BEWARE! Review of Gaston SamericaXplorer Shipping
 

Originally posted on ADVRider, but also posting here so all are aware:
Review of Gaston SamericaXplorer Shipping: BEWARE! | Adventure Rider

Several people are reporting similar experiences - be careful folks


Website: http://www.samericaxplorer.net

Several people have approached me regarding my issues with utilizing Gaston as a shipping broker. Instead of repeatedly typing summary responses, I think its about time I type up the details.

Background:
In 2012 i shipped my motorcycle from USA to Germany via Stefan Knopf —> Painless

The bike was there for a while till Knopf shipped it to Chile for me —> Painless

I toured South America from around July to December, riding from Valparaiso to Cartagena.

From Cartagena i wanted to ship my bike back to Germany (Knopf HQ). I wanted to use a RORO service as i did not want to take off the wheels etc.

My Story:

I was quoted around 1900 to go from Cartagena to Barcelona via KLINE RORO. I was told that port fees in Barcelona would be around $180 (it was more like 500).

While more expensive than traditional shipping options, i decided to go with this service for the convenience and sent the money to Gaston.

From here, I will fast-forward to the around February because everything in the middle is more about dealing with customs and the shipping service itself, both of which are irrelevant to my issue with Gaston.

For months since dropping off my bike, I had been asking Gaston to tell me what is the storage cost at Barcelona as i can’t pick up by bike right away. He kept saying he will get back to me. Time passed, the cargo ship reached Barcelona, my bike was in storage and yet no confirmation. Finally, i find out its actually 10 Euros a day, and since my plan was to store it for around 60 days, i was looking at an extra 600 Euros. Err … okkk.. so i hurry up and somehow manage to get my bike out after 45 days of storage and get slapped with a 450 euro storage bill which could have been avoided. Oh and don’t forget port fees were more like 500 euros rather than $180.

But here is where is gets really interesting. More than a month before my arrival into Barcelona, I was getting emails from the customs agent that Gaston has NOT paid the shipping company yet and I can’t collect my bike if he does not pay them. At this point, i was messaging Gaston and he kept replying “i will only send by overnight on the day of your arrival.”

This is money that i paid him 3 months ago and he had still not paid the shipping company and was insisting that he wont pay them till the day of my arrival. I asked him that what if something happens on the last minute, there is an issue with the transfer, there is a strike .. so many things that can happen, why can’t he send this payment a day or two early so i am not stuck in Barcelona. but no.. he told me not to tell him how to run his business… he refused to send the payment even a day early.

I reach Barcelona. No payment.
I message him.
Gaston:i will send it tonight

next morning. no payment…
Gaston: oh i sent it via overnight, its a time difference thing. it will reach you tomorrow morning. Don’t be impatient. its just a day or two.
Inside my head: well i gave you a 2 month heads-up #$#$*&


next morning. no payment ..
Gaston: Oh it must be the postal service, the overnight shipment must be taking time
Inside my head: postallllll shipment.. this wasn’t a bank transfer ???


next morning…. no payment..
Gaston: post office has told me letter is lost, if you want the bike quickly then make the payment yourself and i will refund you later….
Me: WTF!!!!!


Yes i am serious. this guy asked me to pay the shipping company (money that i had already paid him 3 months ago)… he is like well i will send the payment again but it will take time.. i refused to pay the shipping company and said i will wait.. all this time racking up hotel bills for Barcelona.

next day,
Gaston: oh i can’t send the money because i broke my arm and i can’t go to the bank or the post office. so if you want your bike, pay the shipping company and i will refund u…

?????????????
WTF!!!!!!!!!

at this point, he stopped pick up phone calls.

I knew i was already screwed and needed by bike out. So i contacted the shipping company and paid the bill. Guess what, the shipping company charges were 800… close to half of what Gaston laid out!!!!!!!! Keep in mind that in the 1900 he charged me earlier, it included $200 broker fees from him already. So he had also double dipped on the shipping charges in addition to broker fees. Well - technically, he just made off with all that money anyway…

So folks, i paid 800 to the shipping company and got my bike out. At this point, i had shelled out:
1900 to Gaston
800 to shipping company
500 to Spain port fees
500 to storage

Also, note that in Barcelona customs agent in a requirement. Add around 150 for that. And i also paid the port fees at Cartagena in cash.

this was now more expensive than air shipping.

in any case… i had my bike. i was riding Europe. things could be worse.

i reached out to gaston multiple times about my refund, but never got a single penny back from him. he would never pick up the phone. he said oh tomorrow ,, in a day,, soon. but i never saw that money from him. after some time, i decided to involve the payment processor in an effort to get my money back.

Thats when Gaston finally, replied….. with threats!!!!i have your passport number , i have your id number i will report u here , i will report u there. blah blah blah..

Conclusion:
So thats my story. your mileage may vary. i would not recommend utilizing his services. I would not shy away him outrightly calling him a thief and cheat. Totally unreliable.