granddaughter has her car in lake elsinore ca. and needs it shipped to the charlotte area. have called the shipping companys and costs are all about the same....heard some horror stories about the shipping co`s........can anyone share their experiences and anyone you would recommend?........also any stories you can share.......bad or good........thanks again....Jim
I can't really help with the recommendation, but i had my merc shipped to me from Mendocino, ca and it was only like $400. the shippers were quick to deliver. wish i could have remembered what the company was lol. hope this helps
A HAMB member here ... RACINMAN ... goes to California often. He lives in the upstate area of South Carolina about 100 miles from Charlotte NC. He does a great job and is very reasonable. He is a car guy ... not just a fellow with a trailer trying to make a BUCK. He takes care of your stuff like it was his own stuff. He is a professional hauler ... with good equipment. He has lots of great referrences too. Jusk ask here on the HAMB. I, myself have not used his services ... But I like to travel myself. I have Already been to California and Canada this year for myself. I have known Racinman for 30 plus years. Go here ... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/member.php?u=71078
http://transportreviews.com tells many stories. Check out the reviews there, and see how even the best companies get some bad reviews. Read about cars held "ransom" for extra payments, dropped off at the wrong place, broken, scratched, oil pan busted (that happened to me, it ruined the motor), etc. Also MANY complaints on lack of timely shipping and lack of info. The problem is that, except for the tiny outfits (like racinman and BenD here on the HAMB) you deal with a broker, not the shipper. The broker will (probably) happily lie to you to get the business, and the shipper/driver may not know what was said. So, talk to the shipper/driver, and support your local HAMB driver!
Ben did some deliveries for me in the past I would trust him no problem I put my paycheck on Ben Frenchy
i used magic carpet auto shipping. i scheduled a week before pick up to ship from houston TX to sacramento Ca. from driveway to driveway, no depots... it was 2200 miles and the cost was $760 and it took less than 72 hours from pick up to delivery and they treated the car very well. my car is extremely lowered and they took the extra precautions to ensure that not even a scratch on my tailpipes...they didnt even give me any lip about the transmission that my buddy had stashed in the trunk for me.... i will use them again when i move back to texas
Try my Dad he is a car hauler part time and hauls all over the USA he does everything from Harley's to Bugatti's and anything in between. If you want his number PM me
If the car runs, fly out and drive it home. I did that with a '73 Duster I bought a couple years ago. It was a great experience. -Brad
All of the folks listed in the Hamb-O'dex that I'm aware of haul 3 cars or less. Personally, I haul singles (18ft trailer) with no extra charge for winch on, no fuel surcharge and if there are excessive tolls to get to you I usually have that figured in. We're all car people, we are all owner operators and we do this because we enjoy it. I try and be as compe***ive as I possibly can with the "Big boys" but if I can't compete I'll tell you up front. Service is number one as far as I'm concerned. I'd suggest "Racinman" first on this one, considering the locations and the distance but only because I haven't had the opportunity to meet "No Respects" dad. I'm sure he would do just as well. The horror stories that I hear from folks using "Brokers" range from-they told me $700 from coast to coast then added a fuel surcharge which made it what I had originally qouted, the car was too low so they wouldn't load it, it sat in a depot lot for two weeks, the car above it leaked trans fluid all over my paint, it was in such a hard to get to location that the truckers p*** on the job therefore 3 weeks later they are calling me once the seller is upset it's taking to long, etc. I'm sure some folks get some good service and deals from the bigger companies but is the gamble really worth it? Would depend on the car, location, time factor and the seller/buyer relationship. To me I'd prefer to deal within the Hamb Family if at all possible. That's why we are all here, common interests and common goals. Best of Luck in whatever path you choose.
What is the condition of the car? Restored? Check what kind of insurance the carrier has. Big difference in price and insurance coverage for open vs. enclosed. If the car is in great shape, go enclosed. I used these guys to transport a 1967 Impala SS convertible from FL to CA: http://www.exoticcartransport.com/ Excellant service and I dealt directly with them --> no broker!!
That is the reason I suggested Racinman first Ben D does a great job also but his hub is the MidWest. Racinman's hub of operation is very close to the desination of the haul ( Charlotte NC ).
Racinman just delivered my custom Merc ch***is from Cali to Savannah, GA. I highly recommend his service. Rick is a very prompt, personable guy.
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