Broken Promises, Last-Minute Problems and Unexpected Charges…read more
I had an extremely disappointing experience with Coastal Car Transport Inc., specifically with Henry Hartounian, who handled our booking. I strongly caution anyone considering using this company.
We had previously used this broker to ship my car from Los Angeles to Miami. Because of that relationship, we decided to work with Henry again to ship the same car from Miami to San Francisco, even though we could have booked directly with a carrier.
We contacted Henry in July for an October shipment, giving him approximately three months to arrange transportation. On July 10, Henry quoted us $2,600 in writing (you can find the email in the screenshot). We subsequently paid two deposits totaling $1,200 ($400 initially, followed by another $800).
Unfortunately, almost everything that followed was problematic.
1. Failure to arrange transportation in advance: Despite having approximately three months to secure a carrier, Henry did not finalize transportation until the scheduled shipping date, creating unnecessary stress and uncertainty.
2. Attempt to substitute an open carrier: We had specifically booked and paid for enclosed transportation. However, Henry attempted to arrange an open carrier instead and tried to convince me to accept it. I refused because that was not what we had agreed to. He eventually arranged an enclosed carrier, but only after I insisted.
3. Unexpected $200 charge upon delivery: This was the most unacceptable part. When my car arrived in San Francisco, the carrier demanded $1,600 instead of the agreed remaining balance of $1,400. The carrier explained that Henry had promised them $1,600.
When I contacted Henry, he denied having quoted $2,600 and insisted the price was $2,800. This directly contradicted his July 10 email explicitly quoting $2,600 (see screenshot from his written confirmation). He then told me that unless I paid the additional $200, I would not receive my car.
With my vehicle already delivered, I had little practical choice but to pay.
Here is the final financial breakdown:
$1,200 paid to Coastal Car Transport (the broker)
$1,600 paid to the actual transportation company
$2,800 total paid, despite Henry's original written quote of $2,600
In other words, Coastal Car Transport received $1,200, while the company that actually transported my vehicle received $1,600. We ended up paying $200 more than the quoted price.
To be clear, the actual transportation company did an excellent job. My complaint is entirely about Coastal Car Transport and Henry's handling of the booking, pricing and communication.
I have retained the email correspondence documenting the original quote, deposit payments and subsequent pricing dispute. I am attaching a screenshot of Henry's July 10 email confirming the $2,600 quote so prospective customers can see the written evidence themselves.
What is particularly concerning is that other reviewers have described similar problems with Henry and Coastal Car Transport. Based on those reviews, our experience does not appear to be an isolated incident. Other customers have also reported problems, and we experienced similar issues firsthand.
We will file formal complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). I encourage anyone who has experienced similar problems to document their experience and consider filing complaints with these organizations as well. Customers should not have to deal with unexpected price increases, last-minute changes or pressure to pay more than originally agreed.
These practices need to stop.
We were returning customers who trusted Henry, yet we experienced last-minute arrangements, an attempted downgrade in transportation service and an unexpected price increase when the car was already at its destination.
I would never use Coastal Car Transport again. I strongly recommend choosing another broker that honors its written quotes and treats customers with transparency and professionalism.
