Apollo Van Lines, Apollo Movers, Apollo Moving DANGER Do NOT use Apollo Van Lines of Glendale New York Glendale , New York

My wife and I decided to use Apollo for our move to Hawaii after calling other companies and getting several quotes. They seemed to be professional and gave us a reasonable quote in their Binding Estimate.   Our contact at Apollo said that the estimate might change due to packing materials, but he said he included 50 boxes on the estimate for $300 and this amount might change, I was assured no surprises on move day . The packers showed up on time and were reasonably efficient and friendly. We enjoyed a laugh when I thought the large crate for our TV they mentioned in the binding estimate would be made of wood, as they continued to wrap it in cardboard and bubble wrap. Once everything was packed into the truck, the foreman was lying on the floor, busy with a calculator. Eventually, he came up with a price $3,526 higher than the original binding estimate ( nasty surprise #1 ), the increased amount was due to $3/ sq ft for bubble wrap (the $300 for boxes was a red herring). Then the next shock came when the foreman asked me for a $9,000 personal check on the spot ( nasty surprise #2 ). We had already paid a 10% deposit by credit card and our contact told us that we could pay the balance a few weeks after the goods are picked up (I misunderstood this to mean picked up at the destination extremely wishful thinking).   I called the company and talked to the manager who said that what the representative from Apollo told us was wrong (too bad for us) and we needed to pay the money now. Conveniently, our contact was not reachable at another job (cell phone?)   (I was assured the representative would be suitably disciplined for giving me wrong information, but I still needed to cough up money on the spot).   I negotiated it down to $6000, but we realized then we were dealing with weasels.
During the move, I noticed one of the crew take off the truck and start examining my Xbox which was in original packing and I laughed with the foreman that he should make sure the Xbox is on the inventory list. This turned out not to be such a funny joke in the end.
We were moving to Hawaii , but did not have an address yet, so Apollo graciously agreed to keep our container in storage free for up to two months. They said once we gave them an address, it would take 30-45 days before our stuff would arrive in Hawaii . I suppose a better mover would have stored the goods in Hawaii . Once we found a place we notified Apollo and they said I needed to pay the balance of the bill before they would ship our stuff, and this had to be a personal check, a money order or a cashiers check. We just wanted our stuff ASAP, so I FEDEXed them a check. Whenever I thought about it, my heart sank, I paid many thousands of dollars to these characters who jived us with the bubble wrap on move day, did I just pay even more money for them to steal all of our things too? I wanted some reassurance that we were going to get our stuff, so I tried calling them. Imagine how I felt when their phone line was disconnected. I tried emailing and got no reply. I was ready to call the police, when I had an idea to pretend I was someone else and email them for an estimate and mention that their phones are down. Of course, a prompt and courteous reply.
I became very worried about this company and our stuff. I wanted to gain some peace of mind, so I called them to ask where our stuff was and when we should expect it. A told me to talk to B who told me to talk to C who said the dispatcher would call me back and they wouldnt (permutations of this went on for days and weeks, usually ending with the elusive (or fictitious) dispatcher who doesnt call back and is never in the office when you call). Emails would go unanswered or the email replies would be patronizing and evasive. Eventually I got someone to say it would be here in 2-3 weeks, but they could not tell me where my stuff was. No word at the end of three weeks, I call to follow up and am told that my shipment is delayed due to the weather -but no explanation about what weather where (the guy also said he left a message on my answering machine (NOT). They never could tell me where my stuff was, no matter how any emails and phone calls I made over the long weeks without our belongings. We were imagining it in a pawn shop. They dont know where it is, but it will be another 1-2 weeks before it gets there? (how does that work?). One humorous reason I was given for why they cant locate my stuff, because the driver is driving straight through (to Hawaii ?) After two weeks, we were considering our legal options and which third parties to contact for help. I sent an email at the end of the 45 days. The reply was that my shipment was in Honolulu and their local agent would contact me.
Most of our stuff was undamaged in the end, I guess thanks to the $3000 of bubble wrap and a disgusting old mattress they used as packing material. I am sure luck played a part too because our car was not even strapped down.   The Xbox was missing, which they could argue was misplaced except that the extra controller and games which were packed separately are missing also. I paid $800 for a vehicle surcharge which included only putting my car in the container (not strapping it down or doing any paperwork). When packing, they required me to provide them with a title to my car, I also gave them the registration and safety inspection certificate. These documents were NOT returned to me when my car was delivered.
I contacted Apollo about the stolen property explaining my suspicion concerning the crew member and that I had mentioned this to foreman on move day. I am trying to file a claim to get the $.60/lb insurance coverage for the Xbox (should be about 10lbs * .60 = $6.00), needless to say there is zero sympathy, apology or cooperation from AVL, I have followed up five times about the theft and there is no interest. I am just glad they didnt fancy any more of our stuff as there seems to be no recourse and they could have just helped themselves to whatever they wanted for free (I could almost feel insulted that they didnt take more).   Eventually they found the documents for my car and fedexed them to me (but lacked the common courtesy to let me know the tracking number).   The managers tag line in emails and on the phone is a smug have a wonderful day we rip you off $3000 for bubble wrap, steal your xbox, charge you $800 to put your car in a container and lose your title and registration, force you to pay cash equivalents on the spot, cant give you any information about where your stuff might be and have a wonderful day.
Dont believe the nonsense on their website they dont care about you or your stuff or whether you stress out on move day. My wife and I are not odd unlucky customers writing a nasty review because our move didnt go smoothly that company and the human beings working there are fundamentally flawed. Dealing with them might turn out to be the most helpless and abused youll ever feel as a consumer - it was for us. I hope you do better and these shady operators go out of business. I think the advice here is very good if you are looking for a mover: http://www.movinganswers.org/thread/79/Consumer-Report-Apollo-Van-Lines-USDOT-841867.html (I would give them a lot lower than a C, but the assessment of the business seems fair). I dont care how courteous they are before your move or how low the binding estimate is, find someone better to help with your move. Dont support these rip off artists.