Towing company damaged my exhaust system after muffler was already dragging. Weighing my options.

[GoogerGeiger]

Hey everyone. I drive a 2000 Toyota Corolla. I will first admit I haven't been doing preventive maintenance for my exhaust. A few nights ago, one of the bolts that fastens the exhaust strap to my muffler rusted off while I was driving. The muffler was dragging on pavement for a good .25 miles and then I stopped. I didn't have the means to temporarily reattach it so I just called for a tow truck (I did it through AmEx roadside assistance). It was late so I just had the tow truck driver bring my car back to my apartment.

When he was rolling my car off the flatbed, the muffler got caught on one of the chains on the flatbed and bent it to the right. I could tell it was getting bent out of alignment and told him to stop. However we couldn't really do anything to get it out more gently though so I just let him roll it completely off the flatbed. The next day I got some wire and tied it to the pipe and muffler for a quick fix so it wouldn't drag. In the daylight I could definitely tell the muffler and exhaust (center pipe as well) were off to the right. Today I was able to bring my car to a service shop and they gave me a quote for $725 (muffler, exhaust strap, resonator, exhaust gasket+labor) because they can't just put the exhaust back into alignment. I’ve dealt with the exhaust system of this make model and year of car before and I’m quite confident it would have been a cheaper and quicker fix if the car was brought in before being put on the tow flatbed.

So it was suggested to me to file a claim since clearly the tow truck situation made the exhaust veer to the right. When I called the towing company, they gave me the "your word against mine" spiel. I was mostly expecting that since I didn't take pictures during the service and idk if the flatbed driver made any notes about the bent exhaust. Then I called my insurance (Geico). They said I wasn't at fault since I wasn't operating the vehicle, though I did make sure to be honest and I did say I was driving when the muffler came loose. I was given the option to wait and see if the towing company will cover anything. If not, my insurance will cover the repairs after my $250 deductible. I have not filed any police reports.

What I'm wondering is how I should proceed from here. I haven't been in a situation like this so I'm pretty inexperienced. Does anyone have any suggestions? Should I keep trying with the towing company or just go with my insurance? Do I even have a chance at getting costs covered since the muffler was dragging in the first place prior to the towing service?

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[fed up]

Your car is 20 years old. When did you service the exhaust last? The tow company will probably dig in and say they are not responsible. You have a 250 deductible and can buy most of the assembly for 250 at your local auto parts store. Depending on where the bend is located you might be able to get away with under 100 by doing the work yourself and the fact that the service station says 750 for the replacement could be an indicator that there is damage beyond the bend. I don't know if I would follow through with a claim. Your policy is not a maintenance policy.

 

[adjusterjack]

The towing company is not responsible. The crappy condition of your car because of your lack of maintenance was responsible. You aren't going to win against the towing company so don't bother.

I suggest you take photos of the damage, get the car fixed, pay the bill, and then decide if it's worth making the claim under your insurance once you know the exact amount instead of an imaginary amount.

That being said, you don't want a claim like this on your insurance record.

 

[GoogerGeiger]

Your car is 20 years old. When did you service the exhaust last? The tow company will probably dig in and say they are not responsible. You have a 250 deductible and can buy most of the assembly for 250 at your local auto parts store. Depending on where the bend is located you might be able to get away with under 100 by doing the work yourself and the fact that the service station says 750 for the replacement could be an indicator that there is damage beyond the bend. I don't know if I would follow through with a claim. Your policy is not a maintenance policy.

Thanks for your reply! I've actually never specifically had the exhaust serviced or looked at since I got the car in 2015. So that's completely on me and I agree with you about the tow company's stance. I looked at mufflers online by searching "2000 toyota corolla muffler" and the results would indicate I'm looking at compatible mufflers. It seems I could save a lot of money by buying the muffler myself and bringing it to the shop. Although, this article I found makes me hesitate on that option: Can I Bring My Own Parts to a Mechanic? - Seeburg Service

I don't have any experience fixing exhaust on a car (heck I barely have car maintenance experience) but I would definitely be willing if I had the tools and proper environment (we live in an apartment with outside parking, no garage). And with my current situation (schedule and finances and whatnot), I don't want to risk messing my car up further or rendering it undriveable. I got a quote of $570 from another place so I will continue shopping around.

I also agree with you about the claim situation. The issue was first and foremost caused by my lack of maintenance and simply exacerbated from there. Even if it was negligence from the tow company made it worse, it was initial negligence on my part.

The towing company is not responsible. The crappy condition of your car because of your lack of maintenance was responsible. You aren't going to win against the towing company so don't bother.

I suggest you take photos of the damage, get the car fixed, pay the bill, and then decide if it's worth making the claim under your insurance once you know the exact amount instead of an imaginary amount.

That being said, you don't want a claim like this on your insurance record.

Thanks for replying and being upfront! Hopefully this will teach me a lesson about being more diligent about car maintenance beyond oil changes. I like to think when I get general maintenance during oil changes (when they suggest other things that need to be worked on), they cover everything. But it's more on me to get all the different systems looked at.

I'll be sure to contact my insurance company and tell them I am not interested in moving forward with that claim.