Towing Cost: Los Angeles, CA to Oakland, CA

It is 370.3 road miles from Los Angeles to Oakland, about 6 hours 52 minutes (roughly 6.9 hours), mostly on I-5 with shorter runs on US 101, I-580 and I-880. A straight line is 343 miles, but a tow is billed on the road. Starting in Los Angeles, a sedan tow is $1,414-$1,912, and a loaded tow truck needs more time than a car does.

In Los Angeles expect a $105 hookup and $5 per mile. Mileage over 370.3 miles is $1,852, so $1,957 before any reduction. Estimates for trips over 100 miles include a 15% long-distance reduction, which leaves about $1,663, or $4.49 per road mile. Other vehicles:

• Flatbed (30% more, $137 hookup): $1,838-$2,486
• SUV or crossover: $1,626-$2,199
• Truck or van: $1,768-$2,390
• Motorcycle: $1,131-$1,530

Oakland's rates are the same $105 and $5, so it makes no difference which end the truck leaves from.

A car carrier typically quotes $475-$725 for this distance, against $1,414-$1,912 for the tow. Past 200 miles a carrier is usually the cheaper option, and at 370.3 miles the gap is wide. The catch is timing: carriers schedule pickups in advance, so a tow is for a car that has to move now.

AAA Plus covers up to 100 miles and leaves 270.3 miles, about $1,081-$1,892 at the $4-$7 a mile a contracted tow company typically charges. Premier covers up to 200 miles on one tow a year and still leaves 170.3 miles, about $681-$1,192. Classic, at about 5 miles, leaves 365.3 miles and $1,461-$2,557. Limits vary by regional club, so check yours first.

Both cities are in California, so there is no state line to cross. The state sets no statewide dollar cap on tow fees. When a car is hauled off private property without the owner asking, the charge may not exceed the greater of the local law-enforcement agreement rate or the operator's CHP-approved rate. That does not cover a tow you book yourself, so agree the total, the per-mile rate and any extra charges in writing before the hookup. Complaints go to your local police or sheriff's office.