Category Archives: Uncategorized

Prepping Your Vehicle for Winter

Prepping Your Vehicle for WinterIt’s that time of year again when the weather begins to get colder and pretty soon there will be blankets of snow as far as the eye can see. It’s wintertime! Most of us know all too well of how much wear this adverse weather can cause to our car and trucks. But the pros at Pippin Towing are here to provide you with some helpful tips on prepping your vehicle for winter.

Check your tires: Normally in the winter months, you can expect snow and ice which can cause slippery conditions. Having good tires with deep treads are key to staying on the road and out of a ditch on the side of the road. Be sure to have your tires checked for proper levels and adequate treads

Check your fluid levels: If you want to keep your engine from freezing, it’s pertinent that you have you have your antifreeze topped off. To check your antifreeze levels yourself is as simple as stopping by an auto supply store and picking up a kit. But if you just want to be sure, contact a professional.

Pack an emergency kit: If you happen to find yourself in a tough spot and stuck on the side of a road, you don’t want to be ill prepared. Although we will do our absolute best in getting to you as soon as possible. We recommend packing a box a with a flashlight, some snacks, blankets , and a few other things that would be useful to you during an emergency.

The mixture of ice, snow, and bad weather can mean bad news for you and your vehicle without the proper precautions. So if you find yourself needing or tips on prepping your vehicle for winter, pick up your phone and give Pippin Towing a call at (636) 937-0797.

Tips For When You Lock Your Keys In Your Car

lock keys inside car

It happens to millions of people across the country every single year. Locking your keys in your car. The bad news is that this issue has increased in recent yeas mostly thanks to keyless ignitions and modern electronic anti-theft systems. So we’re here to give you a few tips on what to do if this happens and how you can remain proactive.

Call for roadside assistance. They typically are equipped with the necessary tools to safely gain access to your vehicle. It’s important to keep this number stored on you at all times or have it saved in your phone. Roadside assistance is included in some insurance policies. But if not, Pippin Towing provides an unlocking service, so don’t hesitate to call.

Keep an extra key handy. It’s a good idea to stash a key in you wallet, purse, or somewhere in your home. There are even some car dealers that will provide you with a temporary key, to provide you access to the vehicle. This way you always have a second option.

Purchase a vehicle with special features. There are some that will not allow doors to lock if the key is in the ignition. There are also many vehicles that come with a keypad mounted on the door that enables you to input a code that will unlock your doors.

So if you ever find yourself in a tough spot and locked out of your vehicle, Pippin Towing has you covered. Be sure to call us at (636) 937-0797.

Tips on Saving Gas

Although gas has lowered in price, it still can cost a pretty penny to fill up your tank, especially if you have a larger vehicle or use premium or mid-grade gas. For those of you who like to save a little extra money, here are a few gas saving tips.

Avoid excess idling

Sitting still in your vehicle while its running can be detrimental to your wallet. Sitting idle for ten minutes is equal to drive five miles. You’re better of turning off your car and restarting it.

Lose the extra weight

This isn’t referring to you in particular, but rather all the extra unnecessary items in your car. We’re all guilty of it, your trunk becomes “storage space” of any and everything that can fit inside. Take time to rid your trunk and your car of any type materials that you aren’t using.

Shop around

Before, you would have to burn gas by driving around looking for low gas prices. Kind of counter productive, don’t you think. Luckily, there are so different apps that helps you find the lowest gas prices. So simply pull out your phone, take a look, and be on your way to savings.

Utilize cruise control

This helps you keep a steady speed and instead of having to keep pressing on the gas to occasionally accelerate.

No one likes to waste money, burn unnecessary gas, or in worst cases, run out of gas. But if you ever find yourself stuck on the side of the road without gas, Pippin Towing and Recovery has a gas delivery service available to you 24 hours a day. Make sure you give us a call at (636) 937-0797.

 

Getting Your Car Ready for a Roadtrip

If you’re getting ready to hit the road this summer, there a few preliminaries that you will want to take to ensure that you have a nice safe trip, there and back. Check out these for thing to look into:

  • Check Your Tires: It is absolutely necessary to have your tires thoroughly inspected before hitting the road, if you want to make sure that you will have safe travels.Check out the treads. Are the worn down? Can you see them at all? Safe tires have deep treads all the way around. So if you’re not seeing those treads you will want to get those tire replaced immediately.
  • Get an Expert Opinion: Like a regular health checkup, you always want the opinion of a professional who knows what they are talking about. Same goes for your vehicle. Get your auto check up to make sure that everything is OK. Once you get that green light, you’ll be ready to go!
  • Inspect Your Hoses: You want to inspect them closely to make sure there are no cracks, loose connections, corrosion, etc. The should be clean without any signs of damage.
  • Top Off Your Fluids: Like your body, your vehicle needs fluid to function properly. Make sure that your oil, coolant, brake fluid, wiper fluid, and everything else is up to par before heading out.

If you get on the road without checking any of the before listed elements, you run the risk of ending up on the side of the road. And although we would be more than happy to give you a tow, we want to make sure that you reach your destination safely. But just in case you find yourself in that unwanted situation, call Pippin Towing and Recovery at (636) 937-0797

 

5 Things You Should Do After a Car Accident

You’re going along your way, when suddenly: BOOM! Your vehicle has collided with another one. If this is your first accident, don’t panic. Here are five things you should do following a car wreck.

First, Get to Safety

If your vehicle is still functional, pull over to the side of the road and park it. Use flares or your car’s flashers to let other motorists know you’re there, particularly if it’s dark outside.

a photo of a wrecked car on a tow truckNext, Check On the Other Party

Go over and check to see if anyone in the other vehicle was injured. Try to remain calm and polite to avoid a confrontation. At the minimum, you will need to exchange insurance information. If the wreck was more than a mild fender bender, you definitely want to take pictures and document whatever you can.

Then, Call the Police (If Needed)

The police can come to the scene and determine who they think was at fault, if anyone. They can also take an accident report that will become available to you and your insurance company to help with your claim process.

Finally, Call a Tower

If your vehicle was disabled during the accident, call a trusted towing company to transport it safely to your home or a repair shop. Look for towers who are BBB accredited and well known in the community.

We’ll be happy to help with your towing needs. If you need us, just give us a call!

Advantages of Flatbed Towing

flatbed towingWhether you are finally removing that old junker that doesn’t run or you are transporting a high value vehicle, flatbed towing is often a necessity. With our fleet of tow trucks, we can tow nearly anything, from cars and trucks to barns and sheds.

Flatbed tow trucks are one of the safest towing options available. This is especially so for low-clearance vehicles that cannot easily be towed by a traditional tow truck. Keeping your car off the road with a flatbed tow truck protects your tires and keeps them from wearing unevenly.

This is highly important for certain vehicles. Risking damage to high performance and high value cars can be costly. All wheel drive vehicles can be damaged if not towed with a flatbed. With junkers that won’t start or cars damaged in accidents, a flatbed is nearly a necessity.

With the professionals at Pippin Towing and Recovery, you can be sure our professionals will assist you in the most practical solution for towing your car. As an extra plus, we can also tow sheds and barns with our flatbed trucks! 

Fast Flatbed Towing

For rapid, high quality towing, turn to the trusted professionals at Pippin Towing and Recovery. Call our friendly team at 636-937-0797 today!

What You Should Have in Your Car’s Emergency Kit

Every car should be equipped with an emergency kit just in case disaster strikes, and there are a few essentials that everyone should keep in their car’s emergency kit. Even the most well built vehicles will eventually breakdown and you need to be prepared for virtually any circumstances. This is why we recommend that you purchase a prepackaged kit or build your own custom one. Whatever option you choose, we believe that the following items are a must.

  1. Charged Cell Phone: The difference between being standed and able to reach a tow truck is simply having a charged cell phone on your person. Moreover, in case of an accident that results in serious injury, a cell phone can allow you to contact emergency medical professionals and save a life.
  2. First-Aid Kit: Keeping a first aid kit handy is ideal for taking care of any small injuries after a wreck such as slight abbrations or bruising. However, you will want to include a wide variety of medical supplies in your kit.
  3. Class B or C Rated Fire Extinguisher: A Class B rating qualifies a fire extinguisher to handle flammable liquids and a Class C rating certifies an extingisher to put out fires involving electrical equipment.
  4. Reflective Warning Triangles: These are commonly found in most prepackaged emergency kits. However, most prepackaged kits contain only one triangle. For optimum effect, place the three triangles 50 feet apart to warn approaching traffic.
  5. Foam Tire Sealant: One of the most common issues that occurs with vehicles while driving is a flat tire. Keeping tire sealant in your kit can help you repair a flat and get you back on the road

Nail in Tire: Safe to Drive or No?

tire about to drive over nailIf you are like millions of other drivers, chances are good that you have experienced having a nail in your tire. As with any damage to your vehicle, having it serviced as soon as possible is critical for your safety and the well being of your car. Here we discuss several options you may have when it comes to handling a nail in your tire.

Safety is of utmost importance on the road. With so many factors out of our control, car maintenance is one area where you can be ahead of the game and be as safe as possible. Any car maintenance advice should be taken with a grain of salt, and ultimately, your car should be serviced by a professional. A mechanic may be able to patch the tire, or it may have to be replaced all together.

If you notice a nail or screw in your tire and your tire is still holding air, do not remove it. The nail is plugging the hole it created and removing it would cause your tire to leak. However, even if the tire is holding air, you should still have your tire serviced immediately. If you are within close proximity to a repair shop and you feel comfortable enough to drive, slowly and safely make your way there to have your tire professionally serviced, or replace the tire with a spare.

A flat tire from a nail or other factor is no cause for alarm: call Pippin Towing & Recovery for towing in a pinch! We are available for emergency towing 24/7.

Locked Out Of Your Car? We Can Help

keys left in carSome of us just have more problems with forgetting things than others. Don’t worry, we make up for it in other areas. It can create problems, though; for instance, you might forget to take your keys out of your car before you lock it. This can grind your day into a halt and leave you stranded in unsavory places.

How We Can Help:

Here at Pippin Towing and Recovery, we offer vehicle unlocking services in and around Festus. If you get locked out of your car, we’ll get there fast to get you back on the road. Nobody likes to have their day interrupted. Keep our number in your car to keep it from happening to you.

We also offer premium towing services. You won’t have to worry about getting stranded as long as we stay around. If you’d like to know more about us, please give us a call at (636) 937-0797.

Tips For Going Off-Roading

off-roading vehicleSo, you’ve just gotten a new 4 wheel drive SUV. You probably can’t wait to take it off-roading. However, before you do, you should educate yourself how to do it correctly. To that end, we have put together a few tips for going off-roading.

 

Know your limits:

Even the experts who empty their pockets modifying their vehicles sometimes have them break down. Rocks and tresses can definitely bend steel. Make sure you keep your vehicle maintained, and know your minimum ground clearance.

Wheel position:

Knowing your wheel position proves extremely important. You can easily forget where they point after an over correction (something you should avoid anyways). Try to steer in tiny increments. Also, keep your thumbs on the outside of the wheel; sudden kickback has broken many people’s fingers.

Don’t peel out:

People new to off-roading may feel disappointed by how slowly it goes. If you get stuck, don’t peel out. Most likely, you will dig yourself in deeper. Again, move in tiny increments.

Should you find yourself stuck and in need of towing services, Pippin Towing & Recovery has you covered. To find out more, give us a call at (636) 937-0797.