Vehicle transport - recent experiences?

[cdn97986]

Interested in what people have been paying in the past months for vehicle transport. From my prior searches, many suggest using a broker like uShip to find the best prices and options. I have been seeing with them recently that their "avg price paid" estimate before submitting a request for bids is 1.5-2x below the quotes I have been receiving. So for CA to PA, the $1200-1800 estimates for open transport are more like $2000-3000, which really is a deal breaker in most cases with my car purchase budget. Although a little lower in cost, the quotes from FL were a similar percentage higher than the estimate. Not sure if it has always been this way, or a consequence of the COVID situation on the drivers? Besides just finding and calling independent transporters, any recommendations out there on other options? Thanks.

[Get2theBimmah]

Bidding sites seem to be a necessary evil.   We've had a bunch of clowns come to our shop to pick up cars that the customers setup to get their cars back to them.  That is modern Mclarens and Porsches that the "kids" were excited to transport and even a bunch of occasions we've heard them revving the cars outside while loading them to the point where we've had to go out and reprimand them.  Of course, once they're on the road it's out of our hands.  It really depends on the car you're transporting.  If it's something of high value, I wouldn't mess around and stick with Horseless Carriage based out of Jersey here or Reliable Transport.  Those guys are established in the industry and always a class act.  You will pay the premium, but no questions during transport.  It really comes down to the car though.  Bidding sites are a dice roll, and we've gotten good guys too.  At the same time, a standard 02 wouldn't excite some millennial to do something dumb either.  I would recommend closed transport though.  Cross country travel definitely weathers the cars when they arrive and not to mention big semi's can clip tree branches and stuff if you're on the top.  

 

And to answer your financial question - those prices are accurate. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Get2theBimmah

[cdn97986]

Thanks for the insights. So the "avg what others paid" for transport is sort of a bait and switch then just to get you to submit a request for bids. With a $10-12k max budget "all in" to buy a car and the market prices really skyrocketing for 2002s, looks like I'm looking local only for purchases now. 20-25% of the total purchase budget for transport is tough to swallow!

[2002#3]

Intercity Transport.  Enclosed.  No middle-carriers involved.  No bids.  Superb service which in no way could have been better.  $1,900 San Fran to Cincinnati.  $200 tip.  May, 2019.

[cdn97986]

That sounds reasonable for enclosed transport. The $2000-3000 I've been seeing is for open, can't imagine what closed would be with uShip. I'll check with Intercity, thanks for the tip.

[pjp90]

Getting ready to ship 4 cars from NJ to CA.  Will be using Intercity, enclosed transport, $2195 each.  Reliable quoted just slightly higher 

 

 

[mccusername]

Intercity. Not usually the very cheapest but always very good.

[2002#3]

The 2 hours of "Car Transport Tales" the driver told me after he unloaded and rested was worth the $1,900.  Best one:  the spouse who refused to let him unload the car she did not know her hubby bought.  

 

[Mike Self]

I used "easyautoship" to get my '69 from the CCA Foundation museum in South Carolina to SW Florida.  Since there were two other display cars heading to SE FL, I worked a deal with the transport company to take all three at the same time (none of us were in a huge hurry to get our cars) and got a very good price ($7-800 each), an enclosed trailer and very good service.  We had some specific dates and delivery instructions, and there were no problems at all.  Deliveries were all on time, cars were in great shape and everything went smoothly.  

 

mike

[mac]

I just learned that CARMAX will transport your car.

You'll have to research that yourself. 

 

Mac. 

[Mark92131]

When I sold my 1975 BMW 2002 to a guy in New York, the transporter was Plycar.  When my new car arrived from Long Island Motor cars, the transporter was Plycar.  Both cars arrived without issues with GPS tracking along the route.

 

Mark92131

 

 

[hynrgee]

To add to what others have posted, and in case you're considering doing it yourself, two years ago, I tried to hire a transporter. I got recommendations, received a number of bids, and worked with the FAQ member that sold me a dismantled 2002 to agree on a pick up date. Unfortunately, the shell, which was on wheels, needed to be pushed and steered manually. After wrapping and securely storing the various parts in the cabin and trunk of the car, it was a full 2300 pounds for a driver and truck to haul. This introduced complications with transporters. Because of insurance, driver, and other unknowns, most transporters were unwilling to take the job. Most wanted a car they could simply drive onto the trailer. In the end I found one transporter willing to pick up the vehicle in Athens, Georgia, to deliver it to Grass Valley, CA. The cost approached $2002. 

 

Without many options I agreed. The transportation company explained that they needed to find a truck driving from or through Georgia to do the pickup.  After a month of waiting patiently, the seller told me that I needed to pick up the vehicle. He needed the space. The transporter could not guarantee a date because of the condition of my vehicle, so I decided to borrow a friend's Ford Expedition Limited, rent a $500 to $700 U-Haul trailer for about a week, and do the hauling myself. My qualifications? My brother is a truck driver.  

 

 

The image above is the prepped shell that I bought and transported. The photo below is the Expedition, trailer, and wrapped 73 2002 in the hotel parking lot in Athens the night before I started the journey back to California. Though I thought I had securely covered the shell, it didn't last long before the wind started tugging it off. I stopped at a department store, bought rope and tie-down straps and didn't leave more than a foot between the straps. That lasted until California, though it always seemed it would blow off at any time.

 

 

The following photo is what the car looks like now. California plates "Oh Two".

 

 

I kept gas station, hotel, food and other receipts. When I returned home after six days (three there and three back), I totaled the receipts. It cost me about $2002 to trailer the shell back. I didn't stay at expensive places and ate cheaply, but between the trailer rental and the cost of diesel there and back, the cost mounted over the week's time. If I accounted for my opportunity cost, I would have been better off hiring someone to bring the shell back.

 

I had never done anything like this before. While I enjoyed the journey, that's in hindsight. During the trip I had to worry about every little detail: put diesel into the Ford when filling up, check the wheel straps at every stop, adjust the covers to minimize drag, find a well lit spot in hotel parking lots, quit trying to cruise at 65 mph, take 40 to Nevada then decide which way to go, call home to assure everyone I was okay, etc. I would have gladly paid a premium to take the headache out of my hands. When I was finally back in California I decided to take 15 north to 99. 99 is an evil and dangerous road. Nonetheless, I found myself routinely going 75 mph. So did a CHP officer on a motorcycle who must have been a 2002 fan since he only waved at me to slow down.

 

I think it's true that it's better to be lucky than good. I wish you well locating the right transporter.

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by hynrgee
picture didn't post

[hynrgee]

Removed duplicate photo.

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by hynrgee
Error.

[gsshack]

In June 2019 on the recommendation of a good friend in the BMW Classic Car community, I used Applewood Motorcar Transport out of West Virginia to move my M635 from Northeast Georgia to VSR (Beford, NH), something over 1,000 miles - cost was around $1,100.  Applewood operates east of the Mississippi River and is similar to Intercity & Reliable in pricing & customer service.  I was extremely pleased with their service both going & returning.

 

No affiliation other than a very satisfied client.  Their phone 304-229-3784.

 

Best regards,

Steve

[adawil2002]

+1 Plycar is who I've been using. Very reasonable pricing, fully enclosed excellent customer service. ~$2600 from Bedford NH to Torrance CA (Los Angeles)