Car Transport Cost???

[ADTS AutoTransport]

18 hours ago, countrytravler said:

That statements that I have previously made and the following is not directed to your company.   I have been in this business for 40 plus years as an owner operator and as a broker. This load would not fit in a closed hauler. This is a common practice. Not trying to build it up, been retired for 5 years but still active to help people with transport. People ship 10.000.000 dollar cars on open carriers. I hauled Tom Manahan's (owner of Domino's  Pizza and the Detroit Tigers years ago) 1932 Bugatti Royale  on an open carrier. That was a 8 million dollar car in the 90s. He has a car museum at his Domino's Farm in Ann Arbor MI. I have hauled prototype on an open carrier and on and on. The problem with a lot of brokers that you do not have control over the truckers period. The best broker in this Industry is the (Car Carrier) in CA. You have to meet their criteria to haul cars for them and they pay good money compared to other brokers. Like I said, unless there are 2 trucks that are hauling this load, They will not fit in 1 closed truck. And you can not guarantee that once that car is picked up that it stays on the same trailer. That is hogwash like you guarantee the top spot for a customer. DAS out of NJ would do that and half the time that obligation didn't happen. And that company has been in this gig since 1952 with 200 open and closed haulers with numerous terminals throughout the USA. A lot of bad services would come in when the brokers would not pay the truck drivers and give erroneous timetables that were impossible to meet and on and on. Took me a long time to weed out the good and bad brokers. The Car Carrier, All-American in Burlingame CA and American Transport out of Boston were the best in the Industry for brokering. Most of the time, the transport was paid when the car was picked up. Do you do that with your drivers that you hire?. Post your DOT and Bond info so new customers can look you up to see how your performance is. 

I absolutely NEVER pay my carriers when they pick up a vehicle.  If you do that you really DO lose control.  It is in my contract with all my carriers (who I screen well) that I will withhold their pay until all damage claims are paid if any.  With the high deductibles that some carriers have on their cargo insurance policies that is the only leverage I have to make sure that deductible gets covered.  Not to mention that if you pay them up front they have no incentive to get the job done on time.  I also have a clause in my contract that I will deduct a percentage of their pay if they are late delivering my vehicles without good cause.  If they tell me they had mechanical problems they are required to show me a work order receipt.  I run a tight ship with my guys and the good ones have no problem signing my contract.  The ones that won't don't work for me.  To work with me your company would have to be in business a certain amount of years, not have had your authority revoked at any time, no constant changes in insurance, have no complaints on Transportreviews.com, have above average DOT safety rating (love the new system), no OOS shutdowns in the past 12 months, and a performance rating on CD of 98% or higher.  Their insurance has to meet my requirements and cargo insurance high enough to cover the number of cars they are able to haul.  I must be a certificate holder on their insurance so I get notified of any lapse in coverage.  Now I can't guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong with my carriers but with the screening I do, problems are at a minimum.  I intentionally have kept my company at a size where I still have control over the day to day operations of both the NC and FL offices.  I require phones to be answered at all times and each transport to be monitored closely and everyone kept up to date on what is happening at any time. 

 

My name is on the line with every car that gets moved through us.  You know well that it doesn't take but a few bad transports to ruin you in this business.  You can go 5 years with no problems and have a few that get away from you and your ratings go to hell.  I have a 5 star rating with Transportreviews.com (http://www.transportreviews.com/Company/American-Dream-Transport-Services) and work hard to maintain it.  I have the link to TransportReviews.com on my front page of my website and include it in all my correspondence so if ever anyone had an unresolved issue with us they had full access to blast us on there.   Click on the link and check us out.  All my DOT info is right there.  I have nothing to hide.  There is always going to be a difference of opinion as to whether to go with a broker or carrier and I will admit that "broker" is a 4 letter word a lot of the time.  I just don't want to be lumped into that category.  I work hard, pay my carriers well and word of mouth is about all the advertising I need.  If you want to check my business references I will provide you that information privately and you can feel free to contact my biggest customers to see what they have to say as long as you agree to report back here on the results. 

 

And for the record, that photo did not come from the internet.  My husband, who has been transporting for well over 20 years, was at the 595 truck stop in Davie Florida and was appalled at what he was witnessing.  He took the photo and sent it to me along with the name of the carrier so I could look them up and make sure they never hauled for us. 

Edited April 5, 2016 by ADTS AutoTransport
adding content (see edit history)

[ADTS AutoTransport]

One more thing to mention here - DAS (Dependable Auto Shippers), the huge broker/carrier that was mentioned above - be forewarned, they have taken a major turn for the worse.  Bigger is NOT always better.  http://www.transportreviews.com/company/Dependable-Auto-ShippersThey have had over 50 complaints filed against them in the last month on Central Dispatch and I have been informed that their bond has long been depleted by carriers that have not been paid.  So be careful.  It is always good to come here and ask people who they have used or look up the ones (like me) that claim to be good.  Check them out always on TransportReviews.com and from there you can click on the links that take you right to their licensing info.  This is definitely a buyer beware business and I have to fight off the opinion that ALL brokers are bad every day.  We aren't.  If you find the right one that has your best interest in mind and works FOR you and WITH you then hang on to them for dear life because that carrier that you know and love may not always be able to get your vehicle to where you want to go. 

 

[countrytravler]

On 4/5/2016 at 7:49 AM, ADTS AutoTransport said:

I absolutely NEVER pay my carriers when they pick up a vehicle.  If you do that you really DO lose control.  It is in my contract with all my carriers (who I screen well) that I will withhold their pay until all damage claims are paid if any.  With the high deductibles that some carriers have on their cargo insurance policies that is the only leverage I have to make sure that deductible gets covered.  Not to mention that if you pay them up front they have no incentive to get the job done on time.  I also have a clause in my contract that I will deduct a percentage of their pay if they are late delivering my vehicles without good cause.  If they tell me they had mechanical problems they are required to show me a work order receipt.  I run a tight ship with my guys and the good ones have no problem signing my contract.  The ones that won't don't work for me.  To work with me your company would have to be in business a certain amount of years, not have had your authority revoked at any time, no constant changes in insurance, have no complaints on Transportreviews.com, have above average DOT safety rating (love the new system), no OOS shutdowns in the past 12 months, and a performance rating on CD of 98% or higher.  Their insurance has to meet my requirements and cargo insurance high enough to cover the number of cars they are able to haul.  I must be a certificate holder on their insurance so I get notified of any lapse in coverage.  Now I can't guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong with my carriers but with the screening I do, problems are at a minimum.  I intentionally have kept my company at a size where I still have control over the day to day operations of both the NC and FL offices.  I require phones to be answered at all times and each transport to be monitored closely and everyone kept up to date on what is happening at any time. 

 

My name is on the line with every car that gets moved through us.  You know well that it doesn't take but a few bad transports to ruin you in this business.  You can go 5 years with no problems and have a few that get away from you and your ratings go to hell.  I have a 5 star rating with Transportreviews.com (http://www.transportreviews.com/Company/American-Dream-Transport-Services) and work hard to maintain it.  I have the link to TransportReviews.com on my front page of my website and include it in all my correspondence so if ever anyone had an unresolved issue with us they had full access to blast us on there.   Click on the link and check us out.  All my DOT info is right there.  I have nothing to hide.  There is always going to be a difference of opinion as to whether to go with a broker or carrier and I will admit that "broker" is a 4 letter word a lot of the time.  I just don't want to be lumped into that category.  I work hard, pay my carriers well and word of mouth is about all the advertising I need.  If you want to check my business references I will provide you that information privately and you can feel free to contact my biggest customers to see what they have to say as long as you agree to report back here on the results. 

 

And for the record, that photo did not come from the internet.  My husband, who has been transporting for well over 20 years, was at the 595 truck stop in Davie Florida and was appalled at what he was witnessing.  He took the photo and sent it to me along with the name of the carrier so I could look them up and make sure they never hauled for us. 

Would you PM me the carrier that was doing this? I still say this is not a closed load. DAS moves 100.000 plus cars a year. Yes, they are big doing over 5 mil a year. Things will happen when you are that big. And on the damage issue, when I was a broker years ago, it was illegal to hold money from the driver when damage happens. Even if the car burns down the ground, you have to pay the driver. It was also illegal to deduct from the pay if the car do not arrive in the estimated time given. Do you check to make sure that the cars you book have insurance? Do you make sure the cars you book have no belongings in them? What charge is there when a car becomes an inop? How do your drivers prep an older car for transport? Also, there are a number of brokers that prepay including me when it was documented that the car was in route. The money would be wired into the account or a ComCheck was issued. Never had a problem and if there was a problem, it most likely would happen if was not prepaid. Always had greater results when I prepaid. I would also look on Central that didn't happen that often for prepaid cars. Central for the most posts cheap and double broker freight. What do you charge for a car going from LA CA to Newark NJ? The car would be a 2013 Honda  Civic with no issues. What do you pay the driver?

Edited April 10, 2016 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[ADTS AutoTransport]

3 hours ago, countrytravler said:

Would you PM me the carrier that was doing this? I still say this is not a closed load. DAS moves 100.000 plus cars a year. Yes, they are big doing over 5 mil a year. Things will happen when you are that big. And on the damage issue, when I was a broker years ago, it was illegal to hold money from the driver when damage happens. Even if the car burns down the ground, you have to pay the driver. It was also illegal to deduct from the pay if the car do not arrive in the estimated time given. Do you check to make sure that the cars you book have insurance? Do you make sure the cars you book have no belongings in them? What charge is there when a car becomes an inop? How do your drivers prep an older car for transport? Also, there are a number of brokers that prepay including me when it was documented that the car was in route. The money would be wired into the account or a ComCheck was issued. Never had a problem and if there was a problem, it most likely would happen if was not prepaid. Always had greater results when I prepaid. I would also look on Central that didn't happen that often for prepaid cars. Central for the most posts cheap and double broker freight. What do you charge for a car going from LA CA to Newark NJ? The car would be a 2013 Honda  Civic with no issues. What do you pay the driver?

I had their name and put them on my do not load list but think their name should not be shared at this time.  My point with the photo was that these priceless cars were parked and left in a truck stop parking lot and left unattended. Even if this carrier was paid to haul them in an open trailer this is inappropriate to do with a customer's car, in my opinion.  It isn't illegal but if those were my cars sitting there I would be ticked off.

 

As for DAS, you should check their status.  They are going down fast.

 

All my carriers sign a contract giving me permission to withhold their pay if there is a damage claim until all damage has been recovered. 

 

Answers to your other questions:  No I don't check to make sure the cars I book have insurance.  That is their risk to take.  My job is to make sure the carrier is covered sufficiently.  I do tell my customers that they are not permitted to put any personal belongings in their car and that if there are any the carrier has the option of taking the vehicle or refusing it.  If a vehicle was not booked as an inop and it is one when the driver arrives it is up to the driver to tell me if they want more to pick it up and I bring that back to the customer and he can either pay the additional fee or cancel the booking altogether.  I don't expect a carrier to do anything other than what they booked for.  As for prepping the car for transport, I expect my drivers to be experienced enough hauling classics to know how to do their job.  Prepaying on a vehicle is always an option for any broker but it is not something I do.  My rates vary based on my customer's needs, current truck availability, time of year, whether or not my customer is in a hurry,  and other criteria.  I work FOR my customer so I am looking to get them the best rate without going too low so as to not be able to get a good carrier.  If my customer wants it as cheap as possible I go cheap as possible with them knowing what that means.  If they want the best carrier then I go high.  My standard rates are medium high because that is what my carriers expect.  If we are talking about a single car for a one time customer I charge a $100.00 deposit and the balance COD.  The COD amount is what the carrier gets paid.  FYI everyone, that is how this works.  What your broker asks for as a deposit is normally what they charge you and the COD amount is what the carrier makes.  If your deposit is higher than 100 - 150 then you are paying too much.  My regular customers pay less.  Like I said, I work for my customer and want their business.  I mostly work with dealerships and specialty cars.  I want them to come back to me if they need another car moved and to refer their friends to us.  It would be stupid of me to overcharge them.

 

I have enjoyed our conversation and it is good to educate people on how this industry works, what to avoid, what to ask for, etc.  We are doing them a service here.  I respect your knowledge and opinions.

 

You asked me before for my DOT information.  I trust you looked me up and found that my company has no complaints against them and only positive feedback and that I do have a 5 star rating?

[Guest Clickclack]

It'll porbably run you around $1,000 give or take (assuming it's a standard size). There are a crap load of companies out there that will give you a cost estimate for free, but many of them are brokers so you should be aware of that going in. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's why you may enter your info & get multiple calls. Personally, I've used A-1 Auto Transport Inc twice and I've had no issues with them. Of course, every shipper out there seems to have someone that's got a horror story about how bad they were, but that's my input. 

[ADTS AutoTransport]

I agree ClickClack - don't EVER go to one of those sights that offer 10 quotes because they are just a clearing house so to speak.  They are paid to get quote requests and then they sell those to at least 10 different companies and those companies will normally bombard you.  Their only interest is getting your deposit and their job is done and then it is up to the company to get it done for that low ball bid.  It's a racket.

 

Ready Auto Transport is a major auto transport broker.  If you go to their website (see the link below) you can get an instant quote right there.  I would recommend anyone getting their quote first and then comparing the price you got from them with what else you get.  They are usually medium high to high but a really good company and you know when you get the quote there it won't be sold.

 

I always tell my customers to go there and get a rate and then compare it with mine and go from there.  We do the same thing, they are just on a MUCH larger scale.

 

http://www.readyautotransport.com/Default.aspx?DealerID=32&WT.svl=m_prod_tools_trans_ratorangebutton

[Guest Davidlovescars]

 

The whole process of moving was terrible my buddy in LA recommended Generous Auto Transport

They made it easy for me. When I moved from New York to California in 2014

I even was able to load my car with personal Items. 

My car is special to me and very rare, its a 

1974 Bradley

These guys took care me when i needed it most. 

heres the link to there website

www.generousautotransport.com

I spoke to Ronnie or David

[Larry Schramm]

I just go pick it up myself where ever it is.  Then if the transport is screwed up I only have my self to blame.

[ADTS AutoTransport]

On ‎4‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 3:43 AM, gibsonford said:

I suggest you to check with best auto shipping company where you can get instant quotes and avail reasonable cost for shipping. The transportation is done in a speedy manner and get the vehicle before scheduled time.
 

Shaking my head.  I rest my case.  PLEASE click on this link!  Once you get there go up top and look at the web address.  This is one of those clearing house bullcrap sites that entices you to get a quote from them and then they sell that request to a minimum of 10 other companies for a minimum of 1.00 each.  You will be bombarded and harassed and pressured and promised the world if you go with them right now..blah, blah, blah.  Would someone in here please follow through getting a quote from this company so I can finally convince you that I know what I am talking about.  Just one more tip for you - when you get to the page where you are asking for the quote check the website url.  If it doesn't say the name of THAT company it is a quote collector and nothing more.  Someone please be brave and ask them for a quote and then report back.

[Guest TedBundo]

I've had only bad experiences with auto transport companies. I now know that who I was dealing with was "brokers" and not actually transporters, but I got so fed up with all of these brokers, one who took my money but never transported my car.... that I just paid my son to go drive the car back for me.

[ADTS AutoTransport]

49 minutes ago, TedBundo said:

I've had only bad experiences with auto transport companies. I now know that who I was dealing with was "brokers" and not actually transporters, but I got so fed up with all of these brokers, one who took my money but never transported my car.... that I just paid my son to go drive the car back for me.

Ted how did you find that broker that took your money and never transported your car?  My guess is you went online and went to a website that is a quote collector site, they sold your quote to other companies that have to buy leads, and they bid it at a price they knew would get you but a price that there wasn't a chance in hell they could move it for.  They give all us legitimate companies a bad name.  There are QUOTE COLLECTOR BROKERS and then there are LEGITIMATE AUTO TRANSPORT BROKERS.  Quick way to tell the difference is to look at the URL for the website you are at before requesting a quote.  If the url is different than the company name run like hell.

[MIGMAX]

You'll be looking at anywhere between $1000 and $1500. Really depends on the exact locations within both states. Some areas of WA are EXTREMELY expensive to ship from like in the mountains! And of course more if you are looking for an enclosed trailer. You can definitely check out my site for a quote let them know Max sent you  MIG Auto Transport

[countrytravler]

I'm back in buissnes. Just spent a million dollars for 3 new trucks. Give me a call. You deal with the driver and not a broker. Run from the NW to the SE. 209 613 1199.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

Amd here is another factor that will increase the cost of transport.

We now have to use Electronic Log Books. 99 percent of drivers would push the pencil on paper logs from the past.

[countrytravler]

Amd here is another factor that will increase the cost of transport.

We now have to use Electronic Log Books. 99 percent of drivers would push the pencil on paper logs from the past.

1st picture is tge paper log.

2nd is the ELD. Electronic Log  Device. 

[edinmass]

I was hoping there would be a post on the new electronic log books. It’s my basic understanding that every driver just lost 15 percent of their driving time with the changeover from paper to electronic. Does this seem a fair estimate? We lost fifty percent of the small legal running commercial car transporting guys since October.  Fact is, competent car hauling is very difficult to find. Read that as movers of high end cars, not modern every day driving automobiles, but the true exotic and collectible cars. I will not ship any car on an open carrier unless it’s just a every day basic transportation auto. Shipping a collector car enclosed will probably go up twenty percent in the next year. It’s not just the log books........insurance, dot, inspections, etc..........I am all for safe equipment and professional drivers, and don’t have a problem paying for their service, but now big brother is chasing out the hobbiest and small carriers. I am clearly exempt from the federal motor carrier rules, and they keep trying to push me around. I carry a copy of the federal rules and regulations showing the exemption for incidental recreational use, have great equipment, carry a   Maintenance  log and driving log even though I don’t have to, and I can see the frustration of the officers not being able to ticket me for some reason. I place a date on my break away battery on when it was replaced, charged, and tested. I carry a new spare break away battery along with a bunch of other safety equipment, even though it’s not required. Last stop by a state police officer he kept threatening to tow my rig........I was polite, and kept asking for what legitimate reason? He finally just got in his car and left. Now, I have in truck cameras of the road and cab, with sound, along with my cell phone recording. It’s sick that a small hobbiest with the best equipment, expertly maintained, with lots of experience gets hassled like this, and I’m sure it’s worse for the big haulers. I only have to worry for another twenty years, but I’m sure in the long run they will continue to push people out of the hobby bit by bit with all the regulations. 

 

This week I replaced THE ENTIRE braking system on my three year old trailer, all new wires, all new backing plates with shoes, magnets, hardware, bearings and seals, etc. I took photos of the entire process, so if I’m bothered on the road again I can just show them the pictures. I could have cleaned and adjusted everything and just installed new magnets, but thought all new would serve me better in the event of being stopped again............we shall see. Anyways, I’m ready for Amelia Island next month. Show car, truck, and trailer are ready for the show!  Ed

[edinmass]

By the way.....that paper log you posted is about four miles from my house......and I often use that road (vista parkway) for testing and tuning our pre war cars.......I was at the golf club there Friday with our 34 Packard Custom Dietrich V-12,so I drove right past the condos to get to the club! Ed

Edited February 18, 2018 by edinmass (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

58 minutes ago, edinmass said:

By the way.....that paper log you posted is about four miles from my house......and I often use that road (vista parkway) for testing and tuning our pre war cars.......I was at the golf club there Friday with our 34 Packard Custom Dietrich V-12,so I drove right past the condos to get to the club! Ed

Pm me your number and when I come in town, we can go out and have coffee, talk shop and check out each other's equitment. Been doing this since 68.  Started with my 65 Impala SS Convertible with a 409 400 4 speed. I worked part time at the Detroit Auto Auction as a lane driver. I would rent a Uhaul tow bar. 25 dollars to haul cars from Detroit to Lansing.

[countrytravler]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

I was hoping there would be a post on the new electronic log books. It’s my basic understanding that every driver just lost 15 percent of their driving time with the changeover from paper to electronic. Does this seem a fair estimate? We lost fifty percent of the small legal running commercial car transporting guys since October.  Fact is, competent car hauling is very difficult to find. Read that as movers of high end cars, not modern every day driving automobiles, but the true exotic and collectible cars. I will not ship any car on an open carrier unless it’s just a every day basic transportation auto. Shipping a collector car enclosed will probably go up twenty percent in the next year. It’s not just the log books........insurance, dot, inspections, etc..........I am all for safe equipment and professional drivers, and don’t have a problem paying for their service, but now big brother is chasing out the hobbiest and small carriers. I am clearly exempt from the federal motor carrier rules, and they keep trying to push me around. I carry a copy of the federal rules and regulations showing the exemption for incidental recreational use, have great equipment, carry a   Maintenance  log and driving log even though I don’t have to, and I can see the frustration of the officers not being able to ticket me for some reason. I place a date on my break away battery on when it was replaced, charged, and tested. I carry a new spare break away battery along with a bunch of other safety equipment, even though it’s not required. Last stop by a state police officer he kept threatening to tow my rig........I was polite, and kept asking for what legitimate reason? He finally just got in his car and left. Now, I have in truck cameras of the road and cab, with sound, along with my cell phone recording. It’s sick that a small hobbiest with the best equipment, expertly maintained, with lots of experience gets hassled like this, and I’m sure it’s worse for the big haulers. I only have to worry for another twenty years, but I’m sure in the long run they will continue to push people out of the hobby bit by bit with all the regulations. 

 

This week I replaced THE ENTIRE braking system on my three year old trailer, all new wires, all new backing plates with shoes, magnets, hardware, bearings and seals, etc. I took photos of the entire process, so if I’m bothered on the road again I can just show them the pictures. I could have cleaned and adjusted everything and just installed new magnets, but thought all new would serve me better in the event of being stopped again............we shall see. Anyways, I’m ready for Amelia Island next month. Show car, truck, and trailer are ready for the show!  Ed

Show us your rig.

[countrytravler]

Just got my 34 hour restart

 

[edinmass]

Great equipment! I just run a single car unit, can’t compare to those machines. On the show circuit we find it easier to prep and service the car with our own equipment,  after tours and rainy show days having your own trailer makes cleaning up the car much easier. I use one of the large national transportation companies when we move multiple cars, often due to size and weight we can only put four cars on a tractor trailer. Please comment on driving time before and after the electronic logs. Do you expect it to efffect total miles per year, and thus drive up costs and prices? Do you do show transportation? Driving the open road today is very frustrating compar d to years ago, I don’t think I could do it full time. Long hard hours, often with little down time, add in breakdowns, congestion, weather, I just don’t know how most of the drivers do it today. Ed

Edited February 19, 2018 by edinmass (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

To soon to tell. I have had high end cars on my truck. Just hauled a highly modified electronics van for the Government that was pegged at 1.5mill.  I hauled a 500k Porsche and ask the customer why? He had a known company enclosed and he ram his car into the roof of the trailer. Did 20k worth of damage and another, a car got loose inside and did a million in damaged. I also own a single car enclosed along with a 1 and 2 car open bumper pull trailers. 

 

Edited February 19, 2018 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[edinmass]

I always thought that hauling the high end stuff was probably a lot more work and aggravation than the more modern stuff. Overly fussy owners, worried every minute where the car is, etc. Add in hard starting and no starts, Oil and fuel leaks,  difficult to tie down, tight fit in the truck, the list is endless. Frankly I am surprised that so many companies are willing to do it. It’s also amazing how cheap many of the car owners are when it comes to shipping, and some dumb SOB who can’t even drive a stick tries to load a car up on the rig......yup, I have seen it with my own eyes. Not a sight I want to see again. Over the last 40 years I have seen three cars fall off the truck, one of them was seven figures. Not too long ago, a three million dollar car was transported by a bootleg hauler. When the car wouldn’t crank over(it had a startex and they didn’t know who to operate it), they decided to jump start the car, and pried open the locked trunk with a crowbar. The battery was under the front seat. But hey.......he did get a good deal on the hauler.  Ed

[Matt Harwood]

This is what cut-rate shipping looks like:

 

 

Granted, it's not an expensive car, but the guy has waited nearly two months for someone willing to do it cheap enough and it's going to spend the next three days living on an open trailer driving through a snowstorm. That $1500 we spent cleaning and detailing the car? Gone. All that pot metal trim that was in good shape but "open" because it's original? I recon it's going to get worse with salt in it. Will the driver hurt it by taking it on and off the trailer a few more times between here and where it's going so he can load/unload other cars? The guy didn't even speak English, so I had a hard time explaining just how to start the car. If it isn't  get in and turn the key and pull an automatic transmission into gear, these guys are totally lost. And man, that clutch sure smells fresh!

But at least you saved $150 over the enclosed shipping I arranged for you. Nicely done, Buick buyer. You totally beat me at my own game. I was definitely ripping you off.

 

Don't do cheap shipping. Just don't. If someone who knows what they're doing tells you what it costs, just pay it. Thinking you can figure it out yourself and save a buck only means that you're screwing yourself in the end. Nobody walks into an operating room and tells the doctor he's too expensive and they'll figure out themselves for less, right? Just because this is driving trucks and not brain surgery doesn't mean you're going to get it right. I'm just heartbroken about this little Buick heading out into the salt and slush for the next few days. We spent a LOT of time on it and really dressed it up. The guy who bought it is a complainer, so I'm sure I'm going to hear about how messed up it is when it arrives. Guess what? Not my problem. You did this to yourself. Sorry.

 

Just because some shipper says he can do it cheap doesn't mean it's the same as the guy who chargers more. You always get what you pay for. 

Edited March 2, 2018 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[trimacar]

8 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

Just because some shipper says he can do it cheap doesn't mean it's the same as the guy who chargers more. You always get what you pay for. 

 

That's so very true, Matt.  I once sold a nice little first year Camaro convertible, the fellow had sent me the money for it, and then for two weeks complained about how expensive it was to ship.

 

Finally, one day a van truck shows up to get the car.  The back of the van was chest high, and I asked the guy how he was going to load the car.  He pulls out two ramps that are JUST as wide as the tires on the car, and about 15 feet long.  I immediately called the buyer, explained the situation to him.  He said no problem, the guy was a cheap back haul, let him load.  While on the phone, I told the buyer "OK, I'm handing the keys to the car as we speak, I no longer own the car nor have any responsibility for safety or condition of car, it's all yours".   I got in my car (this was at a large parking lot) and drove about 30 feet away, sitting in the car while the fellow loaded the car with his helper. 

 

I've sold a couple of cars where the driver of the truck shows up not speaking English.  That's fine, I know it's not PC to criticize those people, but don't expect me to like it when, as Matt says, you can't even explain how to start a car or any other idiosyncrasies that may exist.

[auburnseeker]

I always figure the cost of shipping into the purchase price.  If it comes out too much to have it properly shipped,  then I move onto another car.  With higher dollar cars it's easy as the shipping is usually a much smaller percent of the whole purchase so it's not that important.  When you mess around with the under 10G cars on the opposite coast,  it really makes the deal seem unappealing fast.   Any cars I find would always be shipped enclosed if in the winter months and if they are anything at all that deserve any kind of care,  will be shipped that way year round.  I've only had one car shipped open,  4 hours away in the summer during a stretch of weather with no rain or storms forecast.

[countrytravler]

150 less than closed? From my experience,  depending on location, it's 1000 to 1500 more from coast to coast. Depending on the car anf location, we are getting 1000 to 1500 from FL to WA open. Closed is abour 2500 to 3000.

Edited March 3, 2018 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

All my years hauling cars,  never seen a set up like this. Someone took a 4x4 2010 Chev 1/2 ton and cut the frame behind the cab and welded a one car trailer to the trucks frame. Rear drive shaft is absent, runs with the front drive shaft with the factory transfer case. Going to find out what it would cost to buy it. Been sitting for 3 years.

Edited March 3, 2018 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

The front end is a 1/2 ton—6 lug wheels.

[countrytravler]

1 hour ago, 39BuickEight said:

The front end is a 1/2 ton—6 lug wheels.

Good eye.

[auburnseeker]

I think someone was selling these in Deals on Wheels a while back.  It was a 1/2 page ad or something from a company.  

[countrytravler]

18 hours ago, 39BuickEight said:

The front end is a 1/2 ton—6 lug wheels.

 

[39BuickEight]

Yep, that’s a 5.3 4x4 LT 1500 VIN

[auburnseeker]

Would there be problems legally carrying a car on this as it could very easily be overweight?  Or do you just register it for heavier GVW? I'm pretty sure GM is out of the picture as to any liability at this point. 

[39BuickEight]

I would actually lose the data sticker if it were mine.  They are missing on vehicles all the time due to body repairs.  Of course the data isn’t even realistically applicable, but an irritated officer could easily try to hold it against you.  I would keep documentation of the flat bed load ratings.  Of course, we have no idea if this conversion was done safely/correctly or not.  Certainly, a 2500/3500 front end and drivetrain would be preferred.

Edited March 4, 2018 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

Would be no problem hauling small cars, golf carts etc. Ig I bought it, I would upgrade tires, rear suspension with disk brakes and higher ply tires etc. Be perfect for doing local shows and swap meets. Be a good conservation peace at car shows. Been sitting at the auction for 3 years. I offered 2k for it. See what happens.

[JasonGarcia]

The cost actually depends on various factors like the type of car you want to transport, target location, how long is the distance and many more.

[stihasa]

I don't know exactly what Jim means by auto broker, but, there is a service in San Antonio, TX, named UShip (uShip - The Online Shipping Marketplace - سطحه الرياض , Cars or Moves) that is a transportation broker. You tell them what type of vehicle you have, running or not, ship from zip code and ship to zip code and estimated pick up date and estimated delivery date. They have independent car hauler truckers that will give you a bid to move the vehicle. I have not used this service but on ebay a lot of the ads have estimated shipping costs and UShip is usually one of the lowest cost estimates. You might look at some ebay ads to see names of other car haulers. If I used one of these independent truckers I would check with my insurance agent about complete coverage of the vehicle while in transit. A legit trucker will expect payment when the car is delivered and ready to unload. Probably cash usless other arrangements are made before they pick up the car.

[stihasa]

The definition of its surface east of Riyadh is the service we offer you from:
A defect using a truck that pulls out cars that are located in the east of the sport are located wherever you are in the car that has a malfunction or malfunction

[Restorer32]

Highlight "Estimated pick up date and estimated delivery date". Therein lies the rub.