I'm working on a deal to buy a car from a Minnesota Vintage Car Dealer and having it Transported to Massachusetts. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks in advance

Also, I've never done this type of Unseen Purchase before. I'm going to have an independent inspector go check the car for me. Do you recommend anything else? What's the process like, things I should be aware of? Thanks again.

 

No affiliation with this man, but he posts on the H/OCA facebook feed.

You will pay more money for enclosed shipping as opposed to open, and single vehicle (yours) vs several on the trailer. You will also pay more for classic car treatment vs a normal car. You will also pay more for individual booking vs using a broker, and, also, not being there when the car is put on the trailer. If you're not going to be there, you need an agent or someone to go between seller, inspector, and shipper, to make sure the car gets on the trailer when it is supposed to.

I can't help further, because I would never buy sight unseen and ship unseen. At the minimum, I'd be there to inspect, buy, and get it on the shipper's rig, then beat him home to unload.

I will need to move a 71 Corvette in a few years. If I do not have a tow rig by then, I will rent a 3/4 ton truck from Enterprise and a uhaul car hauler and go fetch.

 

A CO thread search using "transport" as a keyword turns up a number of possibilities.

 

I have a guy in CT that has an enclosed trailer that may be able to help.

 

Here is a transporter with a good reputation from so,e people in the AACA, C Jackson Enterprises, https://cjacksonenterprises.com

 

TK, if you were thinking of me with that trailer, I moved to SC, 7 trailer loads later

 

Hey! Buying a car from out of state is exciting! When I purchased a car from California last year, I used A1AutoTransport for the shipping. They made the process smooth and hassle-free. As for unseen purchases, having an independent inspector is a smart move. I'd also recommend getting a detailed vehicle history report and ensuring clear communication with the seller.

 

I used him to transport my most recent 1985 Delta 88 from upstate NY to VA. It was the most painless auto transport I've used. Granted this time the car ran (all the others were inop), but I would recommend him.

 

Why not use Reliable?

 

If you request online quotes you will get pounded with annoying phone calls and e-mails. Made that mistake once, it was the first and last time for doing that!

 

Aside from "annoying phone calls and e-mails", why not use Reliable??

 

Had a good friend buy a 63 drop top Lincoln from Florida. He bought sight unseen and had it inspected by an "Inspector." Unfortunately for him the inspector was shady and didn't inspect the car. The car showed up in illannoy and would not start. 10k later it was a bit roadworthy. He sold it at a loss a year later. A complete pita. Lesson? Go see the car. Go drive the car. Don't buy it unless you can do this. Pic. MCACN. Can't remember what year.

 

In 2021, I used this company to have one car transported, on an open trailer, from Kentucky to New Mexico. Two years later, I had them transport two cars, in an enclosed trailer, from New Mexico to Michigan. Both times, they did a great job. I was particularly impressed with how quickly they moved the cars across the country. I would use them again should the need ever arise.

https://www.montway.com/

 

Montway is a broker company, they have nothing besides that website. They take your info and put it on Uship and wait for a real shipper to pick it up. They are a bunch of dicks.

 

There is a retired Guy who advertises enclosed single car transport on the team chevelle site. Of cars, running or not, and or parts. Enclosed Muscle Car transport or something like that. I have never used him, but he seems to have a visible track record, and has been advertising there on the chevelle site for quite some time.

 

I did this 15 years ago trying to get just a quote about shipping a car across the country. I worked nights and filled the online survey out about 3 am as I was drinking a beer after work. I woke up about noon and my voicemail box was full and had 50 plus emails all from brokers.. that was a mistake!

 

This is the problem with Uship.com. They are ALL brokers and broker suck. They promise unrealistically low rates, then weeks go by with no bites. They contact you and suggest upping the rate to attract more actual truckers. This goes on for several weeks. At that point I usually contact a real shipper directly. It's a royal PITA.

 

So what? The vast majority of shipping companies are brokers, and the drivers are independent contractors who take jobs when they show up and are on their route. No single company can afford to OWN a fleet of trucks that they keep and drive all over the country just to transport something as hit or miss and unpredictable as automobiles.

Someone got up on the wrong side of bed this morning.

 

Hahaha, pump the brakes amigo. Their site is very misleading, their process is very misleading and the quoted pick up and delivery times, along with the rates mean nothing. They reel you in thinking you're scheduling an actual pick up day, when in reality they are gambling that a shipper will be available. The scheduled date comes and goes and then the price goes up until a real shipper bites. "60% of the time, it works everytime"

 

Yeah. The same way pretty much everyone else does it.

 

That's why its worth the effort to deal with a real shipper instead of a BS broker with a fancy website.. it's always best to eliminate the middle man who does nothing but collect a few bucks.

 

What the heck ever happened to calling a shipper and having a car moved? Nowadays we get all these scumbag foreigners involved who you know are trying their level best to steal from you.

Twice I had shippers trucks break down while coming into Chicago. Both cars finished the last 30 miles on an open carrier blasting the car with snow, ice, and road salt. I demanded compensation. I got nothing. Must everything be a scam?

 

Why not use Reliable?

 

Yes, why not? Cost? Once I learned my lesson I only used name brand carriers. I always shipped enclosed as well. No stones in MY windshield! It was always about a grand anyway.

 

I completely agree. Not worth the risk (to me) to maybe save a few hundred dollars.

 

If I hang up engineering, perhaps I should buy an enclosed box Detroit Wrecker Low Loader and do boutique moves for people, 1 car, enclosed.

 

Not a bad idea. I contacted a company that provides single car, enclosed, high end transporting. The car has to move about 250 miles. Cost: $2,000.00 ($4.00 per mile charged both ways). I asked if I'm being charged for the empty, enclosed trailer to return to the pick-up spot. Response: Yes.

 

That definitely qualifies as, "High end!" I've never seen anything that expensive but we are in a brave new world. At 4 bucks a mile I think I could make a profit. I wonder what the startup to something like that is?

 

I think, for what I am envisioning, about 250k for new truck chassis, tow truck conversion, and the box on the bed.

CDL, insurance, LLC, website or communications.

 

Not sure what car you are purchasing or how much you are paying for it but if I was you, I would fly into the state and check out the car in person then drive it back to home. Guessing this is too big of investment to not check in person.(Too many crooks out there) Minn. to Mass. is approx. 1400 miles so I would consider that an easy trip.( Especially if you have second person) In December 1989 my wife and I flew to Sacramento Calf from Ohio and purchased on of my 1969 H/O's and drove it home making a vacation out of the trip. Stopped at Hoover Dam and Las Vegas. Texas and Oklahoma had big snow storm and over 300 Cars in the ditch. ( Guess they never seen snow ) Cars are meant to be driven.