Breakdown Recovery & Car Towing
When a car cannot be driven safely, the right move is to put it on a flatbed, not to limp it to a garage. We send a recovery truck to where the car is, load it without dragging the driven wheels, and bring it to our workshop for diagnosis. You get a written quote for the repair before any work starts.
- Recovery fee agreed before the truck is sent and shown on the written quote
- Recovery time depends on traffic and distance; we give you an estimate when you call
- Pickup and delivery from your door
- Convenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- Diagnosis free with repair
When to call for recovery
- The engine will not start, and a jump start has not helped
- The temperature gauge went into the red and steam came from the bonnet
- The gearbox is stuck in one gear, or the car will not move in Drive
- A loud bang or grinding noise from the engine, after which it lost power
- A warning on the dashboard telling you to stop the car safely
- The car is parked in a basement or a building car park and will not move
What usually causes it
Driving on can turn a small fault into a large one
An engine that has overheated once can warp its cylinder head if it is driven another few kilometres. A gearbox slipping in limp mode can burn its clutches. Recovery costs less than either of those repairs, which is why we ask you to stop and call.
Dragging the wrong wheels damages the drivetrain
Towing with a rope or a wheel-lift spins the driven wheels while the engine is off, so the gearbox gets no oil pressure. Automatics, four-wheel drives and hybrids are the cars most at risk. A flatbed carries all four wheels off the ground.
Battery, starter and fuel faults
A car that clicks or stays silent is often a battery or starter problem. If a jump start or a battery test at your location does not bring it back, the next step is a workshop with the tools to test the starter, the fuel pump and the wiring.
Warning lights that mean stop now
A red oil pressure light, a flashing check engine light or a red temperature warning all mean the engine is at risk. Switch off when it is safe to do so and do not restart the engine to see if the light returns.
How we do breakdown recovery & car towing
- 1
Tell us where the car is
Call or WhatsApp us with a location pin, the make and model, and what happened. We ask whether the wheels turn, the steering is free and the car is in a basement, because each changes the truck and equipment we send.
- 2
Agree the recovery fee
We tell you the recovery fee before we send the truck. It depends on where the car is and how far it has to travel, and it is listed again on the written quote, so there is nothing to discover later.
- 3
Load the car on a flatbed
The driver checks the car over with you, notes existing marks, sets the gearbox and parking brake for transport and winches the car onto the bed. The car is strapped at the wheels, not the suspension or the body.
- 4
Diagnose and send a written quote
At the workshop we find the fault and send the quote on WhatsApp, listing the parts you can choose between and the price of each. If you decide not to repair, we bring the car back or hand it over as you instruct.
By make and model
- All-wheel drive (Audi quattro, Subaru, Range Rover, BMW xDrive)
- These cars should only travel with all four wheels off the road. Towing with one axle down can damage the centre differential or the transfer case.
- Hybrids and electric cars (Toyota hybrids, Tesla, Lexus)
- Turning the drive wheels can make an electric motor generate power with the system off. They go on a flatbed, and a Tesla is put in its transport mode first.
- Electronic parking brake (Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz)
- If the battery is flat the parking brake cannot release, so the driver uses the service release procedure or skates under the locked wheels rather than dragging them.
- Low sports cars (Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Corvette)
- Little ground clearance means the truck needs long ramps or blocks so the splitter and sills do not touch the bed while the car is winched up.
In Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman
Summer breakdowns in the Emirates are more than an inconvenience: a car stopped on the hard shoulder in July turns into an oven within minutes once the AC is off. If you break down on a highway, stay behind the barrier, keep water with you and share your live location with us. Basement breakdowns are common in Dubai Marina, JLT and Business Bay towers, where low ceilings rule out a standard truck, so tell us the clearance if you know it.
Questions about breakdown recovery & car towing
How much does car recovery cost?
The fee depends on where the car is and where it is going. We tell you the amount before we dispatch the truck, and it appears on your written quote alongside the repair.
Can you recover a car from an underground car park?
Usually, yes. Tell us the floor and the height limit at the entrance. Some ramps are too tight for any truck, and then we move the car to street level with dollies first.
Do I have to be with the car?
It helps, because the driver walks around the car with you. If you cannot be there, leave the key with the building security or a colleague and tell us who has it.
My insurance includes roadside help. Should I use it?
If your policy covers recovery, using it can save you the fee. Many policies take the car to a garage of your choice, so you can still ask them to bring it to our workshop.
Will you repair the car without asking me?
No. Recovery and repair are separate. We diagnose the fault, send you the written quote and only start the repair once you approve it.
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Get a written quote
Tell us about your car. You get an itemised quote before any work starts, and you choose OEM, aftermarket or used parts.