From time to time the question is posed in these forums about a trustworthy carrier for transporting a vehicle form a location to another. I know I relied on the information I found on this forum as well.
Time to “give back to the community”.

Car tranport carrier used: 1st class Auto Transport ("the undisputed name that boasts experience and knowledge in the proper management of your vehicle and car transport" - their Web site recites).

Beware: this is simply a Broker. They will subcontract transport to any other carrier: this means that your car will be transported by someone you haven’t selected and you know nothing about. Please see below my review of “Lamb Transport”, the carrier that 1st class Auto Transport so wisely selected for this shipment.

This is how it works: 1st Auto Transport will provide you with a quote. At pickup time your credit card will be charged with the amount that is equivalent to their profit from their brokerage transaction. The remainder is the actual cost of transportation that needs to be paid to the driver at delivery. As you can imagine the promptness with which phone calls are returned and issues resolved decreases drastically after the deposit has been paid - that is, when you need them the most once the vehicle is on the truck. In my case no effort was spared on their part to “pass the Buck” in my repeated attempts to get the carrier to actually deliver the car.

About Lamb Transport… how can I say this… ah, here: run! Don’t just walk away from these people… run. Here’s my horror story.

Car was picked up in California on Nov. 17 for delivery to Virginia. The pick-up goes more or less as expected - no complaints there. Upon contacting dispatch I am told that the car will be delivered on Monday 23, although it quite likely will take less than that “but we’ll say Monday to be sure”. OK, great, that sounds promising.

Two days later the truck driver is back at home-base in Colorado. Upon calling the driver he tells me that he can’t say for sure when he will deliver the car because he doesn’t know exactly what other pickups/dropoffs he has to do along the way. OK, again it sounds fair enough - I ask him to keep in touch to let me know as he is getting closer to Virginia.

Not having heard a word from the driver I call him on Sunday 22 and leave a message. Not having heard from him again on Monday I call Dispatch (not easy to get a hold of, but eventually after several tries I get lucky). I am told that the driver is in Chicago needing to do a drop off that can only be done on business hours. OK, what can I say: sounds like the car transport business is more complicated than I thought. “Can I get a new delivery time estimate at this point?” I ask. “Sure” I am told: “he will deliver your car on Wednesday 25: he’ll call you on Tuesday to give you a two-hour window”.

On Tuesday 24, after having heard nothing at all from anyone I call the driver: he tells me that he has a busy schedule ahead: he is headed to Wisconsin for a drop off, then to Chicago again, then to New York for a drop off and perhaps a pickup as well, and then “he’ll be making his way down to Virginia: I‘ll try to shoot for the week-end”. “Whaaat?“ I say. His response: “Hey, if I don’t pick up no cars I don’t make no money”. Yeah, how about delivering the cars (such as mine) for which the money has already been agreed on? I decide to call Dispatch: again after several tries someone eventually decides to answer the phone. I explain to the Dispatcher what the driver told me and after a period on hold she proceeds to say that “that driver is crazy: let me contact him and I’ll call you right back with an update”, she says.

Can you guess: “call you right back” means - as it’s often the case - “you’ll never hear from me again”. Later I repeatedly try to call Dispatch but no one picks up the phone.

Stay tuned: I’ll update this narrative as this sad story unfolds.

 

Man, I'm sorry you got rapped up in that kind of mess!!Good luck getting your car from whoever has it!!

Dispute the charge on your credit card, for the brokerage fee, on a breach of contract basis. That should get there attention!!

 

Sorry to hear your horror story...I truly feel for you. I had my 996TT transported from Utah to NJ by InterCity Lines. They were GREAT from the initial call to them for a quote to the delivery of the car. Yes I did worry, but the driver called me every other day, and the days he didn't call dispatch called.

I hope your outcome is a positive one.

Best regards..

 

Intercity or fedex, both are top notch and you can count on them to keep you in the loop.

 

Wow! Sorry to hear about your odyssey! I hope it arrives soon.

 

Yea, sorry you picked the broker without knowing it was a broker. I see how that could happen. If your car arrives safe and sound, all will be well. If not, I would be raising hell and contacting the credit card company as suggested.

 

Unfortunately giving him advice as to whom he should have used doesn't help...but for those that need the service in the future....choose wisely. GL

 

Sorry to hear about this. People have always said to stay away from the brokers.

For me, it's probably going to just be Intercity or Fedex...I've had experience with both, and both were positive...

Best of luck in sorting this out.

 

My reply to asgor's post was not to give him any advise(to late for that), but to tell others that will read his post and the replies what company to consider. And I truly feel his fustrations..

BTW....wross996TT, I want to mod my 2004 TT Cab just like yours!

 

That sucks! Good luck with those bastards

 

Amidst mixed reviews, I chose DAS for the same trip(CA to VA) for my new DD. Didn't enclose or pay any extra upkeep fees. Gave it to them on a Saturday, received next week Tuesday (9 days).

Could have been faster but the price was right and the car was in great condition.

 

What is your recourse against the broker? Did you have a written agreement? I'd chargeback your payment to the rboker the second the car's wheels touch the ground- iff the breached the agreement...

Also INPSECT AND DOCUMENT your car in great detail. DO NOT accept the car in the dark or in the rain- if necessary, demand delivery where you can bring it inside and clean it for inspection. Inspect every inch, underside too. Once you sign off on the bill of lading, you have zero recourse.

Note every single nick and swirl... no matter if it was there before... just in case.

I used DeMoise Trk-ing... I flew to WI, inspected the car, loaded it on the truck- flew home on a Friday. Tuesday AM the car was in California. It felt like they were my [partner in the process- not a large organization with competing priorities...

GL

A

 

Sorry for your head aches...

For any member that needs a car shipped KPG is your Guy...Nice new truck & knows his stuff....

 

KPG will have my business next time I need a car shipped for sure. If he treats his customers cars anything like his own your car will get there with no problems.

 

These stories are exactly why I drive or fly out and drive my cars home. I have only had to ship one of my cars that I bought. I hired a 1 man show, no broker. Odd friendly sort, but takes his job seriously and always answered his cell when it rang. If I ever have to ship again, my first question will be: "Do you drive the truck?. If the answer is no, click... GL with your ordeal. keep us posted.