These guys are thieves
JB
Submitted this review about
Autolog
Review made Live: 1/21/2008 2:55:00 AM
I wrote the following email to the owner of the company and only until I reported the company to BBB did I hear back from the owner. He's the biggest crook out there:
"I was told that there was
availability on the truck, I could make a reservation,
and that someone could come to pick up the car. I was
told that it would take approximately 1.5 weeks to 2.5
weeks – an estimation of a June 7th arrival.
Additionally, I was told that I could leave some
things in the car, but that I should not leave
anything of value. I called a few other companies, but
based on that information I was provided by your
customer service person, Kathy, and the recommendation
from my friend, I chose to your company – which turned
out to be a big mistake.
I’d prepared the car for departure, putting some
things in the trunk, moving/removing all personal
belongings from view, and the car was picked up as
planned. After not hearing from your company for 2
weeks, I called your company on June 4th, and spoke to
Kathy asking her if she knew, “the status of my car”,
her terse response was essentially, “it’ll get there
when it’s there.” After I explained to her that I was
calling because I needed to know if I needed to extend
my car rental, she told me that it looked as though
the car was going to be delayed, reminded me that the
dates were an estimation and told me that I should
receive the car sometime between June 8th-11th. Two
days later I received a voice message from your
company notifying me that there were further delays
and I would not be receiving it until June 18th-20th.
At this point feeling that this was well beyond the
estimation, I returned the call and spoke to Sherri.
She informed me that I could submit a claim and
emailed me the form.
On approximately June 17th or 18th, after not hearing
any further information when my car was to arrive, I
again called your company to check on the status of my
vehicle. Sherri explained to me that it was delayed
again, was just leaving New Mexico, and should be
arriving between June 22nd and 25th. When I asked if
this was “normal”, she told me that it was not, that
my vehicle was upgraded to rail and unfortunately
seemed to suffer delays in various spots including
sitting idle in Illinois for 4 days. However, the
train was moving and that I should expect the delivery
soon. At that time, I asked her that since the car was
excessively delayed, could I, at a minimum, have the
car delivered to my work. She said that your company
may do that in lieu of submitting a claim. I responded
that I would forgo the delivery and file a claim, if
that were the case. Sherri, hearing the frustration in
my voice, asked me to wait on the line, and that she
would check with her manager to see if I could do both
(have the car delivered and file a claim) and returned
informing me that I could indeed do both.
On Friday, June 22, I received a call from a towing
company that my car could be delivered on Saturday.
Since I was out of town for the weekend the car was
eventually delivered to me Monday, June 25th – 5 weeks
after it was picked up in New Jersey.
Upon receiving the car, I noticed that things were
“out of place”. The maps and other papers were strewn
about in the car, the glove compartment had been
rummaged through and that the console between the
driver and passenger seat was broken and would not
close. I noticed that the few nickels, dimes, and
quarters were taken and then realized my car had been
vandalized and a other things were missing. I opened
the trunk and the GPS system I’d hid in the back
corner of trunk was missing and that the box of
DVDs/CDs I’d packed was opened, the DVDs/CDs stolen
and cases thrown back in the car.
At that point, I immediately called your company. I
spoke to a customer service representative and
informed her that my car was not only excessively
delayed, but also vandalized. She politely informed me
that your company is not responsible for vandalism,
but that and that I could file a claim. Feeling that
your company had not only caused delays, but was
negligent in allowing my car to sit idle for days in
lots (apparently unattended and unsecured), I asked to
speak to your customer service manager. Your customer
service manager, called me back, and explained how
this experience was “my fault”, for leaving items in
the car, “delays are out of the company’s control”,
and it was only at that time that I found out that
your company does not lock the cars on the lots. She
told me that that was the law since 911 to have the
cars unlocked (please note that I will call the DOT to
verify if it is truly the case that they need to be
unlocked or rather if they need to be made accessible
for inspection). I explained to her that from the
first call I made requesting the status of my vehicle,
I felt your company had not done right by the
customer, referring to the fact that I needed to
continuously call your company to find out the status,
and had to deal with Kathy’s belligerent attitude –
not knowing that she is your customer service manager
and that I was talking to her. At one point, after I
told her that the vandals did damage to the car, her
response was, “how do we know that you didn’t do that
before it was shipped?” When I told her that 5 weeks
for the delivery was double the estimate and seem
excessive, her response was “you could have paid for
guarantee delivery” and when I told her that was not
offered when I made the reservation, she responded
with “read your contract, it’s in there”. Again, she
left me with the feeling that it was my problem and
that your company is not responsible. She did;
however, email me claims forms for the delays and car
damage that I had 2 weeks to fill them out, but needed
to get 2 quotes for repairs – just what I need in my
copious free time after just starting a new job.
Feeling even more taken advantage of by your company
and after my discussion with Kathy, your customer
service manager, my first response was to immediately
call the friend who referred me to your company and
share my experience with her. I let her know how I’d
been treated and requested that she inform her HR
department, she is the office manager for the largest
immigration law firm in the US, to blacklist your
company so that no new employee would have to go
through what I had to. Still extremely frustrated I
asked a friend call your company to see if she was
provided with any different information that I was, or
perhaps the information had been provided, but that
I’d missed something when I made the reservation. She
too was not informed of the option for the guarantee
delivery, but was told that you have a 95% on time
record. She was not informed that he car could be left
unlocked on lots – until she specifically asked this
question. Basically, she too could have easily run
into the same problems I experienced.
Still having the feeling that I was not only violated
by whoever broke into my car, but by your company, I
once again called your company and asked for Sherri.
She seemed to be the only individual I’d spoken to
there who 1) is customer service oriented and 2) the
only one who actually seems to truly care about your
company, to see if there is another manager I could
speak to who wouldn’t point the finger right back at
me. She suggested I fill out the claim forms and that
I write you this letter sharing my experiences with
you, first hand.
At this point, I plan to file the claims forms and
based on both your response to this letter and the
duration/outcome of my claim submissions, will
escalate if/as necessary.
Again, I hope and expect that I would hear from you
within the next few days."
