Auto Transporters

[Lancer]

I am a newbe about to purchase my first Avanti.  It is not a local car so I must have it shipped.  I didn't know much about auto transport companies before I started gathering quotes and now I am hopelessly confused.  The  bidders are like shark in a feeding fenzie.  If someone has had experience with a good reasonably priced firm I would really appreciate your input,  Thanks!

[Avanti83]

Lancer

You are correct about the feeding frenzy. Let me suggest that you also join and post on the Studebaker Drivers Club Forum. This is a great forum but there are a lot more eyes over there and this issue has been discussed more often. It's a bag of snakes.

Another route is to use Google and either use the term Classic car Transport or Avanti car transport. This is a much discussed issue on most car forums. There was a gal that had Peg's transport that was quite dependable but she retired last year.

You'll see a lot of stories about low bidders dropping cars at drop point for others to pick up etc. I've always rented a Uhaul trailer to tow behind my son's HD2500 Chebby. Most distance I've gone is 800 miles one way.

Hopefully you will find the necessary information here or elsewhere but ask good questions of the low priced haulers and references.

 

[JWL1940]

Go to the carrier directly, not through a broker. A good and reliable nationally known transporter can move your Avanti in a covered trailer for about $1 per mile. There are many good ones out there, but some not so good too. I have used Inter-City with good results. JWL

[schuyler]

Lancer

Welcome to the Avanti world. Over the years I have used several of the major carriers with great success. They were on time, courteous, did written inspections, where very careful with the cars, and all of the major carriers were priced competitively. All of them used inclosed semi trucks and delivered the car to a near by shopping center as I live on a cul -de- sac. Look for their full page ads in Hemmings magazine.

On the other hand I sold a very nice car to buyer who arranged their own shipping and must have "lowballed" the price. The carrier did no inspection, was late, used a roll-back,   tried to drive the 50 year old car up the roll-back, and they used the roll-back to transport the car to some other carrier 150 miles away. I took pictures of the process so the buyer could see how they operated.

I understand it is expensive but as they say "you get what you pay for". Good luck!

 

 

 

[Lancer]

Unfortunately, I do not have immediate access to a Hemmings Mag.  Is there another way to determine if they are brokers for a large number of truckers vs an independently owned trucking firm?  If someone would like to give me the names of a couple of independents, I would promise to never quote you outside of this forum -- ya right, trust me.

[schuyler]

Try either Reliable or Passport. Goggle them to get to their site and all of their details. They both are independants.

[Lancer]

Thanks Schuyler, gives me a place to start.  The inspection on the Avanti is tomorrow afternoon, so I should know soon if I am going to buy this one or not.  Thee others that I had inspected failed even though the seller (a used car salesman) said they we in perfect condition and I should not waste my money on an inspection -- seems like they may have all gone to the same liar's school.

[lschuc]

Lancer,  Schuyler is right...  go with a major transporter and deal direct with them.  It might cost a little more, but they use their own trucks and trailers and normally don't drop the car off somewhere else to another driver.   Reliable Transport, Passport Transport are great to deal with, as is Intercity and Horseless Carriage.