A large annual car show is coming up and you cannot wait to showcase that classic car you’ve been working on for months. There’s only one problem —the show doesn’t take place in your home town. You could transport your car to the show through either one of three ways: hauling, shipping or driving. The method that’ll be most appropriate depends on a number of factors. We look at the main ones below.
Distance
Distance is perhaps the most important thing to bear in mind. To accurately calculate distance, ignore the straight line distance and instead focus on the actual length of road you have to cover to get to your destination. Take a deeper look at the route and study the road conditions, topography, roadside amenities and traffic patterns.
With a clear picture on how far you’ll drive and what conditions to expect, you’ll be in a good position to determine how long the journey will take and how much fuel is needed. You can then compare these driving costs to the cost of hauling or shipping the car.
Safety
A classic car is a precious and relatively rare work of engineering. It’s the reason you are looking forward to display it at a car show. The safety of the car should therefore feature high up on your list of considerations when getting your baby to the show.
Driving long distances will exert great strain on the car including wear and tear, extreme weather and fender benders. Maintenance and repair costs for a classic car are fairly high. Long driving will only exacerbate these costs. There’s also the danger of auto theft.
It may therefore be prudent to contract a shipping company who’ll not only ensure your car is barely driven but also takes charge of securing the vehicle in transit.
Time
How long will driving to the show take you? The time it takes may vary from a couple of hours to a nearby city, to a couple of days if driving coast to coast across the contiguous USA. For a trip that takes a couple of days, you have to factor the cost of accommodation too if you will not be accompanied by someone else with whom you can rotate driving shifts.
It may be difficult to assign a specific cost to the time it takes to cover the journey. You should look at it in terms of opportunity cost and driving fatigue. For example, the realities of work may make it difficult for you to spend so much time on the road. Such hours and days could be better spent addressing a more urgent commitment.
Convenience
Do you remember the last time you moved homes without the help of a moving company? The physical and mental fatigue you experienced is probably one you are unlikely to forget. It’s not too different when it comes to shipping a classic car.
A classic car is not something you can replace by simply walking to your local dealer and getting the exact same model. Not only is the car out of production but years of use have given it a unique character. Moving such a precious possession can be nerve-wracking when you think about all that could go wrong.
If you want someone else to handle that headache, contracting a shipping or hauling firm may be the smart thing to do.
Before you decide how to get your car to a classic car show, think about the above factors.
