Transport car from Vermont to California

I believe there are trucking services that will do this.  I doubt if the railroads will do this type of single load anymore.  If they do, it will likely cost a lot more than by truck.

Rusty

@wnyjohn posted:

I need to have a car transported from Vermont to California, any ideas if this can be done by train?

The cost by rail transport would be astronomical, and would take a VERY long time, even if the railroad/railroads would do it. Besides, they would probably damage it anyway.

The only way to economically do this is by truck, or to hire someone to drive it there for you.

Best to ship it by truck. My neighbors used to go back and forth from NY to Fla each winter. Not cheap but you can negotiate with many of the carriers, especially if the carrier can combine the trip with other cars.

Might be cheaper to sell the car in Vt and buy a new one in Cali.

@RSJB18 posted:

Best to ship it by truck. My neighbors used to go back and forth from NY to Fla each winter. Not cheap but you can negotiate with many of the carriers, especially if the carrier can combine the trip with other cars.

Might be cheaper to sell the car in Vt and buy a new one in Cali.

A VERY GOOD suggestion, especially since your "Vermont car" just might not comply with California Emissions Regulations anyway. 

 

@Hot Water posted:

A VERY GOOD suggestion, especially since your "Vermont car" just might not comply with California Emissions Regulations anyway.  

Hadn't even thought of that.

Definitely trucking, there are a number of services out there that handle shipping cars (if you look at the hemmings motor news website, I am sure they advertise there, or any car collector websites w advertising).  If the car is a collectible or otherwise personally valuable to you, it is the way to ship it. If it is just a car you want to transport, another alternative would be services that arrange to have someone drive it where you need to go, it is generally cheaper than shipping by truck, but you also don't know who will be driving it, so I wouldn't do it with a sports car or very valuable car. 

@RSJB18 posted:

Hadn't even thought of that.

That is a factor, but in recent decades most cars are 50 state certified (the cars manual will tell you that), and while California has been talking about not following the EPA rollback of mileage requirements, that is tied up in the courts and as of this writing all cars are 50 state as far as I know with pollution and mileage, the manufacturers built to the California standard, it was cheaper. 

It used to be there was a minimum (note MINIMUM) $300 surcharge to bring an out-of-state car into registration in California. Don't know if this is still true. As for trucking it, on the Model T Club forum is "Freighter Jim" who does car transport. He's been entrusted with things like a Stanley Mountain Wagon., and lots of folks swear by him. From his postings, I take he's quite a character (aren't most of us?). Here's his webpage; https://www.trulyvintagetraile...del-t-transport.html I don't think I've ever met the man, I'm just providing the info in case it helps you.

I have purchased a number of cars out of state as a California resident. It is simple to do. Get a AAA membership and they can handle all the registration paperwork and the required physical verification of the car rather than taking it to the DMV. Then just take it to a local smog station for the test and you are done. AAA even gives you the Ca. plates. You also need proof of insurance. I am not aware of any $300 surcharge. If there still is one it would only apply to cars not originally made as Ca. compliant.

All the cars I bought were 50 state compliant, most are. If not, as long as it is a used car it can still be registered in Ca. I always ship the cars by a specialized car shipper in an enclosed carrier. There are a lot of them.

Thank you for all the help, when it's completed, I will advise all of what worked best in this situation, thanks again,   John

I don't know about the $300, but my ancient Mustangs cost $124/year.  That's up from $12 per year when I bought them.

Is this a car you care about for a very specific reason?  (Collectable, sentimental, etc?).

While it may cost more than general movers, consider the type of business mentioned above that specializes, you may have better luck.

Several years ago, when a large number of my coworkers re-located approximately 2/3 of the way across the country, the large general moving company that our employer arranged for that covered auto transportation was problematic for some folks.  Damage to vehicles, in one case trying to replace a windshield without even telling the owner they replaced it (they noticed one of their stickers was missing, guess the movers hoped they wouldn't!)!  The point is a mass "get r done" mover that is just doing bulk moves may be more careless than some smaller business that might cost a few bucks more.  Just another item to consider, particularly if you really like the car.

-Dave

Bob2, I remember when my model A was $20 a year, now it's over $140 a year, as are my Model Ts. Any surprise that only the two running ones are currently registered--the rest are on "non-operation" status (and they truly are non-operational!) ; but back when the registration was reasonable, I kept all of them current.

Thanks to all that helped, but in the end I never found a "ship by train" way to go.  The shipment went all good though, wound up choosing an online broker ($195), who then after our agreement, put the "($1,000 transport request" out there.  A "shipper/transporter" contacted me to get the necessary particulars of the transport on both ends of the Vermont to California trip. I met the truck here, my daughter met up with the truck/car 5 days later, all went very well. If anyone needs the particulars of this good experience, please contact me.