So did the new wheels come in yet?

I would be livid.

That said, I don't think I'd have let it sit for five days on a public street either. Throwing four donuts on it and getting it towed by someone through your insurance company, has to be better than leaving it sitting on the road to be burglarized again, vandalized, or worse... ticketed and towed by some 'tards working for the city.

Now, Thompson is outraged, claiming the damage is estimated at $20,000. "They couldn't of run our tags, they couldn't of found us," said Thompson. "They didn't try anything."

Ow! Ow!

Since Mr Journalist hasn't inserted a "[sic]", I presume that's grammar as he intended to write, rather than as Mrs Thompson spoke.

Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

MaxxLarge: Even on an overpriced European car?

I'm not a fan of the handling and braking feel on Audis and Volkswagens. But German cars are mostly wonderful. If you don't want one, you're free not to buy one.

/ Especially the diesels - although I accept that diesel doesn't make much economic sense in the US even when they meet emissions standards (as most now do, even if they're not being sold in the US for commercial reasons)

MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

If they towed it without wheels they would have destroyed at least two fendors a bumber the rotors breaks possibly the axel and most of teh dual exhaust system. Not sure why they didn't flat bed it...

MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

Well, I couldn't get the video to work in firefox OR IE, so I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it would involve a good bit of body damage, the exhaust system, potentially the oil pan, rear differential, lower control arms, brakes... etc etc...

KyngNothing: MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

Well, I couldn't get the video to work in firefox OR IE, so I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it would involve a good bit of body damage, the exhaust system, potentially the oil pan, rear differential, lower control arms, brakes... etc etc...

Not to mention they didn't get rid of the cinder blocks:
"They dragged the car with a cinder block underneath it," said Thompson. "It made me sick."

Is it possible to sue the tow truck company for damages they did to the car? ( I really hope so)

/also has a thing for towing Audis

D.C. fubu? what do you expect?

Stryyder: MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

If they towed it without wheels they would have destroyed at least two fendors a bumber the rotors breaks possibly the axel and most of teh dual exhaust system. Not sure why they didn't flat bed it...

They probably did flat bed it, but flat bedding a car with no wheels still requires dragging the car onto the flat bed.

I don't think you could possibly tow it any other way... but that would make for some great footage!

/sparksies

Should've bought an American car. No way in hell to do $20K worth of damage to a car worth $1.87

corsec67: KyngNothing: MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

Well, I couldn't get the video to work in firefox OR IE, so I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it would involve a good bit of body damage, the exhaust system, potentially the oil pan, rear differential, lower control arms, brakes... etc etc...

Not to mention they didn't get rid of the cinder blocks:
"They dragged the car with a cinder block underneath it," said Thompson. "It made me sick."

Is it possible to sue the tow truck company for damages they did to the car? ( I really hope so)

The tow company's liability insurance will probably take care of it. The blame may shift around a bit though, as the city ordered the vehicle be towed on their authority.

Someone's gonna get their asses sued off...

I would have liked this better if it had been a Hummer. Or an Expedition. An Audi isn't as funny.

DC is getting ready to out do this headline.
In fact, if you don't see 100 headlines between this bookmark and one day after the swearing in of BO, I'll be surprised.
Nothing like the asshattery of governmeny employees on a day to day vasis, with out haveing to toss in to the mix that they are tamping up for a parade of asshattery headlines.
I can see the logic the district took on this one.
Hmmmmm. ever since 9/1 we need to have more communicatio nbetween our enforcement agencys.
Oh look. A car.
Foreign car?
Yep.
Could be an IED.
No, I think it's a SAAB.
WTF is a SAAB?
I don't know, let's take it to the impound lot and then call the bomb squad.
/nothing stupider than a tow guy with a hard on.
//except maybe the president, teh CEO of any bank, or and american auto manufacturer, or any dolt who thinks not leaving contact info on the dash is good.

Aww, jeez.
of have

journalist fail

Did a farking retarded monkey code this site?

opiumpoopy: Since Mr Journalist hasn't inserted a "[sic]", I presume that's grammar as he intended to write, rather than as Mrs Thompson spoke.

He couldn't of spent much time in school.

Wasn't there a story a while back where someone had their (insert really expensive exotic car) towed in Detroit, paid to get it out, and then found out that the car was not mobile under its own power, due to the transmission, axles, tires, and rims being destroyed?

I think they ended up suing the city and losing because 'they shouldn't have parked there and deserved everything they got'

illicit: Someone's gonna get their asses sued off...

It ought to be the towing company for damaging the capital city's infrastructure and requiring a study on the impact of the asessment of damages and oversight on towing a vehicle with NO FARKING WHEELS on it donw a pubic street.
Period.

Bad city. If the cops had protected it in their cop protected streets the wheels would not have been stolen. Dragging car without wheels. They knew it was wrong. Pay for it now.

They did put it on a flat-bed (look at the pic in the article). Still, just that little amount of dragging would do a crap load of damage.

My wheels and tires got stolen from my apartment parking lot. I got a nasty letter from the apt manager saying they witnessed me working on the car, a violation of property rules. Needless to say my response of their failure to report a crime went straight up the chain of command to the property owners. Never did find out who "witnessed" this, I would have chewed them out...cops didn't care though.

Um, that doesn't look like a 70,000 car, unless it's a de-badged RS4.

TheDirtyNacho
Stryyder: MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

If they towed it without wheels they would have destroyed at least two fendors fenders a bumber bumper the rotors breaks brakes possibly the axel axle and most of teh dual exhaust system. Not sure why they didn't flat bed it...

They probably did flat bed it, but flat bedding a car with no wheels still requires dragging the car onto the flat bed.

I don't think you could possibly tow it any other way... but that would make for some great footage!

/sparksies

Well, judging from the video pic (I can't get it to play)I would say that's a flatbed in the background.

/bad grammer hurts head.

Ah... The DC government shows once again what a finely-tuned, well-oiled machine it is.

I sincerely hope these people sue, and I hope even more that some civil servants get fired over this.

There are towing vehicles with cranes. They are somewhat rare, but I have seen them before. You basically wrap the auto body in a harness and then lift it onto the flatbed.

In less retarded but far more evil move, the city could have towed them in such a manner, but then hitting the owners with the additional costs of having to hire such a specialized tow vehicle. The vehicle would be damage-free, and the city would be able to hit some rich dude with an insanely high tow fee.

Of course, that's just me.


/tow driver was a douche
//will never live in a home that requires that I park on a city street
///if you can afford an $80K car, you can afford a brownstone in DC with private parking

The tires are the things on the car that make contact with the road.

Scubachisteve: They did put it on a flat-bed (look at the pic in the article). Still, just that little amount of dragging would do a crap load of damage.

If you can get the video to play, they've got footage of the thing getting dragged. With the brick stuck under one wheel, getting pulled sideways towards a ramp that it wasn't even lined up on.

Not only should the insurance company pay up without question, the owners should get a free nut-shot on the tow company. All of them. You kick the driver of that truck in the balls, then you kick the owner in the balls for hiring such a dipshiat.

This is why you don't spend $70,000 on a car. It depreciates, is easily vandalized, can be towed by incompetents, people are far more likely to steal it, etc. If you can't afford all the things that could happen to a car, buy a cheaper car.

Jesus, did the elementary school yearbook staff write this?

ScotterOtter: My wheels and tires got stolen from my apartment parking lot. I got a nasty letter from the apt manager saying they witnessed me working on the car, a violation of property rules. Needless to say my response of their failure to report a crime went straight up the chain of command to the property owners. Never did find out who "witnessed" this, I would have of chewed them out...cops didn't care though.

/FTFT"A"OTS (Fixed that for the "author" of this story)

Sin_City_Superhero: Should've bought an American car. No way in hell to do $20K worth of damage to a car worth $1.87

Oh I dunno. If you can damage hunna dolla pants to the tune of $65M (pops), I suppose anything's possible.

/Still, nice snark. I dug it.

Exactly how dumb do you have to be, to wreck somebody's car (not to mention damaging public property by dragging a car without wheels on the road behind your truck, as happens during the video) while a TV cameraman is pointing his camera at you???

/dayyyy-um that's some dumb!

I have that exact car except black, it wasn't $70k.

What do they need to own a $70K car for anyway? If they didnt have that car, no one would have stolen the wheels. Then we wouldnt have a crime, and the city would not have to tow off the remains.

Now the tax paying citizens of the city are going to have to pay to repair this rich man's toy.

portscanner: What do they need to own a $70K car for anyway? If they didnt have that car, no one would have stolen the wheels. Then we wouldnt have a crime, and the city would not have to tow off the remains.

Now the tax paying citizens of the city are going to have to pay to repair this rich man's toy.

you sound poor.

Stryyder: MaxxLarge:
If they towed it without wheels they would have destroyed at least two fendors a bumber the rotors breaks possibly the axel and most of teh dual exhaust system. Not sure why they didn't flat bed it...

I lady I worked with had her stolen van (found with no wheels) towed on a flat bed. The driver caused a bit of damage dragging it up onto the flat bed with the rotors substituting for tires. She was livid, the driver said "Nobody said nothing about wheels."

Yankees Team Gynecologist: Um, that doesn't look like a 70,000 car, unless it's a de-badged RS4.

It's an A8L, starting at around 70k. The car is made from aluminum, top to bottom. Any body damage can only be fixed at a handful of specialized Audi body shops. I think there are five or six in the US. If those were 19" rims and tires, each wheel was worth probably $2,000.

I should know, I own the same car. Watching them drag it across cinder blocks and the street was farking painful. I'd be surprised if it's only $20k to repair.

portscanner: What do they need to own a $70K car for anyway? If they didnt have that car, no one would have stolen the wheels. Then we wouldnt have a crime, and the city would not have to tow off the remains.

Now the tax paying citizens of the city are going to have to pay to repair this rich man's toy.

meh.. I give it a 3. Hatin' on the rich is too obvious.

Guess stealing the rims and tires just wasn't enough for the police..

Reminds me of a Outland or Bloom County cartoon, where Opus finds Elvis working on a road crew. the panel concludes something like, "Dewey, hand me a donut." "Not my job."

MaxxLarge: Jesus. I've never even owned a car that was worth a TOTAL of $20,000. How is it possible to do that much in damage without putting it one of those junkyard compactors and turning it into an ashtray? Even on an overpriced European car?

here goes... assuming it was attached to the truck so that it was moving forward

body damage:
bumper forced upward by tow straps
hood buckled
fenders buckled
rocker panels scraped
doors buckled
rear bumper scraped to hell

suspension/brake damage:
control arms shredded
rotors and backing plates ground flat

engine/drivetrain damage:
oil pan breached - oil passages contaminated by shrapnel
drive shaft/universal joints damaged
transmission breached
differential breached

your shiatbox would have cost just as much to fix and thus would have been declared a total loss.

I Got the video to work, so I will describe it to you all since many say that can't get it to work for some reason.

The video crew has the whole nasty process caught on video. First, the towing crew forcibly dragged it off the cinderblocks (some got stuck underneath, wedged between the brake rotors and the wheel well) and dragged it across the street on the frame and brake rotors, about 25 feet. It left some beautiful gouges in the street.

They then dragged it up the flatbed (presumably destroying the front and rear bumpers, as well as anything else that could get caught on the lip of the truck bed). Then for reasons unknown to me, they lifted the flatbed while the car was only halfway on the truck, supporting the weight of the car on the belly of the car resting on the edge of the truck bed.

Eventually, they somehow got it up there, but shiat, its pretty easy to see how they could've messed it up good.


Being a Regular Fark member, I am automatically entitled to talk at length about a subject as a professional in a particular field despite no training or knowledge of it at all, and completely pulling stuff out of the ass.

That being said, as a professional fark mechanic, I'd say the damage list could include:

rotors
ball joints
forks
ABS Sensors
axles
oil pan
transmission
catalytic converter
exhaust system
radiator
your mom
front and rear bumpers
overall frame damage
paint and cosmetic
alignment
tie rods

all which could easily total up to $20,000

I'm amused by the Audi ubiquitous look causing everyone to claim to own "exactly the same car." Weather it's an A4 or an RS8. Stupid yuppies.

(and yes, I know the RS8 doesn't look anything like the sedans, but still...)

That tow company should be hung out to dry! They didn't skate the thing, absolutely no regard to the vehicle!

There are many ways to tow things that don't have wheels. I've done plenty of them. All it takes is more time. That should have been blocked, skated, and an endless loop to the lower control arms, not using J-HOOKS!

Wanna see a PRO handle it? Ford Edge No Rims (new window)
Ford Fusion No Rims (new window)

Dinjiin: In less retarded but far more evil move, the city could have towed them in such a manner, but then hitting the owners with the additional costs of having to hire such a specialized tow vehicle. The vehicle would be damage-free, and the city would be able to hit some rich dude with an insanely high tow fee.

That's not evil; that's the right thing to do, assuming such crane trucks aren't incredibly rare.

A lot of blame should go around on this:

Given that a towing was in order (and I don't know if that's true), the city should've towed it in the manner that causes least damage, regardless of cost, and then billed the owners later.

The owners were stupid for not getting it fixed ASAP, even if it meant putting some cheapo hubs and tires just to get it up on a flatbed.

They were also stupid for parking it outside at night, but I'm assuming they pay extra in auto insurance premiums for not having a garage in that zip code.

Luxury items are great, but be prepared to pay all kinds of premiums beyond the initial cost. The owners in the story didn't give their car the care it deserves.

The shiathead who towed the car should be fired on the spot for gross incompetence. The end.