Posted by  ANGELINA GONZALEZ, TAMPA, FL on 10/18  at  03:27 PM

I got my car towed friday night from Ybor City by Pete’s Towing. I heard all the bad news going around about them, but when I went to get my vehicle, the employees were very nice to me. I did get angry because they wouldn’t let me take my car because I was drunk. I want to thank them because once I left there, I got a phone call that my friends got in a car accident. If it wasn’t for them towing my car, I might not have been here today sharing my experience with you. So everybody, leave the nasty comments to yourself. They are just doing their jobs. I think everybody has to go back to their driver handbooks. If you deep down inside you are in were in the wrong, why give a business a bad reputation? Thank you Petes Towing!!

Posted by  Nancy A Pappas, New Tampa on 09/23  at  05:14 PM

I left Tampa on 29 Aug and left my truck legally parked in front of the garage I have rented for the last 4 years at Bristol Place.  When I returned from Alaska 22 days later the truck was missing.  It turns out thatv the Apt complex had it towed 3 hours after I left and since I did not pick it up after a few days it was now repossessed and if I was to get it back I had to pay almost 2K immediately since it was scheduled to be sold at auction on Monday. I have gotten the loan reinstated since it was up to date and I have excellent credit and have filed a police report on the items such as my GPS which were taken from the vehicle.

Posted by  LISA TROLLER, auburndale on 09/14  at  05:09 PM

THANK YOU STEVE.I AGREE AND HONEST TOWING SERVICES ARE GETTING A BAD REP BECAUSE OF THE BAD ONES OUT THERE. OUR LAWS ARE AVAILABLE FOR US TO KNOW AND IF WE DONT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT THEN PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US.

Posted by  STEVE ALLEN, tampa on 09/13  at  05:02 PM

AS I READ THESE COMMENTS I AM AMAZED AT HOW MUCH PEOPLE NEED TO READ FL.STAT. 715.07(POSTED AT TOP OF PAGE)SECT(2)5. (5)G. YOU MUST POST A SIGN THAT MEETS FL. STATUE AND MUST BE POSTED 24 HRS. BEFORE ANY TOWING CAN BE DONE. THE ONLY TIME YOU CAN TOW WITHOUT SIGNS IS A. THE DRIVEWAY IS BLOCKED OR B. THE AUTO IS RESTRICTING THE NORMAL FLOW OF BUSINESS(BLOCKIN DUMPSTER, BLOCKING GAS PUMPS, BLOCKING DOORWAY, PARKING OVER GAS DROP POINT.ect.} NOT PARKING IN THE PARKING LOT. THERE HAS TO BE A REASON FOR THE TOW OR SIGNS NEED TO BE THERE. PLEASE READ 715.07.  THANKS STEVE ALLEN

Posted by  STEVE ALLEN, tampa on 09/13  at  04:29 PM

THE STRANGE THING IS WHEN YOU ARE BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD A TOWER IS THE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR HELPING YOU OUT BUT WHEN YOU PARK WRONG AND YOUR CAR IS TOWED WE ARE A BUNCH OF SOB`S I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WHITEHORSE`S PROBLEM IS BUT I THINK HE HAS HAD HIS CAR TOWED AND IS BITTER. WHO EVER IT IS SHOULD MAKE CLEAR WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT INSTEAD OF A RAMBLED SLURS TOWARDS PORT TAMPA TOWING THANKS STEVE ALLEN

Posted by  STEVE ALLEN, tampa on 09/13  at  04:20 PM

WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WHITEHORSE IS TALKING ABOUT. WE DO NOT SMOKE IN OUR OFFICE. WE DO HAVE A CAT BUT SHE DOES NOT SMOKE EITHER. AFTER 30 YEARS IN THE TOWING BUISNESS SURE WE HAVE STUFF IN OUR OFFICE BUT WE LIVE THERE 10 TO 14 HOUR A DAY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC. THEN WE GO THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO RELEASE CARS, LET PEOPLE IN TO GET KEYS AND OTHER THINGS OUT AFTER THEY GET OUT OF THE HOSPITAL OR OUT OF A BAR. WE THEN GET UP IN THE MORNING AND START ALL OVER. IT MAKES ME MAD THAT PEOPLE CAN THROW STONES WHEN THEY DO NOT LIVE IN OUR SHOES.MOST TOWERS ARE HONEST HARD WORKING PEOPLE, WHO DO A GOOD JOB,TOWERS ARE ON CALL 24HRS A DAY. next page

Posted by  Whitehorse, tampa on 09/07  at  10:54 PM

Dont park your car there. If you are not doing imediate buisness. Dont park your car there. Park your car on my property, you will wish it was towed. A lot of towers are just out trying to make a living. My question is this, why does it seem there offices are nasty and smell like cigarettes, I smoke but dang cant they clean their office. Port Tampa Towing, their office is the nastiest in Tampa I think. Just go there and you will see.

Posted by  LISA TROLLER, auburndale on 09/06  at  09:49 AM

My story has remained the same.
I am just amazed at how some people do “business”.I guess every one has to earn a living.,and I admit I must be in th wrong feild, Accounting does not pay half as much as towing.lol.Any way.
I do not think badly of the honest tow companies that are around.But the ones that are being crooked and you know who you are,I have no respect

Posted by  John Parks, Tampa,Fl on 09/05  at  03:53 PM

please remember there is a liability issue with your car being on there property.If something happend to you or your car most people go after the property owners civily.towing companies protect property owners rights.TOWAWAY SIGNS are not required if there is a signature requesting the car to be removed.YOUR story has changed several times before this blog-get your story straight check your facts

Posted by  LISA TROLLER, auburndale on 08/31  at  01:24 PM

My car was towed because I guess it is wrong to break down on my way to work and to be unable to get it fixed until I am off work.And I would have asked for permission,but they were not open.Also I did not think that my car would be bothereing anyone,it was not in the way.And as I said before.There were no signs or postings.I WOULD NOT HAVE SOMEONES CAR TOWED IF IT WERE IN MY PARKING LOT UNLESS IT WAS THERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AT LEAST 1 WHOLE DAY.AS FOR THE PRICES,I STILL THINK IT IS ROBBERY.

Posted by  John Parks, Tampa,Fl on 08/30  at  11:28 AM

Towing rates are set by your local county commission,please do not be bitter.Do you go to Walmart and say I will not pay$4.25 for a gallon of milk,I only will pay a dollar no you will be asked to leave the store.Tell everyone the real reason your car was towed,then we will see the truth come out.

Posted by  LISA TROLLER, auburndale on 08/28  at  05:45 PM

As with any job or business I do not believe that how your day goes or how some people treat you is a reason to automaticaly assume everyone is going to treat you badly.And even if they do, It is your choice of career.Back to the towing,I do not believe it takes $200.00 to tow a car 4 miles? come on ,whether you want to admit it or not that is theft,and should be treated as such.I believe it is as wrong as over charging for ice in a hurricane.

Posted by  Stacy Miller,  on 08/27  at  04:50 PM

My husband works currently and has drove a wrecker for 17 years. He is not one of the bad guys. He has worked for Pete’s towing and I can say that they are not what people say they are. If you were treated disrespectfully at work daily wouldnt you have an attitude too sometimes. When people call about their cars they are not the nicest people for one, they are all mad and most of them are yelling and cursing,when they are the ones that parked wrong......How Ironic??? Before you judge people because of their careers , get educated and learn about the industry…

Posted by  Stacy Miller,  on 08/27  at  04:49 PM

As for not releasing a ca to someone if their name is not on registration/title, that is a florida law, that a vehicle is to be released to the registered owner. That should make people happy that their car are just not able to be picked up by anyone.If they released vehicles to anyone , your car coud be picked up by god knows who??

Posted by  StacyMiller, Tampa on 08/27  at  04:47 PM

I would like to first and foremost state the towing operators are not out to steal your car. They are out to make money for their families just as you do everyday at your job. The apartment complexs, communites and businesses ask these companies t tow vehicles that are illeally parked meaning “ you either do not belong there, do not have a parking decal, blocking drives etc.” The tow companies are only doing what they are hired to do.

Posted by  LISA TROLLER, auburndale on 08/27  at  09:31 AM

My car was towed from a business that had no signs or postings for no parking.It was taken 4 miles and the peolple that towed my car wasnt even a tow company.They made me wait til the next day to get my car and then didnt even give me the correct diections to get to them.They were a garage and kept asking me if my car was o.k and drivable.This is crazy! The charge was $175.00 for hook up and “paper work” and $25.00 a day for storage,which under Florida Statute 715.07 They should have let me get my car the same day.

Posted by  Laura Bellar, South Tampa on 08/27  at  02:04 AM

Pete’s Towing should be shut down! When I 1st moved to Tampa last August we parked my mother in law’s SUV in the parking garage after we used it to move furniture. We parked in what we were told, (in our purchase contract) was our space and came back to find it towed. (Turned out the space # was incorrect)Pete’s made her get a ride from Orlando to sign out the car, overcharged (by law), and made us push it off the lot or pay extra!!! They were sooooo rude and finally they refused to even speak with us so we had to get a sheriff to come help us get our car back! Since then I’ve had to tow from my property and had them not show up or refuse to come! Awful!

Posted by  Steve Allen, 7219 s obrien st tampa fl. on 08/24  at  12:47 PM

I am the owner of Port Tampa Towing.I have no record of towing Tracy Fowlers car at Gaspirilla We are not rude to people over the phone. She should get her facts correct before she tries to make a towing company look bad. Most of the cars towed were parked in city marked tow zones. The City Of Tampa makes every effort to notify people where the are.(signs,TV, newspaper ect.) Improperly parked cars were towed to keep the streets open so vehicles could get to emergency calls. People do not pay attention to tow signs and are upset when their car is towed. Just remember THE TOWER DID NOT PARK THE CAR THERE TO BE TOWED. HE IS JUST DOING HIS JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!  THANKS

Posted by  Carmen Sierra, tampa on 08/23  at  03:51 PM

I am a property manager in Tampa and use Pete’s Towing for tagging, patoling and towing from my property and 4 other properties owned and managed my our company and have never had a single problem.  We have never had a car towed that needed to be returned and the account manager before the service starts makes sure that all residents have been notified and that the property is posted before any cars are towed.  I feel Pete’s towing is a great company with hard working people who courteous, respectful and willing to help.

Posted by  Gaye Howell, Winter Haven on 08/15  at  07:38 AM

My daughter is a student at USF and we had 2 instances last year where Pete’s towed her car. One of those times was questionable.The car is in our name so we had to travel from Winter Haven both times to retrieve it. The last time they charged us extra by the time we got there. There is no compassion from their employees. What if we were out of town or out of the country? It would have cost more to get the car out than it was worth by the time we returned. We spend plenty of money for college, we don’t need someone driving around looking to get our kids extra trouble.

Posted by  Tracy Fowler, Beverly Hills, FL on 08/11  at  11:32 PM

Gaspirilla Parade 2007, Bayshore area, was looking around for parking spaces of course parking was very limited and drove for a bit to find one. No signs of no parking where present or located at the parking spot, returned to vehicle location after parade mind you it was dark out now and come to find out my car was towed by Tampa Towing. At which point the sign was located, completely rusted and unreadable, had to walk about another block or so to find a readable sign to be able to call where my car was. Mind you I had my 6 year old daughter with me and myself, very uncomfortable situation. When I explained to them that the sign was unreadable and rusting they pretty much said oh well call the police impound for your car.

Posted by  janice dean, dover on 08/11  at  08:06 PM

i too was a victim of pete’s towing i dont understand why they are still in business they had to return my money and also write an apology letter.the guy who tried to tow my vehicle was fired.

Posted by  jack haynie, Tampa on 07/27  at  03:11 AM

Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have. I can’t go into all the shadyness and ways you can go around paying the company to make it dificult on them, you can turn things around. Oh yeah, I’ve made bad tows too and also the handicapped thing. Shows what happens when your in a hurry.

Posted by  jack haynie, Tampa on 07/27  at  03:05 AM

The 25.00 after hours fee is charged from 6pm to 8am, Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday. The reasons companys charge a gate fee is the insurance companies that cover the tow companies doesnt want to have cover people that dont work there. The 25.00 is for the employee to get the vehicle, they do not work for free, they also dont make what some people think. 20.00 a car is what the driver gets for one company I know of, while the standard is 30%, thats a differance of about 22.00 less. You get what you pay for with employees.

Posted by  jack haynie, Tampa on 07/27  at  02:53 AM

I have been in the towing industry for 10 years, and I agree that there are some companys, that I’ve worked for, that do things a little on the shady side. The regular charges you should expect to pay are, 100.00 for the hook up, (loading of car on the tow truck), 4.00 a mile from point of pick up to point of drop) NOT TO EXCEED 10 MILES, 20.00 dollars a day storage, some companys start storage after 6 hours some after 24 depends on the company. 45.00 admin fee, some after 3 days others asap. 25.00 after hours fee,