Here's a little background info before everyone says don't park illegally.

I am away at school and live off campus in a nicer gated apartment complex that is only students. Since I have lived here I have had a covered parking spot reserved just for me and I hang my permit on my mirror every time I park, which is not often since I hardly drive being so close to campus. So I walk out to my car this afternoon and it's not there. My car being my baby, I was (still am) beyond mad. Turns out the tow company came and grabbed it out of my spot last night. They said my permit was not hanging on my mirror. Which is funny because one truck comes by every night looking to ruin someone's day and it has been a few nights since I last drove my car. When I picked my car up my permit was on the floor on the driver's side below the mirror. That alone is questionable, because it is either in the map pocket when I'm driving or hanging on the mirror when it's parked. On top of that the picture they had of it without a permit was taken after it was moved. My car looked alright outside and from what I could see underneath, but what had me boiling was how they towed it. I'll just post some pictures so everyone can see.

So I'm curious now as to what ideas everyone has about making a car next to impossible to tow. Let me hear what you've got.

My car likes to mark its territory, don't mind the trans fluid spot it's getting new power/trans this summer.

[This message has been edited by mikejhjr (edited 04-26-2011).]

Hook a LARGE chain to the axle and wrap it around that poll or wall thing there, with a big ****ing large lock or 2.

This is GATED? why the **** are they allowed in? Did you have to pay to get it out? I would file a police report, they been busting tow truck drives for theft around here.

Take a photo of the car, with the tag thing in the mirror... so if they do it again, Well.....

I have a picture of it with the tag and in the spot. It's just funny because it's been in that spot every night I've been here since August. And this is the apartment's towing company. The apartment and towing company are pointing fingers at each other. And I did pay and get it out. I am now out $215 for my car's 12 hour stay at their lot. I've had my neighbors even ask about it, apparently it made that much noise.

quote Originally posted by jacknight: This is GATED? why the **** are they allowed in?

A lot of apartment complexes with assigned parking allow towing companies to tow from their property because tenants pay and want to be able to live in a community with assigned parking. Nothing makes a tenant madder to come home from a hard day at work and find some moron has parked in their assigned spot so hence the need for towing.

I have met some cool tow drivers while legitimately having cars towed, but most of them are out to make as much money as they can at everybody's expense whether it's legal or not. Nye's in Muncie towed my Fiero when it had been in a 2 hour parking spot for 45 minutes, and they ruined both radiator support bars doing it. I showed them a receipt from McDonald's showing that I couldn't have been there when they said I was, and was in the process of getting a video showing my car there (The shift manager is a close friend). Even after all that, they still said "Sorry about your luck, we're not giving you **** .", and the police wouldn't even think about doing anything even if I could get evidence I wasn't there. They also told me Nye's wasn't responsible for the damage if they had legitimate reason to tow me. The law is NOT on your side in this situation, and everybody assumes you are lying because they towed your car even though it was towed illegally, as if the tow truck drivers never lie about anything and never would. Really messed up.

One of their trucks had a very bad night a couple days later, and a note was left at the scene explaining that this is what happens when you screw people over to make money. Hydraulic lines cut, 3 tires punctured on the sidewall, and pink spray paint, from what I hear.

I'm sure they're out there doing the same thing to other people even after that, though. Seems like I've been hearing a lot more stories about crooked tow truckers lately.

Was your car locked? They wouldn't have been able to move the permit if it was.

Yup, it was locked with the tag hanging off the mirror and all. That's how I left it when I parked it this weekend. It's funny that it's been there for several nights and now this. And they supposedly have the plate and make/model on file too just to confirm. It's no fun having your car towed from a spot you pay for. I'll have to get it home after my finals and get under it to check it out. I hope everything is fine.

I drive a tow truck. If you can get to their fluid resivoir pour a can of brake fluid into it It will kill every seal on the rams and reder it useless. Cutting lines also works, very expensive to replace. Most of us have to find agricultural supply stores to get that kind of stuff fixed. Diesel and gas do not mix.... hmmmm I know my tires are very expensive.


As for the Fiero, Mine is very hard to hook onto because it sits so low. You could make sure there is nothing to hook onto like holes in the "frame" or control arms or cradle parts. If you were to mount skid plates under your car in some prime locations the odds of someone succsessfully towing you go down. I can’t even hook onto my Fiero with the stinger.

You could install a train horn into your alarm system that doesnt shut off when your car gets messed with

Not looking to damage anyone's tow truck here. I'm not on their level. I'm just looking for suggestions that might actually work that would keep them from getting the stinger under the front wheels and dragging my car off. No alarm here either, but I think I'll be looking into one now.

[This message has been edited by mikejhjr (edited 04-26-2011).]

Is it an auto? Did they drag it in park from the front?? Or was it on a flat bed?

It is an auto. From the looks of it they drug it out of my spot and around the corner. From there I think it went on a flatbed.

-Chris

What I usually do if I'm worried about being towed is that I will turn my steering wheel all the way either to the left or the right (whichever way will pull the car towards the curb) and apply the e-break.

quote Originally posted by Chris Hodson: I drive a tow truck. If you can get to their fluid resivoir pour a can of brake fluid into it It will kill every seal on the rams and reder it useless. Cutting lines also works, very expensive to replace. Most of us have to find agricultural supply stores to get that kind of stuff fixed. Diesel and gas do not mix.... hmmmm I know my tires are very expensive. As for the Fiero, Mine is very hard to hook onto because it sits so low. You could make sure there is nothing to hook onto like holes in the "frame" or control arms or cradle parts. If you were to mount skid plates under your car in some prime locations the odds of someone succsessfully towing you go down. I can’t even hook onto my Fiero with the stinger. You could install a train horn into your alarm system that doesnt shut off when your car gets messed with

SKID PLATES? WHY THE HELL DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT.....

Do like the lotus, under the car is a big skid plate... http://image.corvettefever....+ar1/lotus-elise.jpg

Towing companies piss me off, They are the only people to ever steel anything out of my cars. I've tried block one in trying to cross a intersection leaving a apartment with the owner chasing them out on foot. They almost ran into me and 2 other cars getting out. I will get another chance, next time I will block them in better and get video. If it ever happens to me again I am going to copy the kid who paid them in pennies.

I remember like 20 years ago in a blizzard in The Bronx, NY a car was being towed and the tow truck got stuck. That gave chance for the owner to run after it. After some argument, I see the tow truck driver getting pulled out through the window of the truck and getting a beat down like I've never seen before. Driver unconscious on the snow and the owner of the car drove away the tow truck with his car in the back of the tow truck!

Well when my car got towed from the spot I pay for, I consider that stealing. Then when I went to pick it up they wouldn't even let me inspect the car without paying first. That is illegal in Florida. Then the whole, we only take cash business. If I had the time I would have collected the $215 in pennies. Unfortunately I didn't have time to run around bank to bank to do that today.

quote Originally posted by MadDanceSkillz: I have met some cool tow drivers while legitimately having cars towed, but most of them are out to make as much money as they can at everybody's expense whether it's legal or not. Nye's in Muncie towed my Fiero when it had been in a 2 hour parking spot for 45 minutes, and they ruined both radiator support bars doing it. I showed them a receipt from McDonald's showing that I couldn't have been there when they said I was, and was in the process of getting a video showing my car there (The shift manager is a close friend). Even after all that, they still said "Sorry about your luck, we're not giving you **** .", and the police wouldn't even think about doing anything even if I could get evidence I wasn't there. They also told me Nye's wasn't responsible for the damage if they had legitimate reason to tow me. The law is NOT on your side in this situation, and everybody assumes you are lying because they towed your car even though it was towed illegally, as if the tow truck drivers never lie about anything and never would. Really messed up. One of their trucks had a very bad night a couple days later, and a note was left at the scene explaining that this is what happens when you screw people over to make money. Hydraulic lines cut, 3 tires punctured on the sidewall, and pink spray paint, from what I hear. I'm sure they're out there doing the same thing to other people even after that, though. Seems like I've been hearing a lot more stories about crooked tow truckers lately. Was your car locked? They wouldn't have been able to move the permit if it was.

Actually they could have EASILY broken into the car. Even if it was locked. I locked my keys in my car recently and all it took to unlock my car was to get a flat bar with a bend in the end into the gap I created by grabbing the top of my door window and sticking it down and sliding the lock unlocked. took maybe 20 seconds?

I won't get into why my car was towed, but it was impounded at one point a few years back and I had to give the tow truck driver my keys before he pulled away. When I got to the impound lot 3 days later to claim the car, not only was I astonished that the bill was almost $450, but I was stunned to find my gas tank was empty (I filled up the tank and reset the trip-ometer and was pulled over leaving the gas station at the time the car was impounded) and there was 60 miles on the trip-ometer. It didn't even have .1 miles when the car was loaded onto the flatbed. So they raped my 88GT 3800sc 5spd so hard that they managed to burn an entire tank of gas in 60 miles. Don't ever trust an impound lot. Then again, why would you in the first place?

quote Originally posted by mikejhjr: Not looking to damage anyone's tow truck here. I'm not on their level. I'm just looking for suggestions that might actually work that would keep them from getting the stinger under the front wheels and dragging my car off. No alarm here either, but I think I'll be looking into one now.

Well actually that's quite simple to do. It's a bit expensive but it serves more than just your car's security purpose.
I'm going to be installing a 4 way airbag system into my lowered fiero and before this I will be doing a VERY thorough cleaning of my under carriage, sealing it with underseal and waxoyl and covering it with one sheet (if I have to split it up oh well) of very thin steel, vented of course so there is no chance of laying water in between the steel sheet and the undercarriage. Then once all of that headache is taken care of I'll be able to safely lay my car right down onto the belly. Untowable. Mission.. accomplished.

Fieroguy, why did you have to hand your keys over? Is that the law? If not they can forget it. No joy rides with my car, but I still not ruling out the fact that someone may have gotten into my car. Not like it's hard to do when you can pull the windows back so far.

86, As far as the bagged Fiero, that's cool. Mine is lowered, but not that low. I am trying to think of what I can do to keep them from being able to get the stinger under the front of my car.

[This message has been edited by mikejhjr (edited 04-27-2011).]

quote Originally posted by 86_Fiero: Well actually that's quite simple to do. It's a bit expensive but it serves more than just your car's security purpose. I'm going to be installing a 4 way airbag system into my lowered fiero and before this I will be doing a VERY thorough cleaning of my under carriage, sealing it with underseal and waxoyl and covering it with one sheet (if I have to split it up oh well) of very thin steel, vented of course so there is no chance of laying water in between the steel sheet and the undercarriage. Then once all of that headache is taken care of I'll be able to safely lay my car right down onto the belly. Untowable. Mission.. accomplished.

PICTURES, please.

Sorry 1988holleyformula. The plan is ready I just need to get the other little things in order before I REALLY customize Reaper. He's in the middle of an engine swap, engine bay repaint, caliper repaint, 3 inch lowering springs (Their off an integra, if they don't fit I'll just be cutting my springs. Anyone know how much to cut? Just start cutting and find your "happy height"?) and complete interior refurbishing and repainting. The airbag will be this winter if I can swing it or this spring. I'll make a new thread called Reaper then and you'll see everything to date on the build.
Cheers,
Cody

Electrify all the metal surfaces under the body and electrify the seats...basically when you sit or rest on the seat you get a gigantic shock...put a nice warning sticker on and hope they have a weak heart...

<--- These people piss me off lol.

quote Originally posted by 86_Fiero: I'll be able to safely lay my car right down onto the belly. Untowable. Mission.. accomplished.

Make sure there is nothing to hook onto or they will drag it on it's belly onto the flatbed.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: Make sure there is nothing to hook onto or they will drag it on it's belly onto the flatbed.

There shouldn't be. I mean I have a set of 18 Core Racing rims I'll be putting on. Their wide and huge so they should fill the wheel wells nicely so they won't be able to get onto any of my suspension and yeah. Should be easy peasy. Unless there is some other method of towing I haven't heard of I'm confident in saying that I will be safe from the stinger.

quote Originally posted by 86_Fiero: There shouldn't be. I mean I have a set of 18 Core Racing rims I'll be putting on. Their wide and huge so they should fill the wheel wells nicely so they won't be able to get onto any of my suspension and yeah. Should be easy peasy. Unless there is some other method of towing I haven't heard of I'm confident in saying that I will be safe from the stinger.

Hahaha, you think you'll be safe, but they'll just hook onto something breakable if they can't find something good to hook. Wouldn't surprise me if they got your front bumper through one of the air dam holes. You also have to cover up the cradle and all of its hook points/etc...covering up the "good" spots for them to hook on may not be as wise as you think. I don't trust the tow truck drivers not to get inventive to get that commission, and we all know when they cause the damage they'll never pay for it.

Also, in reference to 3" drop springs...you can cut the stock ones, but I think that's a really bad idea. Better of with some aftermarket 2" drop springs and some 1" lowering ball joints IMO. That thing is going to ride stiff as hell and bottom out on driveway gravel, though. I dropped 1.8" and I HATED it. Rode awful, bottomed out on everything...I can't even imagine dropping 3". If you're really going to do all these great mods you're talking about and HAVE to have that 3" drop, I would advise against cutting springs. Also, putting Integra springs on a Fiero is sinful and likely to earn you a vengeful engine bay fire from the Fiero gods.

[This message has been edited by MadDanceSkillz (edited 04-27-2011).]

Hmmm. Dog stuff under the door handles, paint stripper on the hood, rotten milk in the fresh air intake, fish under the seat, crazy glue in the door locks, three coiler on the windshield, hole in the radiator, spray foam in the exhaust pipes, lacquer thinner in the muffler makes a big bang, in colder climates frozen water in the tires makes for an unbalanced ride, missing valve stem inners, urine in the windshield washer fluid...I'm sorry, what were we talking about again?

quote Originally posted by La fiera: I remember like 20 years ago in a blizzard in The Bronx, NY a car was being towed and the tow truck got stuck. That gave chance for the owner to run after it. After some argument, I see the tow truck driver getting pulled out through the window of the truck and getting a beat down like I've never seen before. Driver unconscious on the snow and the owner of the car drove away the tow truck with his car in the back of the tow truck!

You just made my whole day better.

When this happened to me I made my apartment complex refund me because there was no evidence that I did not have my permit in my mirror and i was parked in a poorly marked spot.

They hired the towing agency, they are liable if they hire someone shady. Sue the complex every time.

chemset an eyehole into the ground hide it with cold mix bitumen and run a chain to it.

quote Originally posted by jasonfox: Sue the complex every time.

I hate apartments. Some years ago, I left my car in a friend's assigned spot at his apartment complex while we went somewhere for the day in his car; when I we returned we were just in time to see the tow truck guy hooking up to my car to tow it. There was also a note under my wipers (in obvious women's handwriting) that said "you're illegally parked, please get your car out of here". Since the complex didn't have stickers or tags to indicate who lived there and who didn't, I think some busybody saw me park there and leave in my friend's car and she called the management on me.

quote Originally posted by mikejhjr: Fieroguy, why did you have to hand your keys over? Is that the law? If not they can forget it. No joy rides with my car, but I still not ruling out the fact that someone may have gotten into my car. Not like it's hard to do when you can pull the windows back so far. 86, As far as the bagged Fiero, that's cool. Mine is lowered, but not that low. I am trying to think of what I can do to keep them from being able to get the stinger under the front of my car.

No, its not a law that you hand over your keys. But it does save you 50 bucks. They charge an extra 50 if they don't have keys to be able to move the car around.

I would move out of that appartment complex. They hired the crooked tow company. I would hold them accoutable. I would go to the apartment manager and ask for a $215 credit on your rent. The manager will refuse at which point you give your notice that you are moving out.

Turnover costs landlords money. When they figure out that the tow company is costing them money, then they will do something about it.

If you left any window open a crack, maybe the wind blew your permit down. Why not just tape it to the inside glass behind the mirror and forget about it ? Id be handing thetow bill to your complex management. And if they broke the parking pawl in the auto trans, have them pay that bill too....or just have them deduct it from next months rent. Like ive said in other threads, most tow companies dont give a rats poo if they mess up your car. If no body pays, file a claim in small claims court and name both as joint defendants. Sometimes just the thread of a suit ( summons ) is enough to get them to pay. Paint your car licence number on your assigned spot right behind your car

make sure to check your transmission fluid, it may be low. check hot.

quote Originally posted by Doug85GT: I would move out of that appartment complex. They hired the crooked tow company. I would hold them accoutable. I would go to the apartment manager and ask for a $215 credit on your rent. The manager will refuse at which point you give your notice that you are moving out. Turnover costs landlords money. When they figure out that the tow company is costing them money, then they will do something about it.

And if you follow THAT advice, be prepared to pay a couple thousand dollars in fees to break your lease, which you WILL be liable for. (Depends on how much below market value you're paying by being on a lease instead of month-to-month, and how far into your current lease you are.)

You won't be hurting the apartment complex by moving out. They won't care. There are always other tenants.

quote Originally posted by LZeitgeist: And if you follow THAT advice, be prepared to pay a couple thousand dollars in fees to break your lease, which you WILL be liable for. (Depends on how much below market value you're paying by being on a lease instead of month-to-month, and how far into your current lease you are.) You won't be hurting the apartment complex by moving out. They won't care. There are always other tenants.

Where did I say to break a lease? For that matter, where does the OP say he is on a lease?

I said to give notice that he plans to move.

Frankly, your last statement shows that you have no idea how much money is lost in turnover. The appartment has to be prepared for a new renter with cleaning, fixing things, prospective renters have to be shown the place, the new renter has to be screened including a credit check and at a minimum you lose one month's rent while going through the entire process.

Around here they may charge a months rent. At the least they wont lose any money.

You should have contacted the police before even going to get your car back if what you say is true. They could have accompanied you to the tow yard.

You can break leases/ contracts if lessor does anything against the rules too. Rules in leases go both ways. Ive broken leases/ cell phone contracts before and I never have paid a penny in penalties. If they hassle you, tell em to sue you. They usually wont...it costs them even more money with no guarantee of a finding in their favor. I even did it to Ford Red Carpet Leasing on a 4 year new car lease. I told them the dealer it was parked at and they had the keys. They could do whatever they wanted with it. Never heard from them again.

And turnovers do hurt owners. I rented part of my building to a mortgage company for 15 years. When they moved out, its taken me nearly 2 years to find a new renter. Meanwhile Ive had to have it painted, pay for gas and electric the whole time. Part I rent has separate meters. Its very nice, 4 very large rooms with fireplace for $600 @ month...(way under market).