Nice job overall.
Howard B
Submitted this review about
A 2 B Moving Systems
Review made Live: 3/8/2005 3:08:00 AM
When I looked into moving my Saab from Chicago to LA at the end of Feb 2005, I must have gotten quotes from about 20 companies. They fell into 3 groups - high end, about $1100-1300, middle from $750-$900. The lowest bid by $150 was A2B. This is not the only reason, or even the top reason I chose A2B, but it certainly recommends them.
In order to ship my car, I had to drive 1+ hours from Chcago to a shipping facility near Joliet on a Thursday morning. It was not hard to find, and the people there were very helpful. They inspected my car, wrote down its condition carefully, and had me sign some forms. I was done in about 40 minutes. I took a cab to the Joliet train station for about $30, and waited about 45 minutes for the next train for the hour+ ride back to Chicago.
My car was shipped by enclosed rail car on a train the next day. I was able to track the shipment A2B's website as the train took a Route 66-like course. It looked like it would arrive in San Bernardino on Friday, 1 week later, but it was delayed through Arizona, and my car was unloaded by Monday (pickup is not available on weekends). On Monday morning, 11 days after drop off, I took a 1 hour train from LA's Union Station to San Bernardino, walked a little less than a mile of pedestrian-unfriendly terrain, and found the pickup location. The people there were less helpful, told me someone would get the car, and then I leaned against someone's desk for about 20 minutes waiting for who knows to get my car. We reinspected the car, and there may have been some minor paint chips, but otherwise the car was as left. There were 2 more miles on the odometer. The car was covered with dust, which he said was probably from the ride in the less than air-tight boxcar. I was discouraged to find a CD that was not mine on the passenger side floor. Don't know what that meant.
I never had to shell out cash, and the $598 was charged to my credit card. I then drove the 50 miles back to LA.
So, here's a summary of my experience with A2B:
Pluses:
1. I knew when the car was going to be shipped.
2. Accurate tracking information
3. As it was shipped by train, I avoided the risk of a single driver and the many things that could happen to one person.
4. Trains are not as predictable as I thought, but they are unlikey to have an accident or be delayed more than a day or two.
5. 11 day shipment is likely reliable.
6. Car was shipped enclosed, so no road pepples dented the finish.
7. Substantially lower price than any other shipping.
8. I got my car!
Minuses:
1. Took me the better part of 2 days to drop off and pick up.
2. Car was dirty on pick-up, but that's what car washes are for.
Based on this experience, I would ship again with A2B and would recommend you do the same if can afford the drop off and pickup. A2B will also arrange trucks to do the same, but then you are back in a higher price range.
