Tow trucks make the world go round, and it’s no different in GTA 5’s Los Santos.
Think about it: if it weren’t for tow trucks, busted Chevrolets and discharged Teslas would line the streets, making it impossible for anyone to get around. You also wouldn’t find a single available parking spot anywhere.
City transportation would be even more hellish than it already is, and that’s a scary thought.
If you’re one of those everyday heroes in the towing business and want to bring some of that behind-the-scenes action to Grand Theft Auto 5, you came to the right place.
Most of you clicked on this article because you love towing, but sometimes, you can’t be bothered to do things yourself.
The Towing Service mod is meant to keep Los Santos free of junk rusting away on the side of the road. It makes a tow truck automatically come and take away any busted autos belonging to NPCs, and they’ll do the same for you if you give them a call.
There are different methods of towing used for different cars. For example, a destroyed vehicle might warrant a large flatbed, while a regular tow truck does the trick for a hatchback.
Especially large vehicles get picked up by my favorite towing method: a Skylift helicopter. It’s great to hitch a ride whenever you want to do some parachuting.
If you’ve played Forza Motorsport 3 or Forza Motorsport 4, you might recognize the Saleen S331.
Based on the Ford F-150 pickup truck, the Saleen S331 is a high-performance masterpiece by the people behind such legends as the Ford GT and Saleen S7 supercar.
I’m unsure if anyone has ever used a Saleen S331 as a dedicated tow truck, but it looks good with a crane on the back.
Alternatively, check out the LAPD livery for the S331.
Every town has that one dude that won’t let go of their old pickup truck.
When I say “old,” I mean mid-20th century.
This Chevrolet 5400 COE Tow Truck has proved more durable than a whole host of things, including the German Democratic Republic and the Warsaw Pact. It has seen things younger trucks cannot even imagine, which adds to its mystique.
The old-school design might make this custom tow truck look a little bit like a toy at first glance, but once you see it in action, you’ll have trouble going back to a boring modern truck.
I love the kind of tow truck that does its best to let everyone in the city know where they are.
I’m talking about those trucks with so many flashing lights, it’s like you hired a light show instead of a tow truck.
The Ford F-450 Superduty Platinum tow truck is the LSPD’s Traffic Enforcement’s latest acquisition, shining red and blue lights in every direction from the copious LED strips on its body.
The mod also features alternative custom liveries such as one for the Los Santos Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles Police Department.
I was about to give this spot to the MTL Flatbed Tow Truck – one of the community’s favorites and a must-have in any truck enthusiast’s garage.
But when I laid my eyes on this wicked lowered-suspension take on the classic MTL Flatbed, I knew I had to feature it in our ranking.
This tow truck looks like it just came out of Xzibit’s garage at the end of a Pimp My Ride episode. The chromed custom rims look gnarly; overall, it’s just a beautiful machine.
Oh, to be a trucker towing some yuppie’s Tesla down from Vinewood Hills on your own Kenworth T440 Heavy Wrecker under a beautiful Los Santos sunset.
Just look at that tow hook!
It’s detailed and looks incredibly powerful. You feel that the entire vehicle was designed solely for towing heavy vehicles or pulling stuff out of lakes.
These fantastic looks are backed up by extensive functionality. You’ve got a wealth of emergency lights to play around with, and that tow arm isn’t just for show.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
