Warning

I’ve been hauling cars for more than two decades now and unfortunately this car shipping industry has taken a turn for the worst in the last five years. This downturn has significantly accelerated in the last couple of years. Shady characters kept popping up left and right and seemingly fair companies on the surface adopted a dishonest business method in order to maximize their profits: BAIT & SWITCH.

Let me show you a real life example how they work:

John Doe, a potential customer asks me for a price quote. I tell him the all-inclusive price would be $1,598. No hidden fees, no reservation fee, no booking fee, no cancellation fee or extra charges ever and you don’t have to pay a dime until I pick up your car.

John: “Oh, that’s too high! I’ve got quotes between $1,200 and $800 from other “big” companies. Can you match it?”

Me: “Sorry John, I can’t match those unrealistic prices. I don’t play games with people. My prices are always transparent and guaranteed.”

John: “That’s too bad! I’m going to book with a cheaper company!”

So John books it with a bait and switch company. He feels really good about it because he landed a good deal and he happily paid a $195 booking fee. A day before the shipping date he’s getting anxious because he hasn’t heard anything from the “big” broker company so he calls them, and an agent in India, Mongolia or Dubai (yes, that’s where their call centers are) answers his call and assures him that the truck will be there tomorrow to pick up his car. The next day comes but the truck is nowhere to be seen and nobody called him. John calls the company again. A different agent answers his call in a foreign country and tells him: “Sorry, the truck broke down, but not to worry, we’ll send you another tomorrow.”

John: “Are you absolutely sure about it because I have to fly out the day after tomorrow?”

Agent: “Yes, sir! Absolutely sure! You have nothing to worry about!”

The last day comes and again, no calls, no truck, no nothing, so John calls the company again. A third agent somewhere on the other side of the planet answers his call: “Who are you sir? How may I help you?”

John: “I’m John Doe and you’re supposed to pick up my car today!”

Agent: “Ah, that John! Sorry sir, the truck driver broke his leg, he can’t come today, but no worries! We’ll get you another driver tomorrow.”

John: “But I won’t be here tomorrow! I’ve already booked the flights a week ago because you guaranteed that my car would be picked up yesterday!”

Agent: “Can you leave your car with a friend or relative?”

John: “Probably, I can ask my neighbor.”

So John leaves his car with his neighbor and flies to his destination where he’ll be anxiously waiting for his car to arrive. Two days go by and still no news, then his patience is getting thinner by the day and he demands some answers.

4th agent: “Sorry sir, the truck is coming but it got caught in a traffic jam. The driver will pick up your car in 5 hours for sure.”

Another three days go by when John’s realizing that his car won’t arrive in time and he has to extend his car rental reservation. Two days later even his neighbor starts to wonder too: “John, I know I promised you I’d help you but a day after tomorrow I’m going to leave town for a week to visit my daughter in Denver. Do you know when your driver will pick up your car?”

John is quite upset about the whole deal by now and calls the broker again.

5th agent: “Sorry sir, but we couldn’t find a carrier for that price. Sorry, sir.”

John: “Don’t sorry sir me here! Move my car! And what do you mean by “You couldn’t find a carrier” when you told me that you have trucks? Move my car, it’s your contractual obligation!”

Agent: “We can do that, but you have to pay $900 more.”

John: “Nine hundred @#%* $ more?!? No way! Give me my $195 back!”

Agent: “We can’t do that. You have to pay $900 more!

John: “You can’t keep my money because you didn’t fulfill your side of the contract!”

Agent: “Sorry sir, but actually, we can do that. Have you read the contract before you signed it? If you read the fine print you will find the part where it clearly states: We can cancel anytime with no refund. Have a nice day, sir!”

John’s desperately starting to search for another shipping company when he suddenly remembers talking to a guy two weeks ago who sounded like a straight shooter but his price was “too high”. He dials my number.

Me: “Hello John, I’ll be happy to help you out. The all-inclusive price would be $1,598. There are no hidden fees or extra charges, no cancellation fee and the price is guaranteed. You don’t have to pay a dime up front and I can pick up your car tomorrow.”

John: “Great! Let’s do it!”

Unfortunately, this is a real story which keeps repeating itself way too often.

Shipping a car should be quite an easy process without the need to constantly squeeze stress balls in both hands and between your toes.

Let me and my network of car hauler friends give you some advice:

Don’t let these soulless companies fool you with their cheap prices. Do your do diligence and research each of them, dig deep online and you’ll find the truth behind them.

If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.

When you see those advertisements on Google: Cheap car transport, free this, free that, cheapest shipping etc. Run! Run like Forrest Gump! Don’t give them your information because they will forward your info to a zillion bait & switch brokers and you’ll get bombarded with phone calls, text messages and emails for months! Remember, the labor costs a lot less in certain countries so they can keep calling and text you without limit.

Do not pay any money upfront under any circumstances.