Series of Unfortuate Events

[Hart_Rod]

I am just finishing up an ordeal with a transporter that damaged my 1969 Suburban. I purchased this vehicle from a gentleman in Northern Cali (I’m located in Pensacola, FL). It took over a month to get somebody to ship it. Most of the stuff you find on the web are actually brokers who try to connect you with transporters. Some guarantee you “quick� service but there was nothing quick about it. The way they (brokers) work they will give you a low quote and then you have to wait until a transporter agrees the amount minus a commission. Anyway, the company we dealt with said they would do it for $890 and after about a month they finally told us that the vehicle was located to far from an interstate (it was in a smaller town about 80 miles from RENO, NV and I70). So they “suggested� we raise the price to $1200. Guess what, a transporter (Grizzly Auto Sales: David Pierce owner/operator) jumped on it the next day. He also said that the vehicle needed to be brought to Reno, which the seller agreed to do. In Laffeyette, LA (about 350 miles from my house, the transporter blew the engine in his semi. He called and told me (and the owners of the other 8 vehicles he was hauling) that he didn’t know how long it would take to fix his rig or get a new one. I said no problem just keep me informed on what was going on. After about 10 days he finally had a new truck and started on my way. He was supposed to arrive around 5:30 PM, but some problems along the way caused him to be late. He asked me if there was a parking lot that he could get his truck into and I suggested a bowling alley that was close to the interstate. He told me he would call when he got there. Around 10:30 PM, he called and said that the parking lot was full and he couldn’t get his truck in there and told me to meet him at the on ramp of the interstate to which I agreed. I was starting to feel bad for the guy, since he had so many problems, so my wife and myself made him some dinner and took it with us. About this time it started to rain (pour is a better description). When we arrived (now around 11:30 PM) at the pickup point, it hadn’t slowed down. The suburban was unloaded behind the semi. As I was walking up on the passenger side of the Burb, he got out of his truck and walked to meet me. We shook hands and he suggested getting in the suburban to fill out the paperwork. I started to walk around to the driver’s side of the burb, but he said that the door was “sticking� and that I should get in on the passengers side. I did this and filled out the bill of laden (without really reading it). I gave him the food that we had brought and he thanked me for being so understanding since some of the other owners had not. He then left and continued his trip to Miami. When I got home, I tried to open drivers door but it was jammed. When I finally got it open, the bottom of the door was about an 1 ½ inches below the rocker. I started looking at it and you could plainly see that the bottom of the door and been hung on something shoving it forward (see pics). It was so bad that it separated the door skin from the inner door frame. At this point I was very aggravated that the transporter hadn’t said anything, but it was 1 AM at this point, so I decided to wait until the next morning to call the transporter. He didn’t answer my first call, but finally answered my second one. He stated that he thought he had hit something when he was backing it off of the trailer, because it slid off of the ramp (I figured out later that he knew what he had done because you could see damage in the door jam that was caused by someone using a pry bar on the bottom of the door). He said he would take a look at the damage when he came back through my area in a couple of days. When he finally called, he said that he would be coming through my area at 2 AM so he wouldn’t be able to meet me. He told me to get some estimates/pictures and mail them to his business. I sent the stuff to him. Waited a week and know response. I called and left messages. When I finally got in touch with him, he said he would call back. He didn’t. So I filed against his insurance. When they called him, of course he denied it. Well two months later here I am, his insurance won’t pay because I signed the bill of lading and he denied doing it. My insurance is going to cover everything but my deductible. They can’t go after him because I signed the paper. Bottom line, I guess I really have no one to blame but myself. I was stupid, naïve, gullible, easy and did I say stupid. I hope this will prevent others from having to go through a similar ordeal. I did file a complaint with the Nevada BBB for what that's worth. Summarized are the following lessons learned:

#1. Do your research, find a reputable transporting company.
#2. When you search the internet for a transporter, find out if you are dealing with a transport company or a broker. Cut out the middle man, go straight to a company.
#3. Beware of owner operators. I caveat this with, I'm sure their are a lot of small guys out there who do a great job, but if you get a bad one, you have little recourse.
#4. The transporter only covers your vehicle with cargo insurance, and the rules and regulations are different than auto insurance. They are only required to cover damage above the transporters deductible. Even if the insurance company pays their part, the transporter could refuse to pay its deductible.
#5. If someone is handling the shipping on the other end (seller), make sure you read all the paperwork prior to them signing it, because bottom line you will probably have to be the one who deals with any problems encountered in shipping.
#6. Make the seller take photographs and video tape the vehicle with the transporter present when the vehicle is being picked up. This will protect you and them!
#7. Never, never, never accept a vehicle in the rain or at night! They may tell you have to pick it up, but you don't. I was told by the insurance adjuster this is one of the oldest tricks in the book (I forgot to read that book!).
#8. If there is damage, DO NOT agree to let them take care of the damage themselves. The best thing you can do is note the damage on the shipping bill of laden and then file a claim with your insurance (you pay them to look out for you). Most insurance companies provide 30 days of automatic coverage for newly acquired vehicles up to the amount you have on currently owned autos (verify this with your insurance company). If you don't want to file with your insurance, at a minimum, file through theirs, but refer to #4.
#9. Never break rule #7!
#10. If you can go get it yourself, go get it!
#11. Did I mention never break rule #7?!!

Sorry for being so long.

Rob

[Green Machine]

Rob, that really sucks man, the world seems to be full of incompetent people these days, I have a very hard time letting anyone do anything for me anymore, I work on darn near everthingmyself that I own, house car, and truck(s).
Have you heard of Dick and Daryl, you know, the Lick brothers? Seems to be a lot of em around here.
Still thinkin about those wheels, maybe we should PM

[krue]

Dude that sux. You ought to post this in the FAQ section. Good tips here.

[Longhorn Man]

sucks is an understatement.

[tnblazerk5]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

sucks is an understatement.

you got that rite

[unixadm]

I know just how this situation feels. The bottom line is, you get what you pay for in auto transports. I will only use Passport Transport from this point forward. They use modern rigs, have great drivers and are just a top notch company. However you have to pay to know your car is being transported the way it should be.

I had a 95 Maxima shipped from Denver, Co to Sacramento, CA. The transporter was delayed, late, used the truck problem excuse, etc. It finally showed up about a week late. He dropped the car off in the suicide lane on a 4 lane road (busy road). So after dodging cars, I gave the car a quick look over and signed the paperwork. When I got home I noticed the windshield had a big crack in it. Long story short, the dealer I bought the car from pressured the transporter into replacing my windshield. So overall, it cost me about $300 to ship a car a fair distance, which is really dirt cheap. Plus I got a new windshield out of the deal. I just got lucky - for any car of real value, I'd never risk it.

[Mongo]

Sorry to here your rig got damaged, but lets see the rest of her.
looking at the pics was a lot like looking at a 50's play boy; just enough to get you interested, but cant really see anything.

[clay68c10]

Ouch!
I definitely agree about checking over everything before you sign to receive ANYTHING shipped by truck. We had a guy at work that got hosed, the new kid in parts/shipping dept signed for his dropped and squished Snapon toolbox without noting any damage. The shipper could not be held liable, the shop had to eat it.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Bummer.
Remember Rule #12: "don't feed the gremlins after midnite."
I recall when you could have a hell of a roadtrip for $1200. Fly there, pick up the rig and drive it home. But that presupposes the engine and running systems are in as good shape as you yourself would've kept it.

[Yukon Jack]

Thanks for posting your experience and tips.

[special-K]

Too many people hide behind a piece of paper with no reguard for "actual "accountability,"this paper says I don`t have to."I guess I`m a little old fashioned,because I know there was a time before lawyers ruled the world,there was no paper,and a man was a man.I always "flash-back" to that as I jack the muther-up!Or at least inform them,that`s how this "caveman" will handle it if they don`t own-up.In many ways Barbarians were more civil than the Hushpuppy wearin`Pencil Pushers of this modern age.It hasn`t had to happen yet,but I`ll take an assault charge before I`ll let a piece of paper whip me.It`s a matter of principle,even if you still get screwed.I`d have no problem explaining to a Judge my view on "actual" justice.It goes back to before written law!

[teeitup]

Thanks for the tips, sorry you had a bad ordeal, that really sucks. I've heard some other horror stories about shipping. Hotfun, had his 4x4 damamged and since he didn't sign up for extra insurance the shipper said they weren't responsible, he used DAS shippers.

[chickenwing]

I feel bad for ya. That guy is a real piece of work. Karma. You treated him so good, you even cooked him dinner!! ...and he poops in your Cheerios. I sincerely believe he will get his. To bad you probably won't get the satisfaction of witnessing it when he does. Hope the repair goes cheaply, smoothly and perfect.

[64fleetside]

All because someone was too stupid to shut the door when reversing, sorry for you. Brian

[Maximum Overdrive]

Take him to small claims court. You may lose the case but he will have to spend money to drag his butt to your location to defend against it since he cannot use a lawyer. You might get lucky and win the case or have him default by not showing up.

[dtlilly]

That really sux what he did to your ride, then not being a man and owning up to it. I agree with MO, file a small claim case (might cost a few bucks to have the paper served since he's on the road), but he might pay the claim since it will cost him more to fight it.

[70 shorty]

My buddies dad bought a 68 Z/28 off dealer half way across the country after looking at video the dealer sent. The car was exactly as the dealer desribed, but what I wish I could remember was the transport co. that brought it to him. The driver was apologetic because it was snowing like crazy when the loaded the car in the enclosed trailer, so he was trying to clean it up as they were unloading it. My buddies dad even wrote a letter to the dealer and transport co. thanking them. So there are some good ones out there.