Transporter nightmare

[John_S_in_Penna]

21 hours ago, George Cole said:

I'm sure there are enough of us willing to pay more for quality... 

 

I agree, George.  Here are a couple of illustrations

of how choosing good quality makes life better.

 

Say you can buy lower-quality foreign-made shoes for $100.

They last 5 years.  A top-quality pair, such as Allen Edmonds,

may cost $300.  They last twice as long, and you can resole

them several times.  In the long run, you haven't spent more money--

and most importantly, you've been enjoying high quality all 

those years your friends are constantly replacing their cheaper product.

 

The same can be said for furniture, but this case is even better.

If someone can't afford well made furniture, he can always

buy some top-quality used furniture from an estate or an

antique store.  And he can eventually pass it down to his

great-grandchildren. 

[kings32]

I think we got away from the OP  . If some wants a good honest company to transport there car east of the miss river use Applewood motors . I drove for Bruce for about 9 years. Always one time and never damaged a thing . Some of those were muit million dollar cars . Kings32

[JACK M]

6 hours ago, Ron Green said:

I can't believe the number of people I see towing that are downright scary with their setup and knowledge of how to safely tow

 

Yea, you should stand at the exit gate of your local dirt track some night after the races.

I keep my stuff in pretty good shape, but did get pulled over one night on my way home right at the on ramp. My tow was about 70 miles each way.

My lights had come unplugged. The trooper commented on my trailer being better than the average dirt racer he pulls over.

His words were something like "these guys will spend thousands on their racecar and nothing on their trailers".

I plugged my lights back in and the cop said if all the lights work as they should he would let me go. Took all of about 5 minutes on that stop.

[deaddds]

Somebody knows how or where to resole shoes? May I have sum more porridge sir?

[46 woodie]

When I purchased my '46 Ford Station Wagon, I had it shipped from Minnesota. About a month later I received a call from Discover Card, Fraud Protection, telling me of charges in the amount of several thousand dollars. They asked if I used my card in Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh and of course I told them it wasn't me. When I told them about the transporter, they couldn't believe how stupid he was. It was almost like he left a clue in every big city he went thru. Thankfully I didn't have to pay and I tried to follow up on their investigation but they wouldn't give me any information.I hope they got the guy!

[deaddds]

I’m fairly convinced the big name reproduction tire companies are there for cosmetics only not actual high speed long term function. Works fine for under 40 mph or trailering the car to shows but not so good for regular daily use. Thought I’d get better use at 250 plus a tire. Who knew.

[Matt Harwood]

14 hours ago, deaddds said:

I’m fairly convinced the big name reproduction tire companies are there for cosmetics only not actual high speed long term function. Works fine for under 40 mph or trailering the car to shows but not so good for regular daily use. Thought I’d get better use at 250 plus a tire. Who knew.

 

There is only one reproduction tire company. They license the brand names to put on the reproduction tires, giving the appearance of many "brand name" manufacturers, but they are all made from the same low-quality materials in the same low-wage overseas factory, and then they sit around the warehouse getting old because they manufacture enough to last in inventory 5 or 10 years.

 

And you are correct, they don't care about quality--where else are you gonna go?

[auburnseeker]

I have my own equipment but usually I'm busy enough trying to get stuff done here and run my business that it's easier to hire a professional. For what I have found with what i have paid for the last several hauls,  short or long distance it wasn't worth even getting my stuff together and going over everything for the big trip when a phone call and between a couple of hours to a couple of days the car is picked up and in my drive. Especially nice when it's winter time to avoid putting my equipment in the salt.  I think I paid $285 To have the Auburn moved enclosed 3 hours each way in February.  A non Runner and all I had to do was roll it off the trailer into my waiting garage. Instead of being on the road I was cleaning the garage so she had a proper place when she arrived. Same deal with the Dodge but that was 6 hours plus each way. Of course more money but both times I didn't have to try to clean the salt off my rig.  A whole extra day just to do that and you never really get it clean.

My Dad just dropped off another nice enclosed trailer I could have bought pretty cheap but I told him I didn't need it and was most likely going to sell mine when I got the garage floor partially poured so I could unload it.  Local my friend with a roll back and a power winch with the knowledge of how to retrieve stuff with stuck wheels from a back corner around some obstacles is again money well spent.  Unless it's for the afternoon adventure or extended treasure hunt I just hire it out.  I've even done the same thing several times with literature and hired a friend or in one case as some of you may recall a car transporter to move it.  

[keithb7]

Continuously driving prices to the bottom of the barrel often does lead to bad things. Look around at all the junk made, off-shore reproduction parts for vintage cars. Look at Harbour Freight jack stands? So much junk.  It is my opinion that the average hard working middle class citizen in USA or Canada is over-taxed. We need to stretch our dollars farther and farther every year as fees, taxes, levies, ect. continue to climb. Insurance rates, groceries, gasoline, minimum wage hourly wagers...These rates climb faster than our earnings do. I have way less money at the end each month than I did 10 years ago. So what do we do? Give up? Don't take up any hobbies any more? Get out of the car hobby as it becomes just too darn expensive? Or do we get creative and find ways to stretch our dollars further. I don't need Snap-On tools at high prices to tinker at home. Craftsman is just fine. I find used parts and tools where ever possible. I'll pick up opportunities to earn a little side cash to pay for what my hobby needs.  In my life, it has come to the point that my wife and my job incomes, does not go toward my vintage car hobby. I find ways to turn a buck so I can support my hobbies independently from our full time job earnings.  Yes, that means I have less time in my personal life. Yes, less time to laze around and relax. Less down time. I do make an effort to find and buy higher quality tools, parts and services where I can. I have to, or I'm out. Like steak and fine wine these days...Gone from my budget. Only consumed on rare special occasions. LOL.

Edited June 18, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

I don’t hire anyone to haul my car and I don’t haul it. I drive it, it’s my daily driver. It’s the only old car I have. It’s a lot of fun doing it this way and a bonus for my enjoyment. 
dave s 

ps. I know not everyone can do it this way because of time and type of vehicle but it really is fun. 
 

[Matt Harwood]

3 hours ago, keithb7 said:

It is my opinion that the average hard working middle class citizen in USA or Canada is over-taxed. We need to stretch our dollars farther and farther every year as fees, taxes, levies, ect. continue to climb. Insurance rates, groceries, gasoline, minimum wage hourly wagers...These rates climb faster than our earnings do. I have way less money at the end each month than I did 10 years ago.

 

You're not over-taxed, you're under-paid. 

 

 

 

 

[edinmass]

18 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

 

You're not over-taxed, you're under-paid.

[padgett]

Just bought an 89 Allante real nice and inexpensive with both tops. Surprising how many Reatta parts fit. Brought it home the same way have been bring home for years, on a tow dolly behind my Jeep with the drive wheels on the dolly. In Florida neither the dolly nor the TOAD need to be licensed or insured. When needful I rent a tandem axle hauler from U-Haul. The rate my Jeep for anything they have. Also have AAA premier.

[George Cole]

Anyone even remotely considering buying an enclosed car trailer now or in the near future, DON’T!  There are very few if any available, at least in the south-east US.  However, even though dealers have little or no stock, they are continuing to advertise them on-line, on Ebay, and CraigsList as being in stock.  Only when the buyer makes the deposit are they informed there is no trailer and what they have done is ordered one.  Or their ads state the trailer is a special order, with delivery in 10 days or less…knowing there’s no way they can meet the 10-days being advertised.  Extremely deceptive advertising.  I thought I was smarter than that.  I called the sales manager of a trailer dealer in central GA who I had purchased a trailer from previously.  As a returning customer I thought I’d get an honest deal from them.  My mistake…I trusted her.  When I asked about their 10-day advertised build time, she told me special orders were being given priority over others and their build times were running between 12-15 days.  I believed her and placed an order for an 8.5x16 with several upgrades.  After repeated emails inquiring about the status over the past several weeks, she gave me a song and dance about Covid delays and their sales rep being on maternity leave and yadda, yadda, yadda.  She finally told me last Friday she contacted the manufacturer and was told my order would be marked ‘HOT,’ and be moved in front of others that were in line ahead of me to be built.  It was already over a week overdue and her indication was that they still had not begun construction.  I told her yesterday that I had a deadline to move a 100-year-old car by the end of this week.  She said they have a 7x16 in stock, but it’s extra tall…7’ interior height. and they have an 8.5x20 standard height in stock.  She said I could have either one of those.  I told I didn’t want them as I am pulling with a Cadillac Escalade so don’t want the extra height or length.  I told her I need the trailer by noon on Friday, as I’m meeting a car transporter on the highway Friday afternoon to transfer the car from his trailer to mine. As soon as he unloads mine, he’s loading another, so there’s no room for flexibility.  All these trailer and transport arrangements were made over a month ago, believing I would easily be able to get a trailer by this time.  Her latest email this morning said she has been in touch with all 3 of their manufacturers and she’s sure one of them will come through with either mine being completed or a substitute trailer of yet-to-be-determined size and options.  I told her as a minimum I need tie down anchorages installed.  Meanwhile, I’ve found a 7x16 in stock at another GA trailer dealer, so I could jump on it.  But if I do, there’s a good chance I will forfeit my deposit on the one I’ve ordered, as she's promised either my special order or a substitute will be available by midday Friday.  Based on everything that's transpired, I have very little that she'll come through. ..but I've been wrong before.  So I’m up in the air of which way I should go.  And the clock is ticking.  What a mess. 

[Fossil]

4 hours ago, George Cole said:

but I've been wrong before.  So I’m up in the air of which way I should go.  And the clock is ticking.  What a mess. 

These are gut churning situations. I hope you get through this OK. 

[zepher]

Because of your deadline I would go with the trailer that is available and cancel the other order.

If they try to hold onto your deposit you can easily sue them and get it back.

As long as you have all the emails and have logged the phone conversations there is no way they would win in court and keep your deposit.

 

PS - I'm not the litigious type but it would be completely wrong for the first company to keep your deposit when they outright lied to you for at least 3 weeks.

Edited June 24, 2020 by zepher (see edit history)

[George Cole]

Yes, but who goes to court and sues someone over $300.  Lawyers fees, court fees, etc would be much more than that.  Plus you have to sue someone in the state where it occurred...in this case, GA.  And even if I went the small claims route, the filing fees, etc exceed the amount I would be suing for, and again, I'd have to go to GA to file the court claim. And the companies know that.  And I'm also not the litigious type either.

 

My point of the article was for anyone thinking of buying a trailer right now to reconsider as there are pretty much none available.  Anyone who thinks they are buying a trailer most likely is just ordering one to be built sometime in the future.

[SC38dls]

Next time, if there is a next time, put a mandatory delivery date with a cash rebate for every day late on the contract. If the dealer won’t accept that you know he is not going to deliver on time so you can decide to buy or not. 
It’s a simple write in line that solves problems. 
dave s 

[zepher]

3 hours ago, George Cole said:

Yes, but who goes to court and sues someone over $300.

 

I thought your deposit was much more substantial.

As in 10 times more substantial.

For that much I would have bailed right away and picked up the trailer you know you can grab to meet your deadline.

[Restorer32]

Many years ago, maybe 18 or so, the Rolls Royce Club scheduled a tour somewhere out of the US,  I'm thinking Australia or New Zealand.  Anyway the gist of the tale is this.  The club contracted with a shipping company to transport the dozen or so Rolls Royces by ship. Ship left port but didn't arrive at its destination on time or even late.  After some time passed the ship was found anchored at port in Singapore if memory serves. The shipping company had gone bankrupt and the crew had abandoned the ship. For several months the ship languished  in port while the club tried to find a way to retrieve their cars which of course were tied up in the bankruptcy proceedings. At the time the founder of Friendlys restaurants was active in the club and his car was on board.  He had sold Friendlys to Coke so he was awash in cash. There was talk of having him buy the shipping company. Finally after months of aggravation the cars were released. I'm sure someone here will have additions/corrections to this tale.

[padgett]

I prefer Firefox.

Edited June 24, 2020 by padgett (see edit history)

[George Cole]

Came down to the wire but crisis averted.  After I told them their competition across town actually had one in stock, they began jumping through hoops.  As of this morning, they realized my 8.5x16 special order wasn't going to be done in time, so they came up with 6 different others from their 3 manufacturers, including one that a customer had already paid for but they would sell out from under him.  I agreed to an 8.5x20.  The sales mgr said it will be on their lot waiting for me tomorrow morning.

[JACK M]

If I were that other customer I may be a bit upset about the selling out from under.

But, maybe he doesn't need it right away, the being paid for part would get to me.

 

When I was dealing in boats and more specifically out board motors I had a salesman sell a customers repair job off of the rack one time.

That was a huge can of worms.

Edited June 26, 2020 by JACK M (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

On 5/25/2020 at 2:18 PM, Matt Harwood said:

 

That's because we're already on the downward side of the slope, the fight is already lost. Cheaper, cheaper, cheaper is all anyone wanted, and now it's all we've got. Most brands--regardless of current quality--are coasting on their reputations, and in a generation or so, that will be erased. I doubt my kids will know anything of quality, just crappy and slightly-less-crappy.

 

But at least we saved a buck and managed to make everything worthless along the way.

Concise explanation of the economic corner into which we have painted ourselves. Generations of demands for ever cheaper goods with quality relegated to secondary or tertiary consideration have produced the results they ultimately were destined to.   It was only abetted by a widened global supply chain providing what we demanded.

[58L-Y8]

On 6/18/2020 at 7:34 PM, Matt Harwood said:

 

You're not over-taxed, you're under-paid. 

 

 

 

 

The rising tide no longer lifts all boats...

[Paul Dobbin]

Transported cars many times, always scary but never any stories like this thread.

However, I had a crooked seller once who brought the vehicle I purchased to the

transporters pickup point and loaded it on the trailer.  Then he removed the battery,

saying "the buyer bought the truck, not the new battery".   So it goes when you buy a 

running/drivable car.   Trucker called and told me to bring a battery when I picked it

up.   I've bought a lot of batteries for that truck in the last 30+ years!

[Phillip Robinson]

I think that America and Australia, both have gone down that CHEAP path, and thus few companies are able to make quality, as raw materials from China are just thinner, made poorer (is that a word)  and we suffer for bad quality . When will America or Germany make decent goods again ( or even England) ? Phil 

[LCK81403]

Wow, after reading all of these sad stories you all have me spooked out.  I have been seriously considering buying a Buick that is located in Califunny and having it shipped to Colorado.  Now I am totally gun shy about it.  I simply can not trust a truck driver to know or care about a valuable and possibly delicate old car.  Unnamed truck driver has no bona fides with me.  How does one locate and choose a reputable and reliable shipper?  From readying about the misfortunes on this site, it seems that Hagerty needs to "take control", be the best ever shipper/mover, thereby establishing be best bona fides and reputation.  And that could drive the fly-by-night shippers out of the business.

[Frank DuVal]

No need to be spooked. Just pay the amount of freight needed by the top vehicle transporters.  Some advertise or post on here. Others have good reputations. 
Google search complaints and problems with any chosen name to learn. 

 

Passport was the most professional I have used. Peg’s trucking (she is now just a broker) also hired an enclosed driver that did well. Open transport was OK, but more issues, not recommended. But brokers have not as much control as owners do. Hence some of the horror stories.  Same with trying to go cheap. Don’t. 

[just me]

3 hours ago, LCK81403 said:

Wow, after reading all of these sad stories you all have me spooked out.  I have been seriously considering buying a Buick that is located in Califunny and having it shipped to Colorado.  Now I am totally gun shy about it.  I simply can not trust a truck driver to know or care about a valuable and possibly delicate old car.  Unnamed truck driver has no bona fides with me.  How does one locate and choose a reputable and reliable shipper?  From readying about the misfortunes on this site, it seems that Hagerty needs to "take control", be the best ever shipper/mover, thereby establishing be best bona fides and reputation.  And that could drive the fly-by-night shippers out of the business.

Bills Auto Works is all you need to know.

Great guy has hauled for me in the past. 

Just recommended him to haul my friend's 1915 White and 1925 Chrysler roadster from Ohio to Wisconsin. My friend was quite happy.

Please see this link for hundreds of all positive feedback posted by the actual customers who have used my service in the past. This is on the HAMB NOT some Mickey Mouse site I created myself so I could post my own feedback & block customers from posting theirs!

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nationwide-single-car-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

Give ma a call, email or P.M. for a cash on delivery price.

Thank You & God Bless
Bill Squires(owner)
Bill's Auto Works
billsautoworks1@aol.com
(216)832-8697 No Texts

 

Best

Charley

 

 

[GARY F]

Bill's Auto Works for me also.   216-832-8697

[LCK81403]

OK, thank you.  I feel a little better about it all.  Years ago I had a nice 1950 Plymouth 4-door.  It was in great shape, wood grain dash, dark navy blue color.  I sold it and got a really nice 1955 Dodge 2-door hard top, another beautiful car that was a chick magnet.  A couple weeks after I got rid of the Plymouth I saw it parked on the street and I stopped to take a last look at it.  OMG -- the new owner had children and they had virtually destroyed the upholstery in the back seat.  It was tough to see my old "baby" like that.  Later, before I entered the Army I sold the '55 Dodge.  While in basic training I received a letter from my folks in which they said that the new owner of my old Dodge has sideswiped a telephone pole and the entire side, the length of the car was bashed in.  Again that was hard to take.  Hence, I am awful gun shy about other people with my stuff.  I know the old Plymouth and Dodge were no longer mine, but just the memory of them and what happened to them by careless people is somewhat off putting for me.

[ejboyd5]

Usually able to find a friend with a partial load or an empty return going somewhere near the pick-up point and the destination. Trailer exteriors not always the flashiest and sometimes the remainder of produce cargoes on the floor, but never a problem with a successful transport. By the way. many years ago, when the Orient Point - New London ferry was still using a converted LST, it was quite common for automobiles traveling to Long Island to be loaded into empty trailers returning from produce deliveries in New England. Actually it was a good system as it saved space on the boat and saved the motorist from having to wait for the next boat which could be hours away or even the next day. One can only imagine what today's regulations and insurance requirements would think of such an informal solution to a practical problem.