Shipping a car? Here's how (and why) to make the right choice | Hagerty Media

[Hagerty]

I've been on the lookout for a nice, original paint Jeep CJ-5 with the 225-cu.in. "Dauntless" V-6. For the last five months, I've been scouring Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and the early CJ forums for a good candidate.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/advice/shipping-a-car-heres-how-and-why-to-make-the-right-choice/

[tripled]

Great article for all of us lurking on the internet looking for the next cool car to buy. Thanks!

[Bettyemae]

I used Florida based National Transport. I paid extra for enclosed shipping. Car showed up on an open low-boy with rock chips with paint sand blasted by road debris. He arrived at 11 PM after calling to say he would arrive at 7. National Transport offered 50 bucks as compensation. And another time is used U-Ship. Driver made appointment and then never showed up.

[F360Spider]

I was beset with the shipping issue when I purchased my 2001 Ferrari 360 Spider. The selling broker offered to "ship it for free" using a service I would have no control over. I decided to make an adventure out of the process instead. I opted to rent a UHaul car trailer and a truck and tow it back myself. I'm kind of **bleep** about controlling things so this was the best option for me.

The UHaul thing is a bit painful in that they only will rent a trailer for specific cars and oddly, my 360 was on the list. The loading process was a bit scary as the car is very low but the folks at UHaul actually knew what they were doing and I had my car loaded safely in about an hour.

The trip back was uneventful and I managed to drive the 700 miles in a day and a half. Unloading was super easy. All in all, a fun adventure.

[dhaugh]

Very interesting article, and I can confirm that all the data is pretty accurate. I usually ship a car every two years or so for one reason or another. My most recent acquisition was a 2010 Corolla, nothing sexy to be sure, though it belonged to my niece in Cincinnati and the failed manual gearbox was in the trunk along with all the ancillary items and I'm in Milwuakee. The car sat in her apartment complex outdoor lot for more than two years in this condition and I had no idea of its mobility capabilities. My last shipment was a Vanden Plas V12 from Florida to Milwuakee, it was 750 bucks and came, to my surprise, in an enclosed trailer. The Corolla didn't need more money thrown at it, I was merely trying to help my niece get rid of this car. I ultimately decided a road trip was the best method, and I was able to take my bride along with me for on overnight get away. We rented a vehicle dolly from U Haul in Cincinnati for 79 bucks one way, which I thought was a bargain. I used points to stay at the local Hilton and was able to visit my niece and her family for a few hours. The trip did require loading all the possible things needed into my 4Runner, floor jack, jack stands, come along, tools, brake clean and anything else I could think of. Being a manual gear box I thought maybe the parking brake would be stuck on so I made sure I had all the necessary items to remove the rear drums and un seize them. Turns out I only needed my portable air tank to fill the tires and a package of zip ties to tie up all the hanging cables, wires and slave cylinder so they wouldn't drag on the road. We had a great trip, my niece got a fair price for her car and I had a project to put back together. Turned out to be a great little car and the roadtrip with my bride was a nice get away.

[DaveVan]

I have shipped two vehicles in the past 5 years. Both cars were not ultra high value, they ran and were complete but normal car guy cars. My 46 Ford hot rod arrived on open trailer at midnight. It was in good condition but the throttle cable had busted in transit but we rolled it off the trailer and pushed into my garage. My Mustang II was as the seller stated and drove off. Both cars came about 1000 miles and both cost me less than $800.....I could have gone and gotten them, I have a trailer, but the cost was well worth a 2 way trip for me.....both carriers had other vehicles on the same trailer.
Lucky or blessed...I take it.

[Tim]

I had a need to ship a motorcycle and was finding that brokers were quoting some high prices (up to $1,500!). I put a request on uShip and initially got some good bids. Unfortunately, my bike was not ready when it was supposed to be. When it was finally ready, I struggled to get bids on uShip. Maybe shippers thought I was just a tire-kicker. I did eventually go with a very reasonable bid from SilverEagle Transport, which is a small business. Service was above-and-beyond what I expected. I would use them again if available, and if not, I would definitely look at smaller businesses with good ratings.

[Lightning1]

Good info. I had an engine problem (spun bearing) about 30 years ago and didn't know who to contact to get it moved about 200 miles. Everyone I called wanted to send a driver to drive it home, not an option.

[monkee]

WHEW!!
For $500 bucks choose a quality point to point shipper!
Been dare dunn dat.

[VATXTN]

One important topic not covered in your article is insurance to cover damage to your vehicle while in the custody of the transporter. How about an update covering those options?

[MATTMERICA]

Just a couple quick points to add:
I buy classic trucks and fix them up and flip them, and I get vehicles from the Dakotas regularly - it's like truck heaven out there, really. The average cost to ship a truck, always in an enclosed trailer, is about $900 if under 2,000 miles. 36-42 hours guaranteed delivery time if no snow. I have used several companies, and the two main items that differentiate the good from the possibly ok folks - a good carrier will include a written insurance price for the price you paid for the vehicle if you send them a bill of sale. The second one is: everybody has GPS tracking. If the carrier won't insure your purchase price if the shipment is "lost", find somebody who will. Id they do not have GPS with real time tracking, don't use them. If you are unsure, a good way to find somebody decent is to ask a speed shop who ships their autos....

[46HudsonPU]

Whoa! STOP right there!

BEFORE your recent purchase moves an INCH, contact your collector vehicle insurance company, and initiate full coverage for the vehicle - to include full coverage for 'transport'.  And, be sure to have the verification of coverage (and that it is 'in force'), in writing, before it moves...
While many established transport companies will have insurance coverage for vehicles they transport, it will most likely be minimal, and may not cover the full cost of replacement of the vehicle - IF it even comes 'close'. It is always better to be safe than sorry...
Hard to believe that this 'collector vehicle insurance company' did not mention ANY aspect of this within the article.

[JPTL]

46 Hudson PU: Excellent point and one that many would likely overlook.

Especially critical for those who have an agreed value policy.

[avideo]

Over the past 20 years I have used Reliable, Passport and Horseless Carriage enclosed trucks to move my cars and have been quite happy with all three.
In the case of Reliable, they came to pick up my wife's Corvette convertible on about two day's notice when we were moving out of Nevada to the Phoenix area. Our furniture mover has allegedly set up a car carrier to move our cars; but a couple of days before I was closing up the house for the new owners I got a panicked phone call from the mover's car carrier that they needed at least
a week before they could move our cars. I told them we had to move and forget about ever doing business with us.
Was able to get Reliable to pick up my wife's car a day later than I wanted, but the service was great. And the driver even showed my wife how to park her car on a slight angle in our garage for easier in and out.
One last item. Assuming you have a good experience moving your car, don't be shy about tipping your driver $40 or $50 for their efforts.

[Forester]

Your analysis is right on. I do the same thing when deciding which option to use. But over the years I've found a solid honest broker. She hustles to get me the best price and fit for my cars. I do have my own truck and car trailer that I will use for one fetches that require quick action to buy. The trailer paid for itself on my first purchase, by getting me to the seller with cash in had. For those long distance purchases over one day trips, my broker, Linda Williams, gets the job done quickly and fairly. She is so good, that in fact I have other people whom I've never met but I talk with, use her and tell me that I gave them the best tip ever and they use her all the time. Her number is 714-343-0697

[Ccole]

I had a car shipped that had wide white walls and was strapped in like the green Chevy shown above....what they don’t show you in this article is what those white walls look like after those yellow straps rub thru the white wall! I had all 4 tires destroyed beyond use. Shipping company said that is way we always do it, i bitched until they gave me half the cost of replacement , insurance Paid the rest...but just be aware if you have a show car or detailed tires those straps WILL rub the side walls in transit..

[ve3hzz]

Pre Covid I did use U-haul transport behind my truck a couple of times. These were in the same province (Ontario) and about 2+ hours from home...if it was in another province or in US (especially now) I would opt for a carrier. So good article on the pitfalls and what to look for and questions to ask. I do agree with others however insurance is a key determination and cost that also needs to be factored in for a more substantial investment and a lo jack on the vehicle in question might lower those premiums should things go awry..

[JPTL]

Great article with great advice. I shipped the same era CJ5 from Arizona to the DC area. I opted for a budget shipper through an unknown-to-me agent and it was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. Communication was horrible, the agent, who had never worked with the shipper, stopped taking my calls when he realized that the shipper was jerking me around. The Jeep finally arrived days after the committed delivery date range, when I happened to be out of town and it was damaged. The driver had apparently lowered the upper deck while watching the windshield. Problem is that the rollbar is higher than the windshield, so that was pushed down onto the body.
When I started to look into making a claim, and investigated the owner of the shipping company, I learned that he was part of an organized crime ring based in New Jersey! You can’t make this stuff up. I decided to cut my losses and deal with the damaged rollbar and put the experience behind me.
I also learned that some of the online review sites are simply shills for the agent giving the shipper five star reviews and in turn the shipper gives the agent five star reviews. Investigate these review sites very carefully!
Back in 2000 I had a Porsche delivered through Reliable, and even though it was considerably more expensive than the budget carriers, I was working with the principal owner of the shipping company, communication with the driver was excellent, as was my overall experience.
Lesson learned: you get what you pay for, and sometimes less.
When searching for budget shipping, it’s important to work with a reputable agent and if it all possible a shipper that comes highly recommended. I can tell you from experience it’s worth paying a little bit more.

[zachary]

I certainly would not hire any service that does not provide real insurance and information about protecting my car. I value reliability and a moving service that can protect my car and has insurance to cover damage.

Now, as to the comment about FIVE star reviews. Don't trust those reviews as if they are always reliable. When you find a lot of negative reviews, those are more likely true. The problem is that a "Dark" review service is available to "pad" the reviews with "Great service" reviews.

I was the AZ-NM caravan captain for the NCM Anniversary event. The NCM provided all of the web site maintenance without any charge since it was their event. I posted a Facebook page to keep the participants informed. Shortly afterward, I started receiving many emails from those "Dark" review specialist. Surprise, surprise, they were telling me how many "good reviews" they would provide to pack the reviews for my FB page for specific fees. They would also use various social informational sites to promote my "business." Many of them would provide five or more different methods to promote my "business" as Five star. None of them had any intention of actually reviewing my service other than provide glowing reviews for a fee. Now it does not take any genius to figure out that paying for these reviews periodically can make a business seem really outstanding while pushing the poor reviews deep into history. I took page snapshots of the emails and reported them; however, that was the last I heard about enforcement.

Due to my experience with reviews for a fee, I do not immediately assume a review is valid. Read those positive reviews and try to determine if many of them sound similar. Read many reviews buried far before the most recent...those might be the ones to believe.

I belong to several Corvette Facebook groups. I can ask members about their experiences when transporting cars. Within an hour, I will receive twenty or more responses from members concerning good transporters and those never to use. I presume that Facebook groups can be found for almost any specific vehicle. I certainly would trust their advice before a "Faceless Five Star Review."

[40Ford]

The timing of this article is perfect!
I'm going to be moving from Los Angeles to Bullhead City Arizona soon.
I have a 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe, a 1958 GMC 100 long bed as well as my daily driver to move.
Even with my sons help, his F-350 dually with a flatbed trailer, and a trailer on the rental moving truck I can't get all 3 there in one trip.
The other day I saw a big pickup at the gas station, it said "transport" on the side. I asked what they transport, they said cars and trucks. Told them what I had, where it was going and they gave me a price on $900 for both the Ford and the GMC, less if I gave them advance notice so they had time to get something for the return trip. Sounds reasonable to me but I'm going to make a call to Gartho Logistics. Thanks for the tip Craig!

[llawrence9]

Check on insurance and have a certificate issued to you before the move. Any legit company will be happy for their insurer to send you a binder.

[Aquay_Mizmo]

If you are OK with an open trailer you can cut out the broker and call Glen (the owner / operator) directly at Keep It Movin Logistics at 951 830-4886. He does a run from Los Angeles to Phoenix (and back) weekly and may consider swinging by Bull Head City if he was taking all three at once. Tell him Uncle Donny in Apache Junction referred you.

[Servicefiter562]

I purchased a 1991 ZR1 in June of 2020 from a consignment company (Garage Kept Cars). The vehicle was in Michigan and I’m in Missouri, I had never needed a car transported before. The guys at Garage Kept cars got me in touch with JJ Brown Transport. What a great group of people they had trouble at first because of COVID-19 and I wanted an enclosed trailer which was slowing down the process. They kept me in the loop and the car arrived on time and in great condition. The driver called ahead of time and arrived when he said he would. Never doing this before I guess I was fortunate. I would recommend these guys to anyone needing to move a car great people to work with and price was fair and reasonable

[Superbirdfan]

I have successfully shipped several cars via open and closed transport.

The transactions were simple and cars arrived in one piece.

I have also shipped race cars across the US and one to Australia. They were a bit more problematic. The ground clearance quickly became an issue. I was up front with the companies and drivers and they always assured me that they could handle lowered cars with front splitters. That was until they arrived and quickly found out that they overestimated their capabilities. If you have and extremely low clearance car you will need a transport truck with a lift gate. In addition, many drivers will not accept a lowered race car. I had contracted to move a car from Denver to NC via a broker but no truck driver would accept the job. I ended up having to pay more to transport the car.

[Swamibob]

Thank you Craig for a really interesting and useful article!

[greatscott73]

I used Reliable once about 20 years ago. At the time, i was living in the Detroit area, and I purchased a 1959 Bel Air off of ebay that was in the middle of nowhere Missouri. I called Reliable about noon on a Wednesday to set it up, and the car was in my driveway the very next day by 8:30 in the morning. It was like they must have been parked outside the guy's house waiting for it. Best service ever. They were Amazon before Amazon existed, lol.
Then there was the other end of the spectrum. Sold a Triumph Spitfire, again off ebay, and the buyer arranged shipping. The driver that showed up could barely speak English, darned near burned the clutch out of the car putting it on the trailer, and then tied it down on a severly slanted platform that had the car on an almost vertile plane. I had mentioned to him it might be better to put it on the bottom, since in typical English car fashion, it dripped a bit of oil. He ignored me but I videoed the who;e process on my phone. When the car got to the destination, the angle had caused the gear oil in the trans to overtake the rear seal and pour all over the hood of a nice while Charger underneath. When the owner of the shipping company called me wanting me to reimburse him, I just sent him the video. That ended that.
Also, when I bought my 1987 Ferrari, I immediately purchased Hagerty insurance because they were the only company I could find that would insure it while it was on the truck.

[1fastcat]

I've had two cars shipped to me ,in Ohio . One from New Jersey and another from Massachusetts .I did the online thing and you are correct as to many , many responded . Even after my cars were home I was still getting quotes . The guy I decided on ,who I thought was the most legit , took $100, directly to him and someone else delivered my car . I was to handle with cash only both times . I guess I was happy with the outcome , both times . As a hobbiest , what are you going to do . It was a very interesting read . Thanks

[llawrence9]

I had an auction car shipped one hundred and 25 miles by a low ball shipper.

Dodge Ram 2500 automatic 2wd. It was a flatbed with a stinger. Stinger towed my truck rear wheels down with the drive shaft connected and toasted the trans. Had photos of the delivery, called the broker. The idiots driving didn't know you couldn't do this to a automatic with rear wheel drive.
Claim didn't get paid. You play, you get burned on occasion. There was not enough money in a $1000 truck to make it worth an attorney's time.
Now I check reputations.

[zachary]

I have received advice from several of the Facebook groups dedicated to the specific cars I might need to transport. I have received many responses from members who tell me that Reliable is one of the best transport services to move a valuable car. I have also received some Do Not use ever responses about lesser known transporters and about unknown movers contracted via the internet.

I own a heavy duty diesel pickup and an enclosed trailer so I can transport my cars, although the 28 foot trailer and truck consume fuel at about 10 mpg. Before the current pandemic, I have driven 2,000+ miles round trip to pick up a car. Considering all costs and time involved, I will consider a known good transportation company unless I want a vacation once the virus is controlled.

[Zsculptor]

Oh oh! Years ago my sister and family were moving from Arizona to North Carolina. They needed to ship their mini van. They or the military contracted with a carrier. The van was picked up and off they headed in their other vehicle to NC. The carrier showed up and my sister immediately realized that the van wasn't theirs. When finally their van was tracked down it was in Washington state being loaded on a ship to Hawaii! The shipper had confused their vehicle with another similar van. When this was finally straightened out another shipper (a married couple) started heading east with their van. My sister got a call that the couple had a fight along the way and split. Her van was in a parking lot. Another shipper was dispatched. Finally my sister got her van. The roof was dented from front to back where the carrier apparently didn't succeed in clearing a low obstacle. As I recall, my sister thought it time to get rid of that van. As if enough carriers hadn't already tried to do that.

[JonMiller]

I have used one of the enclosed trailer carriers mentioned in the article. They did an excellent job of communicating with me and delivering the car as scheduled and in 'as-sold' condition. I wish to add a couple of items to the conversation: (1) Have a clear understanding with the seller regarding the shipping. The seller of the car I purchased understood how the shipping process worked and was willing to store the car until the carrier coordinated the pick-up. I count myself fortunate in this regard. All sellers may not be so agreeable. (2) If you live in a location which makes it difficult to off load the car, agree upon a site which makes this process easier. It will be safer for your car and more respectful of your neighbors.
Thank you to those who offered the reminder about insurance.
Great article!

[RickL]

I just had to get a 2012 Acura RDX shipped from middle of Oregon to the foothills of NC. Both locations not located near major metro area. I too put on internet and then also requested from Reliable. As expected Reliable (enclosed) was about twice as much but of course they are one of the best if shipping hi dollar car, or perhaps if you stumble on to them needing a car to "fill" out a trailer. In my case being that both locations were in the middle of no where that was not an option. I was very flexible on dates and for good reason. Even though you get we have a truck in the area emails they don't. Anyhow, I did business with Mercury and overall was very satisfied. They (as most) are a broker they take a fee, pay trucker in cash, and on your way. I even tipped the driver $20 for lunch. I could not have flown there, hotel costs, gas, meal, etc.and got the vehicle for any cheaper. It was an open trailer and arrived no damage. Matter of fact there was a Studebaker Truck above my vehicle going to another part of NC.
I will say this, I was nervous through the whole process, but then again that is just the way I am.

[Aquay_Mizmo]

I've shipped several cars and I basically go the same route as the author, consistently using a broker that has really performed for me on price and service in the past. Once he identifies a carrier I look up their reviews on transportreviews dot com. You get the best price if you are not in a hurry. I tell the broker my target price, he posts it and it may take a week or two before he gets a bite on it. Another tip is to accurately describe the load. I've had a trucker show up and leave with out my car because it was full of extra parts. Another wouldn't take a car because the parking brake didn't work. For non-running cars, motorcycles, and big parts like hoods and doors (to big or heavy to ship Greyhound) I have had good luck on uship. Again, you can read the reviews of the carriers before you make a selection.

[stevecobb45]

You don't always get what you pay for. After contacting several online site companies, I decided on Reliable because of their reputation & a quick pick up date. My brother in law gave me his non-running, one owner Volvo 1800s. Problem was, it was in WI & I was in SC & my brother in law was anxious to see it gone. The car was picked up right away but then taken to one of their warehouses in Detroit where it was left because, "they were waiting for a full load going my way". Over the weeks & months I emailed & called &, even with paying the premium for a non running car, they just sat on it. Finally when the driver called to say he was bringing the car, I offered to escort him to my shop, which is 2 miles from my house, & he said he was going to be at my house in just a few minutes. When he pulled up in front of my house, again I requested he take it to my shop & a big argument started when he refused. I finally told him to just take it back where he got it. He finally reluctantly agreed. Never again!! I don't need the hassle.

[bhankinsonn]

A great piece, especially for those of us who probably wouldn't be involved in shipping a vehicle more than once or twice in a lifetime. Thanks for sharing

[Carbob]

Great article. I was a first time shipper last fall. I used Mercury Transport. Overall good experience and competitive price. I was fortunate that the private seller was experienced in shipping cars and was quite helpful on his end. The vehicle was located in a remote area of Michigan and I live in Maryland. So it took a while for Joe at Mercury to find the truck and trailer driver who could do the job. But once it was set up; all went well. The driver was young and like many of the new generation was not real good at driving a manual transmission. The seller was elderly and couldn’t climb back down from the top of the two level trailer. After several attempts and lots of clutch slipping the driver finally got it loaded. But the clutch paid the price as my seller said he could smell it. Not sure how you avoid this type of problem. As Craig said if you’re buying a inexpensive vehicle the shipping cost has a proportionally greater affect on the “investment “. In my case about a 15% additional cost. All well that ends well.

[terryjudd]

One option is to consult with new car dealers located in the area where the car being purchased. About five years ago, I bought a pristine 1965 Rambler American 440 convertible out of Thousand Oaks, Cal. that I needed to be transported to Michigan. The Rambler’s owner happened to be a good customer with the local Chevrolet dealer, which apparently does a brisk business of shipping Corvettes all over the country. As expected, the dealership had good car-hauler contacts and arranged for my Rambler hitch a ride on one of his hired trucks heading to the Midwest for $1,500. I probably could have found something a bit cheaper but the Rambler was delivered safe and sound to Michigan and on time. And just seeing the humble Rambler nestled among a cache of shiny new C7 Corvettes when the trailer doors opened made it worth it.

[BillyBuick]

My friends, a word of advise from a guy that's been there.
STAY AWAY FROM BROKERS!
They will quote you a "come on" price and tell you the car will be delivered in X amount of days.
PROBLEM IS THAT NEVER HAPPENS.
Here is what happened to me.
I contacted a broker he quoted me $700. for an enclosed trailer with delivery winthin a week.
3 weeks passed and no car. I called numerous times. They give you the bull we are waiting for a trucker to select your order. Then after a while they will call you and say..." we have a trucker who is willing to pick up your car but he wants $1100. What happened to their $700 quote? You are by now disgusted and you agree to pay the extra price just to get your car home.
I WILL NEVER USE A BROKER AGAIN. Contract a reputable firm that has their own trucks and you will be much happier!

[JeepDave]

It would have been nice if the carrier with the open space trailer would have shimmed up the right side of the Jeep tire. A 2x4 or something to eliminate the knife edge of an angle iron rail would have worked.

[gli48]

Somewhat off topic as this is about shipping a boat but it shows what con be done if you know what your doing. A number of years ago, I sold a boat on eBay. It was a Glastron CVX ski boat which was in excellent shape and fast becoming a classic. The sale came to an end with a higher than expected price and when I reviewed the winning bidder I suddenly realized he was in Australia!! We traded phone numbers and when I contacted him to figure out how this could be possibly be shipped he said "No problem, I do this a lot". Turns out, he ran a watersports shop in Melbourne and he often ships containers of wake boards, etc. from the U.S. to Australia.
So, on shipping day a married couple shows up with a Super Duty pickup truck, hooks up to the boat's trailer and starts off from south-east Michigan headed to Cairo, Illinois. There the boat was placed in a container, loaded on a barge to head down the Mississippi to New Orleans where it was loaded on to an ocean-going freighter headed south through the Panama Canal and on to Melbourne, Australia. Several months later I received an email with pictures of my old boat zooming around an Australian lake, still wearing the Michigan registration numbers!

[RodneyRacer]

OK, My turn to comment. I am a novice when it comes to selecting a transport service. I have only been using transport services for more than 4 decades. Cross country, cross oceans by container or Roll-On-Roll-Off, open and closed, multi-car, single car whatever it takes. I have seen many operators leave the business because they cant make a living at it. I have seen plenty of "Online Transport Services" offering to move your car for the "best price" .
What I find it most all the websites offering service are only a person with a phone and an account with the website centraldispatch.com where they post a request and small operators take what comes up that they may possibly be able to make a few bucks for the haul.
So the person with the website "broker" agrees with the driver what will be paid to each of them. Some brokers take a hefty chunk and caution the driver not to cut them out of ANY deal that is made with a customer (me). As I always try to get a direct connection with owner operators so I can talk to them about exactly what I need the next time I have a car to move. VERY FEW will jeopardize the connection with the person with the website!
Problem is, I want to know my driver, know his equipment and know they will secure my vehicle they way i want it done. If I al talking to a broker, they never know who will take the load and don't know what equipment they have or if they are experienced.
I want my vehicle secured to the frame to reduce the wear on chassis, shocks and tires as it bounces across the country. NO wheel/tire straps! I want to know that the vehicle is not off-loaded several times in route or left in a yard to transfer to another truck when available. I want to know what total time en-route and I want to know the name and contact number of the driver. OH and so much more!

[Steve_F]

I chose Reliable to ship a Porsche GT3RS from FL to CA due to reputation, and I would never use them again. They damaged the front passenger side wheel as well as the drivers side door and refused to take responsibility. I had dozens of close up photos of the car from every conceivable angle as it was loaded in the trailer showing no damage. Additionally, I had photos of the driver himself sitting in the drivers seat of the car as it was being unloaded scuffing the door against the inside of the trailer on one of the supports. Their response to my issue was "sue us", which I would have needed to bring the case against them in Michigan, because that's where they are headquartered. They had me by the balls and knew it. Zero apologies and complete arrogance!

[happyvalley]

Recently had a car shipped via a broker's introduction and had a disastrous experience. I was assigned to "Starway Logistic LLC", a PA-based outfit with shady reviews on Google. Those reviews proved true for me. Picked up at 10pm at night, minimal inspection of the car, drove off with no paperwork provided to me, and calls for 2 weeks claiming "it's on its way" with no information of where it was. Although I had the driver's cell number (begrudgingly given to me), the driver hardly ever picked up. Finally, after a week or 10 days of late delivery timing, he arrives again at 10pm, to unload my car which had damage to the rear-view mirror housing. It was completely broken off and the insides of the electric rear-view mirror were exposed to the outside air and weather - and he says to me, "this is not damage... it's an old car, it was loose!" when the housing was rock-solid tight on the other side, same as the one side was. The firm refused to give me their insurance information and I have resorted to suing them in local court. Don't use this firm, or a broker. Spend the extra $500 or $1000 for proper enclosed transport and call it the cost of doing business and being in the vintage car hobby.

[Markymark]

My cross country buyer hired one of the featured closed carriers. My home is on narrow road. Loading required at an alternate location. I chose a location for safe loading and for ease of interstate off/on for the hauler and provided directions. The driver chose to take an earlier exit and ended up across the road from the specified location, facing the wrong direction with no easy turn around nor turn-out/shoulder for miles. I arrived and handed over the vehicle in the center turn lane of a busy 5 lane roadway at 4 pm on a Friday afternoon. Not for the faint hearted - seller or buyer. They seemed competent but I would never agree to loading or unloading a vehicle like that again.

[zeus01]

One point missing from this article is that of the vehicle's value: Unless it's under a thousand bucks. Get. An. Appraisal. If the unthinkable happens and your new ride ends up as scrap metal when the truck misses a turn you'll be glad you did.

It does not matter how much insurance a shipper carries if their insurance company has a penchant for paying out pennies on the dollar while hiding behind some down-played "book value" - or becomes extra picky when finding reasons to say your concourse-level vehicle was about a #3 condition.

[Sunsport]

Wow - very interesting article - it mirrors my own experience to the point where I could substitute some different words and figures and it would be dead accurate.
I just spent 6 months looking for an original paint Jeep with no rust, but I was looking for a YJ Islander in Pacific Blue. After many duds and deals that fell apart, I finally found one. Like yourself, I'd normally make a road trip out of it, fly down and drive back to Nova Scotia or like we did before, fly down, buy a truck, buy a trailer, load up, and drive back, then sell the truck and trailer here. Unfortunately, even if I wanted to with the pandemic, not an option as I couldn't cross the border to get home.
I tried Uship but but didn't get any reasonable quotes and very few really. Understandable given the border restrictions. I ended up going with a broker - Canada US Auto Transport. They had great reviews, had a quote to me within an hour, and had been around a while. Also, they were very responsive to my inquiries. Unfortunately, because of COVID and the border restrictions, shipping to Canada was very pricy. It was worth it though - I got my perfect Jeep delivered just before Christmas and in condition underneath that would put a 2 year old local salt exposed Jeep to shame. That, and I haven't seen one like it here since the 90s so cool to have something unique.

[Datsom]

Where in NS are you? I'll keep an eye out for your Pacific Blue Islander!

[Sunsport]

I'm just outside Halifax in Hammonds Plains. How about yourself?

I'm sure if you see one, pretty well guaranteed to be me!

[jaysalserVW]

Thinking that I had missed something, I went through the article again. Insurance! Granted, I do have old eyes--but, I saw no mention of insurance. Probably most carriers will have some sort of insurance. But--if you are purchasing a vintage vehicle, esp., talk to your insurer before arranging shipping. Bring your insurer into the equation. They may have preferred carriers and they may suggest increased insurance above only the basic insurance. "Stuff" DOES happen during transit--and during on-loading and unloading. I've seen it. Even if you own a vehicle, be sure that you know what your insurer demands for towing/transport in order for them to be responsible for any resultant damages. my vintage cars' insurer asks that, in any event, they be contacted immediately--they will arrange transport which satisfies their policy.

[1956meteor]

As a tilt n load tow truck operator, I have to agree with the post regarding wheel straps on the white walls. The guys who do it that way are just unprofessional and lazy. It takes 30 seconds extra per strap to cover the touch points with a soft cloth or even old gloves that will not leave a mark on the tires. Also in the top pic , it appears the driver only has straps on the rear wheels and just the winch line and likely a J hook on the front suspension. Folks, insist on a soft loop strap on front end parts and all 4 wheels strapped. In my area, I am known as the go to guy for moving classic , sports, and any valuable vehicles. Today I moved a 1973 Firebird, and a 1965 Imapla as well as a new BMW amongest others. It just takes a little pride in your work , plus the tips from grateful customers is what keeps my C4 Corvette convertible full of premium gas. Happy motoring. 🙂