A B.C. man paid a very big price for drinking and driving, after his vehicle was not only impounded but literally pounded as well.

Theodore Gray called CTV News after a mix-up with a towing company left him taking transit to work and fighting to get compensated for the loss of his vehicle.

Gray's troubles began when he got caught drinking and driving and had his vehicle seized by police.

"They took my car keys, my driver's license, they called me a cab. They said Busters is towing my vehicle because it has to be impounded for three days," said Gray.

But Busters got its wires crossed that day and towed Gray's car to the wrong location.

"I went down to Busters with all my paperwork, my new license and the money, and they told me they made a mistake with my car….they brought it to the crusher yard," he said.

Gray arrived to the crusher to find that his 1992 Toyota Tercel was a write-off.

"They stacked another vehicle on top of it -- so they said it's totaled," he said.

Gray says Busters told him it was an honest mistake.

"They said the car they were supposed to crush was the same colour, make, year, model as mine, same everything. Somehow mine got grabbed by mistake and brought to their crusher yard," said Gray.

Busters is offering to pay him the black book value for a '92 Tercel, which is $800.

But Gray says his car was worth about $6,000 and he has the bills to prove it.

CTV consumer reporter Lynda Steele tried several times to get an interview with Busters, but was told by phone:

"This is now in the hands of ICBC, and we are not prepared to comment at this point."

So Steele went to the Insurance Corporation of B.C. to see what they had to say.

"To have your car accidentally crushed has got to be a real bummer," said ICBC spokesperson Mark Jan Vrem.

ICBC says a formula is used to determine the vehicle's actual cash value.

"The make, the model, the year of the vehicle, the mileage, the condition, both interior and exterior, the tires, any recent repair work that's been done and any after market additions," said Jan Vrem.

Gray is borrowing his uncle's van until he sorts out his vehicle debacle. He still can't quite believe the price he's paid for making what he admits was a dumb decision to drink and drive.

"I thought the safest place on earth for my vehicle would be in the Vancouver police impound," said Gray.

Gray says ICBC has now offered him less than $1,300 for his car and he says that's just not good enough.

He could take the case to the B.C. Arbitration and Mediation Institute. The fee for doing so is about $600, which is split between ICBC and the vehicle owner. If Gray is still not satisfied, he can always take Busters to court. But any way you cut it, he stands to lose some significant cash.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Lynda Steele