BEWARE ......BBB advises NOT TO DO BUSINESS WITH!

C. Razo Submitted this review about Countrywide Auto Transport(CA)
Review made Live: 5/30/2008 4:32:00 AM
FYI THE ADDRESS THEY USE AS THEIR BUSINESS ADDRESS IS ACTUALLY A P.O. BOX IN LADERA RANCH!!
BE ADVISED THIS COMPANY HAS THE **LOWEST POSSIBLE RATING WITH THE BBB**! READ ALL THEIR NEG FEEDBACK
My first car was to be picked up in Irvine 5/21-5/23 in order to be available to me in Charlotte June 4th, with my other cars to follow after my departure.

I was assured when I booked with Countrywide that my car would definately arrive prior to my own arrival if it left on the days they assigned me. At no time until 5/29 was I informed that the scheduled pick up dates were "just a general idea" (as per Mike) and that these dates could be WEEKS off if they had no carrier for my destination available at the time requested. Before they got my money everything was, "no problem, we can do that". When the pickup did not happen on the first few days we began calling CAT the afternoon of Fri. 5/23, prior to the holiday weekend, and inquiring about the status of our pickup. Al said it would be that afternoon or evening. We received no call all the way through monday, so on Tuesday we called again. Al once again promised that the car would be picked up that day. The same scenario ensued Wednesday with the same empty promise. On Thursday I got ahold of Mike. He callously said there were currently no drivers in my area, there were none scheduled in the forseable days ahead, and that, "these things take time to arrange"........as if I hadn't scheduled this weeks in advance! When I asked why then we had been told on a daily basis by Al that the car would be picked up the same days we called, he, bluntly replied, "He lied." These people have no compunction to operate with any sense of integrity whatsoever! We are now 9 days past my scheduled pick up date and when I pressed Mike to expedite the service and find a way to live up to the promises made to me, he smugly said he did not like my tone of voice and said he was canceling the order and keeping our money, and hung up.

I now know "Al" is Al Almenad, the actual owner of this scam operation. Clearly going above Mike's head to seek satisfaction would be of no use.

Booking with a new transport company at this late date is costing me an additional $1300 dollars plus $314 for the rental car for one week since my car can no longer arrive in time. Al and I will now be spending the day together in small claims court as I seek compensation for the losses caused by fraud, breech of contract, and loss of use.

This company also claims it is "America's #1 Transport Company". Really? By whom, or what entity exactly? Al? I could find NO information to support this claim. He also claims several Fortune 500 companies are his "satisfied customers" yet we see no feedback from them on any site to that effect. In addition he is illegally displaying their logos in association with his business, with a disclaimer below that states they do NOT endorse his company! Can you say intentionally misleading?!

I am now using Griffin Transport in San Diego who is a member of the BBB and has their rating of "Excellent".



Company Response
cwat from Countrywide Auto Transport(CA) Submitted this response.
Response Date: 5/30/2008 12:53:00 PM
TRANSPORT REVIEWS ONLY GIVES GOOD RATINGS TO COMPANIES THAT PAY THEM A HEFTY FEE FOR ADVERTISING BBB DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO RATE AUTO TRANSPORT COMPANIES WE HAVE A 100% RATING WITHIN OUR CARRIER NETWORK OF 4,000 CARRIERS, CUSTOMERS, AND DEALERS THAT IS #1 IN THE UNITED STATES. THANK YOU. CALL US TOLL FREE 877-717-AUTO 24/7 ASK FOR PROOF AND WE WILL FAX TO YOU.