Auto Transport Recommendations

[cv2065]

My build buddy with a trailer is not around this build so I'll have to hire up an auto transport company. I know most of them are brokerage companies, but some own their own trucks. The ones that own their own are obviously more expensive, especially in regard to an enclosed transport.

Who have you all used? The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

[ProfessorB]

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You didn't say how far you're going so this may or may not work. In my own case, I had to move one a little more than 300 miles. I went to U-Haul and rented a car trailer. I was very impressed with the quality and features of the trailer. Ramps were long enough...I drove on without bottoming. It came with heavy-duty webbing which "captured" the wheels and tires up against a front "curb" on the trailer. It was well-designed and pulled great. It had electric brakes and stopped well. Best part is I went out and back within 24 hours and only had to pay for one day....75 bucks. Of course, it was not enclosed so I picked a nice sunny day. Pulled it with my half-ton pick up.

[Papa]

I shipped my car from Colorado to Missouri with Intercity. They were great.

https://intercitylines.com/

[cv2065]

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You didn't say how far you're going so this may or may not work. In my own case, I had to move one a little more than 300 miles. I went to U-Haul and rented a car trailer. I was very impressed with the quality and features of the trailer. Ramps were long enough...I drove on without bottoming. It came with heavy-duty webbing which "captured" the wheels and tires up against a front "curb" on the trailer. It was well-designed and pulled great. It had electric brakes and stopped well. Best part is I went out and back within 24 hours and only had to pay for one day....75 bucks. Of course, it was not enclosed so I picked a nice sunny day. Pulled it with my half-ton pick up.

If I had a truck I’d probably choose this option.

[cv2065]

I shipped my car from Colorado to Missouri with Intercity. They were great.

https://intercitylines.com/

Thanks Dave. I think they are one in a small handful that have their own trucks and drivers. I think Reliable is the other one.

[MaxVmo]

Uhaul won’t let you rent a car hauler unless you use their truck. I used uhaul to transport my roadster to paint between Arizona and California. It wasn’t as cheap as I had hoped but it was done on short notice.

I used Finish Line Logistics to ship the car from CA to TN. It was done very well—enclosed trailer only. They were communicating often and the scheduling was fairly quick.

[herb427sc]

Uhaul won’t let you rent a car hauler unless you use their truck. I used uhaul to transport my roadster to paint between Arizona and California. It wasn’t as cheap as I had hoped but it was done on short notice.

I used Finish Line Logistics to ship the car from CA to TN. It was done very well—enclosed trailer only. They were communicating often and the scheduling was fairly quick.

U-Haul will rent trailers for hauling a car. $56 a day.
They have a web site that shows if your tow vehicle can tow
their 2500 pound trailer plus the vehicle to be towed.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Uhaul won’t let you rent a car hauler unless you use their truck...

If you're being told that I suggest that you shop another dealer/operator. That may be an individual U-Haul dealer's policy but I'm sure that it is not a national requirement. I've had a bunch of cars brought to me using U-Haul trailers, some from as far away as Texas, Georgia, Florida and Iowa and every one was being towed using the owner's vehicle. They were also able to be dropped off at a location local to me without a "one way" surcharge so that they didn't have to tow an empty trailer back to where they came from.

As for recommendations, I've had several cars shipped to and from me by Dan & Althea Joyner D.B.A. GTR Transport, a husband and wife team operating out of South Carolina with a nice 2 car enclosed trailer. Several other members here have used them as well. Excellent service and communication.

http://gtrtransport.com/

Give them a call (336)662-3311

Jeff

[Papa]

From U-Haul:


There are many types of car trailers for rent; however the U-Haul patented auto transport trailer design outweighs the competition in more than one area. It is equipped with automatic brakes, an easy-access loading ramp as well as tilt-out fenders that allows for trouble-free door access. Renting this premier vehicle trailer will truly make moving easier.

Another U-Haul exclusive is that our auto transport rentals are available for both in-town and one way moves behind your own personal tow vehicle as well as behind our moving trucks. When towing with your own vehicle, the car trailer will require a 1 7/8” or 2” hitch ball, the appropriately rated hitch system, as well as external mirrors and fully functional lighting. During the reservation process, U-Haul will provide an exact recommendation for your particular vehicle combination. Rent one of our state-of-the-art car trailer rentals today.

Auto Transport Rental | U-Haul https://share.google/8OI8qjeQy2u6QhxCE

[BEAR-AvHistory]

"Uhaul won’t let you rent a car hauler unless you use their truck. "

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=108867&d=1560527057

My SUV towing my car on a Uhaul trailer.

[cv2065]

"Uhaul won’t let you rent a car hauler unless you use their truck. "

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=108867&d=1560527057

My SUV towing my car on a Uhaul trailer.

We have a 2022 Jeep 4 door that will tow 3500lbs at limit. I think it would be right on the weight limit.

[Mike.Bray]

We have a 2022 Jeep 4 door that will tow 3500lbs at limit. I think it would be right on the weight limit.

Worse case U-Haul rents pickup trucks that will pull their car trailer.

[cv2065]

Worse case U-Haul rents pickup trucks that will pull their car trailer.

Thanks Mike. I priced that out at about $500 for the truck, trailer and fuel for 2 days. Private hauler is about double that but of course you don't have to do anything and the load is enclosed and insured.

[Jeff Kleiner]

We have a 2022 Jeep 4 door that will tow 3500lbs at limit. I think it would be right on the weight limit.

Those U-Haul trailers are heavy so I would say car+trailer would have you well over that. If you call and tell them what you intend to tow with they’ll let you know if they’ll even allow it.

Jeff

[brewha]

Uhaul needs to inspect the hitch system on the tow vehicle and the ball used to tow it for strength and weight capacity before they will rent it out. I had no issue pulling car and trailer with my 4Runner. I took the cover off before we left. I had loaded the car on the night before..220724

[cv2065]

Uhaul needs to inspect the hitch system on the tow vehicle and the ball used to tow it for strength and weight capacity before they will rent it out. I had no issue pulling car and trailer with my 4Runner. I took the cover off before we left. I had loaded the car on the night before..220724

That 4 runner will tow at least 5K pounds. I thought that the Jeep would be higher, but guess not. The older one we had could do 5K pounds and had an intercooler on the transmission.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

We have a 2022 Jeep 4 door that will tow 3500lbs at limit. I think it would be right on the weight limit.

Don't know if it applies to you but this is what U-Haul says "Must be equipped with a hard top if it is an SUV or select Jeeps". Select is the key word. Your Jeep just hits the weight limit 3500lbs. Mine is a 2 door Sport-S 2024 with a V6/6MT but misses on both weight 2250lbs & no hardtop.

[cv2065]

Don't know if it applies to you but this is what U-Haul says "Must be equipped with a hard top if it is an SUV or select Jeeps". Select is the key word. Your Jeep just hits the weight limit 3500lbs. Mine is a 2 door Sport-S 2024 with a V6/6MT but misses on both weight 2250lbs & no hardtop.

Good point. Wife had to get the 'sky roof', so that counts me out. :rolleyes:

[ProfessorB]

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I do remember a few more details about my U-Haul experience. They definitely let you use your own vehicle, and I reserved the trailer online. In that process, they DO want to know vehicle details and details on the vehicle to be hauled. This became a gray area for me, some of you may or may not be comfortable with this. I have a half-ton GMC with the towing package. Additionally, I have heavy-duty brakes which was an option above the towing package. I also have air bags in the rear. Anyway, when selecting the vehicle to be hauled, I could not find "Cobra" so I selected Triumph TR6. What the hell. When I arrived they did make sure I had a proper hitch (I do). That's all.
I rented the trailer at 4 pm....drove until midnight....slept across the front seat of the truck until dawn....woke up and drove the last hour to the pick up point. I was very impressed with the trailer. Very well-thought out design and, as someone mentioned earlier, it even had fold-out fenders so the car doors can open after the car is loaded. I hoped to get back, unload the car, and get back to the U-Haul dealer by 4 pm, only paying for one day. When I sensed I wouldn't make it back by 4pm I called the dealer. His response was that he was open until 5:30 pm and as long as I got it back by closing time he would only charge me for one day. 76 bucks plus gas was my cost. 650 miles round trip.

[Blitzboy54]

Uhaul will let you select Cobra. Pick 1965 then AC as the manufacturer.

220737

[cv2065]

Uhaul will let you select Cobra. Pick 1965 then AC as the manufacturer.

220737

Thanks Jessie. So looks like to rent a U-Haul truck and car trailer for 700 miles (350 both ways) and 24 hours is about $500. Gas at 2 tanks will be roughly $200 for both ways. That's $700 total not including food and possible hotel room. To have a freight service pick it up its $950 which seems like the better deal.

[RJD]

Good info. Thanks for posting. I'm in a similar boat - trying to decide whether to ship, tow, or drive the car to South Carolina from Virginia.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...To have a freight service pick it up its $950 which seems like the better deal.

Just be sure you know exactly what you're getting. I have a few of horror stories of what owners who dealt with brokers have encountered when having cars sent to or picked up from me...one required more money after the car has been loaded and was en route...one car was loaded to go home then there was no communication with the owner (who was only a 6 hour drive away) for over 30 hours...one showed up at my place unannounced at 1AM with a delivery...when I sold my Mk3 the "transporter" who was supposed to take it from Indiana to Utah arrived with a tow truck (not a rollback, a two wheels up Towmater tow truck!).

Jeff

[Blitzboy54]

It’s a 12 hour drive from me to Indiana. Got 2 quotes from the well known transport companies listed in this thread. It was right about $1800 each way. Needless to say I will get to meet Jeff in person twice when I drop it off and pick it back up.

[MaxVmo]

My apologies on the assumption about Uhaul—turns out it was indeed a local policy. That being said, the cost to transport my MKIV from Marysville CA to central Tennessee was about $2K. The service was relatively quick and was on a list of recommended providers the paint shop listed. Their being familiar with the shop made pickup very easy.

[cv2065]

Just be sure you know exactly what you're getting. I have a few of horror stories of what owners who dealt with brokers have encountered when having cars sent to or picked up from me...one required more money after the car has been loaded and was en route...one car was loaded to go home then there was no communication with the owner (who was only a 6 hour drive away) for over 30 hours...one showed up at my place unannounced at 1AM with a delivery...when I sold my Mk3 the "transporter" who was supposed to take it from Indiana to Utah arrived with a tow truck (not a rollback, a two wheels up Towmater tow truck!).

Jeff

1AM delivery? Towmater tow truck? LOL....What the hell? I'm looking at a company called Goliath. They seem to have a good amount of positive reviews but of course, they are just the broker. I think I may pay for Reliable or Papa's recommendation of Intercity on the return after it's painted.

[gbranham]

I'm towing mine via uhaul trailer behind my Ram 1500 the 500 miles from KC to Sir Jeff when my ticket is pulled. Will do the same when it's ready to be picked up. Its 8 hours door-to-door. That's a fun road trip in my book. And I'm painting it the same color as my truck (Patriot Blue), so it'll look kinda slick being towed him.

[Higgybulin]

Thanks Jessie. So looks like to rent a U-Haul truck and car trailer for 700 miles (350 both ways) and 24 hours is about $500. Gas at 2 tanks will be roughly $200 for both ways. That's $700 total not including food and possible hotel room. To have a freight service pick it up its $950 which seems like the better deal.

Rent a truck from a car rental agency like Thrifty or Budget, unlimited mileage. Then get the UHaul trailer, that should get you down to about $150/day.
Higgy

[Blitzboy54]

Rent a truck from a car rental agency like Thrifty or Budget, unlimited mileage. Then get the UHaul trailer, that should get you down to about $150/day.
Higgy

Voice of experience

[Wizbangdoodle]

I towed my car down to Ken Pike in Marysville CA myself, using Neighbors Trailer. This is an app that allows you to connect with someone that has an enclosed trailer that you can rent from them. Worked very well for me, however, when I calculated costs, it was on par with hiring a carrier. The unknown was what kind of care does the carrier provide. For the return trip, I called Stewart Transport. In this case, they are just a broker and not the FFR trucks that deliver the kits. Not sure what I'll choose to do when it's ready.

[ProfessorB]

I'm towing mine via uhaul trailer behind my Ram 1500 the 500 miles from KC to Sir Jeff when my ticket is pulled. Will do the same when it's ready to be picked up. Its 8 hours door-to-door. That's a fun road trip in my book. And I'm painting it the same color as my truck (Patriot Blue), so it'll look kinda slick being towed him.

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Plus, you get to have an adventure and talk in person. Of course the only caveat is weather if it's an open trailer such as U Haul. In my own case, the ROUND trip was 650 miles but the LOADED miles were half that. I knew I wanted some sleep time....I knew I wanted a 24 hour turn around to save some money. First, I picked a good day with no rain predicted to be the day of the haul. I slept across the front seat of my truck to save on expense (only slept 6 or 7 hours). I slept in a rest area. Better to do my sleeping with an empty trailer NOT a loaded trailer. Same with going in to breakfast in the AM. I even gassed up before the picking the car up. Got there early to beat the rush hour. Picked the car at location while everybody else was stuck in traffic. By the time hit the road rush hour was over....I had already got gas and eaten breakfast...just had to drive 325 mies. Doing this limited the amount of time the load was "at risk'. (Okay, I did stop once to take a leak :o)

[gbranham]

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Plus, you get to have an adventure and talk in person. Of course the only caveat is weather if it's an open trailer such as U Haul. In my own case, the ROUND trip was 650 miles but the LOADED miles were half that. I knew I wanted some sleep time....I knew I wanted a 24 hour turn around to save some money. First, I picked a good day with no rain predicted to be the day of the haul. I slept across the front seat of my truck to save on expense (only slept 6 or 7 hours). I slept in a rest area. Better to do my sleeping with an empty trailer NOT a loaded trailer. Same with going in to breakfast in the AM. I even gassed up before the picking the car up. Got there early to beat the rush hour. Picked the car at location while everybody else was stuck in traffic. By the time hit the road rush hour was over....I had already got gas and eaten breakfast...just had to drive 325 mies. Doing this limited the amount of time the load was "at risk'. (Okay, I did stop once to take a leak :o)

I don't see weather being a risk. It's an 8-hour drive. I'll drive straight through, and I'll pick a day when the weather is dry. I'll drop it off, stay the night in a hotel, then drive home the next day. Easy peasie. There are weather apps that are pretty good at predicting weather these days. Hah! I'll do the same when I go pick it up. I've towed boats for decades through rush hour in Kansas City and Minneapolis, traveling from KC to Ontario for an annual fishing trip. I'm comfortable hauling this car anywhere at any time, as long as there's no snow on the ground.

[cv2065]

I'm comfortable hauling this car anywhere at any time, as long as there's no snow on the ground.

I drove tandem tows in the Marine Corps, so no issue driving it, unless as you point out, snow. Spotlight is up in the mountains a bit in GA. Not sure if snow can be expected in December these days.

[68GT500MAN]

I used Stewart Transport to move my new roadster from Ohio (London Cobra Club raffle car) to California.

[cv2065]

I believe I'm going to drive it up myself with the u-haul trailer. After all expenses it will only be about $100 or so cheaper than hiring a transport, but with me taking it up it will get there same day without issue, I'll get to talk to the painter a bit and I'm actually looking forward to the 7 hour drive.

[Astrong16103]

Reliable is great. Flat deck semi. Have used them many times with street cars and super low slung push-on race cars. Last used them for a Ferrari in September, Detroit to Naples Florida for $1,500 enclosed. Pretty reasonable I would say.

As an aside NEVER EVER use Passport Transport. They damaged this same Ferrari a number of years ago. Didn’t discover the damage to my convertible top mechanism (arms all bent up) until the next morning. They hid behind my signature on pickup the night before - in Monterey California in the 57° rain - not a time to test the convertible top.

[rthomas98]

I would also highly recommend Pilot. They give the same level of service as Reliable but tend to be a little less money. They also own their own trucks and trailers.

https://pilottransport.com/