I would suggest opting for top position in an enclosed trailer for a new car. Top position is more critical because the odds are very good if you are under an old car which is tilted at an odd angle you will get dripped on from something.

I had my '64 220Sb shipped out from California that way and it arrived fine, but I realized when I got it that it had a leaky clutch slave cylinder so the cheapskate who didn't pay extra $$$ to be on top surely got some brake fluid on his car...you don't want to be there, especially not in a brand spanking new Benz.

So, in conclusion I guess I would say top position is even more important than the enclosed trailer part.

DAS moved mine and I have no complaints about them. Even though it sat on the other side of the country for over a week, it still arrived by their estimated arrival date, and with them you can track the car's progress every step of the way online.

Another tip would be to contact the depot directly if you want door to door service. Most shippers use towing companies as depots or holding yards so that's where the cars are dropped off from and picked up at. If you want the car delivered to your door or picked up from a seller just call the depot directly and arrange it with them rather than pay the shipper a premium to do it for you. In know if the case of DAS they publish the name and address of the depot nearest both ends of the trip on their site when you get a quote, just google them and call them. In my case is saved about $300 over what DAS wanted for door to door service and I was sure I got what I wanted (flatebed service on both ends).

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Depends on the car. If they body is in okay shape, then open trailer. If the body is beautiful, the closed. If the car is brand new, the closed trailer unless it's being carted only a few hours, in which case a single-car flatbed will do.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

All -

Thanks for the input. The car is a brand new E-class CDI. It's going to be driven through Michigan winters, so it will get very, very dirty in a few months. Enclosed transport seems overkill. But the point about being up top is a good one, I'll pass it on.

- JimY

Lots of good points bought up here. One more thing to consider though. Every spring I get a few dozen cars delivered from their winter homes in Florida to the dealership I work at in N.J. On several occasions I've seen cars arrive with rear suspension damage. A few had bent links, a few had broken links. The damage occurred at the points where the vehicle was tied down. They all made the trip at the rear of the hauler. I started calling it the "diving board" effect. When the hauler had a few good bounces, the rear probably went up and down a few feet. The haulers that use chain wrapped around the rear links are the ones most likely to cause damage. Either find a hauler that doesn't use chain, or request that the vehicle ride up front.