last minute price increase

Extremely Unhappy Customer Submitted this review about Car Delivery USA Inc.
Review made Live: 10/9/2015 2:36:00 PM
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY'S SERVICE.
DO NOT GIVE THIS COMPANY ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS.
THEY ARE DISHONEST AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS AT ALL.
THEY ARE NOT PROFESSIONAL WHEN DEALING WITH PEOPLE.
DO NOT TRUST THEM WITH YOUR CAR.

It was my first time trying to ship my car and I feel completely taken advantage of. This company was not professional or honest, they were borderline deceitful with the way they handle business. I'm just trying to save someone else from going through what I went through.

Abridged version of the story: Representative and I agreed to a price. She assured me it would not increase. CALLED ME LAST MINUTE ON THE DAY-OF AND TOLD ME THE PRICE INCREASED. Put me on the spot and in a vulnerable situation. And did not get my deposit back after canceling.

I was trying to ship my car from Boston to LA. I shopped around for quotes and what drew me to car delivery USA was that they gave me the lowest quote of all the companies I talked to. BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

I talked to Sierra, the Car delivery USA representative, many times over the course of a month and I asked her specifically about these bad reviews claiming that the price was raised at the last minute. I was very hesitant and cautious but she assured me MULTIPLE TIMES on MULTIPLE OCCASIONS that the quoted price of $1,150 (broker's fee $290) WOULD NOT CHANGE.

And she said if the driver did end up raising his price then SHE WOULD REDUCE THE BROKER'S FEE so that I would absolutely only pay $1,150 when all was said and done. BUT SHE DID NOT DO THIS.

I was leaving the country for a week and needed my car shipped soon after I returned. Because I was coming back on a long weekend and there was a short time frame that I needed this done between, I called her before I left the country to put down my deposit to assure that everything was all set and would go smoothly when I came back. She took my deposit and assured me, again, that the price would be $1,150.

She said she would email me while I was away to keep my informed on the process and let me know all the driver's information and pick up date. I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE WHILE I WAS AWAY. SHE TOLD ME NOTHING. I got back to the country and emailed her -no response. I called her and left a message -no response. I called her again and left another message. I knew this would happen since I came back on a long weekend but she did not contact me in anyway to let me know what was going on.

She called me THE DAY I NEEDED IT PICKED UP to tell me they would get it later that day and THE PRICE HAD GONE UP and the driver was asking for $1,050; an increase of $200. To go from $1,150 total ($290 broker's fee + $860 driver's fee) to $1,350. I asked her what happened to the price we agreed on and what happened to lowering her broker's fee to accommodate the price and she said because it was a long weekend things got hectic and last minute and this was the driver's price and she no control over it.

So after days of trying to reach them and trying to make sure my car is going to make it to its destination, feeling anxious as it is about all the logistics of moving and being in a vulnerable position since this is the day I wanted my car shipped, she returns my call to tell me that THE PRICE IS HIGHER AND THERE'S NOTHING SHE CAN DO. After being very nonchalant and unapologetic about the price increase she asked me if I wanted to continue. Feeling anxious and put on the spot, I hesitated and said "sure" and hung up. After realizing what just happened I called her back to cancel and demanded my deposit back. She said to hold on and that she was going to transfer me to someone and then got directed to a voice mail. I hung up and called her direct line back to get her voicemail again. I DID THIS 3 TIMES AND SHE DID NOT PICK UP MY CALL RIGHT AFTER WE HAD JUST FINISHED TALKING.

I finally got a hold of someone and told them I wanted to cancel and to get my deposit back and that they didn't handle things like they said they would. In the time it took me to call Sierra, immediately get her voicemail 3 times and finally get a hold of someone she had assigned a driver. This new person I talked to at Car Delivery USA canceled the services and he tried to renegotiate and "split the difference" by "paying" half of the $200 increase. I refused and said they will not be picking up my car today, my car will not be using their services and I want my $290 (+ an $8.99 transaction fee) back since I am not using any of their services. BUT THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME MY DEPOSIT BACK.

The guy explained that they are at the mercy of the driver's rate and it's up to the drivers to give the price etc. etc. But none of this was expressed to me during any of the multiple times I talked to Sierra. She never once told me that the price she gave me was so variable and unpredictable. I was told that my quote was concrete and she would go through the necessary steps to make sure I paid the price I wanted. She appeared to be very accommodating and understanding.

SHE TOLD ME ONE PRICE. ASSURED ME THE PRICE WOULD NOT CHANGE. BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE, ON THE DAY I WANTED IT SHIPPED THEY INCREASED THE PRICE. THEY ARE NOT SHIPPING MY CAR FOR THE PRICE WE AGREED. SIERRA DID NOT REDUCE HER BROKER'S FEE LIKE SHE SAID SHE WOULD. THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING THEY SAID THEY WOULD IN TERMS OF BEING IN CONTACT WITH ME AND KEEPING ME INFORMED. THEY ARE NOT SHIPPING MY CAR BUT THEY ARE KEEPING MY MONEY.

I want to make sure no one else goes through what I had to go through. I know shipping your car can be a very stressful endeavor. Do yourself a favor and don't give yourself the extra headache of trying to work with these people. They appear to be courteous and kind in the beginning but they will lead you on and take your money with no remorse. Don't be fooled by all their talk and reassurance. I fell for it and in the end they raised the price and I'm picking a different company to ship my car.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.