Tony K

This is just kind of an offshoot of the thread where the guy in IL is having problems with the shipping company in CA:

I will never pay someone else to transport one of my cars across country. Of probably close to a hundred stories I have heard over the years of people having a car shipped, it seems like more than half of them are multiple weeks late, and one out of every 3 or 4 cars gets damaged. And all that time your car passes through so many peoples' hands who you don't know.

I don't like those odds, especially with a classic car. Great for snowbirds shipping the Grand Marquis down to Florida for the winter, but on old vehicles with delicate (often irreplacable) trim pieces, low ground clearances, where even the smallest scratch counts, NO WAY for me.

I live in Ohio, and have come close to purchasing cars in CA on several occasions. People always talk about shipping prices around $600 with a reputable company, etc. . . but when it actually came time to arrange getting the car to where the truck will pick it up, getting from where the truck would drop it off to my house, taxes, handling fees, insurance, and other miscelaneous costs, it always came out over $1000, with the exception of a couple of very shady people. But from what I gather, CA to Ohio is gonna be $800-1000 plus another couple hundred in hidden costs.

But let's just say it is only $800 when all is said and done. For that kind of money you can rent a dolly, borrow a truck from a friend, and drag it home yourself.

But what I REALLY don't get is, if it is a good running car and fully roadworthy, WHY TRANSPORT IT AT ALL? For a competitive price, you can buy yourself and a friend each an airline ticket and drive the car back. Or just go yourself. Unless it is a real gas guzzler, it will get at least twice the highway mileage of a truck pulling it. Talk about the opportunity of a lifetime - drive across the country in the sportscar of your dreams! FUN! That's why you bought it! You can make good time with two people, and if you have the money to buy a car and ship it across the country, chances are you can take the necessary 2 vacation days to tack onto a weekend to go and get it (and if you have the money but are too busy, you can probably afford the very best shipping company and therefore have no worries). Driving it home, your new pride and joy is in your own hands, and you stand a much better chance driving 2-3000 miles without incident than trusting it to a shipping company.

"But you don't really know the car, what if it breaks down along the way?" - ...so what? Have it checked over before you fly out to get it, and perform any necessary maintenance. Or fly out with spare hoses, etc. and take half a day at the seller's house to check it out before you go. You're gonna have to do it anyway. If it breaks down along the way, get it fixed along the way. It's not like whatever failed wasn't going to fail 2000 miles after you shipped the car home, so don't cry about the money. If the car can't be fixed along the way (like no shops or parts avail, or no time), well then go ahead and ship it from there and hop on a greyhound. Your insurance should have towing coverage. You took a gamble and lost, had some fun in the process. I think driving the car home is a risk definitely worth taking, as the odds of success are high, and the fun and adventure is guaranteed.

And if the car is not drivable . . . well, what are you doing buying a car that is not reliable from all the way across the country? It had better be something very rare or special to haul a piece of garbage from far away, because crap cars abound much closer to home. When you buy a car 2000 miles away, it is because it is *the* right one, and nothing closer will do. There are plenty of 944 projects within 200 miles of just about anyone east of the Mississippi River. And getting back to the risk of damage in shipping a car, well, if it is a project and you are shipping it, there is less risk, as the car is crap already. But again, why buy from far away unless it is something perfect or rare. . . .

I had to transport my Lotus from Ft. Lauderdale to Cleveland a couple of summers ago. I could not find a price under $900, and everyone seemed shady, far from the level of professionalism one would trust with a rare, delicate car. The trip was a mere 1250 miles, give or take. I rented a u-haul dolly (was not expensive), and a friend and I went in his pickup truck. We had fun towing a Lotus up I-95 and I-77. Total cost when all was said and done, including gas, dolly, buying him a reese hitch, tuneup on his truck, buying him food, etc. was just over $400. And the car was safe, in competent hands.

I almost bought a Lancia in California. Scorpions are priced pretty much on a par with 944 in terms of condition. In other words, $1000 goes a long way toward the condition of the car in terms of the initial purchase. Which do you want to do - buy one for $3000 and blow a grand shipping it = total cost $4000, or buy a nicer one for $4000. Again, unless a car is very special or rare or EXPENSIVE, I just don't see the point in ever having to ship a car across 2000+ miles.

But the real reason I would never ship a car is the same reason I do my own work: 99% of mechanics are monkeys, and 99% of people other than yourself who will ever touch your car are monkeys. That includes shipping people.


okay, rant over.

pete944

I had the same reservations when I bought my current car. Every transport company I called wanted at least $800 and could not guarantee a pickup or delivery time. If I'm paying a company $800 I demand to know when the car is picked up, when it will be delivered, and I want a way to track it during shipment. I trust no one when it comes to my money or property. I get nervous if UPS is a day late.
I eneded up spending $200 for a plane ticket to Denver and driving it back. I had a great time and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Mongo

I'd be nervous about driving a car out of state back to Cali due to road hazards and rock chips. That's what makes me nervous..... I know if I ever got a car out of state I'd probably trailor it back or car transport it (worrying now about transporting)

pete944

My car had dents and crappy paint. I didn't worry about any of that.

fpena944

I had my car transported when I moved from New Jersey to North Carolina.

Why? Well it's too small to fit 3 people and a dog with all of the luggage!

My company picked up the tab but they used United Van Lines as the agent and some other company with a car carrier to transport my vehicle(I can dig up the paperwork if you really want to know). It arrived unscathed and with only an additional .2 miles on the odometer. I'm not sure how much it cost them but I'm happy with their services.

If my car were truly rare or had some modifications that made it worth an amount higher than any insurance would cover - then yes, I'd figure out a way to get it cross-country myself. But on car that is completely stock, I figured the gamble was worth the convenience.

DDP

First off, I really dont understand the point of this, are you saying that Im stupid or something? THere are many more things involved than just getting the car.Second, I dont have time, none. I bought a car with a blown engine to put a new one in. Couldnt drive it back, didnt have time to go pick it up. I do agree most shipping companies are complete ****. I have heard Intercity Lines are very very good. I could never forsee this happening. I didnt think it would have been a big deal. Also, what the hell are they thinking when they dont call me after not starting the car...for 2 weeks!! So, there are many ****ty companies, but also there are a few decent ones. I really do not understand the reason for this post?

DDP

Sorry bout that! Im still just really steamed from that company!! Now they want me to pay storage for the 2 weeks I didnt know the was sitting!!!

pete944

Nobody is saying that you were stupid. Sometimes there is no choice but to have the car shipped. I think Tony (and I) are just ranting at how incompetent 99% of these shipping companies are. Maybe I should start my own auto delivery service.

Tony K

Derek - Don't worry, I am not calling you stupid. Your experience made me think of all the similar stories I have heard from so many other people who shipped cars, and the types of lowlifes I encountered when I have dealt with shipping companies personally. I decided not to clutter up your thread with my thoughts that weren't directly related to what you were talking about.

fpena - what never ceases to amaze me is how much better quality and service I get through *everything* when my company pays for it. I have never had a problem with anything when the company footed the bill. Maybe businesses want to protect their big contracts? Maybe they work better when they pretty much have a blank check from the company vs. one customer who is counting pennies?

Chris_924s

It's a complete and total ripoff. 800 bucks was less than the lowest estimats I got to move a non-running car from Tulsa to Cincinnati. I understand about fuel costs, liability insurance and road use taxes.

There are some excellent ones (Legendary motor cars) who are used to transporting million dollar and irreplaceable vehicles. They transport in pure class semi trailers.

I believe these guys largely cater to the well-to-do set unable or unwilling to expend the time and effort to "get it themselves", and lets face it- practically noone would drive a 62 Ferrari across the country- unless they KNEW it would make it without a major mechanical mishap.

So, in conclusion- If I cant buy it and drive it back without a reasonable certainty it wont break down, I'm not interested at all.

This experience with auto transporters has left a bad taste, and benchmarking on the experience of others- I wouldnt ever do it.

epbrown01

I'm also a member of the RROC, and you hear a lot of stories about car shipping. Fact is, like most things, if you're shopping on price you're going to get a crappy shipper - Rolls-Royce and Ferrari owners spend 2-5 thousand getting their cars moved to various homes or to car shows by people that will baby the car. If you can't spend that kind of money (and with some of our cars it doesn't make sense to pay that much), make arrangements to haul it yourself or drive it back. Dealing with low-end transporters is a crap shoot.

Emanuel

PS: (I've made 4 such road trips from Chicago: 911 - Miami, 944 - Virginia, 928 - Rhode Island, Rolls-Royce - Delaware. My rule is that the car has to be within a weekend's driving distance ~1000 miles)

Strike-Force

a friend of mine bought a 1970 maverick grabber from new mexico. drove it the whole way back to pennsylvania.

Luis de Prat

Only time I've shipped my cars is when there were "large bodies of water" involved.
Couldn't drive the S2 from Ft. Lauderdale to Spain, but I did drive it all the way up to NYC from there and put it on the boat.
Couldn't drive the 83 from Louisville to the Caribbean, but I did drive it down to Jacksonville to put it on the boat.
The 951, however, I did pick up in Switzerland and drove all the way to Spain. Like Pete, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. What a ride...

UDPride

I agree, but only in the sense that Id never buy a car unless I could touch it first and refuse it sight seen. Some have done well buying off EBay but you have more ***** with your pocketbook than I.

DDP

im feelin really good right about now... haha jk, i made a mistake. but i will learn from it. I just hope that the car is still in one piece! and with the maf!