I could not find a thread that talks about shipping a car. Since SCs are in limited supply and a national market helps find the car you're after, I thought some insight into car shipping would make that process go more smoothly for other buyers. That info would certainly have helped me.

I knew almost nothing about car shipping several weeks ago. I know a lot more now. I bought an SC almost two weeks ago and she is still sitting on the dealer's lot 2,500 miles from me. So, I started talking with other transport brokers and found that I've been hearing a lot of BS from the broker I selected. Not all of the problem is the broker's fault, but the BS and lack of information is the broker's fault.

First, the story. I bought a low miles 2002 that is at a dealership in Waldorf, Maryland. The date was August 15. I live in Washington State. I used the service that gets you a bunch of shipping offers. The one I chose gave me a good quote and had a truck ready to pick up my car on August 20. The dealership said that was fine and I signed up, paying a $200 deposit. On August 18, the dealership sales person said the new tires had not arrived as quickly as expected and August 20 was too soon. I canceled the August 20 pick-up date with the transport broker. On August 19, the sales person told me the car was ready. I called the broker and the truck was already full and gone. So, they started lining up another truck.

It's now August 28 with my car still parked in Maryland and I'm sitting here fuming in frustration. I've been calling the dispatcher pretty regularly. Not everyday, but a lot. He told me stories that he was trying to help by putting together a load for truckers. He gave the impression that not that many truckers go from Maryland to the NW.

Here's what I've learned:
1. All brokers post your vehicle trip on a national board. Truckers see exactly what's offered, including the vehicle, it's running condition and what the broker offers to pay.
2. What the car owner pays is the trucker fee and a broker fee. That's what you are quoted.
3. Truckers obviously prefer the higher offered fees. A low fee either never gets accepted or only gets picked up if a trucker needs to fill a load and hit the road.
4. Nothing in my broker agreement says anything about their fee versus how much is offered to the trucker. However, the agreement says I will pay cash or a cashier's check to the trucker on delivery. Since the broker and the trucker do not know each other or have any formal business relationship other than the proffered job, the deposit must be the broker's fee and the trucker keeps the cash or cashier's check.
5. The trucker fee the broker has offered on the national board was to my home town, which is an hour off of the Interstate highway. I now know that the combination of posted fee and my more remote location meant truckers passed over my offer. I finally got that out of the broker's dispatcher this morning. We moved the delivery point to the Interstate and he thinks that will make a big difference.
6. Truckers are licensed and bonded. Brokers give the impression they are licensed and bonded and some of the other brokers are not.

My advice:
a. Ask how much of the quote is the broker fee. The broker fee is the only negotiable price they have to offer.
b. Ask how long you're likely to wait to get picked by a trucker at the price that's being posted on the national board.

Some of what I've said is learned by the process of deduction, piecing all of this together. I'd much appreciate correcting what I've written and learning more from those of you who know the subject.

Roger

 

I bought my 2 SC430s long distance and had them shipped to South Florida. One came from an Atlanta dealer (750 mies) and the other from Chicago (1200 miles)

I had the selling dealer set up the shipping. Both had no problems making the arrangements.

I got lucky and both cars were exactly as described and immaculate. They arrived within 3 days of making arrangements.

JR

 

FLYCT, this dealer did not provide any shipping arrangements. I asked at the outset.

I did spend a long time on the phone this afternoon with the broker's dispatcher and the "needle on my BS meter" stayed pretty still. I've learned that a lot of trucks go up and down the West Coast. A lot also travel the East Coast/Midwest area. Not so many do coast to coast. Adding coast to coast and to Washington State further reduces the field.

I am wringing my hands and tearing my hair over so much deferred gratification. I'm envious of your quick turn around. Also, we're pretty far north to be wasting summer weather. It can start turning cooler here pretty soon. From all of the questions I asked and the answers offered, offering more money would not get the car here sooner, unless it was a LOT more money.

Roger

 

Cancel! Grab a flight and enjoy your SC on the cross country trip home. What a great way to get acquainted.

PS I feel for you. Drop top weather ends in about 45 days for me. That may be stretching it. I'm dreading it.

 

It's tempting, mohrd...... but I think I'd rather get acquainted with her and fuss over her a bit before I put her to a 3000 mile jaunt. That is, if I can put enough luggage in the car for a 3000 mile trip! lol.

 

My wife and I just completed a 3,500 mile trip in our '02 which now has 86k miles. I bought it last Nov. from a dealer in Phoenix and drove it 900 miles home to Boise ID. The car drove like a champ on both trips! I was concerned on the long trip since it was in late July travelng through deserts in Utah, AZ, & So. Cal. The needle on the temp. gauge never budged from its usual location despite 3 - 4 days of 100+ degree weather with A/C on and top down! We packed light enough to enjoy top down most of the trip and had room in the back seat for soft shell cooler holding our favorite choices of hydration.

We had a great trip, saw beautiful scenery, and was totally imperessed (but not surprised) how well the car handled the long haul.

A good friend in Tacoma WA drives his '02 back and forth to Phoenix every year for Mariners spring training games and he always looks forward to every trip.

If you haven't noticed my bias for the reliability of the car and road trip, I say "go for it!".

 

I am about to have my sc430 shipped cross country. For those of you that have had your 430 shipped, did you use open or closed truck?

 

price quote?

closed truck or drive.
Open truck? anything can happen , u have no control.

What is the cost difference?

 

..................................

 

My car is now on-board an open truck. The cost difference is not insignificant. I much preferred an enclosed truck, but I often see new cars on open carriers. I asked about protection against rocks and other road stuff. I was told that modern trailers are designed to deflect rocks. I finally concluded that a trailer was probably safer than driving the car down the road.

Reputable drivers photograph the car before loading as should you or your agent. The driver's insurance can be dinged if the car is damaged in transit and I've read of that happening. So, the driver's do care about their loads getting to their destination unharmed.

I, of course, won't know how smart I was until later this week when my SC arrives. We have to work from theory until we have enough real life experience to make educated decisions.

I do suggest that you look up a prospective broker on the below website link. It's the best I found. There may be other good ones that I missed.

Remember that most brokers do not own a single truck. They post on the national board. So, they have no price advantage over the other guys other than the fee they charge. For these people, honesty, market knowledge and communication are really what you are buying. You can be quoted a rock bottom price and they will put it on the board. Weeks later you could get picked up by somebody that has an open spot and needs to hit the road. Or, if too low, it may never be picked up by a driver.

http://www.transportreviews.com/Repo...All/25PerPage/

 

My car arrived after a 2,500 mile trip in an open carrier. It was dirty but after washing I could not see any evidence that the trip harmed the car. I paid $1600 for my shipping. Enclosed would be more like another $500. However, if you're not in any hurry, you might find an enclosed carrier that: a) just needs one more car to complete a load, b) needs to get on the road and c) cuts you a deal.