Moved from NYC to Florida, had 2 weeks left because another company left me in the dust. Saw the…read moregood reviews here and USA Auto Transport (their actual main company, same as Brooklyn Auto Shipping here on Yelp) had a fair rate and was able to ship my car for me.
TL:DR;
Terrible driver, absolutely terrible. I was under time constraints and couldn't wait to arrange another driver. Communication and coordination could have been better. The bottom line is they managed to ship the car and the company refunded the $100 tip the driver coerced out of me at the end, saying they will likely not be using the driver anymore.
Long version:
Making an appointment was very easy, Nick was friendly and made sure I was taken care of. I made sure to point out I have a 5" roof rack, but was assured it would be fine. Every point of contact told me the driver will call 1 hour ahead of time.
Day of: pickup was scheduled for morning. I waited until 8pm when the angry driver finally called saying 'Meet me off exit 31 in 15 minutes, I'm four miles away!' No one said anything about driving 10 minutes out to meet him, and having just got in the shower after a day of packing (and waiting for his call), I asked if he couldn't pick up from my street. He just yelled 'I have an eighteen wheeler! Are you going to be at the exit or not?' -- I tell him, 20minutes, he gets mad, '20minutes?! It's 5 minutes from your house! Be there or I'm leaving!'
Fine. I jump out of the shower, call the company and make sure I should go meet him. I get there, this angry small man hops out from the truck, starts yelling at me to take off my roof rack or else he's not responsible for my car. "ANYTHING can happen on the road. So you leave the rack on and I crush your car, not my responsibility okay?" Get in a tiffy, call the company, I agree to take it off and help him tie down the rack under my car. Worth noting the guy had to rev my car up the back of his truck like 6-7 times like he didn't know what he was doing ( even started recording just in case he flew off the truck ).
Shadiest part: Before leaving he says "So you be there to give it something for the road right?" I say, "No you're dropping it off at my car repair shop. They're expecting you." He says "What! So who's going to give it something for the road? The roof rack is extra! I'm going out of my way to ship it for you, ANY thing can happen to it, it can get lost, fall off, stolen, it's a long road--ANY thing!" I ask him if $80 will make him happy. He says, "Make it over a hundred." Fine, I give him $100 so my roof rack gets doesn't "fall off on the road." Tells me he'll get there in 2 days on Friday.
The shop's hours are 10-6 M-F. The company knew this, the driver knew this.
Friday, they tell they're dropping off on Saturday. I talk to dispatch, they tell me "We called and spoke with Chris, he said it's fine and he'll be there."
Saturday, my car gets dropped off.
Monday, I stop by the shop. The owner said the driver called him on Saturday yelling "Be there in 13 minutes! I don't care, I have car. I need to drop it off." Apparently the machine shop next door was kind enough to receive the car. No one knows how my roof rack ended up back on my car, crooked and also pushing out my WRX's frameless windows. Chris said no one from Auto Transport even spoke to him.
Amends: I call USA Auto Transport, tranferred to complaint dpt, super nice guy, John, listens to my story, tells me he'll push to remove the driver, starts the refund for my $100.
2 weeks later: I've been refunded $100, and hopefully that angry little dude isn't revving up anybody else's car for this company anymore.
I give 3 stars but only for John from customer service being super courteous and immediately starting the refund process after I gave my sob story of being robbed by the driver.
Otherwise, I'm not sure how to rate this company. Quick to respond and easy to get ahold of. Fast delivery, indeed. Fair rates. But dispatch who lied about arranging the delivery and a miserable driver who woke up on the wrong side of hell every day.
Hopefully I never have to ship my car again. I need to just buy a house and stop moving.