Open or Enclosed Shipping - Which to Choose?

[911nut]

Everybody,
I'm weighing the pros and cons of open car shipping vs. enclosed shipping. A big factor is price (enclosed is at least double of open).
Anyone had experiences with open shipping both positive or negative? Experiences please.
Thanks.

[AngM018]

Whatever you do, stay away from A-A transport based out of California.

Also be sure to ask the company if they own the transporters or are they just a sub contractor. be weary of sub contractors b/c a lot of the times they just find the cheapest bidder. If you do go through a sub contractor make sure they tell you all about the companies they use, and feel them out to see if they really know them.

When I shipped mine I found out they put it on a train, then let it sit outside for a month of a canadien winter (they told me in was in a warehouse). I found all this out b/c the final driver who delivered it felt bad for the damage to my vehicle and spilled the beans.

[Danny_Ocean]

Depends on how far you're shipping and how valuable the car is. I had my Porsche shipped enclosed. I had my '74 TransAm shipped open.

[crashmy911]

I would ship enclosed, you never no what might fly up and hit your car. I have open trailer and enclosed. Stuff stays nice on the enclosed!

[911pcars]

Ever hear of rail dust? It's minute steel dust particles worn off of the train rails. It settles onto and into the paint and.. guess what? It rusts.

Manufacturers grapple with this paint damage whenever delivering cars via rail. They apply plastic skins over the horizontal areas of the body to reduce the effect. In addition, they spend big bucks avoiding this damage otherwise they have to pay warranty costs to either repair or repaint damaged surfaces..... on a new car.

Do something similar, or better yet, ship it enclosed with a car cover.

Sherwood

[Gogar]

I guess it depends on the car, but my if it's at all an option, I highly recommend getting a plane ticket and driving it home. I did it, and it was a great experience.

That said, I do know you're rolling the dice if you choose a run-of-the-mill open transporter. My good friend runs a company that transports cars to/from dealerships, and he's got some sad stories. I think an enclosed carrier will offer a lot more personal care, if you really feel that the car warrants it.

[Thomas Owen]

One other thing to consider is how many times your car may change transports. I have shipped enclosed several times and when it went on the truck it stayed there. With the open carriers they sometimes move to a 'hub' then offload the car to another, and possible another...
I have used DAS and Exotic Transport and never had a problem.

[widgeon13]

I used Intercity (closed trailer) and while it was not inexpensive, it was all done properly and I had no concern about transport or damage during the trip. When the car arrived, it was just as clean and well cared for as it was when it went in the truck. They also gave me very good service, picked up within 24 hours of the initial request and delivered 10 days later on the east coast. Cost about 40% more than open car hauler.

Considering what a good paint job cost, I thought it was a good investment.

[Tut]

What Gogar said. A lifetime of memories. Take your kid, your son-in-law, a close friend.

[widgeon13]

Originally posted by Tut
What Gogar said. A lifetime of memories. Take your kid, your son-in-law, a close friend.

That would also have been my first choice but it just didn't work out. A great experience.