Stretch Towing and Roadside

Can I do zero stars? The absolute worst customer service experience, or lack thereof! Don’t waste your time, money or effort. Long story short: waited over 3 hours for a tow, even had it pre-​scheduled with this «business» through my insurance company two days prior! No courtesy calls, apologies or accuracy on an ETA. They gave my insurance two different stories-​once the truck was in transit, then their tow truck broke down itself! Again, no follow up with me, their customer. Wasted my entire day waiting on Brian. What an awful experience! In the end, Brian told the insurance agency that I shouldn’t worry about getting my car towed and to the dealership in time because it was still three hours until they closed. Not accounting for traffic on a [now] Friday afternoon or what that did to all my plans today. Please don’t patronize this place-​they should not be in business or receive any more jobs. Made clear to tell Liberty Mutual that, too! Zero stars.

I called Stretch Towing and Roadside Sunday around 1:30 PM to tow my car to my mechanic (who was working until 5).
After two hours of broken promises I gave up and called someone else. But because of the delay I didn’t have the use of the car Monday and wasted even more time.
Here’s what happened (quotes from my text history):
I called STR at 1:35 pm for a tow. The guy I talked to said he’d be here in 30 minutes and it would cost $ 50.
He asked me to text him the address.
He texted back «Ok, 45 mins away, $ 65 cash.»
That’s kind of annoying to misquote the time and cost but at least he texted right back.
Then another text immediately after: «60.»
Was that $ 65 revised down to $ 60 because I hadn’t responded and he didn’t want to lose me? That’s how I took it. But maybe he meant 45 minutes revised up to 60.
I texted «OK.»
Me: [after 60 minutes] «Do you have an ETA? I want to coordinate with my ride back. Thanks»
STR «Give me about 40 mins, irm leaving the city of Alm0»
Me: «That’s an hour later than you said. I’m just sitting here waiting. I’ll find someone else on Unilocal.»
STR: «I’m stopping the car in Hayward I’ll be there in 30 minutes»
Me: «Are you sure you can be here in 30?»
STR: «3:24»
That means that he knows for sure he’ll be at my place by 3:24, right? He didn’t text «3:30» which might be rounded down. Or «4» which could be way rounded down. 3:24 means 3:24.
Now his original 40 minutes had only dropped by 2 minute but the specific time reassured me and I wanted him to see this through. I wanted to give him a chance to make good on his poor customer service.
STR: «Ok see you then»
[time elapses]…3:23…3:24…3:25…3:26…3:27…3:28…3:29…3:30…3:31…3:32
Me: «How much longer?»
He did not reply so I called.
On the phone he said 35 minutes more.
Me: «What!!!»
After I threw a fit he told me he’d confused me with someone else! And after asking for detailed directions to my place told me it would be 15 minutes. Putting the new estimate at 3:48.
When I asked him why he hadn’t ever reached out to tell me he’d be late he complained that he couldn’t call me every 5 minutes. Which is a weird thing to say because he never once called me. Nor did he ever text me without doing to in response to my text.
I told him that I would find someone else.
Amazingly he texted me again:
STR: «11mins»
Me: «No thank you. I can’t keep doing this»
First call at 1:34 and last text at 3:43. 2 hours and nine minutes of frustration. Then on to the next company.

I am so glad I gave my search more time because I almost went to another towing company who charged more. I would’ve used my AAA but the membership expired and it would take us a few days to use it again even if we reinstate it today. Anyways, I called Stretch Towing early to ask about the rate and since it is less than 2 miles, it was pretty reasonable compare to everyone else in Oakland/​San Leandro/​Hayward. I scheduled a tow for 8am but the ETA was 8:15. He came like 10 mins after the ETA but I didn’t mind because we weren’t completely ready to go just yet. He called me when he was outside, very nice guy and he even waited a couple of minutes for us. He took us to ASE Repair towing (see my review for that one too, if you need a mechanic I highly recommend them). I paid with credit card (there was a $ 5 charge for it but it was still worth it). I asked the tow guy for his name for my review and what do you know it’s Stretch! Very nice guy, I highly recommend Stretch Towing!

Thankyou Stretch Towing! Called in this morning to get a tow probably less than 3 miles, and i needed to get it done within an hour. They said they’ll take care of me and they did! Reasonable price and great service! Most definantly if I need a tow for an auto in this area again I will not hesitate to use Stretch Towing. Highly recommend to anybody else.

Very professional and fast service. They towed one my customer’s car and they arrived within 20 minutes. Highly recommended.

Completely happy with my towing experience earlier today with Brian. He showed up in a reasonable time (40 mins during rush hour), was extremely friendly and polite, did a fine job towing my car, and was very reasonably priced. Everything you would want from a tow service.
Not to mention the tow truck is named Big Kathy, written in big letters on the bug guard on the hood. Cool, man, cool…

One of the worst experience ever with a service. I had a drivers side blow out on CA242. I was on the right shoulder which was just barely wide enough to fit my truck. I called my SafeCo road side assistance which sent out Stretch Towing to help. I made it very clear that the truck was not in a spot where the spare could be put on safely and that it NEEDED to be towed off the highway to be changed. After waiting 30 min over the ETA (total wait time of an hour and a half), a guy (Brian) shows up not in a tow truck but an SUV. He was going to change the tire on the freeway without any high visibility gear! He was literally sitting in the middle of a busy freeway lane right after a curve!
My wheels require a Phillips screw driver to get to the lug nuts. He was such an armature that he did not even have basic tools such as the needed screwdriver! What kind of road side assistant does not have basic tools???
He then asked me and my friend to hop over a fence on the freeway and ask a car dealer for a screw driver! Wanting to get this whole experience over with I trudged through burl filled bushed to hop over a fence to go get a tool for this guy.
Then when he put the spare on it was basically flat and he didn’t have an air compressor to fill it up! He just told us «you guys are gunna want to fill that up.»
Completely unprofessional and a total armature hour.

Fast, friendly, knowledgable! My car got stuck in the Oakland hills, and Stretch Towing was right there to help me out! I highly recommend. It always sucks to need a tow truck, but it sucks less when the truck comes quickly and the driver is nice and not creepy.

I had a nightmare day a few weeks ago, and managed to blow a tire on the top floor of a parking garage in Oakland. Roadside Assistance were not very helpful, sending me two companies that couldn’t help before they sent me Stretch. He put me at ease, calmed me down and didn’t patronize me like the others had. He was professional and managed to get me out of my jam in no time at all. I cannot recommend him highly enough!

Professional, timely, safe, fair, reliable and very helpful; Brian and Stretch Towing are everything you want in a roadside service. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends. Thanks!
— Chris with the RV

My car quit on me in a very difficult spot in Oakland during rush hour. Although not actually blocking traffic, cars, especially buses, had very little room to get around me on a street under construction. Even if I could start my car, I couldn’t safely cross the odd intersection without risking my safety and causing even more problems for traffic.
Along comes Stretch Towing. He stops beside me and asks if I need help. Told him no because I have AAA towing. He tucked his truck into an impossible spot, walked back to discuss the situation and offered to help me get across the traffic lanes into a parking lot. In two minutes I was safely parked, traffic moved more easily and he was on his way.
I was totally grateful for his thoughtfulness and help. He went out of his way even knowing I wasn’t going to hire him. Great guy! That’s the kind of person I’d love to call when I needed help.