Towing Issues: Towing Fees and collections., re: tow bill sent to collections

Question
So I bought a car from a friend of mine back in 2001. He for whatever reason would not let me put the car in my name. I went and got insurance on it and drove it for a couple months. I was pulled over by the Beaverton police one night for a bad licenses plate light.....go figure. I found out that my licenses was suspended due to not having my SR-22 filled out for that month. Regardless the car was towed and I wasn't able to get the car out of the impound because my friend didn't let me put the car in my name. He was at the time living in California and took three weeks to come back to Oregon and get the car out. By then he had told me it was like 1100 to get it out.

Now what my question is.....I got a call from him a couple weeks ago saying that he had a collection agency wanting money from him for the impound of the car. He said it had gotten to like 2100. Can it really get that high? I thought at a certain point that they just get rid of the car. Now I have no problem helping to pay the amount if it really is that high, but shouldn't he be at fault for not signing the car over to me when it was sold?


Answer
hi chris.

Yes, the bill can get that high, due to the rates washington county allows towers to charge (they put a maximum amount for hookup, mileage, dispatch, and storage). An example total for a tow bill going by todays rates: Hoookup $130, Mileage $10 per mile, Dispatch $15, Storage $30 per day, and after 1 week a lien fee of $75. Obviously the storage is the highest of the charges: 60 days would total $1800.

once the car gets sold, the amount it was sold for is supposed to be taken from the total due.

Your friends fault is that he never signed off on the car. So the bill is technically all his. I had a friend who sold a car for $200 to a stranger and never sending notice to the dmv cost her $1200 for a tow bill that she had nothing to do with

Donald
Beaverton Towing, Inc.
503-644-3533