Southerland Transportation Company - auto transport co. - unhappy with pickup arrangements

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on March 9, 2002:

From: Email User

Southerland Transportation Company - auto transport co. - unhappy with pickup arrangements

Southerland Transportation Company is a brokerage company to transport vechiles from one location to another. I read the contract with Southerland and questioned the section of the contract that economy shipments are picked up by the next available carrier.

I called the 800 number supplied and asked the gentleman (who said his name was Bill) how soon the vehicle would be picked up under this arrangement he stated that they needed a ten day window. If I could wait the ten days then go with that option if I could not then I would need to go with the Premium option and the vehicle would be picked up on the day specified or if not possible the following day.

I explained that I needed to have the vehicle picked up as soon to the ten days as possible, that the people I purchased the vehicle from asked that it be picked up within ten days. I told him that I would talk to the people and see if that would be OK. He informed me that I could call back or I could go online and do the transaction.

We went online and filled out all necessary information on 11/26/01 my credit card was charged on that date. I asked that the pickup date be 11/29/01 I stated that the delivery date was not important but the pickup date was.

I called Southerland repeatedly after they had not contacted anyone about pickup of the vehicle.

On 12/16/01, I contacted Southerland and asked about the pickup of the vehicle. At that time they said that they could not see picking up the car in the near future.

But, if we paid an additional $200 they would see if they could get it scheduled for pickup within two weeks and that they could not guarantee that it could be picked up then. I then felt that they could not or would not fulfill their contract with me.

I was well past the time allotted by the seller at this point so I had no other option but to make other pickup arrangements.

I did pay a non-refundable deposit of $200.00 but I feel that that should be refunded due to their misrepresentation to me on the phone about the pickup time. I feel that they deliberately misrepresent themselves in order to charge more for their services when the customer is dissatisfied with the

length of time that they are taking in arranging shipping.