Don't waste your money on this broker
Stephen
Submitted this review about
Auto Transport 123
Review made Live: 2/3/2016 8:55:00 PM
I recently hired Auto Transport 123 to transport my daughter's car from Massachusetts to Los Angeles. Seeking a broker was an eye-opening experience for me to a business that I did not even realize existed to the extent that it does. I signed a contract with Auto Transport 123, specifically with Tara as my "personal contact", and based on what she sold me - 1) a guaranteed price (though they were the highest of the 8 bids I received) 2) a one-truck, one-driver transport and 3) her word that she would be my personal contact during the entire transport process, from pick-up through delivery. Well, her price to me was guaranteed, though her share of the total increased within hours of contract signing. At this point, as far as I can tell from piecing this transport together the best I can, my car was in the hands of 3 drivers, 3 trucks and a TRAIN. The short story is that Tara stated that my daughter's car would take approximately 7-10 days to be moved BY TRUCK to California. It was only at pick-up that the first truck driver explained that it was first going to a rail station in NJ to be loaded onto a train as this is the only way that this particular company transports. I have nothing against train transport- I do, however, have a problem with paying for a service and not being given straight answers. The last contact I had with Tara was on the morning after my car was picked up and I called her with the hope that she could explain exactly the method of transport. At that time, Tara insisted that I was misinformed and explained that she "would never transport my car by rail" because she "would never transport her own car by rail." I am not sure what Tara has against train transport, but she sure did send up red flags that morning! Without going into detail regarding her rationale of why truck was better than train, Tara promised to get answers for me as to the whereabouts of my car, all while insisting that my car was on a truck. I never did get answers from Tara since I have to believe that she now realized my car was indeed on a train and there wasn't a thing she could do about it, except ignore me. Feeling frustrated and not getting honest answers as to the whereabouts of my car from Tara, I began calling the transport dispatcher directly (CFR Autodirect), and on day 2 after pick-up, I was told that, yes, my car was on a TRAIN to California. For the next 10 days, I called the CFR dispatchers in Miami, New Jersey and Los Angeles, and each time my call was answered and my questions and concerns addressed by very polite and helpful employees. Through a simple phone call each day, I was apparently able to do a better and more efficient job than Tara (my paid broker!) at tracking my car on a TRAIN. My daughter's car was delivered to her door and everyone is happy. My complaints with Auto Transport 123 and Tara as my broker are 1) What exactly did they do to earn their $275? NOTHING! I expected more. As the single highest bidder of this transport, I expected something and got nothing- and 2) How is it that EVERYONE, from the pick-up driver to the dispatchers, knew my car was being transported by train EXCEPT Auto Transport 123 and Tara, the very people I hired as my BROKER! Let me close by saying, under no circumstances would I use Auto Transport 123 again - I would have been equally served by the lowest bidder in this process considering the service I got, the frustration I endured and the effort I had to put in to track my car down. I would, however, go directly to CFR Autodirect at 1-877-779-7950 and hire them again for a future transport. They were courteous, helpful, honest and delivered my daughter's car on time.
