hubieracer
Los Alamitos, Ca.
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Joined: 08/21/2008
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We were vacationing with our 25' TT/toy hauler in Montana and were involved in a very bad auto accident 1500 miles away from home. We had unhitched the TT and were driving our Tow vehicle into another town when we had a careless driver make a left turn in front of our family. It was a 60MPH impact that totalled our tow rig and hospitalized all of us. After the hospital stay we continued to recover in our TT for about 10 days until we were able to fly home. We left the totalled tow vehicle and our TT at a family members home. We are now tasked with trying to get the TT 1500 miles home from Montana to California. I am a AAA member and a Good Sam Club Member. AAA has done nothing at this point (I'm insured with them too)and Good Sam has been outstanding! I got a call every day from them checking on us and they helped us to get our family home. Insurance isn't covering anything yet as it will be tied up for a while. The problem I have now is how to get the TT home. We have a "good guy" quote from a Good Sam discounted transport company that is nearly $3,000. The rental car companies will not let you tow and most aren't equipped with Class 3 or greater hitches/LT tires. Budget, U-Haul, Penske, etc. have welded hitches (Class 2?) with fixed 2" ball and no receivers. Hertz heavy equip. allows towing on their pick ups/trucks but, will not let you go out of state. A local pick up truck rental to drive out, pick up the TT and return is possible but, I will have to lie about taking it out of state and the $ for fuel for the two way trip will be more costly. A flight to Montana and a one way tow rig rental back would be best but, can't find anyone who will meet these terms that I need. The TT is about 6500 lbs. Anyone been down this path before? Any ideas? I'm thankful we are alive, thankful for The Good Sam Club and I will be buying another Chevy Suburban...it saved our lives!
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joelc
Milford, PA
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Joined: 02/23/2004
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Just a thought, but check with a local RV dealer or the manufacturer of your TT and tell them your circumstance. Perhaps, they have some connections.
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We Cant Wait
Jamestown NY
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Joined: 02/20/2010
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By law the insurace company of the person at fault is required to provide you with a vehicle of equal value, and capability. MAKE the other guys insurance company provide you with a rental truck with equal or greater capability then yours was. Then tow the TT home.
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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There are a lot of companies that do that. Your best bet and it is where I found someone to tow is look up under horse transportation companies.
google around your area and the area your RV is at now. Many of these Thoroughbred haulers have set schedules running from state to state following the races and you can hook up with them.
What I did was looked up the biggest horse breeder in the area where you need the pickup and call them and ask who they use to haul. You find the best haulers that way.
Yup that's where I found tons of small and big companies with trucks that tow peoples horse TT's and 5'ers around AND they do a big business towing RV's around for people also. They aren't particular if its horses or your RV and they are experienced with all types of road conditions.
IMHO what better a guy that has ten's of 1,000's of miles under his belt towing precious $$$horse cargo around. They are also lower priced than the ""SO-CALLED RV transport"" which charges 10 times more simply because your trailer is called an RV.
They are insured up the waazoo too. I found one under the equine section to tow my TT from Chicago to California and believe me it was WAY under $3,000. These haulers can haul your RV anywhere in the
US cheaper than you can figure out a way to do it with rentals, etc. and with the CORRECT tow vehicle. You should have no problem finding a reputable hauler for a run from Montana to California.
Good luck, glad that you and your family were not serious injured in the accident.
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us".
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colliehauler
Mc Pherson KS USA
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Joined: 01/27/2004
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We Cant Wait wrote:By law the insurace company of the person at fault is required to provide you with a vehicle of equal value, and capability. MAKE the other guys insurance company provide you with a rental truck with equal or greater capability then yours was. Then tow the TT home. X2
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Wills250psd
walnutcove NC
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Joined: 08/13/2011
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Sorry about what happened, if I lived at either place I would do it for fuel alone, surely someone here can help or knows someone that can. Good luck, will
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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Wills250psd wrote:Sorry about what happened, if I lived at either place I would do it for fuel alone, surely someone here can help or knows someone that can. Good luck, will
There's a thought GS has a list of members they publish for emergency contact try that maybe they can hook up a rescue transport for your RV where each person drives it a certain amount of miles from their home ultimately getting it to where you are.
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therink
Rochester
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Joined: 05/25/2009
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In our area Enterprise commercial rents 3/4 ton pickups. My company is renting a 3/4 ton Ram with Cummins. We are using it to haul around a job trailer.
Steve Rinker
Rochester, NY
2013 Keystone Sydney 340FBH 5'er
2012 Silverado 3500HD, SRW,LTZ,4x4, Z71, Crew, 6.0 Gasser, 4:10 Gears, Standard bed
"These days, I have problems in areas that I used to not have areas", so life is good.
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greyhd
Oak Hills, CA
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Joined: 01/18/2006
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Wow that sucks. Glad to hear you and your family are okay. I'm recently laid off, if you need someone to pick it up I maybe able to help for fuel and costs. It would keep me busy. I have 3500 dually or can pull it with a 2500hd as well. Also even have a 1500. I have plenty of experience towing and currently pull a 42ft 5th wheel toyhauler.
Let me know if I can help.
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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We Cant Wait writes "By law the insurace company of the person at fault is required to provide you with a vehicle of equal value, and capability. MAKE the other guys insurance company provide you with a rental truck with equal or greater capability then yours was. Then tow the TT home."
Perhaps you care to cite that law and how it applies to every state?
There is NOTHING in my auto policy which states that the insurance company is REQUIRED to do anything more than to pay for property damage.
My insurance company like any other will pay for either repairing the damaged vehicle or if it is lower cost to scrap it and pay the MARKET value (IE what the vehicle was worth based on age, mileage and if it was not a rust bucket at the time of the accident).
The insurance company is not required to replace with "equal value and capability" they are not in the business of PROVIDING vehicles. They basically cut a check for the market value of your wrecked vehicle and you go buy another one. They are also NOT required to provide a rental truck.
As far as the OP's problem of getting their trailer back home..
Can you leave it at your families home until you get your replacement vehicle? It isn't like you are going to be towing it and camping until you get your replacement anyway.
If they can't keep it, perhaps check into a secured storage lot near your relatives and have a local RV transport take it to that storage lot. Overall far cheaper than paying a RV transport company to tow it 1500 miles.
One word of caution, while it is great that some folks have stepped up and offered to haul it for you...
Keep in mind that their insurance company is not going to cover any damages or loss of your trailer if they are in an accident.
Additionally they could be considered as commercial hauler and subject to Federal regulations and their insurance company could drop them like a rock.. It is best for all parties involved to ask their own insurance company BEFORE agreeing and towing someone else s trailer home.
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