Used Car Purchase - Ohio to Texas
Douglas A
Submitted this review about
AAAll States Auto Transport
Review made Live: 11/23/2011 2:48:00 PM
Having never shipped an auto before, after finally making a deal on a used convertible for my wife at a dealer in NE Ohio, I was faced with the prospect of either flying one way and driving back two days or shipping. I filled out one of the on-line request for quotes, and that's when things got crazy. From all over the country I got calls, emails, quotes and basically was innundated with salesmen. I detest being hounded in that fashion. I ended up narrowing my options to two who replied - each about similarly priced (Aall States @ $650, the other @ $750). The thing that impressed me most about Aall States was the information provided - about the auto shipping industry in general and the way things worked in particular. EVERYBODY you hear from are brokers, just arranging trucks and drivers. The information was straight forward and, so far as I could tell, honest. Also they tell you that they take your cc information for the deposit (actually their fee) but do not charge until the car is on the truck, and everything held true. I got an email from Rik with the contract, provided my cc information for his deposit, and electronically signed the contract; That was a Thursday; I guessed to Rik that the vehicle would be ready by the weekend, but because of delay in exchanging papers with the dealer seller, the ready day for pickup had to be postponed until the following Monday. Rik immediately altered the posting on the national board and told me someone would be in touch. Indeed, the dispatcher phoned me around noon on Monday indicating a truck had taken the haul and would be at the dealer later on Monday afternoon. The salesman emailed to confirmed the car had been loaded around 5:00 pm Monday. I guess the only minor complaint I had was that from Monday afternoon until Friday late afternoon I heard nothing further from anyone - neither dispatcher, trucker nor Rik. Wasn't worried really but wondering what was going on. I had not even been provided the driver's contact number. Driver phoned Friday afternoon, targeting Saturday morning around 10:00 am. But because he ran into problems with a drop that morning south of me, I had to wait until mid afternoon around 3:00 to have the car unloaded. But there it was in fine shape and except for road grime picked up over the course of 1300 miles and five days, in great condition. I paid the trucker his cash fee and sighed relief. One thing everyone needs to understand is that once the broker does their part and a truck line and driver "take" the deal, the broker has nothing further to do with the transport - it becomes a matter of the reliablity and integrity of the truck line to perform and complete the transaction. In this instance the truck line was On-Line Auto Carriers out of Warren OH and, except for the non-communication and short delay on delivery day, I was fully satisfied. Certainly, if the need should ever arise again, I would unquestionably use Aall States - their fee quote was in the lower range of numbers quoted and the service and performance I received turned out to be a fair bargain. Call me a satisfied "newbie" shipper.
