Shipping A Car You Bought On Craigslist

YOU JUST BOUGHT A CAR ON CRAIGSLIST, NOW WHAT?

You are excited. You are thrilled. You just can’t wait to sit behind that wheel. To get your hands on the keys, and open that car door for the first time. It’s the next step! Just have patience. But what do you do now? The car is paid for. The car is yours. But, it’s 1,865 miles away.

THE GOOD: YOU HAVE OPTIONS

You have options to get this vehicle to your garage, that’s the great thing. Most of the time on local listings sites, hauling the vehicle is not going to be an option to purchase. Once in a while, you will see this option on Craigslist ads. But for the most part, the buyer (you!) is responsible for shipping the car. This means that you are now literally in the driver’s seat. This is the good side of having options, you have the power to safely and securely get this vehicle to you.

THE BAD: YOU HAVE OPTIONS

Any time that we (people) have options, we need to do some work. Any time that we have options, we have the chance that we will miss the best opportunity, and choose an option that isn’t best for us. This is the downside of having an option. When you have made your Craigslist car purchase, make sure to find the most reliable option for getting your vehicle home. Hopefully, you won’t have a bad experience.

MANY OPTIONS

• Go pick it up yourself.

There is nothing quite like a road trip! Go get your new car yourself! Have a friend, spouse, or girlfriend drive you to pick up your new ride. Make a little vacation out of it. This option will save you a lot of headaches and stress regarding the condition of your car.

• Please have a friend pick it up for you.

Uncle Joey is out of work right now, AND he only lives 120 miles from Austin, Texas, where your dream car is. Have him go pick up your vehicle! Pay for his gas, buy him a few beers, and put him up in Motel 6 for a few nights. You have a trusted (hopefully) person driving your new car. Fly him home when it’s all done.

• Find a trusted transport company.

There are many different options for contracting a company for your vehicle. Any Google search will leave you with plenty to choose from. This is the option that will make the most sense for the most amount of people. And to be honest, with the price of gas these days and a few nights in a motel for your Uncle Joey, it might be the least expensive when it is all said and done.

Most of the time, you are looking right around .75/mile. (Seventy-five cents a mile). So, shipping your vehicle from Austin, Texas to San Diego, CA (1,304 miles) might run you about $1,000. You will spend anywhere from $250-500 in gas alone, depending on the type of car. So, add a few nights in a hotel and your uncle’s meals to this, and you might just be charged about the same price. However, that transit company is NOT putting 1,304 miles on your car, something to consider!

Your car can be driven, towed, or loaded onto a trailer.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN MOVING YOUR CAR

• Credentials of the company you are going to choose

Make sure to do your research on the company you want to use. You can easily do this on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website. Ask them to see a copy of their USDOT credentials as well. This will serve as another background check. The United States Department of Transportation issues a number to every company that ships cars.

• Insurance

Ensure that your car is adequately insured by the mover if you are hauling it. And if you will drive it yourself or have a friend drive it, don’t forget to buy insurance in your excitement on this new purchase. It needs to be very clear in your delivery contract what the limits are on their insurance policy. If your car is worth $45,000, and their limit is $25,000, you might need to purchase additional liability insurance.

• Your car can be towed or loaded onto a trailer.

If you have your car dispatched, note that it can be towed or loaded onto a trailer. It is essential to know this. If it is being towed, your rear tires will be affected. This is something to take into consideration and something to make clear with your hauler.

• Condition pre-shipment and post-cargo

Lastly, you must ensure that what you paid for is what you get! Ensure you get perfect pictures from the seller if your car has been dispatched. You don’t want to receive a vehicle with a broken windshield. This isn’t what you paid for. It would not be a fun way to start your relationship with this new car. The vehicle's condition should be the same when you receive it as when you bought it. Document, document, document this with photographs, or even video if you can.