Ask Carl the Auto Shipping Expert

You got car transport Questions, Carl's got the answers.

Q. Does it make sense for me to ship my vehicle a 94 Nissan pickup truck to San Diego From Seattle or should I just try to buy a similar truck when I arrive? I doubt the blue book value is over $1,800 and I have received quotes for Shipping that are about half that.

A. Although car shipping is expensive over short distances, if you decide to drive to San Diego it could cost you more. This is because besides fuel, food and lodging, your vehicle could break down or be stolen from out in front of your hotel. But given the choice between driving and selling and buying a similar vehicle, I would choose driving. This is because you know your own vehicles history, any truck you buy may not live up to the ownership experience you have had with your truck. The reason for this is simple, there is a reason they are selling their vehicle. You can never be sure what that reason is. Here in America there are con artists who make their living by selling cars that they buy dirt cheap. They answer adds that marry low price with a know major defect like oil leak or faulty transmission. They then sell the car for top dollar to someone who does not suspect that this defect exists. At least if you ship your truck you will know both its history and its condition. The only other consideration is how long you plan on being in San Diego. You can usually rent a pickup vehicle for about $300-$400 a week. Also if you were planning on buying a new pickup in the next year or two, it might make sense to buy it now when you get to San Diego.