UPS Lost my Engine!

[MauleSkinner]

If I wreck my truck bad enough to destroy an aircraft engine strapped down in the bed, the damage to the engine is going to be the least of my concerns.

My grandpa came home with a new pickup one time…claimed he just decided to buy one.

years later, he admitted that he’d rear-ended someone, and the engine block that was WAAAAY in the back of the pickup ended up on the seat next to him.

 

[Half Fast]

Update #4
(queue Benny Hill Theme) They Found the engine Again!!

Apparently, a big Blue box without labels and smelling of 100LL has been located in the Pheonix 'Lost Items Warehouse'. The running theory is that after my initial denied claim, the engine shop sent a quote for replacement value to the shipper validating my replacement value of ~$90K. That's when they apparently started looking harder and found it in Phoenix. Something about sending photos of the box to EVERY stop between the departure and the destination.

I had half a mind to say 'Oh you found it? Great. Don't touch it, I can be in Pheonix in 12 hours with an F350.' But alas, they have promised to put it back on a train to San Antonio, again, and they promise not to lose it. . again.

At this point, I am hopeful, but don't believe them.

I wonder what will really be in that crate when it’s opened....

 

[Rgbeard]

Update #4
(queue Benny Hill Theme) They Found the engine Again!!

Apparently, a big Blue box without labels and smelling of 100LL has been located in the Pheonix 'Lost Items Warehouse'. The running theory is that after my initial denied claim, the engine shop sent a quote for replacement value to the shipper validating my replacement value of ~$90K. That's when they apparently started looking harder and found it in Phoenix. Something about sending photos of the box to EVERY stop between the departure and the destination.

I had half a mind to say 'Oh you found it? Great. Don't touch it, I can be in Pheonix in 12 hours with an F350.' But alas, they have promised to put it back on a train to San Antonio, again, and they promise not to lose it. . again.

At this point, I am hopeful, but don't believe them.

That lost items warehouse is PROBABLY 2.0 miles from my home.

I'd be tempted to go and pick it up for you -and hang on to it. But I know that messes up things like a tornado in a trailer park.

Good luck!

 

[cowman]

Amazing that they can send/receive small boxes with stuff worth only a few $ so reliably but they can lose a massive freaking crate with something worth five-figures or more.

 

[Half Fast]

Amazing that they can send/receive small boxes with stuff worth only a few $ so reliably but they can lose a massive freaking crate with something worth five-figures or more.

True. But which item would be more likely to be “diverted,” the $10 small box or the $30k crate?

 

[malcoholio]

Update #5 - The Final update (Hopefully)

The crate was delivered within 24 hours of finding it in Phoenix. Exactly 1 month after it was shipped (4 day estimate). The Engine company confirmed it arrived undamaged with all of it’s shipping paperwork.

They opened the crate and verified it’s my engine, all parts and condition as expected.

So. . Crisis averted. Big Kudos to the engine company Front-Office gal. . She remained a bull-dog on the case, calling the freight company every day and raising hell till it was found.

Now. . I just have to worry about the shipment back. I have decided NOT to drive out and pick it up, but I WILL buy extra insurance on the create, and send a GPS tracker to the engine company to attach to engine before the send it so I can track the thing on it’s return trip.

Thanks to you all for thoughts and ideas, and coming along with me on this adventure.

-m