VEHICLE DAMAGED! - THREATENED WITH BODILY HARM! - A *TOTAL* HOAX! - LEGAL ACTION REQUIRED!
Ken Walters
Submitted this review about
Absolute Auto Carriers
Review made Live: 2/17/2009 3:04:00 PM
This company contracted with Michael W. Berg (DBA: On-Time Transport) to pick up the vehicle in California that I had purchased online, and deliver it to Idaho.
Michael W. Berg ran it off the loading ramp while trying to load it, which seriously damaged the front bumper, signal light, and frame extension that the bumper mounts to.
I believe the front end alignment was also altered, as a result of this damage, as the steering wheel now sits off center, and the vehicle pulls to the left.
When Michael W. Berg delivered the car he told me he would refund $150.00 of the $400.00 he was to be paid, as full payment for the damage, WHICH IS *NOT* THE METHOD FOR DAMAGE RESOLUTION, AS STATED ON THE WEBSITE OF ABSOLUTE AUTO CARRIERS, WHICH READS (in part): "INSURANCE Your car is fully insured, during the overland transportation, in case of a transport damage as per carriers / truckers liability and cargo insurance. [...] You will be required to obtain 2 estimates for the damage and submit to Absolute Auto Carriers......"
IT SAYS *NOTHING* ABOUT A CASH SETTLEMENT BEING REQUIRED, ON THE SPOT, FOR DAMAGE INFLICTED!
I told Mr. Berg that I thought $150.00 was grossly insufficient for repairing what damage was done, when Mr. Berg WENT BALLISTIC, GOT 4" FROM MY FACE, YELLED AT ME, AND THREATENED TO HIT ME!!!
He then told me (in no uncertain terms) that I "GOT SCREWED ON THIS PIECE OF CRAP" AND THAT $150.00 WAS MORE THAN ENOUGHT TO FIX IT."
When I told Mr. Berg that $150.00 probably wouldn't even cover the parts, HE AGAIN FLEW INTO A MAD FIT OF RAGE - AND THREATEND A SECOND TIME TO HIT ME!!!!
HE THEN REINSTALLED THE CHAINS THAT SECURED THE VEHICLE TO HIS TRAILER!!!
>>>THIS MAN HAS A VERY VIOLENT STREAK, AND IF HE IS NOT TOTALLY MENTALLY IMBALANCED, HE MOST CERTAINLY GIVES THAT IMPRESSION!!!<<<
I told Mr. Berg that I was not an auto body repairman, but I had a few friends who were and I had been around the industry for most of my life, and that I thought the damage might more correctly run into the neighborhood of $500 to $800, or maybe even more, and that I did not think he was any authority on making body repair estimates.
HE FLEW INTO ANOTHER RAGE, JUMPED OVER THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER, AND LANDED SQUARELY IN MY FACE AGAIN, AND WAS WINDING UP HIS RIGHT (TIGHTLY CLENCHED) FIST, TO HIT ME WITH, WHEN HE SAID: "I looked in the Kelley Blue Book and this piece of s**t is only worth $800.00, if that much."
To which, I told Mr. Berg to go right ahead and hit me, and that if he did, I would own his truck!
(I am 62 and disabled - Mr. Berg is several years younger)
Mr. Berg obviously has no idea that the real value of a vehicle is established in relation to what price they are actually bringing in the market, despite what is stated in the Kelley Blue Book or other reference publications, and that it is common to see these vehicles (an '87 Suzuki Samural - which is a 4WD mini-Jeep SUV) sell for $3,000 to $5,000, and as much as $9,500 on eBay Motors!
So, his impression that this was "a worthless piece of s**t" was ENTIRELY INCORRECT.
(Later on, I got two estimates from well established body shops (that I had no influence over, whatsoever, being my first contact with both of them); one estimate was $716.27; the other was $854.53.
It turns out that I was a LOT closer in my "guesstimate", than was Mr. Berg's.)
DURING MR. BERG'S INFURIATED TIRADE, HE TOLD ME THAT IF I DID NOT ACCEPT HIS OFFER OF $150.00 FOR DAMAGE SETTLEMENT, THAT HE WOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A STORAGE/IMPOUND FACILITY, AND THAT DAILY STORAGE FEES WOULD THEN INCUR, UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT I *WOULD* AGREE TO HIS (UNACCEPTABLY LOW) OFFER!
So, I begrudgingly accepted $175.00 (I got him to add a paltry $25.00 to his original offer, though risking physical assault - AGAIN! - to do so) and signed the Bill Of Lading, in order to avoid extra charges that would have to be paid before I could take delivery of DAMAGED my vehicle.
I will try to make short, an already too-long report, by saying that Christopher originally gave the impression that he "was there to help" with this unfortunate (and TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE) incident, but in actuallity he was simply stringing me along, with no appreciable results.
I was given the name and phone number of Mr. Berg's insurance company and a contact person, and was told that I could talk directly to them, to expedite matters.
Which turned out to be A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME!
She told me that she would "look into the matter and get back to me" (an over-used stall tactic, by ALL of these folks).
After a few days, I called her back, only to find out that "unless the insured (Michael W. Berg, DBA On-Time Transport) agreed that a claim was valid, the company could NOT honor such claim."
- - - ****WHAT???!!!!**** - - - Well, ISN'T THAT HANDY! (and UNBELIEVABLE!)
I then asked her if the driver (Michael W. Berg) had totalled out a $100,000 Ferrari while transporting it, he could simply deny that it was his fault, or that it ever happened, and that no insurance claim would ever be filed?
To which she answered: "Well, the insured is the one who pays our premiums, so, yes, we kinda have to be bound by what he says." - ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY, UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! - AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!!!
Today, when I talked to Christopher, I was told (in short) that he "had already done all that he could do in the matter", and that I "should try to work it out between the insurance company and Mr. Berg" (WHICH TOTALLY UNWORKABLE! - AND HE KNOWS IT, VERY WELL!).
When I told Christopher that when I filed a lawsuit against Mr. Berg and his insurance company that he (Absolute Auto Carriers, Inc.) would also be named in the suit (since my contract is with Absolute Auto Carriers, not Mr. Berg), he then went off about how he had done everything for me that was possible (faxed the damage estimates to the insurance company, is about it), and that now I was going to sue him as well, to "just go right ahead, and leave negative feedback, too) - so that is exactly where we are at, at this moment - - *NO HELP* from Absolute Auto Carriers, Inc!
I will try to provide updates as they become available, if possible (and if I don't get physically attacked by a VIOLENT, HAIR-TRIGGER, UNRESTRAINED JERK, before then!).
BEWARE!!!!
