There are a number of companies that offer transportation services to collect your car from the seller and deliver it to the docks. Like shipping companies, Auto Transportation companies also offer you two ways to get the vehicle moved. Driving it on an 'open' car carrier or transporting it inside an enclosed trailer. In our opinion both forms have their usage, we generally make the call based on the value and condition of the car. Naturally, 'enclosed' is the more expensive, but it's also safer. On occasions, truck drivers will stop over night and leave the carrier unattended. There is a third way to transport a car that is sometimes used, and that is to pay someone to physically drive the car to the docks, you can ask the particular transportation company if they offer this service, so do, some don't. This method is fine if the port isn't too far away, typically these drivers carry their own insurance which, should damage or theft occur, would cover the cost of the car. A fourth possibility is transport by Railroad. Within the United States though, we can not recommend it.
On the subject of cost. Prices for moving vehicles across the United States can vary quite a bit. One factor to consider is where the vehicle is to be picked up. If it's on a main route, then it's likely to be cheaper than if a driver has to make a big diversion to collect it. Also, transport companies, like airlines and shipping companies, hate empty spaces, so if it turns out that your car will fill a space that would otherwise go empty, chances are you'll get a deal!

As a guide, we suggest you budget $750-$1000 for coast to coast 'Open' transport, $1200-$1500 coast to coast 'Enclosed'. From the Mid-West to the nearest coast budget around $750 'open' and around $1000-$1200 'enclosed'. There are of course variables, but these numbers should put you in the 'Ball Park'.

It is almost always better if at all possible to get the car running and driving. It will make your life easier finding a transport company to pick it up, and some shippers won't touch cars that they can't drive onto the ship. If a car has been in storage a long time, ask the seller if he could recommend a local mechanic who could come out, put some fresh petrol in the car, charge the battery and get it going before the trucker picks it up.

IMPORTANT NOTE

There is one very important difference in trucking services that we feel you should be aware of. Some companies own and operate their own fleet of trucks. Although these companies are typically more expensive, they offer many advantages over those that don't. Most important is that they accept full liability for your vehicle whilst it is in their possession. It's usually insured and a 'damage report' (similar to the one used when you rent a truck or car) is completed and signed off on by you at the time of pick up and delivery of your car.

Some companies simply act like 'travel agents'. They arrange 'passage' for your car on a transporter that is going in the direction of where you want your car to end up. This sometimes can mean that your car is loaded and off-loaded several times onto different transporters to get it where you want it to go. Naturally, the more people that handle the car, the greater the chance of it getting damaged. When it does arrive at it's destination with a dent that wasn't there when you last saw it, whom do blame? With so many people involved, one points the finger at the other and so on, leaving you with a major headache and no one to accept liability.

The bottom line is use your discretion, and ask questions. It's very easy to be 'penny wise and pound foolish' with trucking companies. If the car has a few dings and dents in it anyway, go for the cheapest method. However, if your car is 'dent-free', spend the extra bucks and either take out an insurance policy that covers damage to the car whilst in transit, or use one of the companies that have their own trucks and are willing to cough up for any damage to the car that happens whilst it's in their care.

United States of America
Passport Transport 37 Progress Parkway Saint Louis, Missouri 63043 Tel: 314 878 5777 Fax: 314 878 7295	Reliable Carriers 41555 Koppernick Rd. Canton MI 48187 USA Tel: 734 453 6677 Fax: 734 433 8609
Teeter Auto Transport, Inc 7545 Main Street Ralston, NE 68127 Tel: 402 933 3618 Fax: 402 339 1185	InterCity Lines Inc. 552 Old West Brookfield Road Warren, MA. 01083 Tel: 413 436 9511 Fax: 413 436 9422
National Auto Transport, Inc. P.O. Box 630850 Miami, Florida 33163 Fax: 305 945 5532	1A Auto Movers 1245 West Guadalupe Rd. SuiteB6 253 Mesa, AR 85202 Tel: 480 664 2238 Fax: 480 664 0207
Newman International Transport 101 East Kennedy Blvd, Suite 4050 Tampa, FL 33602 USA Tel: 813 221 5000 Fax: 813 224 9219	American Freight Services 19 Wyer Street Weyers Cave, VA 24486 Tel: 540 234 9280 Fax: 540 234 0103
All American Auto Transport 7514 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 4050 Bethesda MD 20814 Tel: 800 942 0001 Fax:301 215 9215	Exotic Car Transport 880-C Maguire Road Ocoee, FL 34761 USA Tel: 407 654 9949 Fax:407 654 9951
Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS) 9208 Forney Road Dallas, TX 75227 USA Tel: 214 381 0181 Fax: 214 275 5165	Horseless Carriage Carriers 61 Iowa Avenue Paterson, NJ 07503 USA Tel: 973 742 2692 Fax: 973 742 8369
Weber Transports, Inc. 901 S. Custer #1 Weatherford, OK 73096 Tel: 580-772-5224 Fax: 580-774-2089	D&G Auto Transport 5514 Gaston Road Eunice, MO 65468 USA Tel: 417 932 521 Fax: 417 932 4264
A AAAdvantage Auto Transport Inc. 8290 South Hardy Drive Tempe, AZ 85284 Tel: 480 753 9000 Fax: 480 753 0765	Thomas C. Sunday P.O. Box 217 New Kingstown, PA 17072 USA Tel: 717 697 0939 Fax: 717 697 0727
Autobahn USA 12799 Archer Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439 Tel: 630 257 1184 Fax: 630 257 1865	Blue Highways P.O. Box 443, 1536 Highway 14 Knoxville, Iowa 50138 Tel: 641-828-7290 Fax: 641-828-2050
Canada
Mackie Moving Systems 933 Bloor St W Oshawa, Ontario CL1J 5Y7 Canada Tell: 416-222-2266 Fax: 905-579-3180	L.Hansen's Forwarding Ltd. 105 Nashdene Road Scarborough, Ontario M1V 2W2 Canada Tel: 416 293 9135 Fax: 416 293 1604
Rail-A-Car 200 Waterfront Drive, Suite 201 Bedford, Nova Scotia B4A 4J4, Canada Tel: 902 832 1250	TFX International 12 Stoffel Drive, Toronto, ON. Canada. M9W 1A8 Tel: 416 243 8531 Fax: 416 243 8886
United Kingdom
CarTrans Bleak Cottages Knighton Street, North Wingfield, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S42 5JA Tel: 01246 857269	Vehicle Removals Guinea Street Bristol BS1 6SY England Tel: 0800 298 9045