Evening (or morning) to you all. Just posting an update on the car situation. I was able to finally speak with someone competent and cooperative today. Most of the problem seemed to stem from a communication error.

To make a long story short, I got them to drop most (but not all) of the fees with minimal prompting. They said I could inquire about getting the rest of the fees removed tomorrow, but that would mean another day of paying for their BS storage fees and having this hanging over my head. So I just paid the much smaller amount and went along my merry way. Car is now with a mechanic so hopefully the worst is over.

And I wanted to thank everyone for all the advice and concerns. Ended up not really needing it, but it's the thought that counts.