Schmidt's Auto Towing gave me excellent service. I accidentally backed my car onto a decorative island in a parking lot and got hung up on a large rock, leaving my tires spinning off the ground. A tow truck arrived within 15 minutes. The driver quickly realized a specialized truck was needed, and another one arrived about 15 minutes later with a flatbed. The two drivers worked together with great communication to carefully lift my car off the rock without causing any damage. One driver even lay on the ground to check the underside of my car to make sure it was safe to drive. In the end, my car was fine, and the whole job cost only $163. I was very impressed with their quick response, professionalism, and care. read more

This is the towing company my insurance company used recently for roadside assistant. I was quoted 1.5 to 2hr wait. The driver Alan showed up in about 30 mins. He was extremely fast, safety oriented as we were on a highway, and just overall pleasant to ride back to the repair shop with. He is defined an asset to your company. I appreciated the distraction In the middle of my obviously bad day. Just based on my one interaction with them. I would recommend them. read more

Schmidt towed my car about 1.33 miles from 600 block West Washington to Beld St. The charge? $360

Deshawn (sp?) was very prompt and did a great job getting our Tesla with a VERY flat tire to the service Center from Verona. Appreciated his competence with our car! read more

called for my friend who locked her keys in the car, super fast to get to us, only 15 minutes compared to other companys' 1-2 hour wait times. cheapest place we called too! easy to get a hold of on the phone and very helpful! read more

We didn't know we were in a 3pm tow-zone (1st time in Madison) and it was literally 3:05pm and the tow truck drivers already had their tow equipment on the ground in front of my car ready to take it. I ran over and the parking-officer wasn't even done entering in the info so she let us go without even a ticket! She was so nice and understanding! The tow truck driver, on the other hand, was a complete jerk! He was yelling and cursing the f-word at my family! He was obviously angry about losing the money!!! Lesson learned - pay attention to all the wordy signs in Madison because Schmidt's towing will be spying and waiting to tow your car before the officer even gets there. read more

this company was amazing to work with in a desperate situation. the dispatchers and owners were incredibly helpful on the phone. I would like in particular to single out Dan the driver who managed to extract my vehicle safely and calmly from a messed up situation in the ice and snow down a narrow driveway. I have a non-obvious disability, and he was extremely helpful and kind and patient above and beyond the necessary. everyone involved with this company seems very professional yet friendly. I hope I'm never in this situation again, but if I am, I'd call these people first. read more

DISTRAUGHT. That is the only word I have to describe my experience with this company. apparently modern day record keeping is a lost art on these people. We tried to see if my friends car was towed by this company. The phone operator was wildly incompetent and grossly boorish. He claimed they had no car towed matching my friends description. Upon going to the parking garage they said the ONLY place the car would be towed is to Lot 60 managed by THIS company. We phoned the operator back at schmidt's towing and all of a sudden this man knew everything only after we told him the jig was up. He was toying with our livelihoods. We still are not sure why her car was towed, boredom perchance??? insolence??? a failure to have empathy for the common man??? who knows! GOD DOES!!!!!! read more

My car broke down on the side of the highway, they were very quick to respond. The price was very well priced and they took offered to drive me where I needed to go within a reasonable distance. My driver was very nice and informative about the area since I was not from this area. read more

My Car was supposed to be towed By liberty out of Madison last week, no one called me to advise they couldn`t take it so it just sat in a grocery store parking lot for nearly a week, I called them on it and all they could say was sorry for your luck, So I called these wonderful folks Jasmine the lady who answered the phone was AMAZING, she made me feel like my business mattered she helped me to get everything I needed done so that they could come and get my car to the dealership so they could get it repaired, All I can say is that Jasmine needs a Raise and EVERY Business owner should have a Jasmine of their own they would be much better off! Thank you Jasmine for making me feel like I actually mattered! read more

Terrible prices, how do you expect someone who just totaled their car to pay almost a 1,000 dollars to get the car out that was only there for 2 days!!!! Don't recommend this place! read more

$200 in extra fees added onto a 4 mile tow!! My daughters car was stolen a month ago. It was found at a local restaurant and the Madison police officers called and had it towed by Schmidt's. The fees on my bill were $95 for the actual tow, and that's where the bs charges begin! $75 labor charge?!, $75 admin fee?!, and $50 Safety eq charge?! Her bill came to $348.15 for a 4.2 mile tow. Car was drivable and keys with it, my daughter called back the officer within 7 minutes of being notified it was found and was told it was too late it's already been towed. Unacceptable business practices by Schmidt's, basically victimizing a victim with these bs "negotiated rates" with the City of Madison. My next calls are to the Better Business Bureau for price gouging and already spoke to a reporter who is interested in these shady, opportunistic business practices! read more

Schmidt's Auto - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The best roadside assistance I have ever experienced. Great communication after the order for a tow truck was placed letting me know when the driver was on his way and again when he was close to me. I believe it was Tracey who arrived earlier than promised on Labor Day. I had thought I would need a tow but Tracey tried jumping it and after it started there were still warning lights on so Tracey stayed for a few minutes saying they might go off after the battery charged but if they didn't or if I still wanted a tow he was ready to help. The lights did go off eventually. It was just good to have great service when you have something bad happen in your day. Thankfully this wasn't serious but I'm glad to know who to call if I need help in the future. All this and they made sure that my insurance company was notified that it was only a jump so they wouldn't pay for a full tow! read more

This place doesn't deserve any stars. They're such a scam and unprofessional corrupt business. After dealing with a hit and run the last thing you should be dealing with is an over $700 bill just to get the car out of their yard after we were told by police that they could tow our vehicle and reassured bringing it to their yard was the best option. They claim to have "contracts" with Madison police that cause those prices which is just wrong. They charged us extra for not giving them the keys despite never asking for them, they charged to put a flimsy piece of plastic on the window that we never asked for. On top of that we were manipulated by the tow truck driver into thinking bringing it to their yard would be less expensive as they would bill our insurance. Not true at all! They had rude service in their office and honestly it was the worst experience I've ever had with a "business". DO NOT LET THEM TOW YOU! I will tell everyone who will listen just how horrible this place is. read more

Had to have my car towed to the shop the other day. I've never had any vehicle that I have owned ever towed before, so I wasn't really sure how it went or what the process would be. To my delight, the whole thing was very easy. The driver arrived on time and got my car up on the bed of the tow quickly and efficiently. It was clear he was pro and knew what he was doing with how smoothly everything went start to finish. Gave him the keys and took he the car to the shop for me, no need for me to even ride along. Very easy and painless. read more

If I could give them 0 stars, I would!!!! I had a company vehicle hit a light pole in median to avoid other cars. (brakes went out). The Madison police would not let us call a tow company of our own to tow the vehicle to a mechanic. They had Schmidts come tow it a very short distance of only a couple of miles.... Our bill is $1,800 and we have to pay the tow lot daily fee....and we have to pay again to now have it towed to our mechanic!!! What a Scam!!! I should be calling a news channel read more

While a knee-jerk reaction to a tow truck company (how dare they?) would presuppose a 0-star rating, I spent an hour or so thinking about this (while watching Mad Men). On the one hand, their "service" basically entails them stealing your car and demanding money for its return. Plus... Well, that pretty much sums it up. On the other hand, they are *really* nice about it. Well, sort of nice. The woman did give me a funny look. In fact, I have no idea what the previous reviewer was talking about. They were tight-lipped douchebags the whole time, and wouldn't even make amicable small talk (clearly going way out of my way to be friendly...) 1 star because this company is as close to a legally-entitled extortion ring as I imagine is possible. Who cares if a burglar is polite when he steals your [extensive super nintendo collecton]? In the end, someone is still taking your shit. And what's worse, you have to pay THEM to get it back. read more

I was driving home from work and the transmission was slipping,it died on Atwood avenue just before 4 in a 4 o'clock no parking zone, up pulls a parking cop and behind her a tow truck from Schmidt's towing,I thought it's only going to get worse. She said looks like your having a bad day ( No Ticket ! ) Schmidt's towed me into a legal parking area around the block ( No Charge) investigated the problem, I needed a tow. Who am I going to call yes Schmidt's towing ,nice people nice price,nice day!!! Next review the transmission shop. read more

Very poor experience. I had them come take a look at my car because my key was locked in. Firstly the dispatcher was horribly rude and unprofessional. I had to call her when the driver caused damage to my car window and lining as he attempted to pry the window open. In fairness to them, the one reasonable person I have dealt with is Alex, who came in the following day and got the car keys out for me. From this same event, my driver's seat window was displaced and no longer rolls up or down without making a huge amount of noise. Since this same window no longer rolls up at all and it is the middle of winter, I currently have the pleasure of paying a different car shop $120 to fix my window. read more

These people love to rip you off. 3 total days my car on their lot after I was in a accident and the bill was over 1k . And they add extra fees for "special equipment used". Everyone in Madison warned me about them . Stay AWAY. read more

They worked with us to resolve our case when the insurance didn't follow through. Kind staff and good outcome after our difficulty.

My car died while I was in a tight corner of the stock pavilion. Schmidt Auto came as they were associated with my auto insurance. They were communicative on how long it would be & were under time. Their super battery charger made it no big deal that no one else could pull up near me. Driver/jumper was friendly and not remotely patronizing as a woman often gets when dealing with cars. read more

Friendly and efficient. The cheapest price for a lockout in Madison. I'm so happy they could rescue me!

Their towing fees are ridiculously overpriced. When asked about several additional items like "admin fees, labor??, additional equipment I was met with hesitation and unanswered questions. They clearly take advantage of people needing tow services. Total rip off! Avoid if possible. read more

I accidentally forgot to put the pass up on my mirror and got towed from my own apartment garage. My fault, I suppose. But $350 for a ~2 mile tow and ~20 hours of storage is bonkers (for reference, my girlfriend got towed in Chicago a year or two ago and the whole thing cost us ~170). The folks on site were nice enough, thus two stars. read more

Horrible with quotes on time. Isn't the first time I have been left waiting and waiting. This isn't the drivers fault by any means. It is the dispatchers who cant seem to get their times right. It would be nice to keep your customer updated instead of waiting 20 minutes after the quote time to call and say they are on their way. Such a shame that we are then stuck with such few choices for this service. Not a fan! read more

If 0 stars was an option, this place would definitely receive it. My friends car was towed in the early hours of the morning and not only were we met with confusion but also disrespect and unprofessionalism. After multiple phone calls, we were finally able to find out where the truck even was, while also being disrespected in the process. When we went to retrieve the truck, the customer service was less than satisfactory. Not only were the prices too high, they painted the car window and did an unsatisfactory job of cleaning it. I get that things happen, but the unprofessionalism was just unnecessary. read more

The person I sold my car to never registered it in his name. He got it towed. Last I checked I owed over $400.00 in storage fees. These lovely people (specifically the owner John) refused to bill the person I sold it to. I showed them a copy of the signed over title, and the bill of sale. John told me that if I paid him $100.00 he would scrap the car and I wouldn't owe any money. I am now going to have to take the matter to small claims court. The staff is disrespectful, and the owner is a greedy, sleezy punk. read more

They are great! Time, care to my car, friendliness-they are my top choice! Second time in two weeks, different guys, both careful and efficient. read more

Wish I could give no stars! Called for a tow, fully aware that it's a busy time. Held at first willingly and then a man came on the phone. He brusquely told me he could not help me and hung up! Having used them before and being delighted I figured they would help eventually. I don't care how busy one is, I simply wanted help over the next 2 days. This treatment in a service industry is inexcusable. Never again will I call such rude folks. There's other fish in the sea...., read more

Unlike the other two reviews posted I had a great experience with Schmidts. This past week I blew out my girlfriends tire on a pothole. I called Schmidt's because I didnt want to have to deal with changing the tire myself and they had a driver out to me faster then I imagined. I even got a 10min heads up from the driver. Thanks Schmidts! read more

These people are complete idiots. My car was towed from a parking spot I had properly payed for. Imagine my surprise when I come out to find my car gone! The first person I spoke with was incredibly rude and completely rejected the assertion my car was wrongfully towed. He initially resisted my request to tell me who ordered it towed and then immediately hung up on me after ultimately giving me that information. A couple hours later I received a mildly apologetic call conceding they had towed the wrong car and that the driver simply "grabbed the first [make of my car] he saw". What?!? One positive note I guess; when I picked up my car from their lot, I expected more of the same, rude and stupid. The young lady who directed me to my vehicle was quite nice. Credit where it's due? Either way, I won't soon forget this experience. For shame. read more

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. After tearing my Achilles tendon a few weeks ago, I parked on the lot next to my apartment building, for which I did not have a permit (I live in downtown Madison). My injury happened at night. That very same night I emailed the property Management comPany M. telling them why I had parked there when I didn't have a permit (it was an emergency). I was sure they weren't going to read it until the next morning since, like I said, I emailed them after 6pm. At 9am the next morning I found a Schmidt's truck trying to tow my car. On my tore tendon I walked out and explained, well tried to explain because he was EXTREMELY unreasonable, why I had parked there and that if he was to call the property management company and tell them that there was an email explaining the situation everything would be solved. To this I got the following answers: "Your tendon is not my problem", "I came here and hooked your car, I now need the $150 that this costs". When asked him to call the property management company I got: "I don't need to call them, you call them if you want them to talk to me". Once I got a hold of them and cleared out the situation, I put him on the phone with the lady in charge and he started flirting with her!! "Oh, you're too nice sweetheart", "when are you going to take me on that coffee invitation?". Since I was in extreme pain when trying to sort this out I can't remember the exact name of this person, but I am sure it was either Alex or Jhon, about 6 feet tall, Caucasian, beard and mean eyes with a gone look, as if he was soul-less yet felt like the king of Madison because he gets to tow people's cars. read more

Locked out of my car!!! Contacted roadside assistance and they sent Schmidt's. The gentleman they sent was polite and arrived very quickly. In less than 30 min I was back in my car. Thanks!!! Would use them again :) read more

This company is wonderful! My van died at the parking ramp for the Kohl Center and no other towing company would go into the ramp to even attempt to get my van out. They got it out and towed it to a shop and I didn't have to miss the semi-final game! I made the arrangements before the game for them to come after the game and he was on time. I even got a call telling me he was on his way. He couldn't have been nicer. If ever I need help in Madison again, I will call them every time. read more

Basic towing services are fine, but the attitudes and personalities of the people are what make this a good company. Family owned and operated, we found the leadership and employees to be very accommodating. We had an issue with a car, and they dealth with us cheerfully and kindly. read more

This was one of the best overall customer service experiences I have ever have! From start to finish everyone I worked with was attentive, friendly and provided an extremely high level of service. I would recommend this company to anyone! Thank you! read more

Very friendly. Picked up in 30 minutes. Bit expensive for a short tow. Overall happy with the experience.

Thank you so much!! What a headache Monday morning can be- especially when you lock your only set of keys in your car. Quick and efficient and took care of my problem! I am so grateful and won't think of another company ever again! read more

Was broken down today and Schmidts came quickly, and got my car towed to the repair shop. The driver, Alex? was super friendly and I thought he did a nice job of making sure my car was towed correctly. Will use again read more