Be Warned about Silva Auto Transport

M.S. Velez Submitted this review about Silva Auto Transport
Review made Live: 8/25/2010 8:08:00 AM
I started getting quotes back in May to have my daughter's car shipped to Ohio in August so she would have it before she starts college. Silva Auto provided the cheapest rate so I saved their quote and then on 7/6/2010 I put through an order to have her car picked up anytime after 8/1/10 for as close to a 8/23/10 delivery. Silva called me the next morning after I placed the order and advised me that I could save $30.00 if I didn't use a credit card and just send them a check for the full amount of $750.00. I went ahead and wrote the check and mailed it the next day it was cleared from my account. I did not hear from them and called them a few days before the 8/1/10 date to request details on how and when the car would be picked up. The girl told me that the driver would call me after 8/1. Well, I waited until the 2nd week of August to call back and then I started having problems contacting them. I left a number of messages and none returned. I had my daughter start calling and she was able to make contact with a girl that informed her that her car should have been picked up last week. The girl told her that I'll call the driver and I'll call you back in 30 minutes. Well, no return call, then the next day we continued to call and call and call with no answer. My daughter then did a search for reviews and found this site. She called me at my job out of town and informed me that Silva was a scammer. Well, frustration, fear and anxiety set in for our entire family. What were we going to do now? My months of planning up in smoke! My husband ended up calling another carrier and they were excellent. They kept in complete contact with us and the car is to arrive tonight in Ohio. My husband spoke to the Silva rep on the weekend b/c myself and my daughter had continued to email and call all weekend. The rep told him that she never even assigned the car to a driver! So he cancelled the order. My daughter has arrived in Ohio to start college without transportation. Siva Auto did return all but $50.00, they call it an administrative fee. They are liars and thiefs. The BBB rates this company an F. Silva gives the cheapest quote but in the end you lose and the stress and frustration is overwhelming. If I would have just paid by credit card instead of taking their advise to save $30.00 my credit card company could have dealt with this company. It was worth the additional $200.00 we had to pay to another carrier to get the car to our daughter. Shame on you Silva! You are abusing the poor working class. You are indeed scammers.

Company Response
Kori from Silva Auto Transport Submitted this response.
Response Date: 11/11/2010 11:54:00 AM
This review is mostly false. We were in contact with the customer and her parents throughout the process. As she stated we did have a driver assigned but due to circumstances out of our control as a broker the driver was unable to pickup and we then attempted to assign another company. This time frame did not meet customers schedule so they then cancelled their order and a refund was promptly send to them. Silva Auto Transport are transport brokers hired to assign and schedule a licensed and insured auto carrier, we are not the actual driver that is why we can only provide estimated time frames and not guarantee exact pickup times and dates. Thank you