This is the letter I sent to AutoTrail last September. My father has been on and off the phone with them and our bank, trying to get my money back. As of today, November 17th, they still won't refund the money. I am in debt because of the costs from my cross country trip, which could have been avoided had I been able to use what I initially paid AutoTrail for the service I NEVER RECEIVED.
Attn: autotrail transporters, co.inc.
Regarding Invoice: 08372, dated August 23
When I first received my Autotrail quote of $850 to ship my car to California, I was researching many different auto carriers. The day we talked about shipping my car was September 1st. Jen, the representative I spoke with at Autotrail, was exceedingly helpful, answering my questions and putting my hesitations and fears to rest. I explained that I was a student, and needed my car by September 8th, which was the day I initially planned to arrive in California. I asked her if this would be a problem, and she said it would not. She did disclose that sometimes it could take an additional few days, maybe up to a week, for the car to be delivered, but that it should be arriving on the 8th, or the week after. (Note that a week after the 8th would be September 15th: today's date).
I figured that if I had any problems with shipping delays, it would be due to extraneous circumstances on the roadnot that my car would be picked up LATER than September 1st, the day I agreed to with Jen. I decided then to use Autotrail as the agent to ship my vehicle. I made plans accordingly to make sure I had a way to get from the airport to my apartment in California, and a couple friends who could drive me if the car didn't arrive by September 8th.
As soon as I confirmed with Jen, she explained that the total cost would be $880, $30 more than I had originally been told. My credit card was billed the $250 administrative fee immediately. I authorized her to bill the rest of the $880 on my card as well, but due to a bank hold I was unaware of, it didn't go through. Because my bank does not allow me to charge more than $300 to my card at a time, I enlisted the help of my parents, who split the payments on their cards. Between the three cards, we paid the $880 in full. Later on in the week I took money out to pay my parents back. This means that the shipping had been paid for entirely by me, a college student that worked three jobs this summer to ensure that I could pay for an apartment in California.
On the contract I was to sign, there was an approximate date for pickup: Aug 31 Sep. 1. When I asked why the car was not being picked up on exactly September 1st, I was told that if I read the contract, I would note that the pickup date was approximate. From the conversation I had, I was led to believe, before signing the contract, that approximate meant Autotrail could not guarantee pickup on a specific day, but that it would be picked up on either August 31st or September 1st. Nowhere in our conversation was it discussed that the term approximate could be construed as meaning a day, week, or month later than September 1st. I signed the contract, putting good faith in the ability of Autotrail to pick up my car before 5:00 pm on September 1st, and deliver it to Upland, California in a reasonably timely manner, allowing up to a week for delays on the road. Please note that I signed the contract AFTER the three credit cards had been billed, and faxed the receipts back with the needed signatures the next morning, meaning my official deal with Autotrail was finalized on August 24th.
Because Autotrail could not guarantee whether my car would be picked up on the 31st or 1st, My father had to take off work on the 31st, and my mother on the 1st, to ensure that someone would be there to pick up the car. When the car was not picked up on the 31st, we assumed it would be picked up the next day. At 4:30, when it was evident that the car was not going to be picked up on September 1st, I called the number Autotrail provided to inquire about the delay. The girl I spoke with told me, The driver is running late, but will pickup the car sometime this weekend. I asked how I would know the exact day the driver would be coming, and she stated that it was the responsibility of the driver to call and give me 24 hours notice that he or she was in the area, and ready to pick up my car. Please note that she stated the driver is running late, which implies that a specific driver had already committed to picking up my car, and had explained to Autotrail he or she was running late. It does not suggest that a specific driver, or carrier for that matter, had not yet been selected to ship my car, or that Autotrail had no information to give me regarding when the driver would be selected, and when said driver would be able to pick up my car.
My family had plans to go to New York over the weekend, to drop my sister off at college. No one would be home to pick up the car when the driver came, which posed a problem. This problem would not have occurred, had Autotrail made sure that my car was picked up by September 1st. My mother then called to get more information on a more exact time then this weekend that the car would be picked up, and to express her concern and frustration with the unforeseen delay. When she explained no one would be there to pick up the car now on the weekend, the woman said nastily, What you don't have any friends? You don't have any neighbors? No, my mother explained, We don't have anyone else available to pick up the car, and now one of us is going to have to stay home from the trip. The woman she spoke with refused to give her any information at all, did not heed her concern, and hung up on her when she asked to speak with a supervisor.
When my mother called back, she spoke with an already irate and unpleasant man named Greg. The man proceeded to bellow read your contract, and became increasingly hostile with my mother when she pressed for information-any information at all. Greg stated that he had no control over the driver and when he or she picked up the car. When my mother pointed out that we had prepaid in full for a service we had not received, and were now being told there was no way to guarantee if and when that service would be received, Greg became unnecessarily defensive and increasingly rude, yelling at her, and screaming, What so you think this is a scam? You're accusing me of this being a scam? The government uses us! Read your contract! After his outburst was finished, my mom asked if there was anyone else she could speak with. Greg failed to provide a name.
Shortly after, I called Greg myself. Though I was patient, and calm, he screamed at me. Not once did I raise my voice. Not once did I attack him or say anything that could be construed as an attack on his character or business. All I did was ask how I could be certain that a driver would be there this weekend, and how I could ensure that my car would be delivered. This prompted Greg to yell at me, saying, What you think I'm going to steal your car? I don't appreciate you accusing me of stealing. We're a licensed company that does business with the government. He then angrily reiterated that I read the contract, as a response to every question I asked.
My line of work is customer service, and I was shocked that a person representing a business could be so unprofessional and still be allowed to do his job. The fact that I was almost in tears, because I was afraid I would be in California without a car, did not phase him. He did nothing to comfort or reassure me.instead he was belligerent and hostile, putting me down, and belittling me. I don't think it was unreasonable of me as a consumer to call a business, and ask when I could expect a service that I had prepaid for to be enacted.
The next morning, my father called the dispatch and gave his cell phone number as the new contact when and if the driver called. At this time, my father was told that pick up would be over Labor Day weekend, September 4th 6th.in anticipation of this, I cancelled my plans to go to New York, and rescheduled my flight for September 18th. I figured this would give me more than enough time to be out in California before my car arrived. I paid a penalty fee of $48 to reschedule the flight, but I figured it was worth it to save me the headache of being there without a car.
When Labor Day weekend came and went without a call from the driver, my father again called the dispatch and spoke to a man that stated he had been in contact with the driver, and expected him to arrive at our house over the weekend of September 10th. When September 13th had passed, I realized that there was no way that Autotrail was going to deliver the car by the time I needed it, and resolved to drive it myself.
I want you to refund me the money I paid you for the service you did not deliver. I will also be in touch with Autotrail in terms of filing a complaint about the manner in which my mother and I were treated over the phone. Had Autotrail stated in any of my initial talks that they could not guarantee delivery by September 15th, a week after I initially expected the car, let alone September 18th, or further indicated that they were not the actual shipper but in fact a broker that could not control the time table, I would not have forwarded them the money or signed the contract but would have instead made other arrangements.
I realize that there is a cancellation fee, and I will be more than willing to accommodate this and accept a refund of $630, which does not include the $250 fee. I also understand (from reading the contract I was instructed no less than 20 times to read) that any claims for unreasonable delay or failure to pickup lies with the Motor Carriers and must be made to them. It also says that Autotrail will furnish such information AND assistance as the owner/shipper may require in asserting such claims. I am asking for this assistance now, so that I may file an official claim with the Motor Carrier, in addition to receiving my refund from Autotrail.
Sincerely
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