- Report: #1456837
Complaint Review: Breakthrough Towing - Detroit Michigan
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Breakthrough Towing
1502 W Lafayette Blvd. Detroit, 48216 Michigan, United States
Phone:
(313) 228-8528
Web:
http://breakthroughtowing.com/Towing-Service-Service-Request-Detroit-MI.html
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Business Rating:
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Breakthrough Towing Wrongfully towed my car and charged insane amount as well as damaging car Detroit Michigan
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I was with a friend in Detroit at McDonald's on Woodward waiting for our other friends to get out of a concert as we were going to pick them up. I had to use the bathroom and we planned on getting drinks and waiting inside the McDonald's. To our surprise, it was closed already. We said we would walk down the street quick and use the bathroom, then return to the McDonald's, use the drive through, then eat in the parking lot.
We get back 5 minutes later tops and my car is gone. We panicked, but asked around and were told it had been towed. We asked for the McDonalds manager and explained how we were gone for less than 5 minutes and was about to use the drive through. She said there was nothing she could do. We ended up having to go to a gas station and make multiple withdrawals to get the cash that was demanded. I had to try to lower the fee by asking about the registration and insurance problem and explained that those were where they were supposed to be, in my car. They said they could not let me in my car until the $470 cash was paid.
On the counter in their office it had said they accepted Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. I explained I had one of those but was just told it had to be cash. I then paid the cash because at this point our two friends, 18 year old girls, were stranded in Detroit by themselves and town was starting to die down. After being on the phone with the company before actually reaching the place, they said my car would be ready if I brought the cash peacefully. I had done that, then sat and waited 15 minutes before asking again what was going on. They said he would be here soon with my car. Another 5 minutes or so went by and we saw him pull around the corner with my car. He said he would go get it and to stay where we were.
Curiously, we went around the corner to see what was happening and in a sort of threatening way, the man told us to get out of there now. We were standing on a public sidewalk but went back to where we were just so there was no trouble. We finally received the car and left, and I later noticed a few scratches and dings.
My problem is that the sign where we parked read, "Customer parking only, all others will be towed." We were planning on being customers inside, then realized it was closed, then were going to go through the drive-through. Both the McDonalds manager/employee and the couple that were eating in the parking lot said that this company stakes out and watches people and as soon as they leave their car it is towed. I was not given a right to access my insurance and registration in my car, and the $470 was cash only.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Irvine,California,
United States
This is a joke..right?
#2Consumer Comment
Thu, August 16, 2018
Seriously do you really think the "Oh yea I PLANNED to buy something" really makes you a customer? If this business has a "spotter" and apparently is known by everyone else they must have quite a problem with people parking and leaving the premises. But let me guess...even if everyone else is trying to cheat and use them for parking, you were actually going to buy something.
By the way I read several reviews and I will say that there were a lot of complaints about being towed. But in review after review the statement of being towed also containted statements that admitted that they left the premises for one reason or another. I did see a review about being towed while inside the resturant eating, but that the McDonalds also called to have the car brought back without any charges. So while they may be very aggressive, the fact is that you left the premises with your car parked there. and had zero proof other than your "word" that you really..really..really..did plan to buy something.
Once you leave the premises(of any business) you are no longer a customer of THAT business. But in your case you weren't even a customer before you left.
You want to solve this problem, you can do one of three things. Don't patronize ANY businesses that states parking is for customers only otherwise you will be towed and let them know you don't like the towing policy. After all how can a business really tow people who may buy something after they go do something else? Option two is to patronize a business regardless of their policy..as long as you don't leave, even for 30 seconds. The final option is to contact your local government to have the laws changed making what they are doing illegal.
