Resources · Published August 10, 2026
Towing isn't one-size-fits-all. The method matters, because the wrong one can leave tire marks — or, on some vehicles, damage the transmission or drivetrain. Here's the plain version of how the two most common methods differ and when each fits.
A wheel-lift uses a metal yoke that cradles two wheels and lifts that end of the car off the ground, leaving the other two wheels rolling on the road. It's quick, works in tight spots, and is perfectly fine for many front-wheel-drive cars towed the correct end up, over short distances.
A flatbed tilts its bed to the ground so the entire vehicle is winched up and carried with all four wheels off the road. Nothing drags, nothing spins. It's the gentlest, most versatile option — and for some vehicles, the only safe one.
Short local tows of a standard front- or rear-wheel-drive car, loaded the correct way, are a routine wheel-lift job — often faster and easier in cramped parking situations.
When in doubt, ask for a flatbed — especially for AWD/4WD, low, valuable, or damaged vehicles. When you call us, tell us your exact make, model, and drivetrain, and we'll dispatch the right truck for it the first time, not the nearest one.