HORSELESS CARRIAGE or should I say USELESS CARRIAGE

That is totally fine and acceptable because the car hasn't yet entered service. Some states have laws that only require disclosure in the event damages are more than ~$5,000. Well, you know what? Dealer run bodyshops can always figure out a way to make sure the cost of repairs is below the reporting threshold.

The situation described above is entirely different than a transport company taking a new vehicle owned by the customer (i.e. it has already entered service and no longer belongs to the manufacturer or the selling dealer), damaging it, repairing it (most likely poorly) and then not disclosing the damage that absolutely results in diminished residual value.

 

My Name is Frank Malatesta and I’m the sole owner of Horseless Carriage Carriers, Inc. As a fellow FarrariChat member, owner of a Ferrari and the transporter of many of my fellow-members vehicles, I feel compelled to respond to the lies that were posted about my company and the way my drivers handle the hundreds of vehicles that we transport daily. I continue to be the sole owner for over 40 years and I am proud of my business and the reputation that I have earned due to the degree of care that my drivers and I use in successfully transporting millions of dollars worth of cars. We continue to be the #1 transporter of Ferrari’s in the country for over 35 years, so we must be doing something right.

Kole posted lies about my company, our procedures, our management and the degree of damage done to his Range Rover. He also posted lies about what my driver said and actions that he took. This particular driver is a professional, courteous man who has served 2 tours of duty in Iraq, defending our country. He was hurt and dismayed by the lies that were posted about his actions and alleged statements.

Unfortunately there was a minor 2-inch scratch on the vehicle for which we are very sorry. Due to the distance of the Texas dealer and my business in New Jersey, I went to the extent of having a local Land Rover Dealer and a representative from Land Rover North America come to my place of business to see the vehicle. I asked them to find the scratch on the car. I gave them a hint…it was on the driver’s side. After searching for a few minutes, I had to point out the 2-inch surface scratch to them. They both were extremely surprised that Kole refused delivery due to such a minor scratch that they said could have been easily buffed out. At the request of the Texas dealer, we shipped the vehicle back to Texas for them to repair. When I offered to schedule the return of the repaired vehicle I was told that another transporter already took care of it. I have received no money for the 3 trips we made with Kole’s car.

Unfortunately with a forum like this, we are limited to a “he said/she said” type of forum and we are reminded that there are all kinds of people in this world. Therefore if you have any questions or comments, please call me personally:
Frank Malatesta - (201) 960-5312.

 

I’d like to respond to “Kole’s” 8/3 post. I am the insurance agent for Horseless Carriage and I want to respond to the allegations and lies that were posted. First off, Horseless Carriage has been owned by the same owner, Frank Malatesta, for over 40 years. Neither ownership nor any new management has changed. Horseless Carriage has an infallible reputation and is entrusted to be the sole transporter of Ferrari automobiles in the country. They have gained and maintain a professional reputation from their tried and true transportation methods and degree of quality and care given to all vehicles. They successfully transport high-end vehicles, collector cars, antique cars and daily drivers millions of miles a year. During transport there HAVE been a very limited number of incidents where a vehicle in transport was damaged. HOWEVER, every time the owner was notified and an agreed repair plan was put into play.

Let’s talk about ‘Kole’s” vehicle... Horseless Carriage (H.C.) picked up the vehicle from Land Rover of Texas. Before loading, the driver inspected the vehicle (as is always done) and noticed damage to the rear passenger side wheel that was indicated on the Inventory Description Sheet. As a result, the dealer agreed to order and ship “Kole” a new wheel due to H.C’s driver noticing it. The vehicle was delivered and “Kole” noticed a small scratch on the rear driver’s side door and refused delivery. The scratch was 2 inches in length (not 1 foot) and was a surface scratch…similar to if you took your fingernail and scratched a black, glossy car. The vehicle was taken back to H.C.’s warehouse where a representative from a local Land Rover dealership as well as a representative from Land Rover North America came to visit and analyze the car. Both parties could not find the scratch. After it was pointed out, both the dealer and the Land Rover representative said this could be buffed out with minimal effort and was a “ridiculous claim”. The dealer in Texas asked to have the vehicle shipped back to Texas (from New Jersey) to repair it, which H.C. did.

When H.C. attempted to schedule the vehicle to get returned after the Texas dealer repaired the vehicle, H.C. was told that another carrier transported it. NO money was ever collected for the initial transport to “Kole”, from “Kole” to H.C. or from H.C. back to Texas (3 trips)…all over a 2-inch fingernail scratch.

 

This was a sad thread at the start...you notice my earlier posts about it.

There was a certain tone of the whole event that just stretched the imagination...
And I have a pretty vivid imagination.

Glad you found it, and posted.....

 

Thank you for relaying your side of the story.

Would anyone care to post a picture of the damage?

 

Who just joined the forum today. It's good to hear the other side of the story but without proof from either party this can only be, like you mentioned, a "he said/she said" argument. It's hard to win in the court of public opinion.

 

I once transported Matt in the passenger seat of my 328 with absolutely no damage.

You're right. The difference is that the dealer still owns the car, so you can inspect it and refuse delivery. Happened to me with a Merc about 5 years ago. In this case, I think the OP owned the truck and contracted for the shipping.

Would be interesting to see photos of the scratch, to settle the "he said/he said" nature of the thread.

 

And you can bet with a situation that involved replacing the door, there ARE pics.

 

I have been in the collector car hobby for over 50 years and have been attending the Hershey car show for over 30 years. My knowledge with Horseless Carriage Transport is stellar. Everyone I know that has used HCT has had an excellent result.

These guys are the consumate professionals. Their consignments arrive on time and are handled by professional drivers. I have never heard of anyone being stonewalled by HCT for any insurance claim. Belive me the collector car hobby is tight knit and rumor driven. If there was an issue with HCT the word would get out damn fast.

I suggest anyone thinking about having HCT move a vehicle, go to Hershey Pa during the car show in October, and watch the numerious HCT trucks and trailers being filled with cars heading to all points of North America. Just watching how they handle and care for these vehicles will put your mind at ease. They move at least 10 time more cars than any other carrier at Hershey.

As a side bar I have no interest, either financial, or in any other form in or with HCT. I just wanted to set the record straight. Being purlioned via the internet is a cheap shot and usually done by someone trying to get something they are not due.

Howard Musolf
1981 308gtsi
1982 400i Cabriolet
Maserati Spider
2 many brass era cars

 

No, the shipping damage I was referring to was factory-to-dealer. As the new owner you don't have the opportunity to inspect before the dealer preps it for your approval.

OK well that's a different type of delivery than I was referring to.

Yup, and I didn't mean to imply that there was any special non-disclosure rule for the OP's delivery. I was responding to a post that specifically was incredulous that "a lot" of damage occurred to new cars in shipping. I was just trying to point out that damage from shippers, including HC, was common and was commonly not disclosed.

I knew this thread was going to go downhill fast. After 1 complaint from someone no one here knows from Adam, everyone was ready to write HC off. Well, the OP's post had its intended effect.

Haha and then the owner of HC comes on and plays the patriot card. Whatever. And gets "someone else" (not his wife or buddy, I'm sure) to back him up, using the same account that he JUST opened while claiming to be "one of us". The second post, a long one, came THREE MINUTES after the first one. uh huh. But at least he did post his phone number and invited calls, so I will give him credit for that.

I will never use HC. But not because of this thread. Only because I have a carrier that I always use and have no reason to switch. Anyone that is going to make their decision to use or not use HC based on a complaint from 1 person they don't know needs to have their head examined. If HC were really that bad there would be TONS of complaints all over the place, including the BBB. HC does do a lot of business with Pebble Beach type cars so as the man said, they must be doing something right.

 

Frank, glad to see your response; I'm with you!

Kole obviously has some issues which surpass credulity. I think Kole was just trying to find a way to not pay his bill!

It seems most of us agree.

I say ban the slanderer forever; He has no credibility!!!!

Sparky

 

Frank from Horseless and his crew have always been great competitors of Intercity Lines'. Our relationship goes back to the late 1970's when I delivered an Aston Martin to Frank's warehouse and made the mistake of grinding a cigarette out on his warehouse floor...needless to say I learned from that mistake.

I can only say that the Folks at Horseless Carriage have set a very high standard when it comes to auto transport...squeaky clean equipment, uniformed Drivers, and an ongoing reputation for quality service. We've learned alot from the way Frank managaes his business.

A two-inch scratch on a door shouldn't be an issue...buff it out or repaint the door, whatever it takes to make the Customer happy, but all within reason.

Two thumbs up to you Uncle Frank!

Dave Wilson
Intercity Lines

 

LOL! Keeps a clean floor, does he???

 

Charged me $1.00 for grinding the butt out on his floor, I'll never forget that!

 

Kole, Kole, Kole. Your story strains credibility on several issues. There is a lot of assumption on your part that we all agree with you on how things exactly transpired, and that we make other inferential assumptions just because you say so. For example a 12-inch or a 2-inch difference is huge. So is a surface scratch or a to-the-metal gash.
Even the rep. from Land Rover NA called it a "ridiculous claim" He has no vested interest in the matter. The same driver that was giving you the "skinny" on your apparently chromaflair scratch also was helping your vehicle out with replacing a wheel before you had it delivered. Doesn't sound like a bad kind of guy. Your insinuation of a cross-country string of fly-by-night paint shops that re-paint new Ferraris while (I suppose) the drivers "pull over" for a cigarette and a nightcap is...ludicrous at best. Pretty sure, Ferrari would have noticed.


But here are some glaring situational loopholes: As DMaury pointed out, there would certainly be pictures of a foot-long, to-the-metal gash on a brand new Range Rover Autobiography. That's a very nice SUV.
**So why would the driver be telling you "Yeah, we screw people's vehicles over all the time. By the way here's yours that we just did a number on."
**What is the cost associated with replacing a door on a Range Rover Autobiography? Those are very unique Range Rover, each one nearly custom to itself. Special interior, leather colours and fitments, wood veneers, etc...It would have to be astronomical, nearly like a replacing a Bentley door-- and at no cost? Hmm...
**HC's own competition is singing its praises as a quality competitor. Specifically identifying the proprietor Frank as his mentor of sorts, teaching him everything he veritably knows about the business, when instead if this sullied reputation were the regular practice of HC I'm certain any good competitor would be out to eliminate them.
**You had your "facts" egregiously wrong about the company history -- just changed owners, management has no interest in quality. So why would the other facts be plausible? And why again are you writing Ferrari corporate over a company that shipped your Land Rover from a LR dealer? What is the hoped for effect?

 

I am glad to see after reading all of the negative posts that people are starting to see through the tale told by Kole and the other posts (probably from the competition) in this forum. Logic would tell you the story has a lot of holes in it, why would he be complaining on a ferrari blog page about a Rover? What does he really want? Who is he getting all his incorrect information from?
Our company has used Horseless Carriage for many years in transporting all kinds of exotic vehicles and have NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS!!! I know for a fact that there are some very fussy people who only use the services of HC and will NEVER go to anyone else. We recommend anyone who has car collections to HC, they are fairly priced for the excellent services received. WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SERVICES OF HC ONLY THANKS AND PRAISES. All the best to Frank and everyone at Horseless Carriage, we will keep spreading the good words about your services and hope those words with drown out the SO CALLED "stories" told by some in this blog.

Old School

 

I have used Intercity Lines a few times in the past, and they are amazing. They treated my car like an Enzo, and the price was comparable to an open transport!
I do not know anything about Horseless Carriage. I have used Global Atlantic Transport, and they screwed me over. I will never use those guys again.

 

the biggest red flag I have ever seen is raised when a company publicly defends a competitor.

I dont even know who these companies are and I'll never own a car worthy of shipping. All I can see is nothing is adding up right now.

Surely you would have taken a picture of something as horrible as a five dollar foot long scratch that was down to the metal. What kind of genius would refuse delivery of a car for something like that and not take pictures to show everyone?

wheres the guy with the bull**** card?

 

Lets see the scratch.

 

You know, Kole, at the beginning of this thread, I was on your side:

(1) It is completely unacceptable for a vehicle transporter to have a chain of body shops where they "drop off" cars that have sustained damage to be repaired without the customers' knowledge and consent.

(2) A vehicle transporter who causes any damage to a customer's vehicle must pay to repair it to the customer's satisfaction.

However, I'm re-thinking this idea that HC retains a string of repair shops across the country. For one thing, they'd need a LOT of them, and all would have to be prepared to repair a vehicle at a moment's notice. In order to sign a deal like this, Horseless Carriage would have to be able to guarantee a certain amount of business to at least a couple hundred body shops across the country - and that would be extremely expensive for HC! (Why not just have insurance, and be more careful? It doesn't make sense from a financial standpoint.)

Then it comes down to "He said/I said." A 2" surface scratch and a 12" inch gouge down to bare metal are two very different things.

I was squarely on your side at the beginning, my friend, but some of this just isn't adding up.