Interstate Car Transport - Would you truck or rail?

[jai]

Gday folks, I have to send my car from Perth to Darwin as I have sold it to a gentleman up there. At the moment truckies are ranging anywhere between $1500 and $3800, and train is $1550. Each has their pros and cons, however most trucking companies are quoting 10-15 days whereas the train is 5. Also the train offers me unlimited in-car storage, which is handy as I want to ship a whole bunch of parts with the car (standard bits Ive upgraded). Majority of the truckies won't take anything but an empty car. I offered vehicle transport as part of the sale so it all comes out of my margins the higher I pay. End of the day I only care about A to B, however I do also want to minimise risk of damage. Up to the seller to have adequate insurances for transport. Basically I want it gone as cheaply as possible :)

Any advice or stories you can share?

thanks!

[jc_sv8]

Buy him a 1 way ticket and get him to pick it up in person. It would be a great drive home for him to get used to the car!

[ryno]

If both are transported in the open ie not a closed container than the risk of damage from stones and other elements is probably similar.

From a truck perspective there is always a chance that he car could be unloaded and transferred to a different trailer to reach its final destination. I think train is basically load and unload at the end destination. This reduces the risk of damage as its one less vehicle movement.

I work in a role where our vehicles are regularly trucked all over WA and can't say that many problems have come of it. You get the odd bump and scrape but that's what insurance is for.

I think if the train is the cheapest, allows you to put gear in the vehicle then I would choose train. Just make sure the other guy knows to take out insurance or at least get him to acknowledge that if he chooses not to take insurance that you will not be held liable.

[GR346]

One company I found that transported both vehicle and goods were Trade Car Transport - I would highly recommend you dont go with them unless you want your car lost in transit then arrive 2 weeks later damaged...

Toll would be a group I would use, have had a few mates move cars and bikes round with them and have had nothing but praise for the whole operation. The only downside is the car needs to be empty...

[boggers007]

When my car got sold to a guy in Canberra he opted for the Truck route, From my understanding it arrived 7days later without a scratch. What ever option you go make sure you take a shed load of pics of the car as you dropped it off and send off to the owner for inspection at his end.

[Tom333]

Wouldn't this be the buyer's issue to deal with? You sold the car, up to them to get it home.

[jai]

As I said part of the deal was I'd pay and organise the delivery of the car.


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[Tom333]

As I said part of the deal was I'd pay and organise the delivery of the car.


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Choose the cheapest method then. If it gets damaged in transit, not your prob.

[Hos]

Are you selling your SS? Or something else?

Given the distance being covered, I'd think rail would be the safer option, and that allows you to ship it loaded with parts. But as others have said, use whatever is cheapest for you, and the onus is on the buyer to insure it.

On another note, I'm assuming you have had the funds for the car sent to you in a safe and irreversible form?

[jai]

Yep I was paid cash for the ss and the car should be in the new owners name this week. I had to remind the owner to get insurance too lol. I think train... Let's hope it gets a lower position on the carriage. I have to get the suspension raised too.

Cheers guys!

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[mac06]

The only thing to remember about the train is that there is a possibility of getting rail dust on the car. Not a big thing but it will need to be washed off and a clay bar used to get the paintwork back up to scratch. The rail dust basically sticks to the paint and rusts, forming small rust spots that need to be removed with the clay bar. I'd still use the train though.

[spudmo]

Rail dust? Never Heard of it.

There is brake dust but as all wagon's and loco's run composite Brake shoes it just hoses off.
Car would probable be in a container or enclosed wagon not open air so " Rail Dust" won't be a problem.

[jai]

I think cars that go on the great southern rail trains are open air I think


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[GKW]

I'd opt for the closed in container or truck option over the train.

Personally, I'd avoid using the train given it exposes the car to the elements, dust, sand etc. Also, you need to have a minimum 13cm ground clearance to put your car on the train. http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/travelinfo/motorail/unaccompanied_motorail.jsp

If you had a few days to do it, I'd suggest you drive it up and fly back. Cheapest option and a few days on the road if you can spare the time.

[jai]

Ive done the maths... 4042km to Darwin from Perth. I would need 8.3 tanks of juice to do that, at $115 a tank thats about $1000. Flight back about $3-400. So 5 days driving for $150... no thanks :) Also where am I sleeping? The car? LOL good one

I am winding up the coilovers anyways. Most truck mobs want 15cm...

New owner is happy with the train option.

[motorin on]

I heard in the past that cars on the Indian Pacific have been broken into during stop-over's,so insurance is probably a must have

[185iboy]

Would rather train or an enclosed container. I used to see a truckies unload a car at my work and take it for a bash up the street before bringing it in. Takes one thing to go wrong and you're farked.

[GKW]

Ive done the maths... 4042km to Darwin from Perth. I would need 8.3 tanks of juice to do that, at $115 a tank thats about $1000. Flight back about $3-400. So 5 days driving for $150... no thanks :) Also where am I sleeping? The car? LOL good one

I am winding up the coilovers anyways. Most truck mobs want 15cm...

New owner is happy with the train option.

Fair enough. Fuel is pricey so I'm expecting a hellva bill for my Darwin to Perth road trip next month.

Wonder if the new owner had seen this from Jan 2011?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fep04QwWnHU

[oncechased]

Hi mate,

I recently had to ship a car from kalgoorlie to perth and was astounded with pricing quoted by car transporters.

I read a review for car runner http://carrunners.com.au/ and dealt with a lady named Wendy, she shipped my car at around 1.5 grand cheaper than what i was quoted by CEVA.

give her a bell and see what she can do for you.

[jai]

Great news... today was departure day for the car and I had raised her up sufficiently... however to my dismay the bloody car was too wide! Goodbye $1500 motorrail ticket and I am still stuck with the car. The kind folks loading the car said "these new commodores with this bulges in the front only just fit, no way with fancy wheels"... err hello Great Southern Rail ... these cars arent new, theyre like 70 years old now... and how about widening your 1970's spec ramp widths. I saw a VE Calais load and it would have had maybe 10mm either side of its tyres to pinball its way along the carriage guides. Total joke. Fail blog today

[Nutter]

That's a hard hit mate, no chance of a refund?

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[jai]

Nah mate. I only read on their main T&C's that cars have to be 2.2m wide or less, so I thought sweet as. Turns out the outer track can only be a maximum of 1890mm, my SS is 1950mm. So I loose :(


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[EL2]

Damn jai.

Roadtrip now???

[jai]

Not I... but the owner could still fly from darwin to perth and trek 2500km to Radelaide to get it on the Ghan by midday Wednesday... after dropping by his local holmart to pickup a cheap set of VE Redline rims lol. Piiigs are flying haha