Just wanted to see if Dopers had advice about how I can transport my car, a 1990 Acura Integra, from Boston MA to Austin TX. Obviously I want an economical method, but I don’t intend to drive (I will be driving a 22-foot truck) and I’m not 100 percent comfortable towing the car behind the truck - been there, done that, was a nervous wreck the entire time.
I’m looking into auto transport companies. I’ve gotten a bunch of quotes, and perhaps some of you have used a company, or know of ways to do this economically (like less than $1000)… Do chime in if you can!
Can it be sent by train?
For any number of reasons, I’m not planning to sell the car or have someone drive down for me, so if that’s your suggestion… thanks, but I’ve considered those options and I’m not doing either.
Both times I’ve had to drive a moving truck and also had a car, I chose to go back and get my car. I haven’t researched the issue in a few years, but when I did, it was considerably cheaper for me to get a plane ticket back to my city of origin and pay for gas and lodging to drive my car to the new city, than it was to have the car shipped. That may have changed, of course. And others may have a different comfort level with having others have charge of their car, and others may not enjoy long driving trips the way I do.
Certainly you should be able to fly to Boston and get the car back to Austin for less than $1000 – though probably not much less. If the shipping costs are much more than that, I’d do it myself if I were you. Not sure if that’s the sort of advice you’re looking for, though.
Not a bad idea I guess Jodi, but I’m starting work in a fortnight after I arrive in Austin and I need to finish a syllabus before school starts. Taking 2-3 days to drive would not be best, and plus I really don’t like cross-country driving… I also would prefer not to put the 2000 miles on my car.
An obvious suggestion, once you think of it… Check out Ebay Motors. It’s VERY common for a buyer to ship a car they bought to them. Try the transport company Ebay Motors uses.
Well, you could hire a wizard to transport the car with the wave of a wand…
Seriously, though, you’ve eliminated all of the options. Moving a car 2,000 miles without driving it is going to cost a chunk of change if you have someone else move it via trailer, and the only ways to save money are to trailer it yourself or drive it. This car obviously means a lot to you, so I understand your hesitation, but putting 2,000 highway miles on that car really won’t harm it much if you drive it normally. Or have a trustworthy friend drive it.
One thing to keep in mind, if you decide to use a shipping service- ask if they use double-decker carriers. If they do, demand that your car be put on the top rack.
A friend of mine didn’t specify, and when he got his nice, vintage convertible delivered to his new house, the car above his had leaked oil onto his car. Eventually they paid for the repairs, but it took a while.
When I bought my Chrysler, it was in Denver, CO and I was 1100 miles away. I checked with a number of car transport companies and all of them wanted $1K or more to haul the car. Admittedly, your car probably doesn’t weigh 4200 lbs. or isn’t 19 ft long, but then again, gas wasn’t $2.90/gal. three years ago, either.
If you are not in a big hurry to get your car and can wait possibly up to a month, check into shipping on a space available basis. Car shipping companies are generally always on the move and often will make runs with less than a full load. This way someone else foots the major part of the bill and the shipping company can send a full truck. When I sold my 66 GTO on Ebay last year, the buyer was from the Memphis, Tennessee and arranged for shipping on a space available basis. The car was picked up at my house and went to Denver where it sat for about 3 weeks then was shipped to St. Louis. It then took another week till it was delivered to Memphis. Total cost for the buyer was about $400, much less than the $1400 he was quoted for door to door one week delivery.
jharvey963, great suggestion. I made one inquiry and will probably make a few more.
Quartz, that’s actually not a bad idea… I don’t know how Penske feels about people bunging cars in their trucks, though. Not to mention if it will fit (wide enough?). Also there’s the issue of getting it in and out! It is a very nice car that has served me well, and I’d like to spend some time and money restoring it a little, so if I do sell it, it’s in great shape.
Lightnin’, good advice and I will keep it in mind. Tuckerfan, I’d be interested in how you chose the companies you investigated. They all seem to be the same to me.
racer72, that’s not my preferred method, but it might be worth a look. How does one find a company that will do a space available move?
Thanks for all of the advice! If anyone has actually used an auto transport company and was happy with the service, it would be great to know the names of the company…
Check out ABF-- not very expensive. You pack your junk in one of their containers which they drop off, and they will fill the remainder of the container with whatever they need to ship from where you are to somewhere en route to where you’re going (so you pay for the footage you use-- when I did it they didn’t care about weight–a bonus since I own books). They dump it where ever however many days later and you have a day or so to unload it. Drive your car.
People frequently ship their vehicles in and out of Calgary by train – I’ve seen the vast lot of parked cars waiting to be picked up at the CP yard. For shipping large things long distances, you really can’t beat the efficiency of the train, and the price will likely reflect that.
I towed my car behind a 32-foot rental truck and it wasn’t so bad. The biggest hassle was getting gas. You have to pick someplace that’ll let you pull through without backing up. Easy if you’re diesel, not quite so much if the rental truck is gasoline. Still, pick the big exits and it’s not so hard.
I managed about 1200 miles and two overnights without placing the rig in “R” once.
In line with what capybara said, you might look at shipping your stuff using P.O.D.S. and then driving your car. You could always crate the car up and then seeing how much FedEx Ground would charge to pick up and deliver a large package.
Most of the major truckstops also cater to motorhomes, both gas and diesel, and should have plenty of room for maneuvering. Many motels advertise truck/RV parking. If you can handle a large rental truck there shouldn’t be any serious problems pulling a car. If you need to shop, you can look for a Wally World. Even if you get in a backing dilema, most people are sympathetic and will be patient, or even help you out.
Hippy, in preparation for my move to Ottawa, I looked into this, and I decided that I would rather be a nervous wreck towing my car than spending over a grand to have someone do it for me. The savings will supply more than enough Scotch Whiskey than you need to settle your nerves.
