Do you have any recommendations (good or bad) for cross country auto transport.

While over Thanksgiving holiday at my in-laws I picked up a '73 914. It runs but it needs too much work to drive it from Philadelphia to Orlando. I've never shipped a car before and what I've gathered is that these brokers (middlemen) hire the truckers, you pay a fee to the broker (deposit), and then hope the trucker is reputable. When the car arrives you then pay the trucker (in cash) yet the broker has no responsibility or liability. Any issues with the transport of the car have to be delt directly with the trucker. What could possibly go wrong?

I'm a newbie. This is my first 914 and I'm looking forward to getting it. That said, any advice on where to start with making it road worthy?

Not knowing the car it is hard to say:

This is my normal routine when I acquire a new used car.

Brakes - change fluid check operations. Most of the time I replace pads, hardware, and rotors. I change the fluid even if it looks brand new.

Suspension, I give everything a good going over. Depending on milage I will more than likely change the suspension bushings out. Shocks would also be on my list.

I trans I would go through, change the gear oil. Open up the fill plug first, as no sense on going on and drawing the fluid if you can't get the fill plug open.

while your down there check the clutch cable, any signs of wear replace it.

Engine normal stuff.
Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, confessor, air cleaner, change the oil. I would also check valve clearances and adjust them.

Fuel system, drain it, or dilute whats in there in a large amount of gas. Unless you know the age of the fuel. Replace the fuel filter.

Check over the tires well.

Then drive the thing noting items that need replaced and checked.

I also go over the electrical system just making sure the basics work. Headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals. The stuff that can get you a ticket, or in a crash. The other items will rear their ugly head in due time.

The foregoing information is great once he gets the car home to Florida; but he needs to get it home. I have not shipped anything in recent years so I am very rusty concerning this matter. In prior years, I used a full service called Reliance which I still think is in business. All the shipping is arranged through a broker where the shipping paperwork, assignment, etc came from the broker and the actual transport including pickup, transport, and delivery. I believe Reliance handled all the brokerage and the shipping/delivery.

The point is: It can be expensive with marginal risks or lower costs with higher risks. There are many honest and trustworthy shippers who are bonded and insured.

Transport companies have to make money by arranging loads going to and from different locations. What this means is you car could be transient to a location where is made up of others waiting and then shipped to your location.

There is considerable transport movement up and down the East Coast so your chances of getting prompt delivery are much greater than in Southern Oregon (isolated regional area from the main transport lines). From my area we feed to Portland/Seattle or to San Francisco/Los Angeles

Hopefully people can give you good names off transporters and brokers. Do searches on the Inter-Net to get an idea of pricing, brokers, and transporters.

In sum, a broker is needed to take care of the arranging and getting the unit matched up with the transporter. I believe they are essential if using an outside transporter but they do not take any fiscal control of the auto, just the arranging of the transporter; the transporter is the one fiscally responsible for the actual movement. Both should be bonded and insured.

Hopefully this contains somewhat of the background information you need. Be careful and do not just create transporting based on low pricing alone.

I may not have described the relationship of the broker and the transporter exactly right but it does work something as I have written.

Do a search this site and any recommendations that members have used. This is one of the best sources.

Auto transport can be tricky
From the sound of your description the car may not warrant a high end company as the cost will also be high. Conversely the cheapest is probably to be avoided as they know how to make you regret cheap!
There are several and likely that mepstein in that area can be of some help....look for his posts and pm him.
I have not shipped lately so get someone who has as this is an ever changing situation so current experience is more pertinent.
Also go on pelican board and pm "sonjay" he currently has a 912 in cars for sale
He sells and buys and is in so Fla so might have good info
Good luck and welcome to he "afflicted"

I have shipped a sh!tload of cars. So far, no bad experiences.

I have used Golden Key Express multiple times with great results.

http://goldenkeyexpress.com/auto-transport...=2&Itemid=2

I have also used Exotic Car Transport (Orlando based) to haul my higher end cars like Ferrari's and such with great results:

http://www.exoticcartransport.com/

Neither one of these are broker companies...they own their own trucks

I used InnerCity Lines. Covered transporter. Used by folks like Canepa. Not the least expensive but I wanted to lower the risk as much as possible. Couldn't be happier with the result.

I used Mike to ship my 914 from NC to Ft. Lauderdale. Excellent, honest guy and reasonably priced. Good luck!
Ron

Car Shipper Mike Moore
Mobile (865) 742-9002

Oh, and

I used Reliable Auto Carriers to ship my 914-6 to Monterey, CA from Chicago (and back). They're not cheap, but were great to work with.

You might check with a few of the local car dealerships and see what they recommend. They might know of local guys who would give you a deal

That route is very covered by many carriers catering to northeast seniors travelling to
Florida. Thet're known as Snowbirds. South for the winter, back north for the summer.
Get online you'll find many and you can get competing offers even for an inoperative car.

I would suggest first having your AAA Premier membership in good stead. Then, have the vehicle towed for free (within 200 miles) to the shipper's address for loading. That has always saved me hundreds of dollars due to logistics-convenience for the shipper / it can remain in his holding area until a truckload is headed your way.

Do the same thing when it arrives in your city. At he arriving holding area, have the car towed on a flatbed to your house. AAA doesn't want the liability of having a member drive a covered, yet unsafe vehicle / The company doesn't care why they are towing as they reinsure against that cost. Remember they are an insurance racket first and a service provider second. Use that to your legal advantage.

Except for a corporate move, my process has always been: U-Haul and away I go.

I've had good luck with car shippers all over the county. Do your homework, and maybe try Chris at Tangerine Racing, he might know of someone who knows the ins and outs of 914 Porsche shipping.

And,

My thought exactly. Load it on a U-Haul and transport it yourself. I have done it. worked out great. You are in control all the way.

RenoRoger

I've used Reliable Auto Carriers to have my '74 shipped from Minnesota to Philadelphia....not cheap but excellent service. I've also used Thomas C. Sunday Inc.....they are located in PA and service the East coast.

http://www.sundayautotransport.com/index.htm

I've used Angels Moving Autos and couldn't be any happier with the price and service.
Back last May I bought an 85 Carrera Cab that was in Baltimore. Memorial Day fell on a Monday, and the prior Thursday I called Angels and talked with Dina. She had a convincing explanation how professionally she ran her business, so I committed right then over the phone. A couple of emails and a deposit followed shortly, and the car was picked up 2 days later on Saturday morning. The enclosed 2-car trailer was pulled by a late-model, crew-cab diesel Silverado, and arrived here in the Denver area on Monday afternoon. Driver was completely thorough and professional. Very happy with their service, and I'm currently under contract again with Angels to transport a 914 I'm buying, moving it from South Carolina out here to Colorado.

Thank you for all the leads. The advice has been very helpful.

Sounds like you've got all the leads you need, but if you end up still needing help, send me a message and I can help coordinate with my shipper.

I hope to have this problem one day in 2017........

When looking for a shipper try and deal directly with a shipper, not a broker, they will just take the cheapest driver they can find and if something goes wrong, everyone just points fingers.
Also, be very clear with the transporter on what you expect, things like no you won't meet him at a parking lot at 1AM to take delivery of the car, it sounds funny but these guys will expect you to get out of bed.
You can read some horror stories on my blog:
https://unobtaniuminc.wordpress.com/2012/02...ng-of-porsches/

Also, NEVER use U-Ship, they are the true wild west. I once had a guy buy a car from me, he didn't want to use my transporter, he saved $100 on U-Ship. The guy who came to pick up the car had a converted motor home, and he had double booked so he unloaded a whole trailer of furniture, loaded the Porsche, and then re-loaded the furniture, on top of the Porsche!

You bought a 914 in SC? How did I not hear about this?

Have used Reliable several times with several different P cars- have had no issues... drivers actually seem to care.

Right here on 914 World and listed as well on Pelican-
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...283114&st=0

Well it's done. I want to thank everyone for the support and the leads. The car arrived at my home in Orlando today. Surprise to my neighbors when a 9 vehicle carrier pulled through the neighborhood. I guess the easy part is over. And, now that I've gotten to look over the car more the buyer's remorse is starting to set in. Got a long way to go on this one. Next hurdle...DMV. Then the real work begins!

No 914 is perfect and you have to start somewhere. Your on 914world so your in the right place. If you need parts or advice, just ask. Your car must not have been on the road much. I never saw it driving around the area.

I shipped a 912E from OR to MI a few months ago, never shipped a car before and had no idea what to expect.

I used Montway Auto Transport and was frankly surprised at how good they were, picked up on schedule two days after purchase, delivered as scheduled 5 days later, sure they subcontracted but I was given the drivers number and spoke with him a few times in route.

Everything was clearly explained and my questions answered up front.

I was kept up to date via email and instead of paying part CC and cash balance to driver I opted to pay additional $100 and pay CC up front, but only as I was scheduled to be out of town when the car was delivered and I didn't want to burden a friend with handling a cash deal with driver.

Schedule changed and i was present when driver dropped the car off late in the evening, with a clear manifest showing all identified blemishes at time of loading and took care to unload while I watched.

Auto transport gets a bad rap, my experience was better than I anticipated and I would not hesitate to use these guys again.

https://www.montway.com/car-shipping-lp?hea...CFYW4wAodk5oATw

Buyers remorse when you first "meet" your car is totally normal. The more time you spend with the car, the more you'll notice. In my experience, the car is never "done" till you sell it!

The fact that it needs some work gives you the opportunity to make the car exactly what you want. And you'll have fun and learn a lot along the way. As others have posted, this community will help you through anything. It's all been done a hundred times before. There are no stupid questions. Don't be afraid to ask.

Now...

If you can post a bunch of photos, and tell us what you've found (so far), we can help you get a head start on a plan to make your car safe and reliable.

Congrats and good luck!

Ian

Just don't hire these guys....

https://www.facebook.com/edward.callahan.79...g5NjI2ODAwNTQ2/

looks like some of the people in Catskill

Catskill is moving up in the world, they have a Harbor Freight now, between that and the place that will take my used tires, I'm feeling Catskill. Now the Chinese Buffet, I'm not feeling that, once was enough!

you Moron, this Thread is Two years Old, I think he probably got the car by now!

You know, it's never hard to spot a guy who doesn't understand even the simplest idea of humor, or you're just a dick and can't help yourself to show everyone how much of a dick you are. I guess given the choice between being a moron or a dick, I would choose the former. I've met many like-able morons in my time, but I'm yet to meet a like-able dick. Nobody likes a dick.

that video