Towing Cost: Newark, NJ to Yonkers, NY

A car carrier makes no sense for 25.2 miles. Carriers are rarely booked for moves as short as 50 miles, and the tow truck is the cheaper option there; this trip is shorter still. A carrier also charges a minimum of $150-$300, which already overlaps the whole $201-$271 tow range for a sedan. Carriers schedule in advance as well, so shipping has nothing to offer here.

Newark rates are a $110 hookup plus $5 a mile. Over 25.2 miles that is $126 in mileage and $236 in total, with no long-distance reduction at this length. The sedan range is $201-$271.

• Flatbed (30% more, with a $143 hookup): $261-$352
• SUV or crossover: $231-$312
• Truck or van: $251-$339
• Motorcycle: $161-$217

If the car is picked up in Yonkers, the rates are the same ($110 and $5 a mile), so the range does not move.

It's 25.2 miles by road, about 43 minutes, with I-95 the longest stretch. A straight line is only 20 miles.

AAA Plus (100 miles) and Premier (200 miles) cover this tow with room to spare. Classic covers about 5 miles and would leave 20.2 miles, roughly $81-$141 at the $4-$7 a mile a contracted tow company typically charges. Limits vary by regional club, so confirm yours.

The fee rules change at the state line. New Jersey has no statewide cap; where a town sets a maximum by ordinance, a higher fee is presumed unreasonable. In New York, New York City sets $125 for removal plus the first 3 days of storage, but Yonkers is in Westchester County, outside New York City, so that rule does not apply at a Yonkers drop-off. Fees there vary by locality, so ask what applies at your drop-off address. Agree the total in writing before the hookup. Complaints go to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, or in New York to the New York Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (NYC) or the state attorney general.