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Area Towing and Recovery Inc in Melrose Park
1401 N 1st Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160, United States
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Area Towing and Recovery Inc in Melrose Park
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La
Review №1

My car died 2 blocks away from this place in the middle of the street and the Melrose park police called this company to tow me even though AAA was on the way, the officer claimed he was off the clock and couldn’t wait any longer, this happen around 4 in the afternoon on a Sunday. They towed my car and locked it up, the next day I come to pick up my car not only do I have to get a release form from the melrose park police station I had to pay $400 which $200 was for the towing and the other a bunch of B.S charges. This place is ridiculous

ni
Review №2

I had frank h as a driver very friendly and knowledgeable took car of my cadillac very well will definitely use them again

Na
Review №3

Area towing is quick and efficient!Had no hassle getting my car taken care of!

Pe
Review №4

This place reks, what they are doing is wrong and towing venichles as they want to profit themself. They are crooks!

Al
Review №5

Be care full with this place and people. If you for any reason have to deal with it, hurry up finished businesses with them as soon you can because if not They will rip you off and your property. (the excuse: they are doing their job trough you pain and need/ the attitude: they think they are making you a favor

Qu
Review №6

This place isHorrible I was over charged for extra fees that didnt exist in my Lien letter.

Me
Review №7

Very unprofessional business. They lose paperwork and delay the insurance companies from picking up your vehicle. Tow drivers are very unprofessional and dont have a clue about company procedures.

Ro
Review №8

Really didnt know much

Li
Review №9

All interactions with employees were very professional except this female individual on the phone that had no idea of my situation with my car being there and very disrespectful, rude, and the language she uses towards a customer/ guest to this establishment was completely uncalled for and very unprofessional. I thought in any business atmosphere the customer service is supposed to be on an adult professional level. Well not this time i cant even begin describe the way i was spoken to. And then in person i listened to her speak to 2 other guest that were there to get information on what they need to gather and do before their car was going to be able to get released to them and again she has NO filters and she isnt prejudice to just one certain type of person she treat amd speaks the same to EVERYONE!!Area should be VERY proud of her customer service skills😳😱👎

Jo
Review №10

On this place stealth you moneyNever hire this company

Ri
Review №11

If you want your car held hostage by criminals and scum who prey on accident scenes and victims these are your guys.

jo
Review №12

Maywood police call them if you have an accident and they charge $200 for the tow from accident to their lot. The guys in the back are cool but service is horrible at front desk. Oh and bring cash or be ready to pay $8 fee at the conveniently located cash station in that small service area.

Ga
Review №13

Horrible experience. Wish I could rate less than one star. Rude and unprofessional employees. Especially the guy who answered the phone, who seemingly had the IQ equivalent to that of a shower curtain. Tow truck driver was also incredibly rude for no reason. However this is somewhat understandable, as I would probably hate my life too if I was a 65 year old man who will live out the rest of his pitiful days never amounting to anything more than a tow truck driver

Aa
Review №14

Dress like a professional company driver not a slob

ja
Review №15

They are very unprofessional the way they handle your vehicle and belongings. They give u a hard time trying to get things out of your car. My medicine and wallet with all my IDs & credit debit cards are in there and they refuse to let me get my stuff out the car. They ask u questions like where is it located in the vehicle but knowing that the police done already ram shacked the car they wont even look for it. Now I have to go back and forth to the hospital just to receive medicine cause I cant even fill a prescription without my identification.

ra
Review №16

Scammers, never pay them cash, always request credit card or call the police on them

Pa
Review №17

Very friendly people, super easy to work with.

Do
Review №18

I love this company!! I locked my keys in my vehicle at the grocery store with my kids and I spent my last on groceries 🤦🏽‍♀️I was about to return my groceries back to the store but I was still a few dollars short to get my car unlocked. The owner Frank however with his kind heart showed me Favor. Although he may have a business to run he also has a BIG HEART ❤️ he advised me bc it was freezing cold, And giving my circumstance he’ll help me. It’s the new year and that kind act made me know this year is going to be Okay. Thank God for Frank and Area Towing. A million stars for me 🙏🏽

Ro
Review №19

The lady wouldn’t even tell me if my car was at the location and then told me I had to call back another day. Ridiculous

Li
Review №20

If I could, I would give them zero stars. I am 8 months pregnant and my truck wouldnt start. I called them and was told it would be a 20 minute wait. After waiting 40 minutes I called and did not get an answer. Called again at 50 minutes and again at 60 minutes. The last time I called, they forwarded my call to voicemail after 2 rings. I understand “things happen” but the very least they could have done was have the courtesy to call me and let me know they wouldn’t be able to come. Call Martinez Towing in Berwyn instead. Quote was a lower price and they came at the time they said they would!

Ro
Review №21

This is the best towing company I have ever dealt with! In my life! Most towing company just care about the money,but not these guys! They care about the people! I was locked out of my car with my kids and I called and explained my situation these guys were there less than 5 minutes! They were very helpful and kind! The driver bob even insisted I go in away from the cold with my children! He stayed and made sure I was ok before leaving! These guys are the best! If you’re ever in need of a tow around the Melrose area please call these guys!

Hu
Review №22

I don’t usually review places but this was definitely neededPricing is Ridiculous! Crazy how they can tow cars into there all night but can’t release them until the next morning. NEVER GO HERE please read other reviews before using

Er
Review №23

Use another company, this group tows for the local police department and sets their hours to maximize your pain and financial suffering!

V
Review №24

A very professional organization; staff are extremely helpful.

Is
Review №25

Compared to most towing companies, our experience went really smooth with Area Towing. With the staff we talked with, they were clear with what was needed and made the process of getting our vehicle our fast and great.

Sh
Review №26

The people at this towing place are good people and very friendly. The guy was nice and quick. My car came back to me the same way it was when they took it from me. I found nothing taken and found nothing wrong with it. I would recommend this place if you need your car towed. Thanks to all the guys at reliable recovery from Melrose park .

Jo
Review №27

They one nicest people to deal with i want thank you very very much

Ri
Review №28

My car was stolen and then recovered & towed to this place. I was charged $475 to get my stolen vehicle back as if I had any control of it being stolen. I didn’t give them or the police department permission to tow my vehicle and I’m sure this place stole items from my car. This place needs to be shut down. It’s a complete scam and the employees are very rude and unprofessional. Suing for sure!

Le
Review №29

There were on site quickly and were professional. They ensured my car was parked properly at my mechanic. Great experience given that I was stranded. I would certainly use there service again.

Me
Review №30

My car ended up at Area Towing after a drunk driver who was fleeing from the police crashed into my parked car, after a couple weeks of my car being there I was on the phone with the other guys insurance company and they called Area Towing to see if they can go in to look at my car and assess the damage but Area towing told the insurance company that my car had been junked because it was there for too long.. after a couple days my dad and I spoke to a Melrose Park police chief (which I can’t thank enough) and it turned out that Area towing lied about the status of my car and that it was still there.. we got it out that same day. Area towing lied to the insurance company in an obvious attempt to keep my car.. many people told me that this place is the worst, that they try n screw people over any chance they get and I didn’t believe it could be that bad until now having first hand experience with them. If you can avoid dealing with them then I urge you to use another towing company.

Ad
Review №31

Fast, Sympathetic, Approachable, Thorough and all the right Qualifications you need when dealing with confidential, sensitive inquiry. I would recommend this Agency without hesitation.Well Done Agency!

T.
Review №32

Rude, dishonest, unethical. If you have the misfortune of dealing with this place, expect to be screwed

Do
Review №33

They are very professional and efficient. They are great at what they do and treat their clients respectfully.I highly recommend them! Thank You!

Ry
Review №34

AREA TOWING ARE SCAMMERS AND WILL DAMAGE YOUR CAR!!! They work with Melrose Park PD to scam people. They towed my car after it broke down because the police refused to let me wait for my own tow company. After they impounded my car because it broke down with myself and infant in the middle of the street, I paid for the release and sent another tow company to get the car. Instead of releasing the car, they moved it and buried it behind other cars. I ended up sending 4 different tow companies who all said there was no possible way to get the car without AREA TOWING moving the other cars, which they refused to do. They moved it from the front, where it could have been easily towed and buried it in order to scam me out of more storage fees. There is damage to my car. Ended up missing work for 2 days to play these scam games. Total disaster company! DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!!!

Ca
Review №35

I am a senior citizen whose vehicle was recently disabled caused by icy conditions in the alley behind my house which caused the transmission to stop operating. I researched and found the phone number of Area Towing located in Melrose Park. Call made to this towing firm who dispatched a unit immediately to my home for service. I would like to express my appreciation of an important function made by the driver. It was evident that the tow specialist specifically the driver demonstrated courtesy, pride, professionalism combined with expertise in the performance of his job. Not only did the driver of Area Towing tow my vehicle to their facility, they repaired the problem the vehicle had at a very reasonable price. Without hesitation I would summon the services of Area Towing again to an emergency call.With sincere gratitude to the owners of Area Towing.R. ChiappettaNorthwest Chicago

Re
Review №36

Area Towing towed my car and charged me money to get it out, I was very grateful for this behavior as I worked really freaking hard for that money. Anyway, today I called to have some cars towed from the same spot my car was towed from and they told me no. These guys really know what theyre doing, everyone give them 5 stars and leave a wonderful review so they can get more business. Theres no shame in taking $200 from someone whos trying to feed their family and set themselves up for success, dont tow the cars of scumbag drug dealers though cuz your company is too busy hiring them to try and bully people. 5 STARS BE PROUD OF IT.

Ma
Review №37

Area Towing came through for me! They recovered from a couple of disappointments with excellent customer service. They had an emergency highway call delay their response to me, and then because I my difficult location it was hard to find my car. However, they didnt give up on me and they showed up and pulled my car out of the mud in less than 10 minutes. They were kind and respectful and efficient over the phone and in person after we got past the initial delay. I am really grateful and glad I called them.

E
Review №38

The staff over at Area Towing are awesome! They are very helpful,courteous, and kind. They keep my lot free of unwanted cars and even keep an eye out on my business when we are not around! They are a great company,neighbors and friends. I highly recommend all their services!

pa
Review №39

Always a pleasureprofessional & courteous staff 😊

Pe
Review №40

Great service! They really helped me when I needed it the most. I was locked out of my car and they had me back in within minutes. I would highly recommend area towing.

Jo
Review №41

Really fraud people steal from cars and over charge people dont trust them im filling a law charge to them

Ad
Review №42

Do you self a service and never go here. Trashy receptionist that doesnt know what she even needs from insurance and 5 trashy men that just scream at each other while the line gets longer. Only getting 1 star because I cant give any less. Meanwhile receptionist is picking at her hair and nose.

ba
Review №43

I LOVE THAT PLACE VERY NICE PPL THERE THE DRIVERS ARE GREAT RESPECTFUL N HAS GREAT MANNERS I WOULD USE THEM ANYTIME... THE BEST...

Jo
Review №44

Warning: You can trust all of the people here that claim that THEY WILL TRY TO SCAM YOU. If you ever encounter them make sure you know your rights, ask for prices before anything, and whatever you do; do not leave your car there. I usually dont write reviews but the level of shadiness of this company is through the roof and Im hoping to help others avoid having to deal with these thieves.

Ma
Review №45

They destroyed my vehicle went in my car not just once but it must have been a few times just to eat my food in my car, including they drank my pop. Wrote on my windshield. I’m confused if they thought they were keeping my car but don’t go there. And if anything definitely be sure to get someone name they’re all crooks and scammers. I definitely believe what everyone says.

Ja
Review №46

Quick on time service with friendly staff. Sounds like there is a lot going on there, but they handle it well. I would use them again in the future.

Jo
Review №47

Great place had my truck towed because I parked in a no parking zone my fault shouldve been more observant of the signs paid my $700 🤢 was out the door within 30 minutes thank you guys Ill be more careful next time🚛

De
Review №48

I spoke to the customer service rep. Her name was tammie! She gave me so much attitude over the phone I am definitely going to call her boss and let them know the type of service they are giving out

An
Review №49

Need to change their receptionist. Rude, unpleasant, watches movies....

Vo
Review №50

These people here are very nice I spoke with a lady over the phone monday her name was Lisa very very helpful i would recommend them to my family anytime great company quick n cheap as well thank you area

Ta
Review №51

Went above and beyond to help us out over the long weekend... much appreciated. Top bloke!!

Vi
Review №52

I don’t understand this. I called them they said they are going to come in 20 minutes. 40 minutes passed nothing happened. 40 minutes passed no one came or answered the calls. 1 Hour and something passed no one came or answered the calls. Very bad place don’t recommend it.

Al
Review №53

Fast service and super nice drivers! If you’re ever in a bind definitely use these guys!

Ke
Review №54

Had my semi towed they did a awesome job for a reasonable price definitely would hire them again !

Li
Review №55

If I could give this place a negative star I would!! I got in an accident and they didn’t even ASK if we wanted towing they just put the car on there. Then the guy told me it would $150 to take it out so I did that in LESS than 24 hours and the guy tells me 275!!!!! He was super roud the place is a trash that is super thirsty to get people’s money. I’m upset and would not recommend these services !!!!!!!!!

An
Review №56

If I could give this tow yard zero stars I would. After a terrible car accident my car was unfortunately taken here. I have never had staff speak so rudely. Trina is a very rude woman. I wish anyone luck that has to deal with her/ this company!

Ma
Review №57

I came in with my release forms which had only had my dads name on it, ( even though on the title and registration it had both of our names on it) and they had refused me any type of service until my father came in with me. Plus every employee there is as rude as rude can get.

Ma
Review №58

Excellent customer service, prompt pickup, friendly demeanour, and all around great service! Highly recommended!!

st
Review №59

Didnt tow away my truck, he drove it to their lot and wanted $1400 for that, complete scammer, some police officer tried to cover him, pending lawsuit, please contact ICC if you have problems with them

Ed
Review №60

Great customer service, very funny people. Helped me out just fine no problems.

Jo
Review №61

Took them several months to do a simple repair job that was supposed to take 30 days. They probably forgot the car was there, and then rushed the job when we resorted to calling daily. After we finally got the car back, we brought it to real professionals who told us that the entire job was done poorly, and that they didnt even bother to align the wheels at all.Its a Towing company with a body shop in the back, and I probably should have known better. Say what you will about their towing service, but the repair shop is a joke. Thanks for all of the swirls in my paint though! Not like fixing that is expensive or anything.......

da
Review №62

Predator tow company! I understand jacked up pricing when the police called them because my semi froze up in traffic! They are just dishonest people. I personally told them to tow my company truck to Kenworth, my company breakdown personnel also told them to take the truck to kw. They said they were too backed up and took it too their shop. To be fair it was -20 and trucks were freezing all over the area. We expected them to tow it to kw the next am. They said they did repairs that were not done! AND WERE NOT AUTHORIZED! as soon as I got in my truck the same codes they said they fixed were happening. The only thing they did was pull my truck into their building to thaw. They said they did a regeneration yet no computer record of this from kw or our shop. They said they put def in my truck. I personally just filled the def 150 mile before and can drive over1200 miles on a tank. With a police call the tow, by their posted price $1400.00, plus over night storage fee should never cost$ 3500.00 these ppl are thieves!I find it hard to believe anyone gives this company a positive review . I guess they think ppl are really that gullible to believe having several positive reviews immediately after a negative one all on the same day will offset their overall reviews... cmon man ppl are not that stupid! Try spreading your FAKE reviews over several days so it looks a little bit plausible.

Da
Review №63

Dont touch nothen when u get here the place is absolutely gross bugs crawling in and out of holes in the wall its dinggy in there. Now on to costumer service. Its sub par they had me call my insurance to give me permission to enter MY car. Needless to say my insurance was confused on that aswell. Dont use this company they treat you terrible the owner frank is a very and condesending person. Will be leaving a lenghy review on bbb aswel. I will be writeing a letter to the governer

BI
Review №64

Great customer service rapid and quick response and very reasonable.

bi
Review №65

Fast towing service reasniconable prices very good employees

Dr
Review №66

A+++. I will definitely use him again in future.

ro
Review №67

Cant put 0 stars....They are a scam icc is wll aware of there games .i use to relocate and what they do is wrong in all ways example they relocated a friends truck they say it was towed and charged him 1400 bucks well they drove it to there yard and stated it was not driven. Its illegal to drive back to there yard are only allowed to drive off property for towtruck to pick up we have proof it was driven waiting for court date and follow up call from icc ill keep updating on post as we go forward

Ri
Review №68

Wheel came off the car and was not drivable. Called different places for an estimate for a tow. Area told me $80 this was at 8pm Saturday night. Told me 15 mins, I asked if it could be 25 mins. Driver showed up in a timely fashion. Went out of his way putting my car on the flatbed. And the same for dropping the car at the house. Would call them again in heart beat, although you hope to not ever need a tow. Driver was super pleasant. And Im a stickler for good customer service. Thanks again

Ja
Review №69

This was by far the worst towing company I have ever visited, and in Illinois you tend to visit towing places too frequently. This was such a small and tight enclosed area your lucky to fit three bodies inside. Employees were eating lunch while I was waiting for my vehicle to be taken out of the yard. The yard is so small its unbelievable it could take such time to do so. I waited over an hour when there was no one ahead of me. To make matters worse, someone who came after me was served before I was. I will never come here again if I can help it.

GT
Review №70

Worst towing company I’ve ever know.If I could I’d give them 5 negative starts!!!

Ro
Review №71

Great customer service.. very fast not busy was in n out..

Je
Review №72

Very good service with reasonable prices !

Ni
Review №73

I had a flat tire on north ave and i called around for local towing companies and i got a hold of area towing there were there within 15 min of my call when it was discovered that my car only had a tire repair kit i had to have the car towed to my house the driver was very nice and gave me a great price considering i had to be towed 20 miles i highly recommend area towing in Melrose Park Il everyone from the owner to the dispatch lady were very respectful and courteous.

Bi
Review №74

Very rude and unprofessional people work here this place should have -5 stars

Sk
Review №75

Great service ! I am very satisfied with how I was treated and they helped with all the questions I had very nice and polite staff fast and handled everything very well I trust them with my car and will be calling area towing next time I need too ! Thank you !

Ir
Review №76

Really bad place. Called them the first time they said they are going to come in 20 minutes. 40 minutes passed nothing. 1 hour passed nothing happened. I called them no one answered.

wi
Review №77

Everyone. Do not use this towing service. They people they have working there don’t care about service. If they say “cash only” that is against the law. They have to accept two forms of payment. The will charge fees that you don’t know if you don’t ask.. don’t use and if they give you trouble file a complaint with Melrose Park and the BBB.

St
Review №78

Customer service was absolutely amazing .They are outstanding. I Wil only use Area Towing and Recovery Inc in Melrose Park.

Ap
Review №79

Do NOT GET YOUR CAR TOWED HERE!! TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OUTRAGEOUS FEES. EVEN WHEN YOURE NOT AT FAULT, THEY TREAT YOU LIKE GARBAGE.

Ko
Review №80

Got locked out of my car while at school, and despite it saying commute from the location to my school would take about 25 minutes, the driver was able to get in pretty quick, like in 15. He got me back into my car in no time.

ca
Review №81

I have never dealt with rude more ignorant people in my life. you ask simple questions and they talk to you like you are trash. Im sure these reviews dont mean anything to anybody because they are ripping people off with their charges. Involved in an accident that wasnt even our fault and they make it seem like we are the scum of the Earth.

ja
Review №82

Tha lady works there is so rudely, experience was so terrible I will never suggest to go there.

He
Review №83

Ridiculous pricing.... never use them pleaseee!!!!... they tell you they are cheap and ive talked to different companies and they said that area towing are scammers... DO NOT USE THEMMMM

Ma
Review №84

Wish 0 rating was an option.They charge incorrect vehicle weights, extra unnecessary fees, only accept cash despite card logos being posted at door, and lie about local police hours, on top of being rude and not correcting invoice mistakes despite proof.

Da
Review №85

They was great took awhile to get my car after I paid but overall they were great especially mr Jerome Edwards was great 😉He was so nice and helpful even gav me and the kids a ride home after I paid all my money for the towing fee n storage Im really grateful for him i give him a 10 for great customer service 💯💪🏾

Aa
Review №86

Horrible experience. They said 20 mins and 2 hours later they called off the tow truck because I complained that it was 2 hours!!! Then they have the truck drive right by my car and didnt even stop. Avoid this joke of a company!!!

Cr
Review №87

Robert is a great guy to do business with

Be
Review №88

These people are cons and crooks. Lt Scatchell with the Melrose Park PD told me to go over there, talk to the owner Frank and give him a call back to come to an understanding. They towed my truck from a business where I was making a purchase.Frank Varchetto, the owner, is somehow unknown and unreachable by anyone and no one has a solution for any of the problems they cause. I think maybe Frank is actually the one who answers the phone, and I pissed him off, so he had his employees forcibly destroy my truck under the hood. You cannot accidentally break 3 fan blades over 2ft long and the top and sides of the fan casing. The plastic is very think, strong and behind the radiator.They have their prices listed by vehicle weight, but want to charge me for a weight 10000 lbs over what my vehicle states on the state registration. It doesnt work that way, thats criminal.They dont like you or the way you talk to them, they break your property. I have thousands of dollars in repairs due to the deliberate actions of a BUSINESS that doesnt even operate with any kind of sense or respectability. A business owner myself understands you have to make your money to cover your cost, but not retaliating against me and my property because you dont like my attitude.They state they take cash, MasterCard and Visa, but SURPRISE, SURPRISE, their machine doesnt work. You are forced to pay cash!Last but not least, they wouldnt even look at my registration to discuss the weight issue. They didnt ask for any verification of ownership or my right to take the vehicle. I guess because, really, Frank just wanted his $700, in untraceable funds.By the way, if youre looking for good reviews on a towing company, they are definitely going to be fake. Nobody is going to go online and praise the services of any towing company.

kl
Review №89

Good friendly service but way to expensive, be careful

St
Review №90

Worst people and all they want is money gonna charge me $170 just to get my items out my vehicle, please do not use them, money hungry people that work there and just want to pocket your hard working money JUST RUDE!!!!!

Fr
Review №91

Best service I ever had fast cheap and very helpful !

Je
Review №92

Best quick service and very friendly highly recommended!!!

ju
Review №93

Great workers

Kr
Review №94

Its bad enough to be towed, but being towed from a business when you are an actual consumer is a beat down.Someone overcharging you against their posted rates claiming they are charging you by weight, but refuse to charge according to the registered weight on the cab card from the DMV, CRIMINAL.Not willing to accept posted payment options, tax evasion? YES, CRIMINAL.Deliberately Damaging my vehicle costing me unknown amount of damage of thousands and loss of business because you got mad and you didnt like the way I talked to you. RETALIATIONTHIS IS A DISGUSTING BUSINESS, OWNED RAN AND OPERATED BY DISGUSTING PEOPLE.IF YOU SEE THEIR SIGN IN A PARKING LOT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH THIS TOWING COMPANY DONT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS.

Ma
Review №95

Never again got my car towed to a shop and charge me $85 smh.... And the tow truck was rude because i didnt have the correct change

Be
Review №96

The absolute worst company I have ever ran into. I hope no one else has to run into them.

Sa
Review №97

Scammers fu

Ta
Review №98

If I could give 0 stars I would this tow yard is filled with crooks, scammers, and con artists and not to forget the dirty cops use this dump of a yard to impound cars. Terrible customer service and just a terrible place

st
Review №99

Quick response and very professional thanks area towing

Sa
Review №100

Very rude I had to call multiple times just to get information about my car the first few times I called they told me they didn’t even have it. They kept hanging up when I was asking about everything I needed to have when I went to get my car

Information
24 Photos
100 Comments
2.5 Rating
  • Address:1401 N 1st Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160, United States
  • Site:http://melroseparklocaltowcompany.com/
  • Phone:+1 708-345-4665
Categories
  • Auto body shop
  • Towing service
  • Auto wrecker
Working hours
  • Monday:10AM–2PM
  • Tuesday:Closed
  • Wednesday:9AM–5PM
  • Thursday:9AM–5PM
  • Friday:9AM–5PM
  • Saturday:9AM–5PM
  • Sunday:9AM–5PM
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