Auto transport service

[s10mk]

Hello,
Who does everyone use for auto transport service? When I buy a truck, I'm debating on whether I want to travel to haul it home vs paying a professional to do it for me. I guess I'm trying to get an idea of what kinds of costs are normally involved.
Thank you

[69Tom]

I'm currently going through this at the moment for shipping at truck from NC to AZ. I'm getting quotes from uShip. After looking through some threads and getting suggestions from people on the forum here, I made a few inquiries. Contrary to what they said, I am finding my uShip quotes to be right in line with contacting their suggestions.

Right now, my best rate for an uncovered carrier is $1289 from NC to PHX, so around 2100 miles or so.

[Perpendicular]

I have used uShip several times with good results. I am in the process of shipping a Suburban from Michigan to Virginia now using an independent due to wanting enclosed over open as uShip was a bit higher..

Both have their advantages to me and I don't have an issue with either.

One thing to note though is delivery dates. When you set a transport, always specify reasonable dates and hold them to it.

Costs vary due to pickup location, drop off location, enclosed, etc. uShip will give you estimates. Factor in your fuel, your plane trip, what if it breaks down, etc.

[rsavage]

You certainly have a truck that could pull a car trailer. Do you have a trailer or can you rent one (Uhaul)? Where are you bringing it from? You are in the Northeast so if you would be trailering it across the north, it could be a harry time to pull a trailer through snow and ice. You can probably figure 8 mpg ave. plus tolls to wherever and back, and you need whatever time off. You will take the most pains in trailering it home because its your baby - if it is economically feasible to do so. I've had a couple vehicles shipped - a 67 Bel Air wagon from Las Vegas and a 70 Burb from St. Louis. Not happy either time. On the wagon, it drove onto a seven car carrier in Vegas. When it got to my house it was being pulled by a flat bed with a wheel lift for the last 400 miles (dumped to another carrier) on rear tires that were dry rotted and a rear end that hadn't been checked to determine if it had gear oil in it - Oh and it no longer ran. Some punks beat the snot out of it at the yard in Ohio and jumped/bent several push rods. The Burb just took a few weeks but it also wouldn't start on arrival. That just needed a battery.

[flashed]

Dont use Move Wheels ,based in Florida and working thru Uship . They agreed to haul a truck for me from the desert of California to Ga for $1200 . Once the driver arrived at the trucks location they cancelled him trying to jack up my price .Once they cancelled my contract the driver worked with me since he was already there and I paid him the $1200 and Move Wheels got nothing since they cancelled our contract .

[Coley]

Whatever you do....bring your own gas, your own battery...and maybe a spare tire (or two or four) to pick up your truck.
It seems its not uncommon for shippers to drain the fuel out the vehicles for their own use...and maybe substitute a bad battery when they get the chance. Plus, nothing like a quick stop over to substitute a used set of tires for a near new set...oh, and don't forget....the jack will be long gone as well.
I wish there was more accountability and legitimacy in that work....but there doesn't seem to be.

Good luck and keep us posted with your choice and how it goes.

Coley

[s10mk]

Originally Posted by rsavage

You certainly have a truck that could pull a car trailer. Do you have a trailer or can you rent one (Uhaul)? Where are you bring it from? You are in the Northeast so if you would be trailering it across the north, it could be a harry time to pull a trailer through snow and ice. You can probably figure 8 mpg ave. plus tolls to wherever and back, and you need whatever time off. You will take the most pains in trailering it home because its your baby - if it is economically feasible to do so. I've had a couple vehicles shipped - a 67 Bel Air wagon from Las Vegas and a 70 Burb from St. Louis. Not happy either time. On the wagon, it drove onto a seven car carrier in Vegas. When it got to my house it was being pulled by a flat bed with a wheel lift for the last 400 miles (dumped to another carrier) on rear tires that were dry rotted and a rear end that hadn't been checked to determine if it had gear oil in it - Oh and it no longer ran. Some punks beat the snot out of it at the yard in Ohio and jumped/bent several push rods. The Burb just took a few weeks but it also wouldn't start on arrival. That just needed a battery.

My truck does tow really well, 4-wheeling was my old hobby and I used to haul 8500-9000# on a regular basis. But I no longer own a trailer, so I would be renting a trailer. I checked with uhual, and if I rented their trailer in Albuquerque NM (hypothetical) and used it to tow back to Pennsylvania(1600 miles), the rental would cost approximately 300, which I felt was reasonable.

The weather is potentially always a problem in the northeast, but I'm pretty experienced with driving and towing in bad weather, and I have a pretty good idea when it's time to pull over, go to sleep, and ride the storm out.

I guess I had never considered the possibility of having such hacks do the towing for me, but I guess that's the gamble you take when you go through any kind of broker.

The one thing that appeals to me about driving to get a truck myself is that if something is wrong with the truck that wasn't described or pictured, I can always just walk away. Wheras if I have it hauled, I own it at that point.

[69Tom]

I think another factor, at least to me, is, do you like driving across country and do you have the time to do it? I love it, so I've picked up many vehicle myself and drove them back home. I just don't have the time to do it this time, so it's not happening.

[s10mk]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

I think another factor, at least to me, is, do you like driving across country and do you have the time to do it? I love it, so I've picked up many vehicle myself and drove them back home. I just don't have the time to do it this time, so it's not happening.

I've actually never traveled across country, so it would be a new adventure for me. But yes, I have the vacation time from work to do it. I have been rationalizing it to myself by comparing the cross country driving time versus buying a local truck, and spending the time replacing rusty floors, rocker panels, and cab corners. Of course, the ultimate blunder would be hauling a truck cross country That needed floors and rockers.

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by s10mk

I've actually never traveled across country, so it would be a new adventure for me. But yes, I have the vacation time from work to do it. I have been rationalizing it to myself by comparing the cross country driving time versus buying a local truck, and spending the time replacing rusty floors, rocker panels, and cab corners. Of course, the ultimate blunder would be hauling a truck cross country That needed floors and rockers.

Oh, that's a no brainer then, provided the truck doesn't need floors and rockers. It's much more fun driving across country than welding in floors and rockers.

[Rufas]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

I'm currently going through this at the moment for shipping at truck from NC to AZ. I'm getting quotes from uShip. After looking through some threads and getting suggestions from people on the forum here, I made a few inquiries. Contrary to what they said, I am finding my uShip quotes to be right in line with contacting their suggestions.

Right now, my best rate for an uncovered carrier is $1289 from NC to PHX, so around 2100 miles or so.

I shipped two vehicles uncovered from CA to GA. Depending on the condition of your vehicle you might want to reconsider that. My vehicles arrived cover in rain scum, diirt and mud. My vehicles were on the lower portion of the trailer and both cars were covered in oil from the cars above them leaking oil.

I'm in the process of shipping the same vehicles again from GA to AZ. I learned my lesson and this time they will be shipped in an enclosed trailer.

[69Tom]

Originally Posted by Rufas

My vehicles were on the lower portion of the trailer and both cars were covered in oil from the cars above them leaking oil.

Ugh. That's disturbing to hear.

[BossHogg69]

Last time I had one shipped was through TD Auto transport. Very happy with them. Had a car shipped enclosed from Maryland to Arkansas. They stayed in communication with me the entire time they had the car and were very thorough with their pre load checklist and again after turning the car over to me.

http://tdautotrans.com
9087211526

[Keystone_Hate]

I say road trip it, rent a uhaul and tow it back. That way, like you said, you can get hands on the truck and see if it's as advertised. If not, youre only out the gas money, and you got a sweet road trip with some warm weather in NM. If the truck is good, you will probably save a bunch opposed to having a shipper do it and it's in your hands, avoiding all the possible questionable shippers.

This is all dependent on if you have the time of course. Probably looking at 7-8 days barring any interference from mother nature.

[1968aj]

you could probably have a forum member in the area go look at it for you. I believe a transport could bring cheaper than you could go get it.

[cypressbog]

Try this FB group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/114457032595465/

[harpo231]

Originally Posted by 1968aj

you could probably have a forum member in the area go look at it for you. I believe a transport could bring cheaper than you could go get it.

I would get a member to go take pics of all the potential [turn up missing]things mentioned above !!

[KQQL IT]

I haul new cars for a living.
If you decide to ship it try and use a direct carrier. Less problems easy(er) communication and more money for the guy actually moving it.
I've delivered some horror stories that got dropped at our yard. 9 weeks across country covered in oil, bugs snow salt and whatever else. That's just a few that I can recall. Don't miss those deals at all.

[duke_lbz]

I'm having on shipped now from Idaho to Alabama. went through uship to book it. Thought about going and getting it myself but didn't have the time to go get it.

[randy.powell]

Don't we have a member on the forum that does this for a living? Can't remember his name but I'm sure if you did a search you could find him. I'd rather have my truck moved by one of "us" and keep the money in the "family"...
Randy

[OhioChevy]

I had been looking for a more powerful truck then my Silverado 1500 z71 to tow my Cheyenne with so I hooked my car trailer to the 1500 and went to southern South Carolina and bought a Chevy 2500 Duramax. Its a used 2008 model and I wanted to find one that was not eat up by the salt we have on our roads in the winter here in Ohio. Pulled the car trailer down with the 1500 and then hooked the trailer to the Duramax and loaded the 1500 on trailer. Its amazing how that rig pulled through the mountains coming home. If I didn't watch the mirrors from time to time I would forget about having anything being towed. I'm retired so I like to make road trips from time to time but I don't think I would want to make a 1600-2000 mile trip. At 73 years old I get too tired after about 1000 miles.

[Trimerado]

I've used A-1 Auto Transport and had no issues. I've also used Uship and it wasn't as great of an experience, but that could have been a one off or something. Either case, I have no interest in trying to haul it myself unless it's right in my area, which has never been the case to this point.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by Rufas

My vehicles arrived cover in rain scum, diirt and mud. My vehicles were on the lower portion of the trailer and both cars were covered in oil from the cars above them leaking oil.

My 72 C20 arrived on the top deck of the trailer, and I do believe the owner of the Porsche that was directly under my leaky engine probably did not appreciate what he found when it showed up at his house. Last I saw, there was a puddle about 2 feet wide on his hood. Not a good choice by the truck driver, but, at least from my perspective, better than the opposite.. I wouldn't have wanted any of that fancy Porsche oil on my totally faded tri-color paint job.

But on a more serious note, I've always had a hard time arranging shipping. I've dragged several across the country on my own moves, and, to be honest, it was fun for about the first couple hundred miles, notso much for the other couple thousand. My one lesson learned is that you get what you pay for and a good shipper isn't cheap. At all costs, I'd avoid a shipping "broker" - i.e. a service that finds a shipper for you. For example, I had a 30 day window arranged for pickup of a truck to ship cross country - arranged with "Angles Moving Autos" which came recommended to me by a (former) friend... ANYway, they took the money, promised a shipper would be in touch. Started getting antsy and about 10 days before the end of the window (and I was moving 5 days after the window), I started calling - and they said, "Sorry, we can't find anyone that can do it for the price we told you (and I had already paid them), but we did find ONE guy that will do it for another $800. I hung up and went to U-haul and dragged my 3/4 ton truck across the country with my 1/2 ton driver. It wasn't fun. In fact, I dropped it at a relative's house in Indiana, and drove the rest of the way without it, and arranged shipping when I got to CA (moving from MD). It was a horrible experience - until the final shipper I arranged - he was an absolute national treasure, the kind that sends you pics of it being loaded carefully in the covered hauler.... A bit much, but after what I'd experienced with the numb nuts on the other coast, it was a nice change. It arrived, unscathed, and exactly when promised. And it was more expensive. Anyway, the moral of the story whenever I seek a shipper is that the first question out of my mouth at first contact is "do you own your own fleet of trucks for shipping or are you a broker?" Eliminates the dorks quickly. Now, don't get me wrong, some folks DO have good luck with brokers, but I never, ever had. It didn't help that when I was moving around every couple years, the schedule was always tight between having the vehicle picked up on one end, me arriving on the other end, and having a place to actually put the truck on the other end. It's a simpler, more flexible process to just have a truck you've purchased shipped to you, sometimes. I've also had a crew threaten to leave my truck on the side of the road when I told them it wasn't ok if they left it halfway across the country "at a friend's" when they needed to run another errand. Ugh. Again, that was a brokered shipper, and, again, ya get what you pay for. It does suck to pay $2000 shipping cross country on a vehicle that you get a good deal on and it's only a $3000 truck or something like that. I did exactly that with a 76 K20 I bought from Sacramento once - shipping was $2000 and the truck was only $2200 (I have a knack for buying when gas prices spike). But I least I sunk a few thousand into my new "keeper" and sold it for zero profit Anyway, avoid Angels Moving Autos. Boo. Oh, and the national treasure guy? He retired.

[BugzC10]

Originally Posted by duke_lbz

I'm having on shipped now from Idaho to Alabama. went through uship to book it. Thought about going and getting it myself but didn't have the time to go get it.

How did it go with uship?

[old Rusty C10]

I transport in the north east you may message me for a rate