Shipping Car Cross Country- Any suggestions?

8

86turboSix

Mr. BuzzCut
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
My girlfriend is thinking about shipping her car cross country. We drove the car last May from Chicago to San Diego; her Ford Escort now has 105,XXX miles on it. She did fine on the way out there, but the transmission doesn't sound like it could make it another long road trip...
Humbly asking for direction/suggestions on a low cost car shipping company. (Got a DAS estimate of $836, just wanted to know if this is on par with what most places will ship)
I'm in Cali for the next week or so, plan on going through the car with a fine tooth comb just to see if maybe it would make it cross country. Big factor is, we took 4 days and did it Nat'l Lampoons style (her folks footed the bill last time :p, this time we're on our own)
Thank you for your help.
 
Sounds about right, was alittle over $800 to ship a 73 camaro from AZ to FL,was in the 90's though.....Warning: take anything of value out of it though,at those prices you'll be shipped on a open car carrier that anyone can access the car at truck stops/rest area's,My Tach got stolen..Good Luck!
 
I just paid $1,300 for an enclosed trailer shipping from Michigan to San Diego. Went through one of those "middlemen" who basically puts the job in a database, and drivers will look at and see if they can accept it for that time frame and price. The guy I dealt with was really nice, gave a mil discount, etc. Open car trailers were much less, I want to say around $750-$800.

Jim Lane of "Lane by Lane":

James Lane
Lane By Lane Auto Transport
503 895-6402
lbljim@yahoo.com
Fax #888 270-8158
 
Take lots of pics while the car is being loaded to show the condition before whoever you chose hauls it. Also make sure that the company is bonded and insured out the ass. There have been some really bad results from car haulers that I've seen and without proof and a good insurance company you're so screwed that you won't believe it. Just my .02.:)
 
What is the point of shipping said car? To get it back home?

Bryan
 
@davelostmissing, we are exploring the sell and buy, especially with the way it's transmission has been (ill)performing the past few days, it will probably be more worth it to sell. I don't have time to drop a new tranny in her car before school starts. She is moving back to Indiana to be with me until graduation, then TBS, etc.

@Phoneguy, she needs wheels to get to work. I need wheels to get to school. Right now, California hasn't panned out as far as how happy she is with her current job coupled with a long distance relationship. She really wants to come be with me. I've told her that there's more opportunities in Cali etc but she's sick of it. Lots of work ahead...and I'm not sure she has come to grips with moving around with me at least 3 more times in the next year or so. Crazy chick.
 
Are you sure it is the tranny making the noise? Have you checked the CV joints, wheel bearings, brakes? What part of Cali are you in? Maybe a member has a lift you can get the car on to help you out. 105,000 miles isn't much these days. I know an Escort isn't a top of the line car but if it is in otherwise good shape, I would fix it if you can. Buying another used car is always risky if you are looking for a transportation only type of vehicle. Good luck.

Happy New Year
Bryan
 
Thank you for the advice, the tranny issue that I've been hearing/feeling is when it shifts into 3rd at about 3500 rpm, shift is loud and lurches. Driving on the 55 N yesterday at about 45 I began accelerating (didn't punch it) and my rpm's soared until I let off the gas; afterward I let onto the gas more gradually and it didn't miss the gears for the rest of the day.

Happy New Year everyone.
 
change the trans fluid and filter.
what year is it? i know some older Ford auto transmissions have a band adjustment screw that you access from outside the trans- maybe this car is like that..
 
Why not sell it and buy a Cali car before you leave?

It's an Escort, for grapes sake! :tongue:

$850 shipping is par for the course, not over the top, but not cheap.
 
It might be best to sell the car and buy another car when she gets back. I always use Exotic Transport, completely enclosed. They make that trip often.
 
I vote along with the majority.....based on the type of car it is, and the fact it has a transmission issue weighing against the transport factor it makes better sense to sell the car.

Few years back my Dad had his car shipped from western washington state to mid Pennsylvania it was like $1300 it was for a 2001 Lincoln. Told him prior to spending that money why bother Lincolns are not exactly scarce cars in Pennsylvania...he still did it anyway...

Good used cars can be had by careful research.

denniskirban@yahoo.com
 
I just realized that the car isn't in kalifornication and may not be able to pass emisins there. You may not even be able to regester it there if it can't pass. This is something you need to look at before you make the decisions. If it's not kalifornication legal then you'll most likely have to get another one or fix it so that it is legal. Something to think about.:)
 
I would try uship.com. You can have multiple shippers place bids so you can get the best price. Just make sure to check if they are insured and also their feedback before you accept the bid. I have had good luck using uship in the past.
 
I too would just sell the car. Sub $1000 seems like a real good price to me though if you decide to ship.

Peter
 
Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm forwarding her this thread so she can make a decision for herself, but it seems theres a pretty good consensus that shipping this car might be a poor cost-benefit analysis.
 
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