Costs
What a Tow Costs Near Auburn on a Football Saturday
A tow near Toomer's Corner in Auburn on a football Saturday is priced on the same things as any other day: how far the car goes, what you drive, what went wrong and where it's stuck. Game day mostly changes the last one. Closed and one-way streets, packed decks and tailgate lots make the pickup harder. With Sentinel, you get the price by text and it's locked before anyone is sent.
Does a home game make my tow cost more?
The game itself isn't a line on the bill. The job is. A sedan with a dead battery in an open lot is a small job, even on a Saturday. A car wedged between tailgate tents with a broken axle is a bigger one, any day of the week.
What a home game does is stack the hard parts together. Streets near Jordan-Hare get barricaded. Lots fill with tents, grills and coolers. Downtown decks fill early. So the same breakdown can turn into a longer route and a tougher hookup. That's where the extra work comes from.
Here's the short list of what a partner tow company looks at before it quotes:
- Distance. From the pickup spot to where the car is going.
- Your vehicle. A compact car, an all-wheel-drive SUV and a light pickup load differently.
- What went wrong. Some problems get fixed on the spot. Others need a truck.
- Where it's stuck. A street curb, a deck level or the middle of a grass lot.
How do closed streets near Jordan-Hare change the job?
Auburn Athletics says every street must stay open to traffic and emergency vehicles, except the ones police barricade around the stadium. Inside those barricades, a tow truck can't just roll up to your car.
After the game, the city flips nearby streets to a postgame pattern. The one the City of Auburn posted in September 2025 looked like this:
- North Donahue Drive ran one-way northbound from Heisman Drive to Bragg Avenue and MLK Drive.
- South Donahue Drive was closed to the public from War Eagle Way to West Samford Avenue.
- Samford Avenue ran one-way eastbound.
Think about what that means for a truck. If your car sits on the west end of Samford and the shop is west of campus, the driver may have to circle around to reach you, then circle again to leave. More road means more work. Check the current postgame map from Auburn Athletics before kickoff, since the pattern can change.
The simplest fix is often patience. If you're parked legally, out of the way and safe, ask about a pickup once the barricades come down. A clear street is a simpler job.
Is a car in a downtown parking deck harder to tow?
It can be. Downtown has two city decks: the Wright Street Parking Deck at 140 Wright St. and the Burton Street Parking Deck at 149 Burton St. On a home football Saturday, the city fills the Wright Street deck first come, first served, with no reservations. So by afternoon, it's full of cars that all want to leave at once.
A deck adds steps a curbside tow doesn't have. Ramps are tight. Ceilings are low. A flatbed may not fit inside, so your car might need to come down to the street first. Tell us the deck name and level when you call. Say if the car still rolls in neutral. That helps the partner pick the right truck the first time.
Where should the car go, and how far is that?
Distance is the part you control most. Before you call, decide where the car should end up. A few common Auburn choices:
- A shop near College Street. A short run if you broke down downtown or by Toomer's Corner, at Magnolia Avenue and College Street.
- A shop in Opelika. The county seat, to the northeast. Your route likely runs out US 280 or I-85 to exit 58 or 62.
- Your hotel or a friend's driveway. Fine for a car that just needs a part on Monday.
Sentinel handles local tows for cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups. If you drove in from out of state, a tow home isn't the plan. Get the car to a local shop, then decide next steps with them. We can point you to a good repair shop.
Coming in on I-85, note your last exit. Exit 51 is College Street, where SR 147 starts and wraps the west and north sides of town as Shug Jordan Parkway. Exit 57 is Bent Creek Road. Pull far right and stay buckled with hazards on. Alabama's move over law protects a wrecker working the roadside, so passing drivers must give your driver room.
Can I skip the tow altogether?
Often, yes. A lot of game day trouble isn't a tow at all, and a smaller job means a smaller price.
| What you see | The job you might need |
|---|---|
| Click, no crank, after the radio played all afternoon | Jump start |
| Keys on the seat, doors locked | Lockout help |
| Flat tire and a good spare in the trunk | Spare tire swap |
| Grinding, smoke, warning lights, or no start after a jump | Car tow |
Early season games can be hot. NOAA normals show Auburn averages about 47 days a year at 90°F or more. Heat is hard on weak batteries and cooling systems. If the engine runs hot, shut it off and wait in shade. Don't drive it to the shop.
What if my car was towed, not broken down?
That's a different bill, and it isn't Sentinel's. We don't do impounds or private lot tows. Here's what the official rules say.
Towed by Auburn University
On game day, the university tows cars blocking roadways, sidewalks, emergency lanes, fire hydrants, driveways or other cars. Those go to the campus impound lot. You pay to get the car back at the Parking Services Office, 330 Lem Morrison Drive. Game weekend hours run Friday until 10 p.m., Saturday until two hours after the game, and Sunday noon to 2 p.m. Any car released on a weekend gets an extra fee.
Towed from a private lot in town
Auburn's city code sets the fees tow companies can charge inside city limits. For private lot tows, the company can't charge fees the code doesn't list. The first 24 hours of storage is free. If you get back before your car is hooked up, there's no tow and no fee. If it's hooked up but hasn't left, you can get it back for no more than half the tow fee. Think a fee broke the rules? Auburn Police take reports at (334) 501-3150. Our Auburn impound lot guide covers the full steps.
How do I keep my price simple when I call?
Clear details let the partner quote the real job, not a guess. Have these ready:
- Your exact spot: lot or deck name, level, and the nearest street.
- The year, make and model, and whether it's all-wheel drive.
- What happened: no crank, a flat, a noise, a crash.
- Where the car should go, with the address.
- Whether the car rolls and steers.
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text you the price first, and that locked price is the most you pay. If the job changes, we text a new price and you decide. Then we stay with you by text until your driver arrives, and you can track your truck on a map. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. For the roads and towns we cover around Lee County, see our Auburn towing page.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Auburn Game Day Tow Cost Questions
Is towing more expensive on an Auburn football Saturday?
The price comes from the job, not the date. But game days stack up hard parts, like barricades, full decks and packed lots. A tougher pickup is more work. You see the price by text before anyone is sent.
Should I wait until after the game traffic clears?
If you're safe, legal and out of the way, waiting can make the job simpler. Streets near Jordan-Hare go one-way or close after the game. If anyone is hurt or you're in a live lane, call 911 first.
Can you tow my RV from the tailgate lot?
No. Sentinel handles cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups only. RV owners should plan ahead, since on-campus RV parking is reserved and bought in advance.
Can Sentinel get my car out of the campus impound lot?
No. Sentinel doesn't do impounds. Go to the Parking Services Office at 330 Lem Morrison Drive during game weekend hours. Bring a way to pay.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: Auburn Athletics Parking and Tailgating, Auburn University Tow and Wheel Locks, City of Auburn postgame traffic advisory, City of Auburn Downtown Parking, Auburn Police: Parking and Towing, Auburn City Code, Chapter 12, Article XIII, Code of Alabama 32-5A-58.2, NOAA climate normals.
