I just had a bad experience with a shipping company. I hired Ozark Auto Transport http://www.ozark-auto.com now known as Odyssey Auto Transportation http://odysseytransportation.com/ to transport my ******* F50 replica from LA to SCE in WA. They subcontracted with a company called TC Transport to do the transport. TC Transport's driver ran the passenger side mirror into the trailer and broke it ($625 damage). I had SCE fax TC Transport an estimate. I've called them six times over the last three weeks and have gotten no callback (either left a message on their answering machine, or talked with the receptionist who claims John the owner is busy but will call me back). Marv at Ozark Auto is claiming no liability and telling me I must deal directly with TC Transport. In addition, the original quote to transport was $595. They came back to me after the car was already loaded and almost delivered, claiming trouble -- that they weren't informed that it was an exotic (which they were) and that they'd need an additional $100 to cover the additional trouble that the car caused. I decided to be a nice guy and split it with them and paid $50 additional.
Here's what happened:
* 6/27: I provided Marv at Ozark Auto with pictures, my contact, origin, destination, via e-mail and billing information over the phone
* 7/01: My credit card charged $611
* 7/09: Car picked up from Hollywood Picture Cars in the AM, Marv at Ozark Auto calls me PM about pickup troubles. Troubles get resolved.
* 7/11: John at TC Transport contacts me directly about the damage they caused to the car's passenger mirror. I was informed the transport was stopped by a California Highway Patrol who demanded that the car be be put on the transport facing forward (it was currently facing backwards). While the driver of the truck was putting the car on forward, he ran the passenger mirror into the post on the transport, sraping and breaking the mirror. He immediately noticed he had damaged the car. I tell John that the destination shop, Shelby Custom Exotics, will estimate the repair and give them an estimate -- John agrees to cover the cost of the repair. In addition TC Transport asks for $100 additional to cover their costs for the transport saying they were unaware of the "exotic" nature of the car. Marv, John, and I have a three-way conference call where Marv and I agree to split the $100, Marv and I each agree to cover $50. That same day my credit card is charged $51.
* 7/13: Ron Shelby of Shelby Custom Exotics takes delivery of the car. He says he cannot accurately estimate the damage to the passenger mirror on the spot (he needs to talk with the painter) and says he will fax an estimate later that week.
* 7/??: Ron Shelby faxes TC Transport a repair estimate totalling $625 to repair the car's passenger mirror. I also get a copy faxed to me.
* 8/14: Over the last three weeks I have had six failed attempts to contact John at TC Transport over the phone at (541) 210-3661 and (541) 210-1951 (left messages or talked with receptionist who says John is busy and will call me back). Each occurrence is documented. Today I also contacted Marv at Ozark Auto to see if Marv can help resolve the problem resulting in this e-mail.
I paid with VISA, so I've filed a dispute about the shipping charges.
Any help or suggestions on how to proceed would be helpful.
Thanks in advance!
-J.C.
Check out my build site: http://diablo.newmedialabs.net
Help: TC Transport Damaged my Car!
Posted - August 14 2002 : 9:21:29 PM
