Shipping E39 from NYC to SF

[nikh23]

This may not be the appropriate place to put this query so mods please tow this if need be. Title says it all, I'm moving from NYC to Bay area next month and need a company that will ship my car safely. I've done some research and it seems all these large companies basically sell your account to the highest local bidder and there's no real way to track them and I've read way too many horror stories about what can go wrong. My car isn't particularly rare, but it is my car that I've done quite a bit of work to and I'd like to keep it intact on the west coast. Has anyone here had any luck with companies that they have used in the past? Sadly driving the car is out of the question due to space constraints for my wife and dog (too bad I don't have a touring). Any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

[jp5Touring]

I think someone in the e38 group hauls cars. I will see if I can find the thread.

[Coupenut]

I've used Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS) on 3 occasions to ship cars from CA to MD with excellent results. No damage to the vehicles and the vehicles arrived either on time or early. I was also able to track the progress of my vehicles. I would recommend choosing to have your vehicle shipped on the upper deck no matter what company you eventually go with. This is so that you don't have to worry about fluids leaking onto your car from the one above.

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[nikh23]

I think someone in the e38 group hauls cars. I will see if I can find the thread.

that'd be awesome, thanks!

I've used Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS) on 3 occasions to ship cars from CA to MD with excellent results. No damage to the vehicles and the vehicles arrived either on time or early. I was also able to track the progress of my vehicles. I would recommend choosing to have your vehicle shipped on the upper deck no matter what company you eventually go with. This is so that you don't have to worry about fluids leaking onto your car from the one above.

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I'll take a look at them. Thanks for the tip!

[edjack]

I've asked my classic car friend. He ships via closed trailers, and it won't be cheap.

I'll report back.

[nikh23]

I've asked my classic car friend. He ships via closed trailers, and it won't be cheap.

I'll report back.

I can imagine, luckily my job is footing the bill for my move so unless its insane I'm pretty sure I can swing it. I'm sure the company also has open trailers too. thanks for asking though.

[Coupenut]

I've asked my classic car friend. He ships via closed trailers, and it won't be cheap.

I'll report back.

Enclosed shipping is the one option that I haven't tried yet, I came close once, but it was just too damn expensive

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[edjack]

I can imagine, luckily my job is footing the bill for my move so unless its insane I'm pretty sure I can swing it. I'm sure the company also has open trailers too. thanks for asking though.

Here is his input. I'll PM you, too:

The car transporters change their names on a continuing basis. It has got so that few people contact a transporter directly. You go on line, search on Car transport. You will come up with a whole list of brokers. They don't tell you that, but they are. Select about 3 brokers with the best reviews and give them the car information. They generally give you a promised cost according to the car information you provide. The brokers will put out a bid to hundreds of drivers using this cost. In nothing happens after about three days, I call the broker and tell them to increase the price a hundred bucks, or so. Bingo! I usually get a reply shortly afterwards. It is usually a trucker who happens to be in the neighborhood where the car is. Generally, you pay the broker his 15 percent by credit card and pay the truck driver the remaining 85 percent when the car is delivered. They will want cash. I always insist on covered transport, which is generally twice that of open transport. Price for a cross country ride is about $2000 for covered transport and half that for open.

[dannyzabolotny]

I've shipped cars cross country for under $1000. I just use U-Ship and find the lowest bidder. They all have the same generic car trailers so the quality of the shipping isn't any different unless you pay extra for an enclosed trailer. For what it's worth, I've never had any damage to my cars from shipping.

A friend shipped a 540i/6 from New Jersey to Arizona for around $800, and I shipped an X5 4.6is from Seattle to Phoenix for around $550. What I also do is strike up a conversation with the truckers and get their personal numbers. Some of them are cool with working directly with you, because they can give you a good rate while making more money due to cutting the broker out of the equation.

[masbury]

Give these guys a call. Their name says it all. They brought my 850 out from Maryland to Idaho, were great to work with and did a great job. They are a shipping company, not a broker.
No relation.
Coast to Coast Auto
208-922-9297

[geargrinder]

Here is his input. I'll PM you, too:

The car transporters change their names on a continuing basis. It has got so that few people contact a transporter directly. You go on line, search on Car transport. You will come up with a whole list of brokers. They don't tell you that, but they are. Select about 3 brokers with the best reviews and give them the car information. They generally give you a promised cost according to the car information you provide. The brokers will put out a bid to hundreds of drivers using this cost. In nothing happens after about three days, I call the broker and tell them to increase the price a hundred bucks, or so. Bingo! I usually get a reply shortly afterwards. It is usually a trucker who happens to be in the neighborhood where the car is. Generally, you pay the broker his 15 percent by credit card and pay the truck driver the remaining 85 percent when the car is delivered. They will want cash. I always insist on covered transport, which is generally twice that of open transport. Price for a cross country ride is about $2000 for covered transport and half that for open.

I will second this 1000%.

It is absolutely "how it works" these days unless you either go with a name brand fancy collector transporter $$$$$$$ or you specifically happen to know a guy who has trucks and is making a run.

I use a guy who is setup as a broker although it's not really his main gig, he's really a used car broker but he uses a lot of transport to buy and sell therefore reg'd as a broker and also does it on the side for a small fee.

When you use the bid / market system - aside from specify covered or open - you're more at the luck of the draw what kind of rig you get - might be a fancy deal operation with a new truck or might be a rattletrap one man show but it's worked out fine for me before...

I would say I wouldn't trust "top row" guarantees. They have to stack cars to get em off in the right order. They ain't gonna stick you on top if it means having to move yours and or 5 other cars repeatedly for each on/off load... And they don't drive the truck w a majorly over loaded top row... So... Sometimes yer gonna have to go on the bottom.

[WBAD530i]

IDK what you're talking about brother. My two gals can fit up front just fine. Tough it out and road trip it like this across the great america.



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[geargrinder]

IDK what you're talking about brother. My two gals can fit up front just fine. Tough it out and road trip it like this across the great america.

Ha! Looks just like my puppy. What kinda derg is she?

[nikh23]

IDK what you're talking about brother. My two gals can fit up front just fine. Tough it out and road trip it like this across the great america.

ForumRunner_20170721_211440.png

we are road tripping it! just happen to be doing so in a different car.

I figured thats how the industry works, with the bidding system. Its interesting to see the wide range of prices that companies charge. DAS which was previously mentioned in this thread gave me a quote of 2000 bucks for open trailer with door to door service, where others were giving me 1200. Guess i'll just pick one that gives me the best price and hope for the best. Thanks everyone for the insight and recommendations. will post back with what company I chose.

[builtinbetter]

+1 for Uship.
It takes 2 minutes to set up an account and list your car. There is no obligation to even ship the car at all. Just list it and drivers will start sending bids immediately!

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[cnn]

I wonder if it is worth it to ask local car dealers (such as Honda, Toyota, BMW dealer etc. etc.) to see who they use for transport.

[geargrinder]

IME its almost never worth it to ever ask dealers any question, but you could try.

Around here virtually all the local dealers are owned by big 'groups' (aka there's hardly any single-standalone dealers anymore, it's a bunch of competing chains each of whom owns multiple Lexus + BMW + Honda + Whatheforkever). What they do won't have much bearing on whats available to an individual. From what I seem to see going on in their lots, I think many of them own one or many rigs to move cars, and I'd be willing to bet that the ones that don't either have 'bulk' contracts w/ big regional transporters, or, do the exact same thing and use the 'marketplaces' to bid jobs out.

[OnTheFence]

If the job is picking up the tab, then use these.
Please post the amount they quote you for NY -> CA

www.reliablecarriers.com
www.intercitylines.com

End thread.

[nikh23]

If the job is picking up the tab, then use these.
Please post the amount they quote you for NY -> CA

www.reliablecarriers.com
www.intercitylines.com

End thread.

Reliable quoted me $2998, nearly the value of the car. Waiting to hear back from intercity.

[kxc262]

I used uShip when I shipped my car from SF -> KCMO. About half the distance of yours, but it was a private open trailer. Put a bid in for $600 just to get a feeler and found somebody who accepted it (got very lucky imo)

I like uShip because you can post multiple times. First time - lowest amount amount was like 1000. Started another listing to see if I could get it less and got $600. Would use again if I need to ship.

[bourkeco]

If you are worried about fluids dripping on your car wrap the hood, top of car and trunk with shipping saran wrap. and you will be fine....

[Mless5]

Just did ZHP from Calimesa to Boston area for $1850 with Intercity, closed trailer with a cover (provided by Intercity).

[nikh23]

Intercity gave me a quote for $2095 for enclosed trailer. Looks like we found a winner. If job wasn't picking up the tab I'd certainly be looking at uship but good to keep that as an option for my future car buying needs. Thanks everyone for the help!


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[toybreaker]

Shipped my classic mustang from San Diego to Charleston for $700

open trailer Front of the bottom deck, No fluids dripped on it but it was filthy when it came off the trailer 2 days before promised delivery date.

called around locally. asked if they were shippers or brokers, hung up on the brokers, talked directly with the driver and negotiated the cost.

[Mless5]

Bimmerforums members get a $50 discount too.

Good luck!

Intercity gave me a quote for $2095 for enclosed trailer. Looks like we found a winner. If job wasn't picking up the tab I'd certainly be looking at uship but good to keep that as an option for my future car buying needs. Thanks everyone for the help!


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