I've struck a deal for a used SE on the east coast and now need to get it to my midwestern state 600+ miles away. One option is to ship it... anybody have experience with a company that they would recommend? (Or at least would use again.)
There are lots of different car shipping companies out there and you can get quotes from a number of them at once from Shiply (there may be other sites like this out there but this one was high in my search results). https://www.shiply.com/us/car-shipping
I used this company in 2018 and everything went well: https://www.shipacardirect.com/ I also shipped a car in 2008 and 2014, but I couldn't find anything useful in my email archives.
Thanks, that's the sort of info I was/am seeking. Another alternative would be to fly there and drive it back. Am I crazy to consider it? ABRP says it's possible, albeit with lots of stops (obviously), including one lengthy one at a low power charger in Beckley, WV. Doing so would save me a few hundred dollars, but cost at least two days of my time. The bigger consideration is therefore that this would be a case of baptism by fire, as I have never previously owned an EV, much less road-tripped in one. Any thoughts/recommendations?
I think it would be an exciting adventure! If you have a backup of just stopping at a motel with charging (even Level 1 would be useful for an overnight stay), then it's not going to be stressful. Focusing on the journey makes trips via EV a different way to travel.
I think you should do the road trip! Depending on your route you should see if any SE owners are en route and plan your overnight at a hotel with charging. A Tesla to J1772 adapter might be useful if the hotels are exclusively Tesla destination with no J1772.
If you are buying it from a dealer ask the salesperson who they use. We bought a Volvo from the MB dealer in San Fran. Their shipping cost was a little less than the best I found on line, and I knew it was someone they used and trusted.
Alas, it's not a MINI dealer, so although the salesperson has been quite pleasant, I think that they really just want to get rid of the car and be done with things (hence the screaming deal). They therefore couldn't (or at least didn't) provide any assistance when I asked for a recommendation.
I recently used Montway to get a used car delivery. They only contract insured (and bonded) drivers. Be prepared to listen closely during phone calls as the agents speak English as a second language. If clarification is needed, ask for a text.
I'm in the process of finding a shipper myself for a cross-country move. I found lots of good info and reviews on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AutoTransport/. Personally, I think I'll be using either Sherpa (https://www.sherpaautotransport.com) or Vice One (https://www.viceautotransport.com/). So far, Vice One is ahead. They responded quickly and efficiently via email and text (which I indicated I preferred), while Sherpa wants me to call them back.
That sucks. They are getting the sale, salesman is getting the commission. A little service would be nice. But, I went through three people at the local dealer before I got a decent salesman. He got to SE sales from me. I went through three people at the dealer in NY I bought the Cooper for our kid last month. The kid that got the sale went outside and took pictures of the tire tread, and paint meter when I told him my plan of having my brother drive the 30 miles to inspect the car if I give it the OK. First person was in a different store, she told me 60% and 80% of tread. When did 3/32 become 60%. I was not happy. Drove it from NY to CO with those baldies.
If it was not winter I would say take the adventure and drive it out. Winter gives you two challenges. First is shorter range, I wouldn’t plan on any legs over 90 miles and that is really pushing it. Second is if the car still has summer tires installed. Then you would need to watch the weather and we are supposed to get another Arctic blast soon.
Yes, both of those have factored into my considerations. Having to drive through the Appalachians makes both of them worse. Looks like I will have the car shipped.
My car was shipped with Sonic. https://sonic-auto.com/ The dealership in Ft Meyers, FL used this company to ship my car to Tennessee. I had zero problems with the shipping and they kept me notified of the status almost every single day.
I've used A-1 Auto Trans https://www.a1autotransport.com/ in the past without any issues. Best to shop around and get a few quotes before deciding though. Prices were different at each place when I was looking. Landed on them because they were cheaper than the others.
