A Comprehensive Guide on How to Tow a Car Long Distance —Cheapest Ways to Tow Your Own Car

There are certain times when you may have to move to a new far distance place and perhaps, you may want to keep your car with you. For some, their cars are one of the irreplaceable things in their life. If you are also one of those—typical car lovers—and want to tow a car long distance, then this article is for you. This article explains how can you prepare your car for long distance Towing and of course, the cheapest ways to tow a car long distances. Let’s get towed!

Disclaimer: Even if it is very convenient and cost-effective to tow your own car, still, hiring a tow company is a great option if you want to have a safe damage-free tow and additionally—fewer efforts and a big time saver. If you live in Surrey BC and want to tow your car long distance, then I’d recommend going for this Towing Surrey company — ASAP |Towing Surrey-Tow Truck Surrey |. Their towing rates are much less costly and they guarantee damage-free towing protection. 

However, if you don’t want to spend some bucks to hire a professional towing service, this topic will explain to you how to do it with much less effort incurring a minimum cost for towing.

What options do I have if I want to tow a car long distance?

Most commonly, there are two towing options commonly used for long distance towing of your car as described as under:

Car Dollies

Car dollies are the most frequent towing equipment used in the towing industry for low-weight cars (I will explain this point later). Basically, a car dolly is a two-wheel towing trailer on which the front wheels of the car can be attached. Simple yet cost-effective solution if you want to tow a car long distance. However, it comes with its own problems that you will read later on. Yet, using Tow Dollies is a great way to save a lot of bucks and tow a car on your own. 

When to Use Them:

For front-wheel-drive cars. Transmission is an important aspect to keep in mind while towing a car. Front-wheel-drive vehicles are not affected during towing operation with a tow dolly and it is completely safe to use it for such type of vehicles.

When your car is not too heavy. What happens is that tow dollies operate by lifting the front wheel portion of the car and there is immense pressure on the rear wheels while traveling and there is a risk of wear and tear to the rear wheels. That way, consider using them for light-weight cars only. According to Uhaul, the maximum weight limit for towing a car ranges from 3500-3900 lbs. 

For short-distance towing. Since tow dollies only support the front-end portion of the car, it is recommended to use them for short-distance towing only. Consistent pressure on rear wheel tires could be risky and lead to serious damage while moving.

When NOT to Use Them:

Avoid tow dollies for rear-wheel-drive and 4-wheel-drive cars: As we read previously, the transmission gets affected while towing. For rear-wheel-drive vehicles or 4-wheel-drive vehicles, you will need to remove the driveshaft to prevent it from any damages while towing. You may ask an expert if you don’t know the process of removing a driveshaft out or you can read the article by clicking here. 

For low front-end bumper cars. Always check the front-end ground clearance for your cars. Normal SUVs and Sedans have a safe front-end ground clearance and they are easily towable with the tow dollies most often. However, do check for the ground clearance prior to any long distance towing decision for your car.

For towing a car long distance: Avoid using tow dollies for excessive long-distance traveling, especially off-road travel.

Auto Trailers

I bet you must already be aware of car trailers. For those who are not, car trailers are simply those trucks on the back of which, your car can be attached along with the carrier trailer. In simple terms, your car would stand on a 4-wheel trailer attached to a carrier truck. Chances are that if you are moving to another city or perhaps, another state, you could be carrying some weight along with you. Good news! car trailers help you to take your luggage along with you too. However, the only con is that it could be a little expensive.

When to Use Them:

For a real long-distance tow. They’re perfect for long-distance tow and travel as all the tires of your cars land on the trailer and there is neither wear and tear to the tires nor the transmission. They are more secure than tow dollies and assures damage-free towing.

For heavy cars/luggage. The carries truck holds a lot more space inside it and it can transport your luggage along with you and your car. Moreover, tow dollies don’t support heavy cars and in that case, auto carriers are a good choice to go with.

When NOT to Use Them:

They could be expensive. For intercity or interstate towing, that incurs a short distance trip, it’s not a smart decision to hire an auto carrier for your car. Instead, consider renting a tow dolly and that could save a lot of your money.

The Takeaway:

When it comes to how to tow a car long distance, proper towing protocols must be followed (click to read the towing rules in Canada). However, hiring a professional local towing company in Surrey could be a lot more beneficial for you. Let them do their work. But still, if you want to do their work, here the main key points to choose between tow dolly and auto trailer:

1. For light cars, low to moderate distance travel, and low-cost towing option, tow dollies might be the right option to choose.
2. For heavy cars along with luggage, a safe and damage-free but expensive towing, and auto trailers could be the way you need to go.

I hope this article helped you with your question “how to tow a car long distance”. If you have any questions regarding any of your towing needs, you can directly call ASAP Towing Services. Their towing Surrey services are 24/7 available, the cheapest and most proficient ones too.

Also read: 3 Towing Myths You Need to be Aware of