Towing Issues: all wheel drive towing, seminole county florida, small wheels

Question
On Friday I got pulled over by a sheriff in Seminole county Florida for not having a rearview mirror. I got arrested for driving with a suspended drivers licence,and the officer ordered my vehicle to be towed. Athens Towing company got there and immediately put the hooks on the front of my automatic 1990 audi quattro 4 WHEEL DRIVE  leaving the rear wheels on the ground. That can cause damage to my transmission being that they didn't take the proper precautions to towing this vehicle, like removing the driveshaft or bringing a flatbed. I called them the next mourning(Saturday) and they said they cannot release any information until Monday and they are going to charge me daily for holding the vehicle and a numerous other fees. How much money am I looking at? From the location of the pick-up to the tow yard is 2.5 miles. Is that enouph to damage my vehicle's transmission? If so, how should I go about handling this, and what are my options. Is there any way i can see the vehicle before signing or paying anything?

Answer
I want to say that first of all, I do not know what the prices would be for the tow, as law enforcement towing contracts all vary. So it would be hard to get that information. I did try a search online for the information and could not find any.

Now as to the towing of the vehicle, I have to say that towing the vehicle using a sling can still be done if the operator knows what they are doing and follows the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Now there is an online reference section you can use, and see what it says for your vehicle.

www.towspec.com


Now as a rule, your vehicle can not really be towed from either the front or rear without lifting the other end with dollies (the small wheels on the tow truck you see at times) or using a flatbed tow truck. BUT a flatbed is not the only way to tow it.

Now I know that some operators feel that if they lift an "all wheel drive" vehicle using a sling and allow the lifted wheels to turn that they will not cause damage. The theory does sound good as the lifted wheels turn as it goes down the road and not bind if they were secured in a wheel lift system with straps keeping the wheels locked down.


Now you might be able to check out the vehicle before you pay for it, but the company policy might get in the way.

Sorry.