I traveled across country a couple times using an Auto Drive Away service. The owner would drop off the car with a full tank, I'd get the keys from the service and put down $100 deposit. Then 6 days and 2500 miles later I'd drop the car off at the owner's place, empty of gas, and the owner paid my $100 deposit back.

I'm not sure what the service charged the owner.

One caution is on my East to West trip I spent some extra days touring Colorado. Crossed the Rockies and Continental Divide 6 times.

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1st MBz: 1982 300SD
2nd MBz: 1987 300SDL
3rd MBz: 1995 S420
4th MBz: 1987 190DT
5th MBz: 1984 300SD w/1983 300DT engine
6th MBz: 1999 C230k I'm 3rd owner, got it w/57,235 miles.
and manages Mom's 2007 R320 CDI

There are companies who will drive your car, as opposed to hauling it. I don't know the price difference. The one company is called Auto Driveaway. They get people who need to go from Point A to Point B. They have to use the car fairly direct; they can't use it for siteseeing, however if a trip should take 2 days, they don't mind people taking 3 days to make the trip, but not 4.

The driver gets the use of the car and the 1st tank of gas paid for by you. The driver's have to have a credit card, good credit, good driving record; they can't just be some low life's looking for a free ride, and they do not get paid. They don't want people driving cars because the need some fast cash. All they get, is the use of the car.

The company gets free employees. You could imagine the cost if they had hourly paid employees, and then had to fly them back after their trip. So hopefully it's a win-win-win situation all the way around, to where hopefully you save money over other options.

That's absurd. Thanks for the warning.

Hope it's not your only one...

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

What a disaster!

What are you paying DAS for the shipment for how many miles of cartage?

Cancel the deal and use these guys:

Enclosed trailer | white glove service | fully insured via Plycar Trucking www.plycongroup.com

It's not absurd - it's SOP for most carriers in the industry. Most have NO schedule for your goods. The wintry weather doesn't help matters, but it's winter every year......

When did this start happening? I didn't get the memo.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

According to the carriers, in December....

I'll try and see if I can speak to a manager on Monday; else I was also thinking of cancelling- wasted close to a month!! and it's gonna cost me rental, now- that sucks.
I'll check up on your suggestion; i did get a quote of $1300 from an actual truck owner (not just a broker). but he cannot pick up until the 19th. I figure at least that will be definite- though a bit pricey...

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1982 300D Turbo 3.0L 275K- sold
1992 300D Turbo 2.5L 300K
1997 Miata 115K
2004 Audi A4 Quattro 120K

I would suggest All America Auto Transport. Affordable and experienced service provider. I had a nice experience.

Went with DAS back in Sept to have my 300d shipped from Portland, OR to Cincinnati. $653 total, no hidden fees, terminal to terminal, and a couple days early. They must have driven thru one of those massive western bug storms and the car was full of smashed insects, but other than that, good experience. My sister had used them Denver to Portland as well.

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'82 240D automatic to manual (sold)
'84 300D (sold)
'12 MINI CooperS Coupe
'71 Triumph Stag
'76 MGB
'08 BMW 535XI wagon
'12 VW Golf TDI

I would have went with Montway in this case. They are cheap and reliable. Oh well, next time.

Well- it finally reached CA yesterday. Took them a month.
Originally, they would have taken from Michigan to their Chicago hub, and then consolidated with a shipment to CA. But I fought with them, and they agreed to take direct from MI to CA; with no transfer in between. So once they loaded from MI, reached CA in 4 days.
Reached in good condition- no damage or anything.
I am just bummed about the time it took them... Maybe give them a week's leeway because of the winter weather. But what the heck- life doesn't stop!!
Oh well- I am just glad it reached safe. I am out some rental $$ I had to fork out...

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1982 300D Turbo 3.0L 275K- sold
1992 300D Turbo 2.5L 300K
1997 Miata 115K
2004 Audi A4 Quattro 120K