Towing Cost: Albuquerque, NM to Las Cruces, NM

Albuquerque to Las Cruces is 222.2 road miles, about 3 hours 50 minutes (3.8 hours), and I-25 carries almost all of it. A straight line is 191 miles. A sedan tow starting in Albuquerque costs $660-$893.

Albuquerque rates are an $80 hookup plus $3.75 a mile. Mileage over 222.2 miles is $833, so $913 before any reduction. Estimates for trips over 100 miles include a 15% long-distance reduction, leaving about $776. Other vehicles:

• Flatbed (30% more, $104 hookup): $858-$1,161
• SUV or crossover: $759-$1,027
• Truck or van: $825-$1,116
• Motorcycle: $528-$714

Priced from Las Cruces ($75 hookup, $3.50 a mile) the sedan range is $616-$834.

A car carrier is usually the cheaper option beyond 200 miles, and 222.2 is beyond it: carriers typically quote $375-$575 here, against $660-$893 for the tow. They book pickups in advance, so the tow is for a car that cannot wait.

Premier's 200-mile limit, on one tow a year, stops 22.2 miles before Las Cruces. A contracted tow company typically charges $4-$7 a mile beyond the limit, so that is about $89-$155. Plus leaves 122.2 miles, about $489-$855, and Classic, at about 5 miles, leaves 217.2 miles and $869-$1,520. Clubs set their own limits by region.

Both cities are in New Mexico. The state transportation department sets a default tariff of $100 for the hookup and first mile, $5 a mile for miles 2-25 and $3.50 a mile after that, unless the company has its own approved tariff. Ask the operator whether that tariff applies to a tow you book, and have the total, per-mile rate and extras written down before the hookup. Complaints go to the New Mexico Department of Transportation, Transportation Regulation Bureau (TRB).