Does anyone have any experience with transporters?

[tankcj]

buy a plane ticket and enjoy the ride home! I got mine from Kansas City MO and drove 1000 miles back to SC. So much fun

I’m starting to think this is a serious option.

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Unless you are buying from Lebanon Ford and getting the power adder installed by them, there should be enough cars close enough to you to go pick out what you want.

If pricing is an issue, join the Mustang Club of America for 35 bucks, wait 90 days and get an X code, that gives you a fixed price and a discounted DOC fee.

The cost of shipping will wipe out any savings you get elsewhere, and once the keys are handed to the driver and shipping damage is on you to get fixed.

But as others have said, Plycar, Reliable, and https://intercitylines.com/ seem to be the big ones moving high dollar cars with care from some high end shops and collectors.

I am thinking about a Whipple GT from either LFP (they keep putting me for a quote) or Granger (they got back to me right away).

thanks a bunch for the mustang club of America tip and getting access to the X plan. Years ago I worked for Ford Aerospace and had access to the A plan what a sweet way to buy a car for sure!

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[tankcj]

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I've shipped a bunch and had a bunch shipped.

When you google 'car shipping', it's like @BimmerDriver said, you get a bunch of generic websites and 800 numbers that offer you quotes, they all seem to put the jobs up in the same areas and the same drivers pick them all up.

That said, you have a very different experience depending on what company and what driver picks it up.

Most of these guys are Russian or Eastern European or something? They do a great job but English isn't their best attribute. And your contact at the shipping company usually forgets about you as soon as you send over the $ for the deposit (you pay the driver when they drop the car off)

I've had cars "lost" for a day or two, drivers not show up, drivers not call back...you really have to try to answer the phone as soon as they call (and so does the other person who is shipping/receiving the car) to make things go as smoothly as possible.

I've also been called at 7:00am, without even knowing the car was picked up the night before.

"Hello? Are you for Mustang Cobra"

"uhhh yea. did you pick the car up?"

"I am outside. *click*"

Also, your best bet is to ship it in a covered hauler. Especially if the car is lowered, or nice, or going through bad weather.

Some of the trucks show up with race ramps etc, some of them just use random wood they found on the side of the road. I had this guy pick up a car and tore the splitter of my Cobra, they ended up having to pay out the guy that bought the car.

Now I’m thinking about renting an enclosed trailer and picking it up myself!

 

[Wiley Marmot]

@tankcj WOW! After reading some of these tales (@robvas 's was my FAV); I am fearful for your Mustang!

Best of luck in NOT falling in with a bunch of sketchy Eastern Euro Dudes with menacing tats on the side so their necks!

Driver: U R tanhk? I am E Von from Smolensk in Rusiya; we tahk Moostang now. Trahns port wery far! Moostang be wery safe weeth us. Tahk goot care! We drink wodka now; before leavings.

Tankcj: Maybe drinking after the job would be better?

Driver: We drink wodka NOW!

Tankcj: OK, OK!

 

[LouG]

buy a plane ticket and enjoy the ride home! I got mine from Kansas City MO and drove 1000 miles back to SC. So much fun

I've done that with 3 new cars. A few hundred kms getting to know it, nice road trip and an excuse to go driving.

 

[Westphal]

Back in the early 80s, my dad bought a '55 Chevy in Iowa from a friend of my grandpa's. We flew out there (I was a kid then) and drove it back 1200 miles to Maryland over 2 days. He had to add oil to the engine and lead additive to the gas tank every gas stop, but other than that it ran good. If I was buying a new car or a used car of good known condition, I wouldn't hesitate to fly anywhere and drive it back.

 

[exm]

I'm considering buying from Granger Ford in IA (they advertise here). Has anyone bought from them and had your car transported?

 

[LouG]

I saw a vid of a car transporter being transported unintentionally by a freight train. Luckily there was nothing of value on it, just a bunch of Teslas.
But it did put me off.
I did move my bike interisland with the furniture moving company. They tied it down, then made a cave of mattresses around it. Perfect.

 

[24RapidRed]

buy a plane ticket and enjoy the ride home! I got mine from Kansas City MO and drove 1000 miles back to SC. So much fun

Same here, flew from Detroit to Indianapolis and drove it back home, 325 miles.

 

[Sofa King]

aye captain, two to beam up... oh, not that kind of transporter... nevermind.

 

[exm]

Has anyone here used Liberty Road Logistics?

 

[Frogdog1]

My car came to the dealer on a transporter.....the only car on it. Someone ruined the rear bumper facia and the dealer did a perfect job of replacing it. Shit is going to happen. Nobody cares about your car more than you do.

 

[Dave2013M3]

I used Intercity Lines when I bought a brand new Porsche 911, excellent job. They weren't cheap though. Make sure your car is on top.

 

[COBill]

He has the most experience.

 

[Frogdog1]

Looking to maybe order a GT out of state and would like it delivered to my house. There must be thousands of transporters out there and they all promise happy endings but I’ve heard horror stories. Anyone have a recommendation or things to watch out for?

Yes, watch out for transporter people.

Nobody cares as much about your car as you do. No way in hell I would let someone else bring me my car. Get a plane ticket and go get it. If something is wrong with it, you can reject it there instead of attempting to do it at your place.

 

[tankcj]

Yes, watch out for transporter people.

Nobody cares as much about your car as you do. No way in hell I would let someone else bring me my car. Get a plane ticket and go get it. If something is wrong with it, you can reject it there instead of attempting to do it at your place.

I went ahead and ordered from s dealer that was closer. I paid a little more but eliminated the need for a transporter.

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