Review Report Review
one of the worst customer service experiences ever

meri Submitted this review about Domestic Auto Transport
Review made Live: 5/27/2010 1:10:00 PM
I wish I could write something positive about this experience, but it was atrocious. I have spoken with a DAT supervisor about this, and made several attempts to speak to the DAT owner when the car carrier was refusing to call to deliver my car, but DAT never called me back or had any follow-through.

To begin:
1) The main contact at DAT was fired (unrelated to me) amidst the transaction, but the company never even put an auto-responder on the email. So I was emailing someone who wasn't working there, but had no idea until I called the firm.
2) My DAT contact never told me that I had to pay for the car delivery in cash!
3) The carrier came early- calling on the spot with no warning at a highly inconvenient time. The carrier said he had to take a cab to pick up the car, so my boyfriend was nice enough to drive 20 minutes to bring it to him.
4) My DAT contact never told me that the carrier was taking my car to LA, and then to SF. Nor that the carrier's business model meant that they only bring cars to SF two times/week depending on their schedule- so it was never on the same day or time during the week
5) The car was first available for drop-off 5 days after expected. I was out of town so postponed delivery. It then took 3.5 weeks! to get the car to me because of the carrier's inconsistent schedule. Then, the car carrier's truck got in an accident (fortunately without my car on it, but i do know that it damaged the other cars that were on it), and no one ever told me. So I waited for my car and it never came. It then took another week for them to deliver it b/c they didn't have a truck. But they wouldn't return my calls or tell me when to expect it that entire week. I was one day short of legal mechanisms that would have declared my car to be stolen property (this was the advice of my legal counsel). Meanwhile, I informed DAT- who thought my car had already been delivered!- and they did absolutely nothing to help, nor return my calls. They never apologized or attempted to remedy the situation.
6) I know I'm not supposed to discuss the carrier on this review, but given that the broker chose the carrier, I also hold the broker responsible. The car arrived with a large scratch/dent. I was less concerned by the damage than I was the unethical behavior of someone attempting to change the Bill of Lading within the past month to try to claim that the damage was already there! But given that I had the original Bill of Lading, it was obvious that they tampered with the form. The only positive commentary I have is that the truck driver, Joe, was the only one who was responsible enough to stay in touch as needed.

All in all, hard to imagine a worse customer service experience. I'm waiting now to hear from the carrier's insurance company to begin to cover the $1470 worth in damages to my car. I'm just happy that, after 5 weeks, my car is here, working, and that the damages are superficial. But it was way more of a stressful and highly unpleasant experience that it had to be.
Shipment Details
Origin State:
Massachusetts
Pickup:
Early
Destination State:
California
Delivery:
Late
Customer Service
Honesty:
Knowlegeable:
Promptness:
Customer Service:
Review Details
Quote or Order Id:
3852096
Quote or Order Cost:
$1000

Car Condition
  • Vehicle was damaged