A Florida woman says her $80,000 BMW X3M was towed minutes after she parked in a 30-minute parking spot. Things only went downhill from there.
In a TikTok with over 301,000 views as of this writing, Takira (@takiradrives) shows what happened when she picked the BMW up from the tow truck company.
After realizing the BMW X3M had been towed from a 30-minute parking spot outside a store in Miami, Florida, Takira says she immediately got an Uber to go retrieve it.
“What happens if they damage your car?” she says in her post.
It turns out that her comment was a bit of foreshadowing. As soon as she got in the BMW, Takira noticed error codes on the infotainment system.
“The car was already throwing codes. How beautiful,” she says ironically.
That was just the beginning. When she turned it on, the steering wheel started shaking. Then she got another warning message about the rear axle differential lock. She also discovered that the exhaust was rattling. Then the check engine light came on.
Takira brought up all the issues to the towing company and says they assured her that it is normal for BMWs to show codes after being towed. She says the company claimed the codes would go away in about 20 minutes.
Takira now says that did not happen.
“Check engine light is still on. Just fantastic,” she says.
The codes did eventually go away, Takira says. But she nevertheless took it to a BMW dealership to inspect further.
What should she do about the BMW?
Viewers in the comment section urged Takira to go after the towing company.
“I would sue,” one wrote.
“Hire an attorney and make sure you ask for attorneys fees from them. That way you get paid, your attorney gets paid, and your car gets fixed,” another added.
“Sue them girl, they messed up your alignment,” a third chimed in.
Other viewers said insurance and credit card companies can also be useful when fighting a towing company for compensation.
“I took it up with my insurance and I sued them and I won because they destroyed my engine,” one shared.
“They dragged your car away when it should’ve been on a flat bed. Happened to me too when my car got towed except mine would not accelerate. Amex refunded me for the tow and I had to take my car to a dealer,” one revealed.
Instructions on suing a towing company
Getting your vehicle from a towing company is already frustrating enough, but having it damaged during towing can be infuriating. Parts that are commonly damaged during towing include the windshield, tires, and bumper.
If this happens, you may be able to sue the towing company.
In order to succeed, you must be able to demonstrate duty, breach, causation, and damages, per FindLaw. You may be able to seek both compensatory and punitive damages.
Your first step should be to contact your insurance company. The damage may be covered by your insurance, which will then potentially go after the towing company for reimbursement.
The next step is to contact the towing company directly. You may want to call first or go there in person. If they won’t pay for your damages, you may want to send them a demand letter listing all your costs for fixing it and requesting compensation.
Failing these options, you may be able to pursue a claim on your own in small claims court. This will depend on the local limits and how much your vehicle’s damages cost to fix. Each jurisdiction’s rules vary, but small claims court is generally simple enough for people to navigate without an attorney.
If you don’t want to handle the case on your own, or if it’s more complex, then you may want to contact an attorney.
Subplot News has contacted Takira via email and TikTok direct message. This post will be updated if she responds.
@takiradrives POV: your $80,000 BMW gets towed, comes back with a Christmas tree of warning lights, and the towing company’s manager tells you to sue them instead of helping 😍😍😍 #towed #x3mcompetition #x3m #damagedcar ♬ original sound – Takira❤️🔥
