Answer the following TRUE & FALSE, and MULTIPLE CHOICE questions.  We will include all correct entries in a drawing for $100 dollars or four consolation prizes, to be held at our Open House, June 7th from 1PM ’til 6PM.  The drawing wil take place at 5PM. 

Print a copy of this page and mark your answers T or F, and bring it to the LIN-MAR Open House on June 7th.  The drawing will be held at LIN-MAR Motors, 7860 N. Lehigh Avenue, Morton Grove, IL.  Contestants must be present to win.

TRUE OR FALSE

1. In 2008 LIN-MAR Motors is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of doing business in Morton Grove. 
2. All towing companies also provide auto repair services.
3. If I am towed by LIN-MAR, after regular business hours, I will not be able to rent a car, immediately.
4. If I am filing a claim for collision damage, I must have my car repaired where the insurer dictates.
5. LIN-MAR offers 24 Hour Towing, Collsion, Mechanical, Glass & Upholstery, and Car Rental.

Following is an article recently published in a Chicago area newspaper.  One of the best defenses against such scams is foresight.  Keep phone numbers handy for your auto service providers.  Call and get a tow truck on the way as soon as possible if your car becomes disabled.

If you choose a tow company that also makes repairs, you may avoid a second tow from the tow company to a repair facility.

 March 18, 2008 

Predatory tow truck Are cops ’special equipment’ in tow scams? 

operators view Chicago police officers as “special equipment” in their scams. 

I’ve mentioned in previous columns that wreck chasers are charging motorists involved in accidents on Chicago streets as much as $3,500 for a tow that should cost no more than $150. 

Among the unexplained itemized charges on these tow bills is one labeled “special equipment” that ranges from $250 to $995. 

No one has been able to explain to me what “special equipment” was used in any of these tows. 

But I recently received a call from a fellow who runs a legitimate tow truck business in the south suburbs and claims to know what the charge is for and how the money is used. 

“I’ve talked to the people who run these wreck-chasing companies, and they tell me the special equipment charge is the kickback they pay Chicago cops to do business,” the fellow said. 

I called the Chicago police news affairs office last Thursday, hoping to speak to new Supt. Jody Weis, a former FBI agent, about the tow truck scams and possible police involvement. 

Weis never returned my phone call or an e-mail I sent seeking comment. 

On Monday, I called again and spoke to Monique Bond, the superintendent’s spokeswoman. 

At first Bond seemed unclear about the nature of the tow truck problem and asked me if I had any specific examples. 

I told her that I had been writing about the tow truck scams for a year and that if Weis wanted specifics, all he had to do was contact any major auto insurance company doing business in Illinois, any auto body shop in the Chicago area or any of the dozens of legitimate towing firms that have had their reputations smeared by the predatory operators. 

I told Bond that since the new superintendent had been hired to clean up the department’s reputation, I could not accept her answer that he needed more information. 

That’s when Bond said, “There is an ongoing investigation into this matter. This has gone to a higher level. That’s all I can say.” 

That could be a reference to an FBI investigation that has been rumored for some time. But if the feds are looking into the tow truck scams, they sure are taking their sweet time. 

Only a few days after reporting that tow truck charges at accident scenes had hit new highs of $3,500 on the streets of Chicago, I received a call Monday about a charge of $4,800. 

There are now indications that some of these predatory firms are getting so greedy that they actually stage accidents instead of waiting for them to happen. 

The sleazeball towing firm sends out a car to cause an accident with a victim who will eventually be handed one of these enormous tow bills. 

Motorists rarely complain about the charges because the insurance companies pick up the cost. But the companies pass those costs along to the rest of us in the form of higher insurance premiums. 

Many suburbs have contracts with towing companies that include regulations and rate limits. 

If a predatory tow truck firm shows up at the scene of a suburban accident, police simply tell them to go away and wait for the contract operator to show up. 

But that doesn’t happen in Chicago, where piracy and wreck-chasing is encouraged. 

A representative for U-Haul recently told me the company suspects that some of these tow truck firms are actually sending their people in to rent trucks that then end up in accidents on Chicago streets. 

It is not unheard of for U-Haul to then receive a bill of $10,000 for the tow. The rental truck is basically held hostage in a lot until the U-Haul dealer pays up. 

I’ve gotten the same kinds of calls from rental car agencies with the same suspicions. 

“These guys are just laughing at everyone, increasing their fees and piling up the cash,” said J.R. Bramlett, the owner of Airline Towing in Calumet Park and former president of the Professional Towing and Recovery Operators of Illinois. 

“They’ve told me they plan on retiring rich men on a sandy beach in some foreign country before law enforcement comes for them.” 

Unless Weis wants Chicago police officers looked upon as “special equipment” in an insurance scam, he should take steps to end this thievery. 

Police officers ought to be protecting the public, not the profits of predatory tow truck operators. 

Phil Kadner can be reached at pkadner@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-6787. 

LIN-MAR MOTORS, INC.

Celebrating 50 years in business: same family, same mission

By 1958, the Village of Morton Grove was a thriving business community.  Lincoln Avenue, which had at one time been the only road leading into the community, was no longer its main street.  Facing changing traffic patterns and declining sales for one of his product lines, the Desoto, Plymouth dealer, at Lincoln and Marmora, decided to move on.  Wally Lundin saw an opportunity for another type of business at that location: a “one stop” automotive service business, which could take care of all the car owner’s service requirements.  He named the business LIN-MAR Motors, after the intersection where it was located, and offered mechanical service & repairs, paint and body repairs, and towing service.
 Wally worked hard and the business was a success.  His sons became interested, and soon LIN-MAR Motors was a family business.
 

Wally’s son, Ron, purchased the business in 1992 and the following year expanded the business with the acquisition of Eckhart Glass & Upholstery, making LIN-MAR the most complete independent auto service provider in Illinois. 
 

In 2003 LIN-MAR moved into its new, larger location at 7860 N. Lehigh Avenue in Morton Grove.  The business continues to grow and to keep pace with changing technologies and service requirements.  LIN-MAR now offers Hertz car rental, on site.  This can be a great convenience for customers, who have had an unexpected breakdown or accident.  Like the tow service, cars are available 24 hours, 365 days. 
 

Ron says that maintaining a state of the art repair facility is expensive, but necessary.  “Our objective is still to assist car owners with all of their service needs.  Auto design and construction are constantly changing.  Unibody construction, air bags, anti-lock brakes and on board computers, which control all operating components of a car, require new training and equipment.  Basecoat/Clearcoat finishes are more durable and environmentally friendly, but also require special application equipment to protect air quality inside and outside of the shop.  Without proper equipment, cars cannot be properly repaired or restored to pre-accident condition.”
 

Technicians are certified by ASE and I-CAR. Tow drivers are trained and certified by WreckMaster, a leading training consultant for the towing industry.  Tow drivers also are trained in incident management so they know how to handle emergency situations, such as those involving police, fire or other emergency personnel. That is important because LIN-MAR Towing is certified by the Illinois State Police, Illinois Toll-Way Authority, and is the approved tow service for several local municipalities.
 

During 2006, Ron served as President of the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  He is also an active member of the Glenview, Niles and Skokie Chambers, as well as the Liponi Foundation.  His red, white and blue trucks can be seen in the Independence Day Parades in Niles, Morton Grove and Skokie. He has contributed, generously, to the support of local youth organizations, The Cerebral Palsy Union and other charities.
 

“The community has been good to me and my family,” says Ron. “We are very proud of the fact that, after 50 years, we are still a family business, and our mission has not changed.  We want to give back in any way we can.”  His sons, Ron Jr. and Tony, operate the towing division of LIN-MAR, and his daughter, Julie and wife, Pam are also active in the business.

Lin-Mar Motors will hold its 7th. Annual Open House on June 7th. from Noon ’til 6pm.  The event will, once again, feature music by The Neverly Brothers, a popular Chicago area Rock N’ Roll band.  The LIN-MAR Car Show will be held in conjuction with the affair and feature customs, restorations, muscle cars and more.

There will be snacks, refreshments and prizes for everyone.

Owner, Ron Lundin says, “This year marks our 50th anniversary; we want this to be the biggest party yet.” 

LIN-MAR’s address is 7860 N. Lehigh Avenue, Morton Grove, IL.

Lin-Mar Motors was awarded the towing contract by the City of Park Ridge, IL, effective March 1, 2008.  Lin-Mar also has towing agreements and/or certifications from the Villages of Skokie, Lincolnwood, Golf, Morton Grove, Illinois State Police and Illinois Toll-Way Authority.

These agreements are important to authorities who are charged with keeping streets and highways free of disabled or abandoned vehicles. 

They are significant in that authorities must select operators, which meet stringent requirements involving equipment, training and operating history.  These contractors must operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Although car owners are responsible for towing fees, municipal contracts help protect car owners from gouging by requiring bids as part of the selection process.