Cheaper to ship car than drive - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

300sdToronto · #1 09-26-2008, 09:06 AM

I will have the opportunity to drive my 300SD from Toronto to Vernon, BC later this year as part of a long-term work assignment. I decided to look into the cost of driving vs shipping and with today's fuel prices it's quite a surprise

All costs below in $Canadian.

Cost of shipping on CP Rail, enclosed rail car, inc. insurance from Toronto to Vancouver & taxes $995

Cost to drive

Distance 2,597 miles

Fuel cost at est. 27 mpg gives 96 US gal or 364 Litres. Cost of diesel at 1.29 per litre is $469.

Accomodation - est avg speed of 55 mph (portions of road are 2 lane) $400 for 4 nights in sleazy motels

Food and incidentals at $60/day total $240

Estimated cost to drive $1109 plus 47 hours stuck behind the wheel on my own!

I am already leaning towards shipping - plus I don't have to drive the north shore of Lake Superior in late November!

TX76513 · #2 09-26-2008, 09:17 AM

If you ship car don't forget about cost to get you to BC.

300sdToronto · #3 09-26-2008, 09:49 AM

I have more airmiles than I know what to do with thanks to my job these days...

85300DT · #4 09-26-2008, 10:09 AM

$995 is a good deal. Driving through the prairies is real dull. The only nice bit is when you get into BC.

rrgrassi · #5 09-26-2008, 10:18 AM

CP is a much safer choice than CN, based on derailment and other accident data...plus is diesel electric hauling a diesel!

Actros617 · #6 09-26-2008, 10:40 AM

If you can live in your car you can save that $400, besides shipping a car is going to be very costy...

pawoSD · #7 09-26-2008, 10:43 AM

I love driving by Lake Superior. I'd never trust a shipper with my car, its much more fun to drive.

At least to me it is. I've driven 15 hours essentially non-stop before.

From Lansing, MI to just south of Atlanta, GA.

All in one shot with one 35 min bathroom/food stop.

vstech · #8 09-26-2008, 10:49 AM

I fail to see why you would be paying 100.00 per night for "sleezy" hotel rooms... most are around 40/night. some are as low as 26/night... I guess it all depends on your definition of "sleezy" AND if you pack your own food, and pack a 12v cooler, you could cut your food costs down below 100 maybe below 40 if you eat cheap. ANNNND if you get a list of Biodiesel stops along the way, you can save some $$ on fuel to boot!

babymog · #9 09-26-2008, 10:56 AM

But there are other costs of driving.

I used to be asked about the economy of driving my 40,000lb diesel motorhome, whether it was cheaper than motels etc., it's not the money, it's the joy of driving and seeing everything in-between.

But in my weekly commute: 1500miles/week, I don't care to drive, I'd take the jet whenever it was avialable. Big difference commuting vs driving wherever I want.

I'd probably choose to drive if it were once, if a regular thing, skip the drive. All about what you enjoy.

bgkast · #10 09-26-2008, 11:04 AM

Shouldn't your company reimburse you for the travel expenses?

pawoSD · #11 09-26-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

I fail to see why you would be paying 100.00 per night for "sleezy" hotel rooms... most are around 40/night. some are as low as 26/night... I guess it all depends on your definition of "sleezy" AND if you pack your own food, and pack a 12v cooler, you could cut your food costs down below 100 maybe below 40 if you eat cheap. ANNNND if you get a list of Biodiesel stops along the way, you can save some $$ on fuel to boot!

Yeah really, I had a hotel room a couple months ago that was only $88 a night at Holiday Inn Express, it was very nice and comfortable, even had a fridge etc.... for $100 a night thats a pretty posh hotel room....I also agree on the food, bring your own or do stuff like the "sub of the day" at subway and such. Healthy and inexpensive. Ya just gotta learn to squeeze those $$ a little more.

Jeremy5848 · #12 09-26-2008, 12:00 PM

I agree with Ritchie, making that trip in late November is risky. It would be too easy to get stuck out on the prairies or in the Rockies in an early blizzard. Driving across Canada in high summer (even better, riding a BMW motorcycle

) is a great way to spend a vacation, when you can stop and enjoy the scenery. Driving just to get somewhere is another matter entirely, especially east to west, with weather much harder to predict. Cost differences aside, it's the safer choice.

Jeremy

300sdToronto · #13 09-26-2008, 12:35 PM

Actually I'd like to make the trip as I think it would be a wonderful experience. The question is whether I have the time to make the drive enjoyable rather than an endurance contest...

What surprised me was that the shipping cost was not much different to driving.

key risks of the trip

- a serious breakdown somewhere in the middle of no-where such as half-way between the Sault and Winnipeg, could be $$$$$
- totalling the car due to a freezing rain storm (my worst worry as it's the right time of year)

pawoSD · #14 09-26-2008, 12:44 PM

I suppose the weather is always a risk, but if it got bad I'd just stop and wait it out. I've even had to do that before driving here in MI. The road was so bad I essentially had no brakes! (freezing rain, super slick) I went off the freeway, via an exit (not crashing)

, and took back roads going about 20-25mph on a 55mph road....took nearly 3 hours to get home. Normally a 50 minute drive. Probably saved my car by doing that, I counted about 15 cars in the ditch prior to my decision to leave the freeway, everyone was pretending the road was dry, and were all crashing as a result. I was all by myself on the back roads...

iwrock · #15 09-26-2008, 12:45 PM

Roadtrips are pretty fun.

I drove this 25 hours straight from Texas to Sacramento.