I need a 2014 Honda Civic (basic model) shipped from Chicago to Austin, TX. Can anyone recommend a vehicle transport company and/or provide any information that would be helpful in selecting one? It should be a "simple" pickup, haul and delivery on an open transport truck. Delivery time is not rushed. Thank you!
Need Recommendations for Vehicle Transport Company
- Thread starter Budatx
- Start date
Most of the companies that do auto transport are both freight haulers and also intermediaries / booking agents. When you book with them you’re not getting their drivers, the oder goes to a industry brokerage that all freight transporters use.
The company you choose books your order but really just posts it, any truck driver can pick it up. Your order will be booked when you place it but you don’t know which transport company has it until pickup time. It could be a large transport company or a self employed driver with a leased truck.
Usually you book a date, pay part of the cost when booking. The driver has a 3-5 day window to pick up the car, and 3-10 days to deliver. You pay the remaining amount in cash to the driver on arrival.
I have mostly good experience with these folks https://ufaservices.com/ and these https://www.montway.com/,
This is for open air long transport. You can get a closed truck or a specific time / schedule, but they cost more.
The company you choose books your order but really just posts it, any truck driver can pick it up. Your order will be booked when you place it but you don’t know which transport company has it until pickup time. It could be a large transport company or a self employed driver with a leased truck.
Usually you book a date, pay part of the cost when booking. The driver has a 3-5 day window to pick up the car, and 3-10 days to deliver. You pay the remaining amount in cash to the driver on arrival.
I have mostly good experience with these folks https://ufaservices.com/ and these https://www.montway.com/,
This is for open air long transport. You can get a closed truck or a specific time / schedule, but they cost more.
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1242Vintage
Full time employment: Posting here.
Our experience is the auto shipping companies you see advertised on the internet are brokers who farm the job out to independent operators. We shipped a small VW Jetta from California to NY a couple year ago and then another car, a beat up Mazda 3, recently from CA to Wisconsin. Both arrived without damage and within the timeframe promised.
Both cars were sent where our kids settled and were shipped since neither wife nor I really wanted to drive these little basic cars all the way across the country.
Both cars were sent where our kids settled and were shipped since neither wife nor I really wanted to drive these little basic cars all the way across the country.
Romer
Recycles dryer sheets
If you are not overly particular, look at Uship.com. Various carriers bid on your shipment, and bundle pickups for efficiency. We have used it twice. It was around $600. The guy that dropped off our car had 10 other cars he was dropping off in Florida ��
rk911
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
we just sold my late BIL's Lexus and the buyer hired RoadRunner Auto Transport to pick it up here in CA and take it to IL. Like others have said RoadRunner acts as a clearing house for these jobs much like U-Ship-It. In our case the actual transport company was Red Dot Trucking. RoadRunner told us that the car would be picked up between 9a-9p on date X and that the driver would call with a 3-hr window. Date X came and went with no call and no truck. After 9pm our time a driver did call and claimed that he had just been given the contract and that he would pick up the car the next day. When I queried him why the car had not been picked up as promised he became angry and started shouting in a language I did not recognize. He did show up the next day within the 3-hour window...just within...that he provided. When the buyer complained to RoadRunner he was told that pickup dates are "estimates" and may be changed. Don't know if that is standard operating procedure but neither of us were happy with RoadRunner or Red Dot trucking. Cost to take the 21-yr old Lexus from San Jose, CA to Steger, IL was $1300.
agreed with everyone else... A warning for you .. I shipped from Chicago to los angeles.. turns out the middle of a snow storm through nebraska is bad .. so try and make sure you ask for your car to be put UP TOP if possible!!! so the salt and road garbage doesnt blow up up on the car (especially during winter). My car arrived covered in about 2 inches of ... i have no idea what. it cleaned off but its not a pleasant view.
bltkmt
Recycles dryer sheets
That is who I used to arrange shipping of a scooter - very easy.
hopefullyoneday
Recycles dryer sheets
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I am trying to do a similar thing with a car from Michigan to Texas. I put a ad on USHIP and the average cost is about $1300 with the lowest being $1043. I can get a 1 way flight for $75 and do 3 days driving 7 hours a day for about $100 in gas and $100 in food with about $200 in lodging. I think it will be a fun little trip and worth the $700 plus savings.
euro
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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Yeah, given the choice, I'd take the option as well. But I have the time and I like to drive. Others may not (on either account).
I shipped a 79' 280Z from Texas to NC a few years ago and I found what mattered most was that the car ran well enough to get up and down the truck on its own power. If it doesn't run, it will be MUCH more expensive to ship. Based on the prices quoted in this thread, it seems cost has gone up quite a bit. I paid $600 for the roughly 1400 mile trip with Mercury Auto Transport.
OldShooter
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I wouldn't roll the expensive dice on an unknown freight broker if I could find (and pay) a college kid via our social circle who would just fly up and get the car for me. It's probably less risky and probably cheaper. I wouldn't lose sleep worrying about insurance status either. It may be a tiny bit marginal but the likelihood of a problem is not high IMO.
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