Before the Tow Truck Arrives: a 10-Minute Checklist

The pickup itself takes about fifteen minutes. What slows it down — or costs somebody money afterwards — is the small stuff: a transponder left on the windshield, plates still bolted on, a garage door opener that goes to the yard with the car. Here is everything worth doing before the flatbed pulls up.

1. Empty the car properly

Not a glance around the cabin. Actually check:

• Glovebox and centre console
• Under both front seats, and under the back seat if it lifts
• The trunk — including the well under the spare tire
• Sun visors and the pocket in the driver’s door
• Seat-back pockets and any cargo area under the floor

The things people most often lose this way are sunglasses, a spare house key, insurance papers, a child’s car seat and charging cables. None of it is coming back once the vehicle is processed.

2. Take the plates off

Two screws. In Ontario, plates belong to you and not to the car, so they should never leave on the truck. Put them somewhere safe — either they go on your next vehicle, or they go back to ServiceOntario. Keep the plate portion of your permit with them.

3. Find the permit and your ID

Have the green vehicle permit and a piece of photo ID that matches the name on it ready before we arrive. If you cannot find the permit, sort it out with ServiceOntario first — it is the one piece of paper that matters. We wrote up the whole process here: the paperwork, plates and permit explained.

4. Do not cancel the insurance yet

Wait until the vehicle has actually been picked up. Until it leaves your driveway it is still sitting on your property, and a gap in coverage the day before a pickup helps nobody. Once it is gone, call your insurer, then deal with the plates.

5. Clear a path for the truck

Have a think about how a flatbed would actually reach the car. Worth mentioning when you book:

• Is it boxed in behind another vehicle?
• Is it inside a garage, a carport, or an underground lot with a height limit?
• Is it on grass, gravel or soft ground?
• Is there deep snow or ice around it?
• Does it roll, or is it sitting on flat tires or rims?

None of these are dealbreakers. They only change how long the job takes, and a driver who knows in advance turns up with the right plan.

6. Keys, if you have them

Nice to have, never essential. Plenty of the vehicles we collect have not had a key in years.

7. Say anything unusual out loud

If the engine is gone, the converter has already been cut off, the car has been in a fire, or it has been parked so long the tires have sunk into the ground — tell us when you call. It is not going to stop us coming. It only means the price we quote is the price you actually get, instead of one that changes on your driveway.

After it is gone

• Cancel or adjust your insurance
• Return the plates to ServiceOntario, or keep them for your next vehicle
• Keep your copy of the paperwork somewhere safe

That is it. Ten minutes of preparation, one visit, cash in hand. If you want to know what your vehicle is likely to be worth first, read what actually moves the price.