Search for a tow at eleven at night and you will see plenty of companies describing themselves as “24-hour”. What that means in practice varies. Some have a truck and a driver ready through the night. Others have a phone that is answered and a driver who may or may not be free. Knowing what to ask helps you get a clear answer quickly, whichever company you ring.
What a 24-hour towing service should give you
At its simplest, three things:
- Someone who answers the phone and understands what you need
- A clear price before anyone sets off
- A truck that can actually reach you at that hour, with a rough idea of when
If any of those is vague, ask again. A good operator would rather give you a straight answer than a confident promise they cannot keep.
What to check before you agree
Who is coming, and roughly when
Ask whether there is a truck free now and how far away it is. At night, distances and availability matter more, because fewer drivers are working.
The full price
Ask for the total, based on where the car is and where it is going. Ask whether the price is different at that hour. It is a fair question and you should get a clear answer. With us, a standard call-out starts from €150, plus €2 per km depending on the destination, and we give you the figure on the call before the truck sets off.
Where the car will go
This is the question people forget at night. Your garage is probably closed, and the dealer certainly is. Decide before you ring: does the car go home, to your garage to be left for the morning, or somewhere else? If it is going to a closed garage, ask whether the driver can leave it there and what happens with the keys.
How you pay
Ask how payment works so there is no surprise at the end. We take card on the phone, a pay-by-card link sent by text, or cash.
Whether you can travel with the car
If you are stranded on your own, ask whether you can ride in the truck. Do not assume it.
Safety first, especially in the dark
At night you are harder to see and drivers are often tired. Before you ring anyone:
- Pull in as far from the traffic as you can, hazard lights and sidelights on
- On a fast road, get everyone out on the side away from traffic and behind a barrier
- Put on a high-visibility vest if you have one
- If anyone is hurt, or you feel unsafe for any reason, ring 112 first
Our roadside safety guide has more on stopping safely on different kinds of road, and our motorway breakdown guide covers motorways and dual carriageways.
What to say when you ring late
The quicker the call, the sooner things move. Have these ready:
- Your name and a number you can be reached on
- The registration, make and model
- Exactly where the car is: road, direction, nearest junction or landmark, or the Eircode
- What happened: will not start, lost power, accident, puncture
- Whether the car rolls, steers and brakes
- Where it needs to go, ideally as an Eircode
- Anything unusual: a van, an electric car, a low car, a basement car park
A map pin from your phone, sent by message, is the best way to show where you are, especially on an unlit road.
A few late-night situations
The car will not start outside work
It is late and the car park is emptying. You are safe, so take a moment. Tell the recovery company it is a car park, which level, and whether there is a height barrier or a gate that locks.
A van loses power on a national road
Get as far off the road as you can, get out on the verge side and stay well back. Tell the operator it is a van, the make and model, and whether it is loaded. See our van recovery page.
An electric car goes dark
The screens are off and the doors will not open. That is often the small 12V battery. Tell the operator the make and model and that it is electric, because it will need to go on a flatbed. More in our note on towing an electric car.
After a minor collision
Check everyone is all right first. If the car is not safe to drive, take photos before it is moved and decide where it should go. See accident recovery.
While you wait
Keep your phone on and charged. Stay somewhere safe and warm, away from the traffic. Lock the car if you are leaving it. If someone you did not ring pulls in and offers a tow, say no and wait for the company you called.
Choosing who to ring
Look for a company that gives you a clear price before they set off, explains what will happen, and tells you plainly if they cannot help. Save the number in your phone now, so you are not searching for it on a dark road.
Late in Dublin?
Recovery CC is based in Dublin. If you need a tow in the evening or at night, ring 087 116 1102 and ask. On that call you will find out whether a truck can come out, and you hear the cost before it moves. For planned jobs you can also read about car towing and transport or check our prices.