep waiting for my apartment to be ready. The next morning it wouldn't start. A jump didn't work, and I didn't know the battery was done and needed replacing. I had no tools to take it out, so I called a tow truck. My insurance didn't include towing, so the whole bill came out of my pocket.

Years before that, my 2005 Ford Explorer taught me the other side of repairs. I tried to fix the timing chain myself. Later the transmission went out after an extended-warranty inspection at a shop in town, and a mechanic I trusted believed it had been put back together wrong. We put in a new transmission. It took every dollar I had saved, but he did the job right.

What I learned: know what your insurance covers before you need it, carry basic tools, keep some cash set aside for repairs, and find a mechanic you trust before you break down. That's why this page lists real shops that answer the phone. – Robert, founder