This was my first time shipping a vehicle. Going in with no prior knowledge of the process, I dedicated myself to reading as much information as available on the web regarding this service. I evaluated over 30 transport brokers, creating a comparison chart utilizing such criterion as ratings and reviews on this website and others, ratings by the Better Business Bureau, the quote for cost of the service, and my own interaction over the telephone with various brokers.
Shipping a car, especially for someone with no prior experience, can be a stressful process. There are many "horror story"-type negative reviews that made me nervous about the entire concept of shipping my automobile across the country. However, I wanted to spare my car the mileage and pressed on, regardless.
At the end of my research phase, I had narrowed the field down to three candidates. The first one, while highly rated and courteous to deal with, was not able to move my car. The second one, AmeriFreight, was able to quickly assign me a carrier and my contact made themselves available for questions and concerns from pickup until delivery. When I had an issue with my car not being picked up on the estimated date, they resolved it. The delay in pickup was of no great inconvenience to me, and my car was moved quickly across the country by a highly rated carrier with a very nice enclosed truck.
As an aside, I was pleased with the carrier they chose. This is not so much as to leave a review for the carrier, as this is not what this site is for, but as to inform anyone reading this review that AmeriFreight deals with reputable carriers. And if I can find solace in that, perhaps you can too.
At the end of experiencing the process of automotive shipping, and knowing what to expect, I have the following advice for anyone looking to ship their car for the first time, or who have been displeased with brokers they've used in the past:
- Read everything available on the website. I know a lot of us like to breeze by the Terms & Conditions because they can be lengthy and a bit of a bore to read. Do not do this. Read and understand the Terms before choosing an auto carrier. Many websites do not offer this fine print, and I eliminated those from contention for that reason. AmeriFreight clearly presents all legal information necessary to make the right decision.
- Check out the Better Business Bureau website. Is the service you are thinking about using rated? What is their rating? Personally, I would not go with anyone less than an A. If your standards are not as high as mine, I would at least avoid anyone who is either never been rated, or has lost their accreditation. You need a recognized organization like the BBB to assist you if something goes really wrong. AmeriFreight is rated A+, and after using them to move my car, I believe that rating is well-earned.
- Understand that things don't always go as well as expected. As a customer, we stand to lose between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars if something goes wrong. Naturally, I think we're all quick to panic should anything not go 100% as planned. I know I am. However, I think what separates a good overall experience from a bad one is whether or not your contact/broker spent any time or effort resolving a situation when things didn't go absolutely as planned. My contact at AmeriFreight was on it, and seemed genuinely concerned for my satisfaction with the service.
Overall, I am a satisfied customer who would use AmeriFreight again if I had to move another vehicle, only because I know now what to expect, and I would be comfortable going through the process again with AmeriFreight and the contact who worked with me. My car was moved in a timely manner, with no damage, by competent people, which was a great relief to me. Now I can enjoy my new car!
