Just to warn people of what happened to a vehicle in our group travelling on a remote track.
We had 4 vehicles all towing vans with excellent preparation work on them doing the
Oodnadatta track. Unfortunately one developed a major engine malfunction and had to be towed.
After sending two vehicles the remaining 102ks into
Oodnadatta to drop vans at C/P and search for a tow they got the roadhouse guy to agree to come tow him in. The Tow driver was informed exactly where he was 102ks from
Oodnadatta towards
William Creek and asked for a quote. $500 to $600 he stated in front of 4 people so it was agreed on. The vehicle was towed into
Oodnadatta. We refilled two 4x4s with Diesel @ $2.20 per litre and headed 102ks back to get the remaining van and the other driver waiting with him.
Then all three 4x4s refilled again in
Oodnadatta thinking we were helping the Roadhouse owner out as he came and got our stranded mate with little notice. So we spent around $450 on Diesel and booked in three vans for the night at his C/P which two were charged $19.50 a night and I was charged $25.00 for the same powered sites but that's not the point
The owner of the towed vehicle went to pay the roadhouse owner for the tow and was handed a bill for $888.00.
When questioned as to why the quote was $500 to $600 he said oh I could not have done it for that even though we told him exactly where the vehicle was, right at the 102k
sign post and exactly what it was. The vehicle was simply driven onto a car trailer and a 204k round trip.
We are not complaining about the quote of the tow as we know remote recovery can be expensive.
The fact that he just decided to charge a heap more than he quoted because this guy was stranded and there was no one else to do it.
Not to mention the amount of money we pumped through his business in fuel and accom. thinking this guy was a decent guy helping the outback traveller.
Had we known what he was gonna do we would have waited and refuelled at
Marla.
The trip continued without drama from then on with us finding room the him in our cars and vans.
In future I will be avoiding that roadhouse simply because he took advantage of a traveller in trouble.
Be advised GET A WRITTEN QUOTE should you need to be towed.