One of the questions we get asked a lot is in regard to getting vintage vehicle home after it is purchased.  Quite often the buyer is in another state, across the country or even in another part of the world.  There are several options when it comes to getting your vehicle purchase home, and which one you choose will have a great bearing on how successful you experience is.

One of the biggest questions is always "Can I drive it home?".  That is also one of the toughest to answer.  In some cases, such as project cars or 60+ year old vehicles the answer is simple, no you can't.  However since the majority of what we sell are 1950-1980's collectible vehicles the answer isn't so easy.  Lots are Running / Driving vehicles, and many  will "Probably" not have a problem making a 500-1000 mile trip, however, these are 25-50 year old vehicles.  The technology that went into them is that old as well.  For some of these cars a 1000 mile extended trip was dicey when they were new.   If they are cars from a "Collection" they probably haven't been driven any distance in years and although they may run fine, minor leaks or other problems can develop over the first few 100 miles of driving.  Add to that the issue that a "Small" problem 2 blocks from home can be a "Major" problem 1000 miles from home.  Little problems that could have been fixed easily locally can lead to major damage on a long trip.  So unless the seller tells you emphatically that the car has been updated completely and is very reliable and they have driven it on a long trip recently, opt for a transporter.

Transporters are a whole different ball game.  As with most things, when choosing a transporter you get what you pay for..... most of the time.  Most transportation companies are brokers, meaning they are selling the business to independant owner/operator truckers.  This means that they don't have as much control over the final quality.  The premium companies own their own enclosed carriers, but the price will reflect that.  You have to choose based on the value and rarity of the car.  We have had great experiences with low cost companies and we have had cars that arrived with parts stolen from them, and even had a car dropped half way off the transporter in front of our lot.

Photos and documentation are your best protection when having a car transported.  Make SURE the seller takes photos just prior to loading and once the car is on the truck.  Video is a good idea too, just in case.   If a car is taped driving onto the transporter, you know it was running when it left.  If you have photos of a polished Edelbrock carb and the car arrives with a tarnished Q-jet.......

Hot-shot companies are a third choice.  These are independant companies that take 1-3 cars per trip.  Your car will generally be with one driver the whole way and won't get unloaded and switched from truck to truck.  These carriers range in price closer to the premiums as a general rule.

As for price.  That is not a fixed thing for the most part.  Some companies have route prices, such as LA to Dallas, or Atlanta to Miami.  But unless you are at a major hub you will need to pay the extra mileage to get the car picked up and delivered.  These prices will vary based on load, cars for the trip back, available drivers...... SO the company that has the best price this week won't be the best price next week.   Call for a few quotes everytime.

As for overseas shipping, it is always best for the buyer to get a freight quote from his counrty of origin first.  That way you know if there are any unique customs issues.  There are US freight forwarding companies, but it will usually be easier on the buyers end if he sets it up from the US port to him as he will be the one that has to clear customs when it gets there.  A US seller can often assist with gettting a freight quote to the warehouse/dock where the car will be leaving.  If you are a seller NEVER accept excess payment for a shipment that must be wired to a 3rd party.  See our guide on "The Nigerian Scam" for details.

The bottom line is, always take the price of a reputable shipper into account when buying a car.  You know what you want to pay for the vehicle, don't take a chance by cutting corners on the shipping.