Review Report Review
On time and overall not bad

Frank Luke Submitted this review about Auto Central Direct
Review made Live: 11/15/2010 11:13:00 PM
I have never shipped a car before so needless to say I was greatly surprised – and after some time no longer amused – by the number of quotes I received after requesting a cost estimate. A never ending avalanche of offers quickly overwhelmed and buried me, and it simply wouldn’t stop. Decision time: Do I go with the lowest offer or one of the higher ones? I ended up talking with two or three brokers/ company representatives and eventually came across some information from Gene Fulmer on behalf of Auto Central Direct. He appeared knowledgeable and was not as pushy as some of the other individuals I had spoken to. I liked that, plus his approach to pricing (start with a low bid for the driver, then gradually increase the amount until you find someone who is willing to work with you) made good sense to me. It was not entirely smooth sailing though. After a few days I asked Gene to increase the amount I was willing to pay for the transport from $ 360 to $ 450. A day later I was informed that there was a driver available, but he wanted $ 500. That in addition to Gene’s fee of course, which was another $ 99 (supposedly the lowest in the industry, which very well might be). So now all of a sudden we had gone from $ 360 to $ 600? I don’t think so! After sharing my frustration with Gene, we agreed that we obviously had had a misunderstanding: When I asked to increase the amount to $ 450 he had assumed I had referred to the driver’s fee, whereas I had meant the TOTAL amount = as in including his commission. To his credit, after a phone conversation and a few emails going back and forth, Gene agreed to cut his commission from $ 99 to $ 49 to make the numbers work for me. However, we were never able to reach that particular driver again. Things worked out in the end nonetheless: Another driver/company offered to transport the car for $ 455 a day later. The total fee for shipping my 280 SE from Seattle to LA now came to $ 505. More than I had initially hoped for, but still a decent enough deal compared to the many other estimates I had received. The car arrived without blemish, and the driver was courteous enough. All things considered, I was satisfied with the service and the pricing, and I did appreciate Gene’s willingness to make things right after he sensed that I was somewhat taken aback over the initial “teaser rate” and the subsequent pricing issues. Would I recommend Auto Central Direct? I guess I would, especially when I compare my experiences to some of the horror other people have experienced with their shippers. Just make sure you do your homework BEFORE you decide on this or any other particular firm: Read all the small print, find a broker that you feel you have a good rapport with and check on the company’s track record, not only on this website but also with the Better Business Bureau. Good luck and happy motoring!
Shipment Details
Origin State:
Washington
Pickup:
On Time
Destination State:
California
Delivery:
On Time
Customer Service
Honesty:
Knowlegeable:
Promptness:
Customer Service:
Review Details
Quote or Order Id:
8657bd
Quote or Order Cost:
$505