No advice, but I just saw an (empty) Carvana truck – looked perfect for this (flat bed 1* car transporter)
Brian
* maybe 2 if they were small
Did some research and found that Open Transport servicesappear to be the cheapest option in many cases. These are those double decker 18 wheelers you see with all types of car brands on them. The link provided is just one of many.
A Google search tells me that even a RWD manual transmission car needs to have the rear wheel drive shaft disconnected.
Based on the advice I’ve been given here, I think I’ll rent a U-Haul pickup truck, with a hitch of course, and tow my car the 4.5-hours, 270 miles to my home in St. Paul sitting atop a U-Haul auto transport trailer.
Thanks, everyone! Now, the challenge is to get this done before the snow flies!
This doesn’t mean this thread needs to end now, because I’d welcome any extra advice anyone might have using the set-up I’ll be using.
Have you ever towed before? If not, be sure to take some time to learn how to do it properly and safely.
If the OP isn’t experienced with towing, would doing it themselves truly be safer than getting a professional trucker to? Towing changes the vehicle feel dramatically… its acceleration and braking, turning radius, backing up, etc. Nothing that can’t be learned, of course, but if it’s a one-off tow for a one-of-kind special vehicle… is it wise to have someone with limited experience doing that?
(Maybe the OP is actually super experienced with towing already. If so, sorry!)
As I said, a Premier AAA membership (roughly $125) entitles you to a 200 mile tow (along with several 100 mile tows). So get it towed to someplace within 100 miles of St Paul, and then call them back to have it towed a second time.
Not an answer to the OP, but it reminds me of the time my parents in Montreal bought me my first car, a used VW Beetle that they bought from a neighbour, when I was a student in Ontario. My Dad came to visit me with the car, but he never owned a car and didn’t drive. The transportation problem was solved by Via Rail which at the time had a “bring your car along on your trip” service. The car literally arrived on the same train as he did. Just in time to get it safety certified and registered in Ontario and drive it home! Turned out to be a great little car, too, as most Beetles were!
I appreciate your concern, and I share it. I am not at all experienced with towing and I hope to get the car set up onto the truck bed early enough in the morning so that I can drive it home on smaller roads at slower speeds … yet still arive home before dark.
That means I will drive to GB the night before and pick up the truck and trailer at the U-Haul place early in the morning.
In my online research, I’ve learnt that one has to be extra slow and careful on turns, adapt to longer braking times/distances, and avoid the need to back up by always having a “pull through” exit path when stopping for gas, etc.
One way to minimize your gas stops is to fill up the u-haul before you attach the trailer. One thing about small roads is that there might be more things like 2-lane roads, stop signs, traffic lights, twists and turns, etc. It might be better to go on highways or interstates which will be straighter, multi-lane, and fewer city streets. You’ll probably have to keep your speed to a relatively slow 55 or so, but that’s okay since there will be lanes for people to pass you.
Consider getting the u-haul insurance to avoid any costs if the truck or trailer get damaged.
Unless AAA’s towing policy has changed, you get one tow covered by their insurance per incident, and another tow for the same incident will not be covered. IOW, if your car breaks down and you have them tow it to your house, it’s paid per your policy. Then if you need it towed to a shop for repairs, you pay the towing company’s per mile rate. I’m pretty sure AAA would not allow you to split the trip into segments as you suggest.
Do not tow! Do not U-Haul with a dolly. Do not be cheap. Spend the money on a transport company that specalizes in classic cars. There are several and they know they are transporting your baby, a member of your family. The SDMB is exactly the wrong place to ask. Go to Hemmings or a similar site and ask there.
Would you sell it rather than transport it? Or is the car really important to you? If the car is important, spend the money to do it right. No easy or cheap way, hire the professionals. Everything about nice cars is expensive, this is just another one. If you are looking at a 4 hour transport, probably less than $2000.
Love cars and just wrecked my Trans Am after driving it for 24 years. I may never be the same until it is replaced.
Thanks, Dallas_Jones; your post has made me reconsider my plan.
I will check out Hemmings. I had found that site before, and had planned to get back to it.
I will do that now.
While I’d certainly agree with that for a valuable car, we’re talking about a 1976 Alfa Spider with known issues. Considering that I can get one in excellent condition for under $13K, I kind of assumed we’re dealing with a $4-8K vehicle and figured any kind of white glove transportation was massive overkill. Not my money, so won’t hurt my feelings if OP goes this route.
Seems… high? When I used Uship to find a transporter to move my car from Seattle to Santa Barbara, the whole deal cost me less than $800. I had also had a new car sent from Palm Springs to Seattle for $500, but the dealer may have given me a friendly rate on that.
Hemmings gave me a rate of $943.
A U-haul truck and trailer, plus mileage and insurance and gas and one-way surcharges, would’ve been what… a little more than half that? And you’d have to drive nervously the whole way. And get a one-way rental to the origin. And get a lift from the car rental to the U-haul.
By contrast, $900 seems reasonable for the peace of mind and simplicity you’d get. It’s a special car to you, so the cheapest freight isn’t necessarily what you’re aiming for anyway. Better that it gets to you in pristine condition so you can admire and enjoy your little hobby car as you hoped to, no?
I like the way you think.
While driving round trip Chi to Minneapolis last weekend, I happened to grab a truck trader booklet during a fuel & curd stop and was flipping through this morning. They’re always sort of interesting in an Ooh, Truck! way but I took special notice for OP. There are a shitload of trailers out there and I agree that it’s frustrating to deal with the biz stuff.
I’d be tempted to reach out to some people selling trailers, private non-dealers, near the car and ask them if they’d do it for cash. They probably have the truck already and might agree to one more job for a day. Your offer to show up in the morning to prepay those $100 notes right into their hand is a big advantage.