Smooth talkers
Andrew H
Submitted this review about
LIGHTNING VANLINES
Review made Live: 10/9/2010 8:19:00 PM
Moving from SF to NY I used Lightning Van lines.
End result: I wish I had not. I'm not sure if there are any good movers, just don't use these guys
So for those of you who are shopping around let me give you some pointers.
1. All the quotes you get from all the movers are estimates only. Always get them to come and look at you stuff and give a fixed price based on their observation. It's not a quote its a BS estimate. I contacted no fewer that 10 places and had estimates ranging from 2000lbs to 4000lbs based on my unchanging list. In the end I had 5800lbs!!
2. Assuming you cannot get a fixed not to exceed price, the negotiation is on the weight per pound. Their are two negotiations. 1. The price on the estimate. 2. The price for anything over the estimate. Nothing else really matters other than the price per pound.
3. Packing. Negotiate everything regarding the packaging up front, again any estimate you get will likely be less than you need, as such negotiate both prices for both what you think you need. Negotiate price per box, price for tape, verify any charge for rented blankets etc. You can get a broad discount but make sure it is also for any overages.
4.Payment. Norm seems to be 2% cash discount. 5% credit card surcharge. The game is the discount only applies on the pickup not the delivery. In other words if you pay 100% cash up front at pickup you get a 2% discount. If you pay 100% cash 50% on pick up and 50% on delivery you only get the discount on the pickup. the 5% cc fee applies no matter what. I am sure that cash delivery discount is negotiateable
5. With a few exception the delivery company, at least cross country is different from the pickup company. In my case at least 3 companies transported my stuff.
6. The 0.60c "insurance" is worth less than the paper it is written on
Now for my story.
The good: Pickup on-time, delivery on-time (about 3 weeks door to door).
The bad.
1. The weight estimate was 4000 lbs, the highest I received, actual 5800.
2. I negotiated the price per pound and packing materials (including free tape) but them when we went over (we used twice as much packing as they estimated) everything bounced to full price. The additional weight was also at the higher price.What can you do at 5pm on a Saturday with all your stuff in a truck?
3. My stuff was moved through at least 3 trucks that i can work out. SF - San Leandro, San Seandro - New Jersey, New Jersey to New York., with at least 3 companies. Although the delivery was within the correct window It was not until 1 day before delivery that they could tell me exactly what the delivery date is. Not easy if you need to take a day of work and book a move in elevator.
4. Delivery payment: My assumption: I pay in full when they finish. In reality they demanded payment when they arrived. When I told them that I was not sure if I was going to pay cash or credit - and wanted to pay at the end, because if there were any problems I wanted my credit card company to help me. Upon informing them of my "scheme" I was told that because I was clearly trying to scam them that Credit card was no longer an option for me. So a had to pay cash or they would leave. Once again, you take a day of work, you have limited time frame (as you do in some buildings in NY) what do you do.
5. They delivered 243 items the same number that were picked up, however with all the moving from truck to truck across the country some of the labels they put on each item fell of, and were lost, some fell of and were put on other boxes (meaning some had two and some had none). It was notuntil unpacking that I discovered one box was not mine. I contacted Cindy from Lightning, she was great, really nice and we found the owner. A day later I fedexed itThis means I was one box short -I worked out it was a kitchen box weighing about 60 lbs. My box never turned up.
6. Other damage: During the move in the movers and I discovered that the packers in SF had put a picture frame with sharp hooks agains a wooden headboard. The headboard was badly scratched.
7. "insurance" To claim for these items I was told the 0.60/lb policy was to be used. OK fair enough, if I wanted more I should have insured it for more. However when you read the fine print. 1. You must jump through serious hoops proving all items lost (it would have taken me hours to prove the kitchen stuff 2. Any damaged items now belong to them. I would have received about $50 for my losses, it would have taken me several hours AND my bed legally would belong to them Even though I was assured "they would never take my bed". I never did claim
