Anybody had a vehicle shipped?

[besserheimerphat]

My father-in-law is gifting us his pickup. Only problem is he lives in IA and we live north of Seattle. We're thinking about having it shipped - anybody done that and have recommendations, warnings, or concerns we may not ave considered? I've gotten a few quotes from national freight lines and they're all pretty close.

 

[Gonzo]

My father-in-law is gifting us his pickup. Only problem is he lives in IA and we live north of Seattle. We're thinking about having it shipped - anybody done that and have recommendations, warnings, or concerns we may not ave considered? I've gotten a few quotes from national freight lines and they're all pretty close.

Haven't. I'd just avoid shipping it overseas.

A cargo ship full of luxury cars is on fire and adrift in the middle of the Atlantic

An abandoned cargo ship packed with cars is adrift in the Atlantic Ocean, after a rapidly-spreading fire on board forced the crew to escape.

www.cnn.com

 

[I@ST1]

My father-in-law is gifting us his pickup. Only problem is he lives in IA and we live north of Seattle. We're thinking about having it shipped - anybody done that and have recommendations, warnings, or concerns we may not ave considered? I've gotten a few quotes from national freight lines and they're all pretty close.

What’s the cost on that?

 

[ISUAgronomist]

Yes had one shipped due to a corporate relocation. No issues. Took pictures of the exterior and noted the mileage. Inspected it when it was delivered.

 

[mywayorcyway]

I've had one car couriered, one car shipped uncovered and one car shipped covered. No issues at all.

If you're flexible on delivery time it isn't terribly expensive. If you want it now, as in like two or three days, you'll pay through the nose.

Take tons of pictures. A reputable carrier will have an app that you upload pictures to prior to loading - it protects both you and them.

It's also worth looking at individual brokers. The broker takes their cut, but it doesn't end up being any more expensive than the big boys and communication is much simpler. You're literally talking to the person handling the deal who is talking to the person driving the truck.

 

[twincyties]

Agree with post above. If you can be flexible with drop off date and time it’s petty slick.

We moved back to Midwest from the east coast and paid about 1000 to ship our car. It was an older car so were not fussy about it being covered, etc.

had to meet them in a commercial parking lot because they couldn’t get the truck into the city (no big deal).

I was wary of doing it and thought it would be more expensive than it was. Granted, this was 3 years ago and will obviously depend on distance. But I’d have no reservations about doing it again.

 

[besserheimerphat]

The quotes I'd gotten so far were all around $2700. They all include an "oversize vehicle charge" - its just a half ton GMC but whatever.

 

[KennyPratt42]

The quotes I'd gotten so far were all around $2700. They all include an "oversize vehicle charge" - its just a half ton GMC but whatever.

That seems insanely high. I paid maybe $800 last year to get a car from Pennsylvania to central Iowa.

Looking at uship.com quotes it looks like prices are high right now due to trucking shortages and I'm sure there is a premium for it being a truck, but still should be able to get close to $2,000 if you're flexible on timeframe.

 

[TakeCover]

The quotes I'd gotten so far were all around $2700. They all include an "oversize vehicle charge" - its just a half ton GMC but whatever.

I'll drive it out to you for $1800.

 

[besserheimerphat]

That seems insanely high. I paid maybe $800 last year to get a car from Pennsylvania to central Iowa.

Looking at uship.com quotes it looks like prices are high right now due to trucking shortages and I'm sure there is a premium for it being a truck, but still should be able to get close to $2,000 if you're flexible on timeframe.

We are totally flexible. My FIL is taking delivery on his new truck in a week or two, so I suspect he'll want the driveway space cleared. I was throwing in pick-up dates a couple weeks from. Now.

One thing to consider is IA to WA crosses the Rockies and the Cascades, so fuel on the semi will be worse than IA to PA. At least no tolls headed west.

 

[cyputz]

I actually purchased two vehicles which had to be shipped to Iowa.
From Florida and New York - no issues what so ever.

 

[alarson]

I'll drive it out to you for $1800.

The costs really add up though if you're just driving it out there (and need to get back home after). You're not getting the economies of scale that freight would get.

~1800 miles, lets say 15mpg in a truck (could be lower due to the mountains), you're looking at 400ish in gas.

27 hour drive. You'll probably need to plan 3 hotel nights. There's another $300+

Flight back to iowa: $200-300

So you've pretty easily got $1000+ in expenses right there. Plus the extra costs of eating on the road.

 

[clone4life82]

Fly to Iowa, drive it back. Half the cost

 

[aauummm]

I've bought two Jeep Wranglers at different times online and had each of them shipped to Iowa, one from Ohio and one from Arizona. No problems with either one. The last one was hauled by a farmer from NE Iowa. He was hauling for one of the companies that advertise online and doing it to supplement his farm income. He was on the west coast heading home so he picked up my Jeep in Phoenix and dropped it off in DSM on his way home. $450 in 2012. Very nice guy, right on time, very careful with the vehicle, dropped it off right in front of my house, so I gave him a nice tip.

 

[BCClone]

We are totally flexible. My FIL is taking delivery on his new truck in a week or two, so I suspect he'll want the driveway space cleared. I was throwing in pick-up dates a couple weeks from. Now.

One thing to consider is IA to WA crosses the Rockies and the Cascades, so fuel on the semi will be worse than IA to PA. At least no tolls headed west.

What is the specifics? I’m looking for a pickup to replace my half ton, maybe sell it and buy one out there, gives you 2700 to play with.

 

[aauummm]

Fly to Iowa, drive it back. Half the cost

I've done that a couple of times, flew to Indiana, picked up a vehicle and drove it back to DSM. Also flew to Arizona, met my son there and we drove a car that he had just gotten back to Iowa. Very nice father-son road trip.

 

[Macloney]

The costs really add up though if you're just driving it out there (and need to get back home after). You're not getting the economies of scale that freight would get.

~1800 miles, lets say 15mpg in a truck (could be lower due to the mountains), you're looking at 400ish in gas.

27 hour drive. You'll probably need to plan 3 hotel nights. There's another $300+

Flight back to iowa: $400-600

So you've pretty easily got $1000+ in expenses right there. Plus the extra costs of eating on the road.

Subtract the cost of hotel nights and replace it with a $20 pack of Depends and a $2 Gatorade bottle.

 

[Clark]

The costs really add up though if you're just driving it out there (and need to get back home after). You're not getting the economies of scale that freight would get.

~1800 miles, lets say 15mpg in a truck (could be lower due to the mountains), you're looking at 400ish in gas.

27 hour drive. You'll probably need to plan 3 hotel nights. There's another $300+

Flight back to iowa: $400-600

So you've pretty easily got $1000+ in expenses right there. Plus the extra costs of eating on the road.

If you wanted to take a vacation to Seattle or that area, it's a good way to get a free vacation but you're right that it won't be a money making venture.

 

[BCClone]

Guessing about 1700 miles to Seattle. If you interstate it you have 22-23 hours driving if decent weather, less if you hit Montana but fuel economy will suck. You have a day and a partial to drive. I drive San Antonio from the IA/MN border straight through and I’m an old man. Say 1700/14 mpg (to be safer) is 121 gallons. At 3.50 per that $425 roughly for gas. Pull over at a rest stop and snooze for no hotel and let it run to stay warm $10 of gas. Some food on the way $75. Plane ticket $200. Pa picking you up so you buy him supper $50.

You can hammer this out for $750 outside of wear and tear on the vehicle. Throw in an oil change and 10 cents/mile for wear and you are around $900 to go get it.

 

[helechopper]

Sent a car from Sarasota to Chicago. $600.

No problems. The guy called me when he was at my house. By the time I went outside to see him unload the car it was already in my driveway.