"Beware of AutoStar Transport Express: A Disappointing Car Shipping Experience with Damages, Poor Communication"

Raghu V Submitted this review about AutoStar Transport Express
Review made Live: 8/5/2024 3:41:00 PM
I recently used AutoStar Transport Express to ship my car from NY to TX, and it was a very disappointing experience. Initially, the sales representative, Demitri, offered a seemingly great deal and promised delivery within 3-4 days. However, the reality was far from what was promised. The company assigned inexperienced drivers and unreliable trucking companies, which led to significant damage to my vehicle. When my car finally arrived, it had several dents and damaged parts. The car was left in a PA lot during transport, where someone attempted to break into it. The trucking company tried to hide this by doing a poor dent repair job on the driver’s side pillar and left all damages on the passenger side untouched. Despite having insurance coverage, the resolution process was a nightmare. Communication throughout the ordeal was poor and I received false updates about the delivery. At one point, I was asked to pay an additional $500 by the trucking company Aslam LLC ( +1-717-703-9787) - Mukhammadsoil Yuldashev, and AutoStar Transport was unavailable after 5 PM EST on Saturday, 06/08/2024. The initial delivery date was 06/09/2024, but the trucking company driver called me on 06/08/2024, threatening to leave my car in the PA lot if I did not pay the extra fee due to items in my car. Feeling pressured, I paid the extra fee to ensure my car's delivery which was delivered on 06/12/2024 after 3 days of intial delivery. Once the case was assigned to the trucking company's insurance, Great American Insurance Group (Luc Nguyen, 513-412-9896), the process became even more frustrating. They assessed $9059 worth of damages. Although initially helpful, they clearly aligned with the trucking company, Aslam LLC, and its drivers. AutoStar's terms and conditions seemed to absolve them of any responsibility. Even after noting the damage on the bill of lading, the claims process was lengthy and frustrating. Despite submitting ample proof, including messages, calls, photos, and videos, they suggested using my own insurance for the damages. The bill of lading lacked proper documentation, making it easier for them to deny responsibility. Overall, my experience with AutoStar Transport Express was extremely disappointing. I would not recommend their services due to poor communication, unreliable partners, and the hassle involved in resolving issues. Beware of AutoStar Transport Express, Aslam LLC, and Great American Insurance Group, as they do not stand behind their promises or support their customers. I would like to thank Monica from AutoStar Transport Express customer support, who helped me reach the trucking company's insurance. However, AutoStar's promise of insurance coverage is meaningless unless the trucking company and their insurance accept the claim, as AutoStar clearly states they are not responsible for any damages. If you give them a 1-star review, they start calling and accusing you of doing it for charging you extra. It’s absurd to think anyone would damage their own vehicle for a mere $400. Before you proceed with shipping your car using this company, I strongly advise you to read the 1-star reviews. Many customers have reported similar issues, where they ended up paying out of pocket for damages caused by the trucking companies and Autostar Transport Express. It appears to be a shady business where both the trucking companies and brokers, like Autostar, profit at the expense of their customers.

Company Response
Mike Cannon from AutoStar Transport Express Submitted this response.
Response Date: 8/6/2024 4:56:00 PM
Thank you Raghu for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent experience with AutoStar Transport Express. We are genuinely sorry to hear about the difficulties you faced during the shipping of your vehicle from NY to TX. Your experience is not reflective of the high standards we strive to uphold. Firstly, we apologize for the discrepancies between the initial delivery estimate and the actual delivery timeline. There are absolutely no guarantees regarding pickup or delivery times and dates since any shipment, regardless of the type of trucking, may be delayed due to adverse weather or road conditions, illness, mechanical breakdown of trucks, supply and demand for trucks and drivers, and hours of operation, etc. We understand how important timely delivery is, and we are sorry that the carrier did not meet your expectations in this regard. Regarding the issues with the condition of your vehicle upon arrival, we are truly sorry for the damage that occurred. We take the integrity of the vehicles we transport very seriously, and it’s concerning to hear about the damage and the attempted break-in. We understand that the resolution process was frustrating, and we are sorry to hear about the poor communication and additional fees you encountered. We are committed to ensuring a smooth claims process for our customers, and it seems that we fell short in this case. We will review our communication procedures to ensure that our customers receive timely and accurate updates moving forward. We are glad to hear that Monica from our customer support team was able to assist you in reaching out to the trucking company’s insurance. However, we regret that the resolution was not as swift or satisfactory as it could have been. We will work on improving our collaboration with our partners to provide a more seamless and supportive experience for our customers. Thank you for bringing these issues to our attention. We value your feedback as it helps us identify areas for improvement. We are committed to addressing these concerns and enhancing our services to better serve our customers in the future. Best wishes.