Shipping a car in an enclosed trailer......

[monstertodd]

Hello 5ivers,

Question for the masses: I'm moving in a couple months and I need to ship two cars to the East Coast. My Camaro and my GF's car (Kia).

Does anyone have any first hand experience shipping a car coast to coast?

What are the best carriers to use?

Any tips or tricks that I should remember when shipping my baby (My Camaro).

Can you tell me what the approximate costs are?

Thanks in advance for your help...

[4DoorRocket]

Originally Posted by monstertodd

Hello 5ivers,

Question for the masses: I'm moving in a couple months and I need to ship two cars to the East Coast. My Camaro and my GF's car (Kia).

Does anyone have any first hand experience shipping a car coast to coast?

What are the best carriers to use?

Any tips or tricks that I should remember when shipping my baby (My Camaro).

Can you tell me what the approximate costs are?

Thanks in advance for your help...

Yahoo or Google. Use them. Research it. That's your best bet. You can get approximate costs from them.

[BigDan]

I heard shipping via rail car can be a lot cheaper.

[monstertodd]

Originally Posted by 4DoorRocket

Yahoo or Google. Use them. Research it. That's your best bet. You can get approximate costs from them.

Indeed, but what I was looking for specifically was first hand experience shipping a Camaro (or car), and what carrier was used, and whether or not you'd use that carrier again.

Thankyou for your input, it was extremely helpful.

[jmaynard]

Two words even before you select your shipper - CAR COVER.

You are best to have the car shipped in an open fashion with a cover 'sealing' the car.

Here's the story to support:

A few years back my brother, who is always looking for the quick buck, decided to take advantage of the militaries generous moving allowance that paid by the lb. He decided to put his car in an enclosed trailer and move it cross country, stopping to wiehg it for the claim for moving expenses. When it finally arrived and we 'unpacked it, the paint was all scratched and rubbed down to metal where the car rubbed from side to side and up and down ad the suspension gave left, right, up, down... you get the picture. Long story short, it cost as much to repaint the car as he made in moving expense and he had to do without the car while it was being painted, which he was not reimbursed for.

Use a reputable car carrier and make sure it is covered and taped.

[LimaCharlie]

I shipped my old Camaro from South Carolina to California back in 2004. I think I paid about $1000 and it took about 1 week for delivery. The car was transported on an open car trailer. It was a simple process and the car arrived in perfect condition. Sorry, I don't remember the company.
My advice is to research and find a company with good reviews. Take good photos and ensure the driver documents all damage/imperfections on the car before it leaves.

[Toyaholic]

All I know is; it's a tight fit to get out of the window after it's in the trailer. Better insist that you pull it on and off or there may be some damage from someone trying to get in and out. A train may offer more room, but exiting inside of a 8 1/2' trailer will give you cramps.

[Sevn86]

Originally Posted by jmaynard

Two words even before you select your shipper - CAR COVER.

You are best to have the car shipped in an open fashion with a cover 'sealing' the car.

Here's the story to support:

A few years back my brother, who is always looking for the quick buck, decided to take advantage of the militaries generous moving allowance that paid by the lb. He decided to put his car in an enclosed trailer and move it cross country, stopping to wiehg it for the claim for moving expenses. When it finally arrived and we 'unpacked it, the paint was all scratched and rubbed down to metal where the car rubbed from side to side and up and down ad the suspension gave left, right, up, down... you get the picture. Long story short, it cost as much to repaint the car as he made in moving expense and he had to do without the car while it was being painted, which he was not reimbursed for.

Use a reputable car carrier and make sure it is covered and taped.

Good advise

[monstertodd]

Originally Posted by jmaynard

Two words even before you select your shipper - CAR COVER.

You are best to have the car shipped in an open fashion with a cover 'sealing' the car.

Here's the story to support:

A few years back my brother, who is always looking for the quick buck, decided to take advantage of the militaries generous moving allowance that paid by the lb. He decided to put his car in an enclosed trailer and move it cross country, stopping to wiehg it for the claim for moving expenses. When it finally arrived and we 'unpacked it, the paint was all scratched and rubbed down to metal where the car rubbed from side to side and up and down ad the suspension gave left, right, up, down... you get the picture. Long story short, it cost as much to repaint the car as he made in moving expense and he had to do without the car while it was being painted, which he was not reimbursed for.

Use a reputable car carrier and make sure it is covered and taped.

Originally Posted by LimaCharlie

I shipped my old Camaro from South Carolina to California back in 2004. I think I paid about $1000 and it took about 1 week for delivery. The car was transported on an open car trailer. It was a simple process and the car arrived in perfect condition. Sorry, I don't remember the company.
My advice is to research and find a company with good reviews. Take good photos and ensure the driver documents all damage/imperfections on the car before it leaves.

Originally Posted by Toyaholic

All I know is; it's a tight fit to get out of the window after it's in the trailer. Better insist that you pull it on and off or there may be some damage from someone trying to get in and out. A train may offer more room, but exiting inside of a 8 1/2' trailer will give you cramps.

Awesome, thanks guys, this is good stuff. I appreciate the responses.

[Apex Motorsports]

Reliable Carriers

They are very good. The downside to shipping by train is rail dust. It will be embedded in your paint and require a serious to rubbing with the clay bar to get it out.

[z28mass]

Move on time company is a great shipping company. I had them transport 2 of my camaros. Both were open carrier and no damage at all.
Black Z28- Georgia to Mass
35th anniv. Tennessee to Ma
Price is very good too.

[Johnny1]

I'm sure it was expensive but a closed in transport a couple years ago made specifically for cars picked up a new Cadillac here in Parsons Kansas from the dealership I worked at headed to California to be delivered to Shaun Hill who at that time was a back up quarterback for the 49ers. He's from here in Parsons. The guy had hydraulics to move the cars in and out of the back of the truck and stack them two high. Inside was a new Lamborghini and Porsche and a mint (looked new) 57 Chevy headed to Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale Arizona. They weren't covered but I guarantee you the way they loaded and unloaded there would have not been a mark on them. The guy never had to start the car or anything, I drove it up on the lowered ramp out the back and he hooked it up and it hydraulically went right into the truck and stacked up. He could carry six cars. It was really neat cause there was no advertising on the outside. You would have never known those expensive cars were in there. I had a new 2005 GTO ordered at that time and he told me if I didn't want it railed from the west coast when it came in to call him and he'd bring it on in from there. I don't know what the cost would have been and have long ago lost the name of the company. But bottom line is if you want to pay there are closed carriers out there that can deliver your car in perfect condition. Oh! and he was also insured should some how damage did occur (truck wreck etc.) This was a classy carrier. Ever since then when I see a big closed shinny fancy carrier on the highway I wonder if there could be over a million dollars or more worth of cars in it.

[justa25thTA]

check out u-ship. used this for shipping a camper and it worked out great.

[jmaynard]

Originally Posted by Johnny1

I'm sure it was expensive but a closed in transport a couple years ago made specifically for cars picked up a new Cadillac here in Parsons Kansas from the dealership I worked at headed to California to be delivered to Shaun Hill who at that time was a back up quarterback for the 49ers. He's from here in Parsons.

See the text in bold. THIS IS IMPORTANT IF YOU GO ENCLOSED!