Shipping Prius CA to NY - Transport Company Recommedations?

when do you have to relocate? have you considered taking time off and doing X-country road trip? It is probably too late with snow but there are some beautiful places alone I-70, I-80 and I-90. I-40/US 66 via Death Valley could work out even this time of the year.

 

Do not use Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS). I had a bad experience with them years ago. Paid for enclosed transport but car was shipped on an open carrier. Their local drop off point was literally a junkyard. Car was damaged but they were very nasty in denying a claim. There is a website that has ratings on auto shippers.

 

yeah the timing sucks as it is too late and probably Tioga or Monitor pass already closed.. BUT consider this: how many opportunities would you get to go x-country? We did a trip last year and it took 3.5 weeks to go coast to coast and come back.

anyways it is not a rush decision, sleep on it. A couple suggestions on route.

California: either Yosemite (if Tioga is open), lake Tahoe and CA-89 via Monitor Pass or drive on I-80 and pick US-395. Pass lake Mano, go on CA-190 via Death Valey, Vegas, Hoover dam

AZ: US-93 to Kingman, US-66 to Seligman, visit Grand Canyon. US-160/US-163 to Monument Valley, valley of Gods, 4-corners. US-491 to I-40, visit Painted Desert and Petrified forest; continue alone I-40

TX: Palo Duro is only 7mi south from Amarillo, Big Texan on US-66 home of free 72oz stake.

the rest not sure if you are going NYC or upstate NY. If upstate you'll be following I-44/US-66 to St Luis, if NYC take the I-40 to I-81. If you take I-81, the Blue Ridge is still open; if upstate you will be going through Finger Lakes. Either way you can visit these places later good luck

PS the money you save on shipping and tickets will pretty much cover the trip. That unless you required to present expense receipts to employer, and they will not cover.

 

About 3 years ago I used AAA shipping to ship from CA to IA did ok by me.

 

Years ago I had a car driven across country - the company had people who drove them across. It wasn't expensive and the car arrived in excellent condition.

It's too bad you can't drive across yourself. I don't remember how many times I've done it, often alone. I used to plan on 5 days from NC to California when I was driving alone, don't think NY would take any longer. Weather can be an issue but it isn't always - the first time I soloed it was from California to Alabama in January - didn't stop at tourist spots, but it was a very enjoyable drive anyway. I'll always remember looking in my rear view mirror and seeing cliffs by El Paso behind me (as I headed east) lit up by the rising sun.

Good luck with finding a shipping company, you might want to look for one that provides drivers for the trip and guarantees/insures the car's arrival.

 

As an aside, anyone know whether you can get a car shipped by train? I imagine it is much more efficient than either shipping by truck or driving, but I would love to see actual numbers on that.

 

A friend of mine who restores antique Rolls Royces said he uses DeMoise Trucking and Intercity Lines.

Passport Transport also has a good rep.

 

Try Plycar. They aren't cheap but they shipped my former 04 350Z undamaged. You might find my posts at http://priuschat.com/forums/other-cars/67752-recommend-me-good-car-shipping-company.html helpful.

Forget about it as an individual. I tried. See My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Shipping suggestions.

Some of the railroad companies I called which actually had auto shipping services told me that they wouldn't ship it by train anyway. They'd were essentially acting as a broker to have it shipped by truck. Another weird tiny railroad company I called told me a longer story basically saying that those days are LONG gone. MANY cars can fit in a rail car and rail companies wouldn't just put a single car in there. Dealers and automakers would be the ones that would use rail and would be shipping many cars as a time.

Here are are a few pointers if you want to try anyway:
http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/customers/commodities/automotive/
http://www.bnsf.com/customers/what-can-i-ship/finished-vehicles/#%23subtabs-1
http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/
http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/776_cl_all.html

 

did you get anything back? how did you pay (cash, check) or credit card?

 

Regarding DAS, even though my experience w/them was ok (see the thread I linked to earlier), I had heard numerous horror stories about them on the net if you're not a corporate customer.

As a side note, after I had my cars shipped by DAS, a (then new) coworker told me his car was totaled by DAS. The truck got into an accident.

 

I reqouted this quote from this thread, might be able to find something there? http://priuschat.com/forums/freds-house-pancakes/89994-have-you-shipped-car-before.html

 

Some shippers are actually brokers who use independent truckers. That's how my BMW was shipped from Huston to VA. It was an open truck (covered is too expensive) and the car was very dirty when it arrived. But the driver had carefully documented every little dig or scratch on his form when he picked it up, he had to have them dry the car (it had just been washed) so he could carefully inspect it. He went over everything with me on delivery and I had to sign off that the car was "as shipped". After it was washed, it was as described and near perfect, I had never seen it (except pictures) before delivery. You can call West Side Lexus in Huston and ask for the internet salesperson, he can direct you to the broker they use, I believe they're based in CA. You pay their broker fee by credit card but must have cash for the driver on delivery. My experience was great.

 

I paid the full cost up front by credit card. After filing a claim, they used every delaying tactic they could. They never did even deny the claim in writing. When I finally spoke to a manager by telephone, he gleefully snarled that my claim was being denied. I wrote letters to their corporate headquarters and never received a response. It became clear that my only alternative would have been to sue them, and I came very close to doing so. But the damage was not major and I decided that it was better to not waste any more of my time dealing with a company like that.

 

Here are some reviews on DAS. I personally doubt the authenticity of at least some of the positive reviews.

http://www.epinions.com/reviews/hmg...nion_list/pp_~1/sort_~date/sort_dir_~des#list

 

Just drive it.

Not a 4week adventure, a 2 day whirlwind tour to get from point A to B. You will be in control the whole time and even with gas it will be cheaper. If you factor in you otherwise flying, it will be waaaaay cheaper.

Drove my Prius 1800+ miles from where I bought it to where I live. Same with my last auto purchase, about 1700+ miles.

Taking 1-15 (I think in CA) to I-70 over the Rocky Mountains was about 17 hours with whiteout blizzards in Utah and Western Colorado. It takes about 32 hours from Colorado to the Tri-State Area.

So you are looking at 2 days of driving from CA to NY. I can usually do 30-32 hours (here to ontario) in 1 go with only food stops. More than that I take a nap at a rest stop for a couple hours.