Anyone ever shipped a car? Need advice.

[ICHawk-I]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

 

[QChawks]

yes, although it's been about 5 years so I'm sure the cost has gone up significantly
it was $550 to ship from Texas to Iowa

there are tons of companies that offer online quotes and bookings

 

[Whatsgoingonwitgyouguys0190]

Definitely don’t buy near a base. Those people are generally scum and know a good deal about taking advantage of a younger person with their first disposable money.

 

[TJ8869]

Are you planning to buy new or used? If new then I would talk to your local dealer and find out if there is a way that you can buy it from him but take delivery in Baltimore.

 

[HawkinK.C.1]

No experience but Central Dispatch is where most of the auto transporters get their loads. You could check there for current rates and find out how to list a car for transport. I'm guessing it's somewhere in the neighborhood of .75 to a dollar per mile. Just a guess, though. Could be off a bit.

 

[HawkMachine]

buck a mile.

 

[Finance85]

Cost me $750 to ship a '73 Corvette from FL to NC a few years ago.

As others have said, prices vary, as well as services.

 

[Hawkeyenuts66]

Why not drive it out there?

 

[Fijimn]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

If there a CarMax near him, they will ship it from other CarMax dealerships for a fee.

 

[stout1]

My brother shipped a car from Oregon to Indiana in 2018 and it was surprisingly inexpensive. I looked into it this summer to get a car from Denver to Indiana. It was cheaper to fly out and drive it back even with a hotel room. However I could afford the 2 days on the road.

 

[bagdropper]

I watch a bunch of Youtube channels that are fix 'em up guys that ship cars to and fro. Lately it's roughly $1k at the very least, and it can take up to a month from when you set it up to when they actually get around to making the pickup/delivery.

 

[SSG T]

Definitely don’t buy near a base. Those people are generally scum and know a good deal about taking advantage of a younger person with their first disposable money.

For the OP, it's been so long I don't even remember how I shipped it. Sorry.

As for the above, there is so much wrong with buying new or used near an installation, it would take a 10 page report to cover it. Best description I have is from a new PFC when I was at Ft Irwin.

The kid bought a used Corvette (I think it was a 1992 in 1994). He was 19 and had been out of OSUT for about 3 months. His take home pay was around $600 per month. They approved him for the Vette for something like 10 years at 24% interest (only way he could afford the payments). Plus, he didn't realize he was required to have insurance. Insurance and the payment were more than his take home.

Our RGT Sergeant Major found out and took him, the car and our JAG back to the dealership. He ended up getting out of it only losing his 1st two months payments. Rumor is, the RGT commander and post commander threatened the dealership to get him out of the purchase.

 

[SoDakHawk]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

I have a buddy that is in this business. I'll see if I can get a reference.

 

[ICHawk-I]

Why not drive it out there?

He has a plane ticket (purchased before the idea of getting a car) and a set schedule the military wants him to follow.

Driving out there would cost way more I gas, hotel and one way plane ticket back would plus I have no desire to drive in a big city that has the worst traffic in the country.

 

[General Tso]

You said duty station

 

[jasonrann]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

I have bought two cars in the last ten years and had them shipped. One was L.A. to Kansas City. The other was Houston to Kansas City. I saved about $3k on the cars and paid about $800 for shipping in both cases. No issues.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Google top rated transporters and read a few different articles. Most of the articles have the same reputable transporters rated. Some lock the price in, which I would definitely go with.

I just obtained three quotes for two different areas of the country. Wow!

It's been about 10 years since I last did it. As expected, the prices have gone up, but now with the cost of gas on the high end, it's even worse.

 

[yiana]

I shipped a car (SUV) I bought online in Feb 2022 from Colorado Springs to me in the Chicago suburbs. I used Sherpa or something like that.

I think it was $700 or so cash in open transport. The reviews were hit or miss so I was clenching my butt cheeks it would arrive in one piece which it did but really filthy being on an open trailer in the winter from CO to IL.

Companies like Sherpa basically lock you in at a price and try to hook up with a transporter for less that what they charge

 

[SF HAWKEYE]

Shipped a car from Des Moines to San Francisco last week. It cost about $1800 according to the guy that bought it off me.
They were supposed to give me a 24 hour notice, they gave me a 1 hour notice. They were supposed to give him a 24 hour notice and gave him a 10 minute notice.

 

[millah_22]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

I'll drive it. Just put the title in my name in case something happens. Then I can sign it back to you when I get there.

 

[Rifler]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

Talk to the dealer you're working with,.. these guys move cars around the country every day to provide and obtain what buyers are looking for.

 

[alaskanseminole]

My son is home from military and wants to buy a car so he can have it as his first duty station. We're going to buy local because buying a car anywhere near a military installation gets way more expensive, and especially because his next base is in a big city.

That said, we're hoping to buy here (eastern Iowa) and ship it to Baltimore but have no idea about costs or how it works. I am researching it but I'm curious has anyone here had any experience and could provide advice or recommendations?

TIA

The military will ship it for free (EDIT: Provided its overseas--including HI & AK). If he's Air Force, have him go talk to TMO. You'll have to get it to a port, though. For example, if I wanted to purchase a car on leave in San Antonio, I'd have to drive it to Dallas to have it shipped, then fly to my next duty station from there. He just needs orders.

Also, the military will pay for him to drive it to his next duty station. Heck, if this is his first base, then he should qualify for a move from his home of record, therefore, he could do what's called a DITY move (or partial DITY move). Essentially, he weighs his new car empty (at the local landfill for example), then loads up all the crap from your house, then weighs it full. He'll drive cross-country getting paid mileage, meals, etc.

 

[golfinghawkeye]

The military will ship it for free. If he's Air Force, have him go talk to TMO. You'll have to get it to a port, though. For example, if I wanted to purchase a car on leave in San Antonio, I'd have to drive it to Dallas to have it shipped, then fly to my next duty station from there. He just needs orders.

Also, the military will pay for him to drive it to his next duty station. Heck, if this is his first base, then he should qualify for a move from his home of record, therefore, he could do what's called a DITY move (or partial DITY move). Essentially, he weighs his new car empty (at the local landfill for example), then loads up all the crap from your house, then weighs it full. He'll drive cross-country getting paid mileage, meals, etc.

Air Force does not ship cars conus.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Air Force does not ship cars conus.

You are correct. I forgot to edit that part when I went back and added the DITY movefor portion after reading it was the stateside.

Good catch.

 

[Tenacious E]

yes, although it's been about 5 years so I'm sure the cost has gone up significantly
it was $550 to ship from Texas to Iowa

there are tons of companies that offer online quotes and bookings

Same here. I think it was about a grand to ship a car from north cackalackie to DSM. About 4 years ago.

 

[yiana]

Shipped a car from Des Moines to San Francisco last week. It cost about $1800 according to the guy that bought it off me.
They were supposed to give me a 24 hour notice, they gave me a 1 hour notice. They were supposed to give him a 24 hour notice and gave him a 10 minute notice.

Yeah the drivers actually doing the work don’t give a sh!t