Shipping / Auto Transport Companies: Any recommendations?

[MLambert19]

I've found a car I'm hoping to purchase (more on that later!) and while I'd normally try to fly & drive (and have an offer for airport pickup) it may make more sense financially to have it shipped. It's about 1200 miles, and I'd need to transit through Canada.

I've done the typical Google searches, plugged in a few area codes, and I'm finding costs around $1200+. Airfare is around $600 to fly in.

Any experiences with shipping companies? Anyone know anyone in the business?

The car is in Wasau, Wisconsin. I'm in Madrid, Maine.

Thanks, -Matt

[—tsingson—]

Shipping my NB from Norcal to Philadelphia was roughly about $950 back in 2005. Not sure the whole Canada thing would make it more expensive. I used Dependable Auto Shippers.

http://www.dasautoshippers.com/

[MLambert19]

Canada might prove problematic because of the Transit plates I'd be running, and the lack of registration during transit.

DAS just quoted me $550 (!) if it's picked up or dropped off at a service center, of which there are 95. Now if I could figure out where those 95 centers are...

[MiataQuest]

DAS is just a broker. Lowest bid from any trucker takes the job. So reputation has nothing to do with it.
You can have good or bad experience just from luck of the draw. Feeling lucky?
Your car will be on an open trailer and exposed to salt spray during the trip, including the undercarriage.
Really bad if there is a snow storm.
The driver may fry your clutch running it up to the upper deck.
I would only use a brokered open trailer if the car is just a driver and an automatic transmission at that.

But if the car being transported is going to be your baby, consider an enclosed trailer from a reputable carrier.
I have had good results from Passport Transport and InterCity Lines.

It is best to get your shipping scheduled before the snowbirds suck up all the transport road time in the spring.
The cost goes up then.
Also in the spring time they usually run more north and south than west to east in the Midwest.

See the picture of my Miata being delivered. The picture tells the advantage of going enclosed.

[—tsingson—]

Well mine made it no problem. So I can only speak from my experience. Car drove great, car was clean with no scratches anywhere.

[— freedomgli —]

Your choices are either brokers like uShip who solicit bids on your behalf, trying to find a LTL auto shipper on your own or choosing a reputable, established transporter like Intercity Lines. All three have some risk and some element of luck of the draw. I'm not sure why you think you must transit through Canada other than you see it as the most direct route and thus less costly. But dealing with temporary import into Canada and then dealing with US Customs again to re-enter adds cost and complexity and risk. Not all auto shippers are also customs brokers, so you'll factor that into the equation.

[— kung fu jesus —]

MiataQuest said it all.

I've shipped a car, but it traveled with our belongings when we moved from the east coast to the west coast. It was amusing to watch them get a lowered turbo Miata with a 7# flywheel and heavy clutch on a Mayflower enclosed moving trailer with me watching. There was a level of sweatiness going on from all. I would spring the extra shekels for door-to-door service, enclosed.

The other times I moved a car:

Miata from MI to NC, I had the car moved from friend to friend/acquaintances. Each drove it a little bit, advancing it closer to me. I was fortunate to have a friend who had located to Knoxville, TN, so a mutual friend volunteered to drive it from Detroit to K'ville. I drove from Charlotte to K'ville to pick it up. I reimbursed fuel/time costs to those who needed it. In all that cost me about $150 to move it 600 miles.

Miata from CA to NC, I added a flat deck trailer and towed it with a 26' box truck that contained our possessions. It was a 5 day trip. Not much of a problem, just a stressful trip because of all that entails driving a rental moving truck 2500 miles under time constraints.

e30 from NC to GA, easy-peasy. I let a buddy from ATL who rode up with my wife (she moved there first for work) drive it down to our new place there. 300 miles, A/C, CC, he said it was a great drive. He stopped to photograph himself in it at the BMW NA HQ in South Carolina.

I was a little nervous this last move. 9 miles. Friends came to help us load an move to our new home here in ATL. My friend drove my Miata, but he used to pro-drift an NA, so I was a little nervous about what he *might* do in it during the short, rain-slicked drive. It made it.

***edit*** When I bought the e30 off my friend. He lived 300 miles away. I had only seen pictures of it, but I know him from way back. I agreed to buy the car unseen. He held it for a couple of months, and when I flew out on unrelated business, I re-routed my return flight to his location. He picked me up at the airport and I drove it home.

[MLambert19]

Passport & Intercity are $1800 & $2000. While I'm getting a good buy on this car, those prices would negate that.

I can fly for around $600, and I probably have a slight advantage to dealing with Customs over the average Joe... it's just using days off that I don't necessarily have to accomplish it.

I typically fly & drive. Maine willingly provides Transit Tags at little cost, even if other states don't sometimes recognize them (NY being potentially problematic). I've done this with both the MSM from NC and my current BRG from Buffalo, NY. I get to see some new country, and it's considerably cheaper than shipping.

Weather & time off are my only hindrance here, but the seller seems willing to hold the car until April, which might improve the situation greatly.

Decisions, decisions.

[—Martin—]

I've found a car I'm hoping to purchase (more on that later!)

Ok, it's later. Tell us about the car, please!

[MLambert19]

Okay Martin, since you asked so politely!

The car in question is a 1994R in white, with 40K miles. This is my unicorn.

[—Martin—]

Sweet!

[— kung fu jesus —]

Just me and my foibles, but a unicorn car that I'm willing to buy 1000 miles away (which I would do), I would budget in time or money to get it. April is no guarantee the weather will be any better, but I understand the concerns. it's a two-day trip and parts of that route are lake effect zones. I don't think I would trek across Canuckistan, but I see where it may be advantageous. IIRC, there was some bridge near Thunder Bay in Canada that collapsed and shut down the freeway through there. I don't know if they repaired, but I suspect they have. I think for all intents and purposes, you may have a better support system if the car dumps on you by going the southern route.

I love a good roadtrip to grab a coveted car. They are some of my favorite memories!

[xcoldricex]

i used montway to ship a porsche 911 and was pretty happy with it. cash discount too. far cheaper than the other options i priced out.

i have also used uship to ship a benz and the miata - had a really bad experience with a broker who didn't pay the actual shipper, i had to pay the shipper in cash (after the broker paypal-ed me money), then the broker tried to charge back the paypal (paypal of course went in their favor despite the shit ton of records i sent them.) luckily uship stepped in and didn't release my payment to the broker so i didn't get fucked.

i have used uship with good results though.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Hey, something else...it never hurts to ask who will cover the car 100% should damage occur. Ask you insurance company and the shipping company as well.

[MLambert19]

Well, after much debate, I won't be shipping the car after all.

Flight is booked for Mossinee, WI for April 22nd. I'm going to venture through "Canuckistan" (that made me laugh, a lot, thank you KFJ) as it's the most direct route and avoids all the major US Cities. I've spoken with Canadian Customs and learned that a Maine Transit plate is 100% acceptable.

Just ran CarFax to be sure, and everything looks good on that end, too. Unicorn car, here I come!

Thanks for the input, all. I'll let you know how things shake down in April! -Matt