My friend died in my car on the way to the hospital. My car got towed from spear and west end road (a block from mad river hospital)-arcata police busted my passenger window to get to him,because he had pulled over to die the car was parked and he died. The next day @10:00am I go over to buddy's where my car was towed and about 2.8 miles of a tow and was picked up the day prior. It cost me 355.00. Through the phone before I arrived I explained the to the very very professional receptionist why my car was at the tow yard she then went on & on about how they are a business for profit and how the tow man needs to be paid for the work and how they go through auditing every year and they couldn't possibly give me a discount for the unfortunate death of my very close dear friend that had just died. She never once seemed to show any empathy by the way of compassion towards me-just kept it very professional. Near 10 am when I arrived to the yard I approached the vehicle when I felt overwhelmed with emotion and decided to leave but come back before 5 pm When I left the tow yard Buddys receptionist (Ivy) called and left a message,I assumed to check on me to see if I was ok-instead much to my surprise she left me a discount from 478.00 to 335.00-NICE of the Owner I thought! .. Until I was explaining to my friend that I needed to pay 75.00 to arcata police to have my car released from buddy's to me. When I arrived at the police station they waived the fee and made me feel they were extremely empathetic for his unfortunate death. The cop then said that he had placed a call to-ivy and suggested that the fees be waived. When I arrived at buddy's. Ivy then explained to me what I already knew which I thought was very unnecessary being that she assumed I had heard the message which I had. Through out the day I was confused on why if arcata police was able to reach me, (the same day)why I never received a call to pick up my car- I know that buddy's will tow you for FREE if you are DRUNK during the holiday season and at time cops will allow you to have another person pick up your car if they are going to tow it. FACT: I just had to replace my car window for 489.36 and I payed buddy's- 335.00 just to find out that buddy's will tow my friends car from McKinleyville to eureka for under 110 but because unfortunately my friend died on his way to the hospital in my car I pay extra for police involvement! I lost my patience with the lack of the receptionist hard and callus but very professional personality throughout all of this and lost it when she said to me are you paying or leaving. I called rude! I was trying to sort my thoughts out on if I needed to get somebody there to help me drive the car. I couldn't drive it but because of the emotional heartbreak of my friends shoes being in the drivers seat she offered and I accepted for the"Free" tow to wherever it needed to go-I guess it wasn't FREE though if I payed more from the beginning of the transaction. My experience with them was unprofessional given the circumstances but I think this tow may have been handled by the owner not by the cold personality of the receptionist who "only works there". If at all possible made it right,but the owner said because I had lost my patience with ivy he wouldn't make it right is what he told my friend over the phone. His video shows his employee being "PROFESSIONAL" In some rare cases we don't need professionalism but a human smile to come up with realistic outcome of how to treat one another-I wasn't able to keep myself together In a rare occasion of deaths I shouldn't be force to take care of "business" but if I wouldn't of the fee would have been 55.00 a day. I just hope ivy and her boss learn from this and note not all business Is good business sometimes things need to be handled in a gentler manner. read more

Buddy's Auto Center - Towing Near Me - Arcata, California

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Buddy's is great! Two of my tires got shredded on the highway, they picked me up and had me at the tire shop within 30 minutes. Highly recommend! read more

I've had both my naughty Mustangs give out on me several times and I called AAA to arrange Buddy's towing and service to come assist me. Luke was fabulous today and had to come out twice for me, once for a lock out when I presumed my key fob died, and again when it turned out my car battery needed to be replaced. He jumped me and off I went to Napa auto to get a new battery for my vehicle. Luke was timely, polite, and always friendly. He has also done service at my house when they decided not to start up. 110% would recommend! read more

They took over 3 hours to tow my undamaged car 10 minutes away it ended up costing 1000+ they even broke my cruise control. Definitely look elsewhere for a tow they charge anyone they don't know crazy amounts and take their sweeeeeet time read more

I got a tow today because of a flat tire. Kia's come with a can of fix-a-flat. I got towed to TP Tire in Arcata and after meeting the staff with no manners. I decided to push on. Triple A recommended a shop that doesn't sell tires 10-12 miles away. My driver told me of a tire shop within 3 miles. Best tire shop I've ever been too. Arcata Used Tires & Wheels. I've lived here for 42 years and never heard of them. Probably because of the used tires in their name. I bought four new tires at an exceptional price. The driver turned a bad day into a good day. I might of got lucky, but it was only a 5 minute wait for the tow. read more

My motorcycle had a blow out and couldn't be repaired way out in Cecilville. The owner showed up in the Fire fighters camp I was waiting at, picked up the bike in his trailer and drove his truck and trailer around the hair raising backroads of the Forks of Salmon, to Eureka.. I had a tire waiting at a moto shop, 3.5 hours away. Not only did he get me there in record time, but he even dropped me at the store before I got to my hotel. All in all the tow took 7 -8 hours of his day. Buddy's towing goes way beyond expectations for its customers. I recommend him to anyone who has a breakdown in the area. read more

I called Buddy's for help tonight. I was broken down in the McKinleyville McDondalds parking lot with my 3 children. I called to ask them for a tow from there, to Reasor Rd on the other end of McKinleyville. They told me that they couldn't help me, because they had 1 driver and they needed to stick to their "own area". Their location is Arcata? I was then told by them that I should call Clyde's Towing, which is located in Fortuna! Thanks Buddys! read more

Luke came out to help us with our battery problem. He checked the alternator, battery and battery cables. We ultimately decided to buy a new battery and he installed it for us. He put air in our tires and made sure we were all taken care before he left. We really appreciated his good attitude and willingness to help. read more

Tow truck driver towed our trailer improperly, dragging it down 100 plus yards of pavement. Ripping the axels and crossmembers out of the trailer and totaling. Tow company is unwilling to accept responsibility even though we have pictures, video, and other proof. They will not send it to insurance or communicate with us like a respectable business. read more

We were visiting Eureka CA in our motorcoach. The day of our departure we packed up and turned the ignition key...and smoke began pouring out the exhaust pipe! The dashboard went haywire like we were in the Bermuda Triangle! We shut the engine off and called the Cummins repair in Arcata and they suggested we call Buddy's to bring our coach to their shop. Junior showed up within a half an hour and got right to work. Junior was calm, patient and very professional. He had our rig hooked up and ready to roll in a lot less time than I thought something like that would take. Junior took great care of our coach and us. I would highly recommend Buddy's if you find yourself in need of prompt, courteous, professional towing services. read more

Called for AAA assistance and they sent Buddy's towing. Showed up in less than 10 minutes despite an hour and a half estimated wait time. Helped me out with a smile. read more

I had to write a review because of the wonderful service we received. We had one of those unfortunate times where our RV broke down right on the side of Highway 101. Their technician came out and not only helped us try to problem solve but stayed with us until we had an arranged ride and then checked in to make sure that we had made it to our hotel safely. The next day he came back to help us arrange the Tahoe and was beyond helpful. We felt so fortunate to have such great service. When your rig breaks down it can go one of two ways-either hard and frustrating or easy. We felt so supported and it truly was due to the kindness of the people that work for this company. read more

I had locked my keys in my bmw while it was running.... I called AAA on a Sunday evening and they sent an older gentleman out to help me. I expected him to be there in an hour but he arrived in 30 minutes. I was so thankful! Great service and he was real friendly. read more

On a weekend trip to Humboldt County, I lost my car keys during a walk on Mad River County beach. Buddy's was the service that was brokered and assigned to me by my insurance company. So, a little bit, I didn't have a choice but I'm glad it went down the way it did. Originally the service was set-up to tow to the dealer only - they would be able to open my car and make a new key my agent said. Called the dealer and they were closed till Monday. Great. Needed a key that day. Found a locksmith that would open my car and make a key on the spot. When Buddy's called I asked if they'd mind towing me to a different place than originally arranged. No problem. The gentleman I talked to was very kind and understanding of my predicament. Just because it was a weekend didn't mean it wasn't his problem. He also offered that the tow-truck driver open the car - we thought we might have a spare. When the tow truck driver came he was friendly, fast, and easy to work with. Got the car opened and we found a spare in my fiance's purse! Very glad to have gotten the service we did and to have dealt with the people we talked to. Even though we never found that allusive albino redwood the tow-truck driver told us about on Avenue of the Giants, they helped us out of a jam. Thanks! read more

On December 16th I broke down in the middle of nowhere and barely had a cellphone signal. I couldn't make a call but was eventually able to contact my insurance company through their app. They contacted Buddy's, I was way out of the way, WAY OUT. Their driver showed up, was a total pro and got me to a tire place. I can't say thank you enough, my rental car didn't have a tool to release the spare tire, nor a jack. But that really didn't matter since they didn't give me a spare either... Buddy's was the first step in getting me back on the road from Seattle to El Paso, THANK YOU!! read more

My typical experience in dealing with tow company's has been very negative. I was extremely surprised and pleased with Buddy's Towing. I encountered a rock slide in a very remote area of the 299 that left me stranded where the was no cell service, a good smariton gave my wife a ride so she could call AAA. Kevin one of Buddy's drivers stopped by to let me know that help was on its way. Rich came by for the tow and was extremely courteous and knowledgeable my electronic parking brake was inoperative and Rich was able to fix it. Since the tow was over 64 miles we switched drivers at the halfway point and Robert was also very professional and dropped me off at home and helped me with the removal of a hitch from my car before Towing my car to get it repaired. I highly recommend Buddy's Towing! read more

To make some special memories, my friends and I decided to go to Redwood National Park, north of Eureka. We rented a RV from CruiseAmerica and went there on February 18 - we had a great time hiking trails, enjoying campfires and the beautiful views of the Redwoods. Since the weather was a little chilly and rainy, there weren't that many people there so it was a nice trip. However during our drive home on February 21, one of my friends had motion sickness and asked me to stop on the highway near Garberville. When we tried to start the vehicle again, the RV wouldn't move. The engine was fine and the mission showed "P" parking first, but when I moved the mission shifter, it didn't move to the drive "D" position. Looks like the mission cable was broken. A highway patrol officer came and kindly asked what was happening and helped us to contact the RV roadside assistance. Thank you officer! It was almost 200 miles north from San Francisco and 5PM. Over there, cell phone signal quality was so bad and it was so cold. The assistance person said the only way they could help was to have a towing car tow our RV to a nearby campsite and wait until the next morning so a nearby mechanic could check the RV, fix it, or give us a rent car. However, I had to go to work the next day and my friends had to go to an important meeting. It was a very difficult situation and we were all tired and hungry. We felt so miserable on the highway. I'm pretty handy and can usually fix my own cars, so I tried to check all the fuses and any cables under the dashboard and steering wheel, but nothing happened. After 4 hours of waiting, a tow truck finally arrived from Arcata and I explained the problem to the towing driver, Chris. Chris said it could be a mission cable problem and checked the cable near the transmission under the RV. After checking, he said the cable was broken and in order to drive the RV, he needed to set the gear manually from P to D under the RV, by going underneath the car. He was able to move the gear manually, and I drove the RV to a nearby gas station. I turned off the engine, filled up the gas and then Chris set the gear back to P (on D, we can't start the car engine). I started the RV engine, and Chris changed the gear again from P to D, and we drove the RV from the gas station, 200 miles away from SF, to the hotel without stopping and without changing gears. It felt like a movie, because the whole situation was scary and very dangerous... After arriving at the hotel, we stopped the engine at 2:30AM. That morning, the RV was towed to be fixed at the CruiseAmerica office. I felt very frustrated because they clearly didn't properly inspect the RV before renting it out. The cable had evidently been breaking over time - if they had properly inspected the engine, they would have been able to catch the issue. That was one of the most memorable and terrible experiences of my life. I will definitely not be riding a RV again! The roadside assistance service personnel tried to do their best to help us, so thank you. But I genuinely would like to say thank you to Chris again. At 5 PM, the assistance person said many tow companies were closed, but Chris drove almost 75 miles from Arcata. Chris had a lot of knowledge on how to fix cars and knew what he was doing. He was so kind and worried about our safety too. He saved our valuable time over there. Without him, we would have spent another miserable day in a campsite. Thank you Chris! Really appreciate your kindness so much. read more

Took great care of my daughter's 68 classic Mercury Cougar. Car is a 1 of 28 car. They treated her like she was 1 of 1. Towed from Sacramento and kept us involved on the location of the truck with estimated arrival time. Thank you all. read more

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I called them to tow my car to the shop. I was expecting a rushed truck driver as always but instead I got the best service ever. Both guys who helped me out went above and beyond the call of duty. Not only did they replace my battery, but they found out what was wrong with my vehicle! They saved me a trip to the shop and a lot of money. Get your money's worth and call Buddy's! read more

Our RV broke down at Riverwalk RV Park in Fortuna, CA. Buddy's was hired by Ford to tow our RV to Redding, 150 miles away. Shawn was our tow driver, and he did an exceptional job. He cared for our RV like it was his own. Many thanks for a job well done. read more

They charge $325 for towing your stolen car, to their yard. They also have jacked up fees and set liens within 4 days Won't be giving them my business, nor recommend them to others. Quite the opposite in fact. read more

My wrecked car was taken to Buddy's, 3 days later they sent me a threatening notice that they were going to sell my car for unpaid fees. Absolutely no concern for their customers, only for the money. If you can't avoid having your car there, you better pay them before they sell your car! read more

I want to personally thank the kind people at Buddy's Auto Center for coming out on calls 2 days in a row for my Dodge 4x4. Kind & super considerate. Quick & prompt service! On the second day I had a truck full of groceries & Cathy (I hope I have the name right) said I'd have help within 15 minutes & I did! A special thank you to John, also, who was very thorough & saw to it that I got back on the road safely. Also passed the time with good conversation & tips for my rig. Thanks guys!! You all ROCK! read more

Fantastic service! Jeep died on a Sunday night. Jim comes out very quickly, does everything he can to get it started. When nothing works he recommenda a garage(Neely Automotive) that fixed it within an hour and a half of their opening with no crazy upsells. Awesome! read more

Steve and Andie were Amazing! If it wasn't for their wealth of information, patience, kindness and experienced professionalism I am not so sure my sons unfortunate car incident would have had the happy ending it did. Steve towed my son and his car all the way to Redding from Arcata. The weather was awful and driving those winding roads made it more difficult but Steve got him and his car safely to his destination and because of that "All's well that ends well". I called them to thank them and thought a good word about their business was the least that I could do! Thanks for all you did!! read more

This past Thanksgiving weekend my car broke down when I was in town visiting family. Jim, the driver at Buddy's Auto was the best. Polite. Professional. Helpful. And he showed up a little early! He kindly towed my car to the repair shop and went above and beyond and put the key in the drop box for me saving me extra steps as I was stranded. I would heartily recommend calling Buddy's. Ask for Jim. He's the best! read more

Dead battery on a Monday morning...I didn't write down the service tech's name but he was wonderful, showed up sooner than the 1-hour estimate, super friendly and professional and had me on my way to work within minutes :) read more

Buddy's helped my son out after he locked his keys in his car. They were extremely responsive and helpful. I would not hesitate to call them again! read more

Thank you! We had car trouble and were about 60 miles from home. Vern was our tow truck driver and he was amazing. He even asked if I needed anything from the store before dropping us off at home. read more

Great business! Very impressed with their service! I had Matt come out after I locked my keys in my trunk. Communication was great (called shortly after speaking with roadside assistance agent) and let me know when he'd be there. Arrived pretty quickly (which was impressive, because I was way up the hill!) and had my car open in no time! He seemed very polite and kind! Good to know there's a great company like this I can count on (even on a rainy Sunday afternoon!) Thanks! :) read more

Hit by a drunk driver. Car totaled. Unable to collect belongings without notarized permission from owner. Interesting part: Buddy's staff pilfered my small stash of marijuana. Who can you trust nowadays? read more

Just had the most amazing experience with Joseph from Buddy's towing out of Arcata. Got my car stuck in the mud at my sons house in Trinidad. Called AAA for tow out and had the good fortune of meeting Joseph! Quick response time, great guy, very professional service. Turned a potential bummer into a mere inconvenience! Thanks Joseph and Buddy's . Nice to know you're there!!! read more

We had to have our 28 foot RV towed 70+ miles from Garberville to Eureka. Unfortunately, due to some miscommunications, they sent too small a truck to tow us. Steve Jr. was very friendly and professional and was great in letting us know for safety reasons he would have to send for larger truck even though he spent so much time and gas getting to us. Steve went out of his way to try everything to get our RV to start to avoid the tow, and also kept us well informed about the arrival of the new truck. Steve Sr (also very friendly and professional) arrived with a new truck and ensured our parking brake was manually disconnected to ensure no trouble with the tow. They were able to take us in their truck which some other tow companies were not able to do. They were very customer service oriented and charged us with the initial quote for the smaller truck even though we required a larger truck that had a higher charge. They know their business well from a customer service and a technical standpoint!!! They are a real asset to the area!!! read more