1960 Ford Fairlane via Intercity Lines
Jerzy
Submitted this review about
Intercity Lines Inc.
Review made Live: 10/27/2011 7:07:00 AM
This is my description of a very recent - and most positive - experience with having my car delivered to me by Bill & Virginia husband/wife team of Intercity Lines company enclosed car transport service...
This was the first time in over 15 years I've used an inter-state type of a car transport service and after my preliminary research on-line I was quite discouraged and wary, as it seems that there's no company out there with a spotless record and no company can guarantee neither the pick-up date nor a delivery date; not only on specific day basis but even within a particular week's time frame...
Therefore, to maximize my chance of getting a trouble-free and timely service, I've looked at all the major car auction and car show/concourse websites to see which transport companies are being used for such events... I've figured that whichever transport companies the high-buck car owners are using, should be trustworthy enough to use for my own car...
I have purchased a full kustom 1960 Ford Fairlane, done in an early '60s traditional style school, from a well known and respected kustom/hot rod customizer and artist on that scene... Car was modified extensively by professional and skilled team of people and was featured in 3 major U.S. custom/hot rod magazines with a several pages and photos full feature articles...
The paint quality is of very high caliber therefore only a safe, enclosed transport would do.. The car was in mid-southern Kansas and had to be transported to my place in north-eastern part of New Jersey...
Based on my search of the car auction/show sites, I've narrowed my list of possible transport companies down to four and contacted each for a quote, as well as the estimated realistic time of pick up and delivery... All of those companies were at the highest end of this industry and used extensively to transport cars to the top car shows and auctions in U.S. throughout all states - think of the most prestigious car auctions and concours, all four of the firms on that list do extensive business there and are listed as sponsors on websites of these events and/or recommended.... All have state-of-the-art enclosed haulers...
Three out of those four companies gave me a quote between $1,650 and $1,750 but couldn't make a pick-up/delivery date under 2 week's time and possibly longer...
Intercity Lines gave me the lowest price [it was $1,500 and change] plus their projected pick up/delivery date was the fastest...Approximately week and a half from the time I've first contacted them... Additionally, Jay Leno gave them a free plug on his NBC show 'Leno's Garage' as his transport company of choice for many years...
This was a no brainer then: state of the art trailers, highest care used by the drivers, lowest price, shortest shipping time AND good enough for Leno's many priceless vehicles...
Had the forms e-mailed to me, printed out, signed them and faxed them back - boom, took less than a day to complete this part... My credit card wasn't charged until the pick up of my new car, about 4 days later... I called the company a couple of times prior to the actual pick up and was given the news and apologies that the car will be picked slightly later than originally projected due to some customer delaying the hauler [in Texas I believe] but that it should still be done so within the next 2-3 days unless some unforseen circumstances might occur...
It was indeed picked within that modified time frame and within a day or two of the pick up, Bill [the driver of the husband/wife team] called me up and gave me the estimated time of 1 week to the delivery time... I think he also called me up [besides calling the people at the pick up site] a day before making the pick up but even though all this happened only a couple of weeks ago, I've been simultaneously dealing with so much red tape pertaining to the financing and title of this car at the time, I don't recall everything very clearly anymore...
Bill has called me a couple more times from the road to confirm that my car will be delivered on time and indeed it was...In fact, I needed to have the delivery made after 4 pm rather than in early afternoon as initially suggested by Bill, and so I asked him whether he could delay the actual delivery time by a couple of hours and he readily agreed to this...He was precisely on time as agreed...
I live on a street with a very narrow and sharp turn therefore Bill & Virginia's rig [I believe they said it's 83' long total] could very likely get stuck thus he suggested a small mall parking lot, at the side of Staples about 3 blocks from my place and I had no problem with that whatsoever... They actually knew my small town as they've previously delivered some show quality cars here...Yeah, these people get around in America hehehe...
I'm a quadriplegic in a wheelchair therefore I asked my mother to stop by my place and drive me to the pick-up site...
As I need hand controls to drive a car and such obviously weren't yet installed on my new car, I asked my friend to meet me at that parking lot so he could drive the car the short distance to my place... All went according to plan...
My newly purchased car is more stunning when seen in person - as opposed to even the magazine feature professional photos - and was delivered without any damage whatsoever...
All the Intercity Lines rigs have amazing state of the art air suspension and hydraulic system of rams/gate...
I was quite fascinated with some aspects of these rigs and Bill answered my inquiries...These tractors and trailers are VERY expensive...They're also friggin' huge and loooong, have enourmous back-cab facilities including full bed, bath, cooking amenities which enable the driver[s] to stay with the truck at all times rather than park it and check into a motel room for a meal and/or overnight stay... That makes it safer for the cargo of course...
The website of Intercity Lines company is very helpful, comprehensive and easy to navigate... There are photos of all their drivers/driver teams, videos of the actual hauler rigs and examples of how cars are loaded/unloaded, even a clip of Jay Leno plugging the company [as a personal favor to them not as a paid spokesman] is there on the main page...
I was very suspicious and wary about choosing and using a car transport after a comprehensive research on various transport company reviews, and I consider such reviews a very crucial and helpful starting point for everyone who's looking to have their vehicle transported... Hence I feel that it's my duty to contribute mine, as I have relied on others prior to making my choice.... Hopefully, I'll help making others' experience as positive as my was through the submission of mine here...
Bill and Virginia are an extremely nice couple with a sunny disposition and if I'll ever use another transport again there'll be no contest, Intercity Lines all the way... Very happy with the whole experience and highly recommended....
Jerzy S.
