Thanks Richzak. I was actually on that site and wasn't able to find any outfits I might have considered. This time of year is difficult because of snowbirds coming down with their cars to Florida. Unfortunately like anything else that requires searching on line, you get the horror stories with the good ones. I would only consider a privately owned company. In addition, some routes are less popular for some companies and timing becomes an issue.

 

Boca:

The "snowbirds" have nothing to do with car transports. There are so many auto transports crossing all highways over the USA on a daily basis. The price and the time to deliver a car is strictly dictated by the location the car is at, and where it is being shipped to.

Most of my cars came from Florida. It is a direct route from Florida to California via Interstate I-10. Thus, Las Cruces, NM is located on I-10 so it was very easy to transport my cars. The last one transported was my 2014 Porsche 981 which came from Tucson to Las Cruces, NM which was a short 230 mile drive and took the driver 3 1/2 to 4 hours to deliver the car to me. It was the last car on the open trailer and an easy off when delivered.

Some transport companies have "door to door" delivery, but many try to avoid delivering to a residential subdivision as they may have to unload and re-load several cars to get your car off the truck. On my last 3 deliveries, 2 were at a local Walmart parking lot, and one was at our local TA Truck Stop along I-10. It was a short 20 minute drive across town, and once I got to the delivery point, the cars were already unloaded. These drivers have strict time schedules, so they want to get the cars off and get back on the road. You have the right to inspect the car for any damage. Also, be aware when the car is picked up there is a Bill of Lading and the car has been carefully inspected for any damage, paint chips, etc. before it is even loaded on the truck. Once the car is delivered, you pay in cash, or cashiers check. No money, no delivery.

When I sold my Formula F1000 race car, the buyer paid for a closed transport and he came directly to the house. Not only did he transport the Formula F1000, but transported tires, quick jacks, wheels and other racing related items. The car left my house and was delivered directly to Virginia International Raceway for the buyer. You get what you pay for in auto transport. Check out STEEL TOY CARRIERS He is great if you can get him, the owners name is Ken Currier.

If money is no problem, go with Reliable Carriers, Inc. Large auction houses like Barrett-Jackson use Reliable Carriers for all their major auctions.

Hope this info helps.

 

I think it is a wise idea to take as many pictures of the car as possible before pickup. I've heard about Reliable as well. I've also found that most of the carriers I spoke with will take credit cards. There were a few that won't. Thanks for great info.

 

Well, the car finally arrived Wednesday night in a driving rain storm. I had to inspect it with a flashlight after the shipper took it off the truck. It was covered in road grime from the trip. Note to self: next time use an enclosed truck. Anyway, didn't have time to look it over yesterday due to client meetings. Today, I looked at it in daylight and other than the road grime it's looks great. Inside is flawless. I'm going to wash it and check it out a lot closer later today then get it over for window tinting and an oil and filter change. For anybody thinking about buying a car this way, here's an fyi regarding shippers. While they say they are fully insured, if you read the back of the delivery form, there 25 caveats. My favorite is number 24: "The transporter is not responsible for any damages that occur during pickup, transportation,storage or delivery. The customer ships his/her vehicle at his/her own risk." --LOL!!

 

Very true, and extremely hard to collect on any damages. Thus, one reason why classic car and 6 digit $100,000+ plus cars are shipped in an enclosed trailer and with those that are in the business of strictly transporting high $$$ automobiles. You get what you pay for. In most cases however the car is usually delivered in the shape it was loaded. Transport companies usually have strict rules, like gas tank near empty, nothing in trunk like personal items, as same as in the interior. They are not a moving companies, just car transporters.

Chaz....looking forward to seeing some good photos of the new ride and your first overall impressions of the Jag.

 

Washed it three times to get all the road grime off. It was a mess. Then I took it to a local independent for an oil change. Probably didn't need it but I figured it couldn't hurt. On the way there, I got a low battery warning so I had them check that out too. They said the battery was OK. It had been replaced in Jan of '13 and probably needed to just run for awhile to charge it up. We'll see how that plays out. Also as they did the oil change, the noticed signs of leakage at the water pump. That's something I''ve been halfway expecting based on the number of 2010 carfax reports of water pump replacements.I'll take it to Jaguar for that so the warranty can handle it. I've loaded the only photo I have for now. I'll take more over the weekend and post. So far, I've noticed that it's a lot faster than my 07' and has a better ride. Also, the stereo is light years better than the 07. And the silver color is amazing. Different color than the silver 01 I owned previously. It's a beautiful car.

 

Beautiful Car. Welcome to the world of 5.0 NA Although they look the same, there is a world of difference between the 07-09s and the 10s forward. Use it in good health and have fun!!

 

Suggest you consider buying a CTEK 3300 smart trickle charger for the XKR. You won't have any battery problems in the future. Many of us here on the forums use this item.