Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: HarroldM on March 29, 2023, 14:19:00
-
I am trying to get Gertruda home from Gernold’s shop to Colorado Springs. I used Intercity to ship her up there 4 years ago. They are quoting about 3k to bring her home. Montauk is quoting about 2k. I understand that Montauk will likely subcontract it to another carrier, but was wondering if anyone had any experience with any carriers. Montauk is going to provide an enclosed transportation and Gertruda, as much as we love her, is not a concours quality woman. I would appreciate any thoughts. Thank you, Harrold
-
If it were me I would seriously consider flying out and driving home. Yes it's 2,000 miles but could be a great trip! Gertruda would likely be grateful to be allowed to roam the roads again.
-
You should get quotes from others, including Reliable Carriers and Mecum’s (yes the auction house) transport division.
-
Go hang out on Bring a Trailer site for a while and watch the comments - there seems to be lots of discussions about shipping costs and more affordable carriers than the big guys. Just make sure they have insurance incase they drop your car or drop something on it. $2,000 seems to be the norm for open transportation.
You could check with your local auto dealers as they may know a carrier who can offer a discount as you may be on their route.
A car hauler that I met a while back said that he usually left one space open on his truck every third - fourth trip for a "cash" deal so a visit to a coffee shop at a local truck stop some evening may give you some insight.
-
A car hauler that I met a while back said that he usually left one space open on his truck every third - fourth trip for a "cash" deal so a visit to a coffee shop at a local truck stop some evening may give you some insight.
That's the way to do it! If you have a car dealer you are on good terms with, they may help you get in touch with a hauler. Most of them transfer inventory between them and have a lead on a car hauler. It will be an open trailer, but these guys know what they are doing. They haul new cars.
-
Harrold,
If you message me pick-up and delivery zip codes I can get you pricing on both open and enclosed transport.
-
We recently moved from AZ to NC, and wanted the 280SL shipped in container to protect it. Well, what we came to find when it was delivered, that it was on a car trailer with canvas siding. We had to leave the car at a pickup point because our mover had us all packed up, and did not know this before hand. We paid $3500 and were very disappointed, dirt, dust, rain, etc can just as easy get under those tarps as if it were out in the open. We are thankful everything was alright, but when you ask for contained shipping, be clear what that means. I read some others suggest you picked the car up, and drive it back....might be a nice idea if it is running and no mechanical issues to worry about. The other vehicle was on an open container and was about $2800.
-
Tom S and I used the following company to ship both our Pagodas from Gernolds in NE down to San Diego for just over $4k. Clean, reliable and on time.
-
When I moved to NC from MI in 2020, I had left my car at Motorwerks Group for work. In late May 2021 it was completed. I called upon the most un-obvious transport: Mecum Auctions. Now you wouldn't think to call an auction company for transport, but Mecum is the largest auction house for collectible cars certainly in the USA. Every car going to auction must be brought to the auction, and once sold, must be transported to the new owner. Of course some drive in both directions but the majority are transported. So, being the largest, Mecum has their own transport division.
I paid just over $900 to bring the car from MI to NC. It was in an amazingly large and fully sealed rig specifically designed for collectible car transport. I had to wait for it to be in a convenient routing for them, but well worth the wait. The driver was a skilled professional, everything was amazing.
https://www.mecum.com/transport/
-
go on uship.com
put out your vehicle; you'll get tons of bids.
Then, find one you like/good reviews, then contact them directly so you don't have to pay uship fees.
-
I usually ship around 3-4 times a year (various cars, and reasons). Reliable, and Shaughnessy Ive used the most, both with great results
-
I'd be curious to hear others' experience with Uship. I love the idea -- and I got a very good price to ship a car from VA to MD, but the communication was totally disappointing. Driver was completely off on pickup and delivery times (much to the annoyance of the shipper and receiver), didn't speak much English etc. I never had any idea where the car was. Admittedly, it was over Easter weekend, but I'd be reluctant to ship another high-value car this way.
-
Used U-ship once. Was a car shell. I did not think the usual carriers would touch it, as it was on a dolly. Was OK. Driver was rough, in an F150, and trailer (little sketchy). I would not go there for a car I cared about. I personally would also avoid brokers like Montway. You dont know what your going to get. Sold a car, buyer arranged with Montway for enclosed carrier. An open car hauler arrived.
-
I'd be curious to hear others' experience with Uship. I love the idea -- and I got a very good price to ship a car from VA to MD, but the communication was totally disappointing. Driver was completely off on pickup and delivery times (much to the annoyance of the shipper and receiver), didn't speak much English etc. I never had any idea where the car was. Admittedly, it was over Easter weekend, but I'd be reluctant to ship another high-value car this way.
I would imagine less than 10% of the car transporters speak English as their primary language. Most of the ones that do you will find with the white glove companies such as Reliable. It is an industry that is dominated by eastern europeans.
-
Used U-ship once. Was a car shell. I did not think the usual carriers would touch it, as it was on a dolly. Was OK. Driver was rough, in an F150, and trailer (little sketchy). I would not go there for a car I cared about. I personally would also avoid brokers like Montway. You dont know what your going to get. Sold a car, buyer arranged with Montway for enclosed carrier. An open car hauler arrived.
Montway is the worst! And here is why you get such poor quality.....First they offer you a really low price to get your business, which means they offer a transporter much below what it costs to get the job done so you get the bottom bottom bottom of the barrel for quality.
Then on top of that I have seen Montway, not be able to get a car moved at all so they come back and ask for more money even though they promised you a low price. So you have 2 options...
either give them more money or sit around await while no one calls them to move your car for a ridiculously low price.
-
"Gertruda, as much as we love her, is not a concours quality woman."
Gertruda has just spent considerable time being fixed by a well respected shop and is probably in the best shape ever since leaving the factory. I would drive her to Colorado.
-
I can recommend horseless carriage
-
Though I don't think there's been any "revelatory expose" on the car shipping business, based on LOTS of miles driven on the US interstates recently, including 14 hours yesterday through 10 states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina) I think I can accurately sum up this business:
You can go with the dedicated carriers, such as Reliable, Horseless Carriage, Mecum's Transport Division, Passport, and perhaps a few others that I'm forgetting or missing. What separates these from the rest is they have their own trucks/vans, and their own drivers. I've used Mecum, and their classic transport trailer has all others beat hands down; as the largest auction house in the USA, they bring a LOT of cars to auction and then after they are sold, they bring the winnings to the winner. Their van was magnificent, and larger than most. I've also seen the orange Reliable vans everywhere; one of their hubs was in Canton MI, and one of their drivers lived around the corner from me and his van was parked nearby when he was starting or completing a journey. I've seen the Horseless Carriage vans on the roads too, but to a lesser extent; ditto for Passport.
All these others that you will find from searches, are merely brokers. What they do is contract with people who own a heavy duty pickup truck (think Ford F350 or the RAM and GM/Chevrolet equivalents in the 350/3500 class) AND a car-hauling trailer attachment. I cannot tell you how many of these I saw on the road yesterday alone; dozens. Many were hauling crashed cars. When we sold our Ford Edge to our sister in Seattle last year, she contracted with one of these brokers, and this guy with said truck came by, barely spoke English, and quickly loaded up the Edge and took off. Late model Fords have built in tracking and we were able to track the cars journey from here to Seattle, and boy was it a roundabout way. He stopped in many places along the way to either pickup or drop off cars from here (east coast as it were) to the northwest.
You are always going to pay more for a dedicated company with its own trucks, and an enclosed trailer. The open ones by broker can be, as you might imagine, hit or miss. Communication is often poor. Best to have your OWN insurance and check with YOUR insurance carrier about shipments. All that said, our Ford Edge did indeed make it to Seattle in about 7 days, no worse for wear, and at a good price. I would not ship my Pagoda this way however...
-
I have used Passport on several occasions for a Concours transport and in each case found them to be most "reliable" (no pun intended) at a reasonable cost, and each time found the responding driver to be most accommodating and concern for my needs.
Definitely would recommend Passport Transport
JB