Towing Company
Harbour Garage, Towing and Auto Sales, LLCComplaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 4 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 1 complaint closed in the last 12 months.
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Initial Complaint
Date:10/23/2025
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Hello,
I’m writing to bring attention to a serious situation involving a tow operator named Harbours in the Ridgeway / Martinsville, Virginia area.
On October 8, 2025, I became stuck in the mud at the side of the road while returning home — no other vehicles were involved. My car was towed by Harbours. The next morning (October 9, 2025), just 12 hours later, I went to retrieve my vehicle and was told I owed $2,600. I offered to pay the reasonable towing fee immediately, but they refused to release my car.
Since that day, I have not been allowed to retrieve my personal belongings from the vehicle. The tow operator claimed it would be “totaled” and that I had to wait for him to contact insurance. My insurance denied his claim, yet he continues to hold my car and is reportedly attempting to file again.
Meanwhile, I have no transportation to my doctor’s appointments — these are referrals following hospitalization from the same incident, where I was diagnosed with a broken shoulder and cracked vertebra. This situation is directly interfering with my ability to get medical care and recover.
My vehicle is fully intact, runs, and drives. There is no justification for a $2,600 fee or for refusing to release my personal property. I am asking for help or guidance from any agency, attorney, or public official who can intervene and stop this predatory behavior.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely, ****** ***** *** ***** ** ********* ** ***** ** *********** ** *********************
Business Response
Date: 10/23/2025
Mr. ****** wrecked his 2011 Honda Accord. The vehicle was left unattended at the accident scene. State police called us on a rotation call for a motor vehicle accident. Mr. ****** came the next day and was allowed to get his belongings out of the vehicle. Mr Harbour is filing the claim with liability insurance. The vehicle was wrecked and over turned in the accident. We had to use light tower, service vehicle, rollback, and clean up fees to recover and tow his vehicle to our tow yard. Mr. ****** was able to get his belongings out of the vehicle on 10/9/2025 when he came to the tow yard.Initial Complaint
Date:08/14/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On August 10 thursday morning my son lost control of his vehicle and skidded off the road on 220 west on ramp off of hwy 58 i came up to where he went off the road and tried to help him out of the mud but ended up calling for road side assistance through *********** ,bear in mind my truck was fully functional before tow truck arrived just needed to pull out to hard road and let him go ,well they sent a tow truck then a rollback which was not needed the roll back driver broke the ignition lock cylinder and steering wheel lock plate by forcing the wheel because ignition wouldn't unlock because he was using the wrong key ,by forcing the steering wheel also broke the clock spring which causes my airbag to be inoperable, also in the mix of things he breaks the parking brake cable ,i confronted the owner of harbor towing and recovery only for him to laugh and say he doesn't believe his guys would do that and that I'm wrong i preceded to tell him I've been a master ase certified mechanic for 30+ years and I've seen this same thing atleast 5 or 6 times ands it's usually when the vehicle gets towed and the driver doesn't care you cannot force a steering wheel doing so will cost you a costly repair clock springs are not cheap and can be a real pain to install, i also spoke to ***** i assume his wife so i can file a claim against thier insurance she also laughed and said we didn't break your truck and hung up the phone on me if this doesn't work i will seek legal action.
Business Response
Date: 08/15/2023
On Thursday
August 10th we were called at 8:39AM to winch out a 1998 Chevrolet
S10 that customer told insurance was stuck in the mud with unknown distance
from roadway. Upon arrival we found the Chevrolet S10 ended up in a fielded
area with ruts and high weeds with the bottom of the vehicle on the ground. The
customer is claiming that we used the wrong key to the ignition switch, which
is incorrect. The key that was used to turn the ignition switch was the key
that the driver had left in the switch. We then were dispatched to tow the vehicle
to the owner’s address in ***** **. Mr. ****** calls our business on Monday
August 15th stating we messed up his clock spring, his ignition
switch and e-brake cable. The ignition switch was giving issue at the scene of
the accident in which the driver of the vehicle told our drivers that he has
been having issues with the ignition switch. This vehicle was seen driving through
town on Monday August 15th with the grass from the accident still
hanging from under the vehicle. Mr. ****** called our business on Monday August
15th demanding our insurance information because his insurance told
him that he had to receive it is what Mr. ****** claims. I stated that if he would
have his insurance company call and ask for ***** and I would have
conversations with his insurance company because we did not cause the damages
to his vehicle. He then became aggravated because we would not release our
insurance information to him and started to raise his voice. State police were
at the scene of the accident and witnessed the entire encounter of the recovery
of the Chevrolet S10. I have pictures of where the Chevrolet S10 was recovered
from.Customer Answer
Date: 08/22/2023
I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed ,i am not satisfied with this resolution.It would seem honesty and integrity are not part of you're company policy.That being said i was present at the scene i started the vehicle myself with no issue it was running before the tow truck arrived then you're flatbed driver arrived and assisted the tow truck operator my son witnessed him become very rough with the ignition switch and couldn't get to turn because he was using the wrong key! He forced the steering wheel to get vehicle to steer out of the tall wet grass the truck was less than 20 feet from the asphalt, the so called picture or video i would love to see you're driver broke the lock cylinder and busted the clock spring in the steering wheel by forcing the wheel past the lock plate that is fact ! I've seen this type of damage before many times working at the dealership because of rough tow truck drivers too in a hurry ,i called you and your wife both and both became hostile and immediately denied any wrong doing. i never got loud with anyone your wife instantly was rude and told me I'm not giving you our insurance information and laughed at me saying we didn't break you're truck and hung up on me also have both phone recordings of conversations ,i caution anyone coming to this business for repair or use for recovery ,buyer beware!!!
Regards,
*********** ******
Business Response
Date: 09/19/2023
There were no issues until we filed against his liability insurance. Our initial response still stands.Initial Complaint
Date:06/22/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On Thursday June 15, 2023, I was told what was wrong with my car. That it cost $550, it would take 7 hours to fix & to bring it in on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 8:30a.m. They also stated that they’d take a money order as payment. Because the business closes at 5:00, I called at 4:45 to ask about the status of my vehicle. I was told, that they were doing what they could. I then called back to see if there was a loaner car, because I needed to get to work. I was then told to come get the car. When I came to retrieve the car, the price had changed from $550 to $660 & I was then told that they did not take money orders. Being as I didn’t have that amount on me, I had to go get it. These ppl told me that they’d wait, but I questioned whether that would happen or not being that they lied about multiple things. They then told me that I could not retrieve my car because I was smart. I was never notified about the timing, the amount, or that they now won’t take money order. In addition to being lied to about those things, I was also lied to about them waiting to receive their adjusted amount.
Business Response
Date: 06/22/2023
On June 15th a Ford Taurus was brought to us regarding leaking oil. We discovered that the oil was leaking from the timing cover. We scheduled for the vehicle to come in on June 21st at 8:00AM. I spoke with the owner's father per request of the owner to talk to him about what the vehicle was needing. I told the father with the customer sitting in front of me that the repair labor would be $550 along with needing the parts. The father then called me on Tuesday June 20th asking about the pricing. He explained to me that he was sending it by money order. From my understanding how I thought it was happening was that the father was sending the daughter the money order. The vehicle arrived at our garage at 8:37AM. We had then taken a vehicle in front of her in because she was late at arriving. We then started on her vehicle. Knowing that it would be close to closing when the vehicle was done, we informed her of that. We close at 5:30. She called at 4:41PM and 4:52PM. At 4:52PM we informed her the vehicle would be ready and that since it was going to be a little after closing, we had someone waiting on her to arrive. She arrived at approximately 5:35PM. When she arrived she didn't have funds to pay for the vehicle. The father then talked with an employee, stated he could send the money order to ******* so that she could get it the same day. She was then informed by the same employee if she would go get the money order someone would wait on her to return to pay and receive the vehicle. She became belligerent and was then name calling. We then asked for her to leave since it was after closing and told her she would have to come back on June 22nd to receive the vehicle. When it comes to the pricing of the vehicle, the labor was $543.75, Timing cover gasket was $48.99 and water pump gasket was $18.99. So with taxes parts and labor the total for the vehicle is $616.01.
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