70-442-W30

Torn between hiring someone to bring the car to me or renting a trailer and doing this myself. The trust factor is big in this case and also the fact that both the pickup and dropoff point are on nice hills in the driveways. Level about 15-20 feet out from the garage doors though.

Online I'm finding quotes around $1500 from PA to NC for enclosed service. For less than half I could rent a truck and trailer from Uhaul, including the gas and insurance. Of course this isn't just about the price, but the peace of mind. I'm thinking this is the way I should choose, but I want to get the opinions of those here since it would be open trailer in that case.

What is the route I should take?

Indy_68_S

Need more info...
Is car complete, but just not running?
Hardtop that can be closed up for transport ?
Do brakes work ?
Do you have a truck capable of towing car & trailer ? (I'm guessing no - "..rent a truck..." )
Do you have trailer experience ?

If yes to all above, and considering I'm cheap, I'd grab a buddy & his open car hauler trailer (with a mounted winch) and head out. It would be an Adventure !

If its a pile of parts/pieces or can't be closed up I'd use an enclosed trailer.

If you're not familiar with moving/hauling a car on trailer, you might be better off finding someone who is.

Just my .02...

don71

I think you all ready know this answer.

Do it your self.

Your time is costly, If you hire it out, will it meet your expectations?

Which means, do it your self.

If the car runs and drives, this makes it easy.

If it doesn't you pay for it.

Oldsmaniac

I went from NJ to NC, no sweat to pick up a car and from NJ to Mn as well, Do it yourself. I have seen shippers in action and for non high dollar cars they dont give a crap.

lunaboy

i have rented ford expeditions with class C hitch from car rental co. towed the same car from new mex to san antonio .... drove like nothing was behind. half the price of uhaul and cruise in comfort.

70-442-W30

Yes the car is complete, but not running.

It is a hardtop.

Unknown on the brakes, but I think they do work because it wasn't on the list of what my wife's grandpap mentioned.

I don't have a truck at the moment. Had something that would tow it with no problem last summer, but traded it in on a V6 SUV.

Yes, I have trailer experience. Towed multiple trailers before including a car carrier behind the largest Penske rental truck and also purchased a new 30 FT travel trailer last year and hauled it out to the coast.

MDchanic

I have "trust issues," so I would definitely do it myself.

You never know what could go wrong until someone else screws something up in some way that you could never in a million years have imagined.

- Eric

Olds442redberet

Get it yourself. It sounds like a fun little road trip with a reward at the end of it.
Research winches and see if you can get one that you can chain down to the rental trailer or the bumper/trailer hitch on your rental truck.
Good Luck

70-442-W30

That's true about the screw up potential. Like I said, my main concern was on an open trailer vs a hired enclosed one. Unless they do rent the enclosed trailers somewhere, but from what I know my only option is to go for the open uhaul dual axle.

70-442-W30

That's what I had until last summer but in the 131" wb EL. Had no problem pulling the travel trailer. I miss it badly now.

Good tip. Although I wonder if there is something in the rental car contract that might prohibit towing. I know Enterprise's personal rental trucks don't have a receiver, but their commercial rental f-250s and f-350s of course do have them. On the SUVs however, most come from the factory with the hitch preinstalled...so I guess regardless of what is in the rental contract you could, in theory, tow with them.

Um...it is only one trip! Shhhhhh I won't tell if you won't.

Olds442redberet

Will your personal insurance cover the rental truck, trailer, and towed vehicle?

70-442-W30

Hmmm...now you have me thinking. I will need to have insurance on the 442 before it goes on the trailer regardless of how it is being transported. Just another step in the process. I'm hoping that rates aren't too high. More research. Good times.

Olds442redberet

I usually call my agent and add the car prior to moving it. But according to her I am covered without doing so since it is a recent purchase.

MDchanic

UHaul definitely lets you tow with their trucks, as they list the option of doing so in their on-line reservation process.

I've never done that, though - always used my own.

- Eric

Olds442redberet

I use UHaul all the time. It saves me the wear and tear on my own truck.
There is a daily rate plus milage. I drove one of their trucks two weeks ago putting just over 700 miles on it in two days, while towing one of their trailers and I believe the bill was around $500.00 total for the truck and trailer. I think spent another $135.00 for fuel.
I drove the heck out of that rental, dirtying it up real good, and then i turned it in, walking over to my nice clean truck for the drive home.

orange442

I would do it myself even if I did not have an enclosed and 3 open car trailers. I borrowed trailers before I had my own and got buddies with trucks to help when I did not have my own. I have never rented but have had several guys rent trailers to get cars or parts they bought from me and it worked great for them.

Bernhard

If it is a summer car haul I would do it myself
If it was a winter car haul as in ice on the roads and heavy snow I would hire it out.
Good tow rig and trailer are a must.
Open or closed it dose not matter as long as it pulls nice.
If security is a issue during transport as in over night stops a enclosed would give you piece of mind and you might enjoy the trip more.

Troys Toy 70

Do it, Fla to Oh, my truck buddy's trailer. Hagerty Ins. On road now, final leg of three day journey.

"North" bound and down, loaded up and trucking

70-442-W30

Everyone has convinced me...I'm avoiding paying someone else to do the job and going for it myself. End of July or early August. Mother in law says it can stay there till whenever, but it has work to be done and I don't want to let it sit when there is good weather. My garage here stays somewhat cool during the summer and a little warm during the winter, so I will have a good environment for it to stay in.

Thanks to everyone for weighing in. It will be quite the journey back to NC, especially down the mountains.

Troys Toy 70

A nice truck trailer combo makes it really nice. We are about to leave to go over the mountains on 77

70-442-W30

Even had a member offer their truck/trailer help via PM. This is such a good place to be!

70-442-W30

The time is getting nearer. About a month away. So I need some advice...back it in my garage or pull it in? It is most likely going to stay there for a while. I have 19.5 feet from the garage door to the wall.

Koda

Ok, that's 236 inches. The car is, I believe, 207. That means you have 30 inches to play with. I have had my Olds in a garage 208 (hah) inches long in space, and backing it in worked better. Once it drove, I pulled it in.

I recommend for you to pull it in, but just enough to shut the garage door. You can then work on the engine with the 30 inches space you have in front, and if you need to run it, open the garage and the exhaust will go right out. Working on the rear can be done with the door open, but I figure the front will need more work.

70-442-W30

That's some real good advise on the exhaust. Yes, it is going to need the transmission pulled, that's for sure. Something about the bands or ??? All I know is that it leaks upon starting the engine and I was told not to start it until it was fixed.

johnnyjaws

if u have AAA GOLD they can go up to 2 hundred miles if u use 2 of ur tows just be buy the car and have a plate take one off a friends car. AAA GOLD COST 92 BUCKS A YEAR I USE IT ALL THE TIME ON THE GOLD U GET 4 TOWS A YEAR. its worth every cent and u get discounts on hotels and alot of other stuff.u dont even have to own the car as long as ur a passanger

70-442-W30

Good thinking! I can also save the towing on the last 150 miles or so by getting close to the VA/NC border and just coasting it back to Charlotte. Use the mountains to my advantage, you know.

We do have AAA Premier. It includes 200 miles free and also a number of 100 mile tows. But I can't use it for this. I just wouldn't feel right. This car is special to me and my family and I can't let just anyone load it up and go with it.

twintracks

If you can find loading docks on both ends of the route, another way to go is renting a box truck from Ryder or Budget, etc.

Gmcdually

what part of PA. is car located.

70-442-W30

About an hour east of Pittsburgh

70-442-W30

Thomas C. Sunday just got back to me with an quote. Door to door enclosed trailer service. Around $1000 which is getting tough for me to decline. Anyone used them before?

pogo69

If you have the money i would just have it shipped in an open trailer for about 600 bucks...no aggravation that way no gas to buy and you dont have a truck to tow it wih its a no briainer to me. Plus for me i have done enough of those road trips im my life...pia

70-442-W30

One of my concerns with the open trailer, regardless if it is me or someone else is water. I am unsure on how the car seals up at this point and would hate for it to get wet with a monsoon. Plus, if it is hidden then there aren't as many eyes on it if the driver makes a bunch of stops.

I don't know. But yeah, if I had a truck or even my Expedition EL back then it would have been here by now. Plus my mother in law is going to be showing the other Olds in the garage for sale and I don't want people messing with this one.

Time ticking...

jlauffer

I'm in MA and my Cutlass came from WA. Thought it was going to be about $1500, but that was for an open trailer. Since it was a convertible, and going all the way across the country, I definitely wanted it enclosed...that was another $1000. Went with Intercity Lines and had no issues....would use them again.