Shipping Frustration

[ghost]

Ive waited to post this thread, as I wanted to put the whole story down at the end, but I think Ill do a part one and finish off when its done.

 

Went out and got all our quotes , as usual, decided to use crown as they seemed to have an excellent reputation.

 

They werent the cheapest, but decided when shipping all of your worldly good, you want quality right ?

 

In the run up to "D" day, I was a little concerned as I had rang the birmingham office a couple of times with questions but no one would ring me back. But didnt worry too much about it.

 

Anyway the day the packers arrived came , they were due at 9am, by 9.30 no one had turned up. I rang the office, no one rang me back, I rang again, and finally got someone to tell me the guys were running late, and would be there shortly.

10.30 Still no one. Again rang the office, no one rang me back. I had to ring the salesman, who eventually rang me back, and told me there had been an accident, and they would be there around lunch. 12.30 they turned up. They stuck to the story about an accident, but 31/2hours, I wasnt convinced.

 

Well the packers were really good , and very helpful. They put us at ease. We were due our 40 foot container on the wednesday. It was due to arrive by 10, should have been packed by 2 and then we would go back to our hotel, to spend an evening with family and friends, before leaving the following day.

 

10am we hear the lorry to see a 20ft container on the lorry. Again, many unanswered phonecalls to finally be told the container would arrive by 3pm. Very frustrating and traumatic.

 

THe other thing is I was transporting my motorcycle. A very heavy 2 litre cruiser. I was told they had a ramp and they expected me to ride the bike up the ramp onto the container. Very dangerous. Im not evel kneivel and im not risking my pride and joy on that ramp. I made various suggestions to deviate the trailer to my work to get the bike lifted on correctly but they would not deviate the trailer to more than one drop.

 

Eventually the trailer turned up. And the loading started. My bike had to be lifted on to a luton van, then from a luton van onto the trialer. No mean feat, as this is a 300 kilo bike. Then the crate, was not big enough. They had to pack the crate with extra wood to make it fit. It wasnt wide enough, or high enough.

 

Eventually the container was filled. I left my house at 10pm, dirty tired and p*ssed off. I had to cancel seeing some of my friends because of one too many mistakes. Surely it could only get better at the other end.

 

Well the container arrived at Perth on the 24th October. I was quoted 5 to 10 days to get customs cleared. I know that crown didnt even get the container until 2 weeks after it docked, and I have just been told today they will be delivered on the 24th November. A full month to clear customs.

 

There has been some issue with some spare bike parts I brought, nothing to do with my bike, just a couple of sets of bars and risers, customs want the kept out as they want to tax me on them. I should have just sold them before I came.

 

Im fed up and want to sleep on a proper bed. My bed.

 

Just hope things are ok when they get there. I know crown have had to open alot of boxes to find my bars and risers. Ihate the thought of people going through my stuff.

 

Im hopeing my next post on this thread will be happier, but needless to say If we end up going back to the uk, we will not be using crown.

[Cal2]

oh Lord - hope it improves

Cal

[Guest aohall]

o my god - what a nightmare :frown:- i hope you do get some better news and your own bed soon:SLEEP:

[ghost]

Oh forgot to mention , uk lost all our paperwork too !