Pssst, hey bud, wanna know a secret?

The details:
Item to be shipped: Pinball machine.
From - To: Montreal, Quebec to Thunder bay, Ontario
Distance: 764.0 miles (1229.5 km)
Box size: 37w x 32d x 60h
Weight: 330lbs
Declared Value: $2000 cdn

The quotes: (CDN funds)
1. Manitoulin Transport: $310 + taxes. (Insurance not available)  
2. Reimer: Only ships comercial freight.
3. Fast Frate: they also only ship comercial freight. However, I was invited to call the owner on his cell to ask.
4. Gardewine North: $350 + taxes. (Insurance not available)
5. Poni Express: $300 + taxes. (Didn't ask about insurance)
Also, they have no depot in Montreal so special arrangements would have to be made for pick-up.
6. ERB Transport: Only ships food products.... oops, didn't read the fine print.
7. Same Day: $475 + taxes. (Insurance not available)
8. Quick X: $159.98 (price included taxes plus insurace for the total declared amount of the pin!)  
Also, they were very polite, had good comunication, were helpful at the loading docks, the pin arrived in two days and was in perfect condition.
If you don't believe me just ask JD.

If anybody is Interested here is a link to their website with a contact list of their Canadian & U.S service centres.
http://www.quikx.com/quikxgrpweb/english/quikx/contacts_contact.html

To be totaly honest, I did have one problem.
When I went to pay my final bill it didn't match the original quote...
It was only $88.44
I did ask about the difference in price...
They reviewed the bill quickly and said it looked correct so I payed it and left...
However, I think I might check back with them on monday just to make sure that it wasn't a mistake.
Why you ask?
Well
a) It's the honest thing to do.
-and-
b) I want to make sure I stay in their good books cause I plan on using them again and again and again and...

Adam

P.S. they also offer service in French.
http://www.quikx.com/quikxgrpweb/index.html

I can attest to the great service at the Montreal terminal, as I was the one who unloaded the machine from JD's truck while JD was busy with the paperwork (of course, leave ME with all the easy work...). 4 guys came out of nowhere and helped us get the pin from the ground to the terminal dock (4 feet higher...).

Truly great service. I will definately consider them again for shipping.

Oh, and I hope you enjoy the Flintstones, Adam!!!

Sparky

don't know if Consolidated is still in business but when i got screwed,,err, purchased a fully working pin on ebay in 2001, shipping was only $120 (edmonton to montreal).

Quoted from Moonlit_Knight

I can attest to the great service at the Montreal terminal, as I was the one who unloaded the machine from JD's truck while JD was busy with the paperwork (of course, leave ME with all the easy work...)

Yup, sounds like JD to me... Told you he was a bad man.

BTW Ian, I have a copy of the 'paperwork' he filled out while you were unloading...
Let's see, it consists of; his Name & Address, the T.Bay depot's address and my phone number...
Hmm, 8 lines of text... I bet it took him like 2 minutes to complete...
He probably spent the rest of the time hiding around the corner.

Adam

thanks for the info.  always have questions from others about sellers.  so good to know about quick x.  will make things easier

Come on, be honest, I can take it...

You guys never read any of my posts do you.  

Adam

For the record, Adam, I read this and gave QuickX a try a few months ago. Their quote for my situation was still well above that of Sameday. Maybe it's only cheap when shipping to the middle of freakin' nowhere. In fact, I'll bet that if you lived in, oh, I don't know, Thunder Bay, QuickX would be da bomb. Perhaps they take pity on people who live in such remote and uncharted territory and give them a break on their pin shipping expenses.

Quoted from cooke

Perhaps they take pity on people who live in such remote and uncharted territory and give them a break on their pin shipping expenses.

Works for me.

Adam