Customer Reviews

Tips for Buying a Car from Out of State

Posted on 07/30/2021

Jump to:
Get a report about the car’s history
Hire someone to do the prepurchase inspection
What you need to know
The benefit of shipping your car
Conclusion
 
out-of-state-car-shipping

 

Get a report about the car’s history

 
The first thing you should do when buying a car from out of state is get on CarFax and download the report on the specific vehicle that you are buying.
 
The CarFax report will let you know if any of the following has happened to the car in question:
 

  • Accidents
  • Mileage rollback
  • Multiple owners
  • Flood damage
  • Hail damage
  • Much more…

 

Hire someone to do the prepurchase inspection

 
Unless you want to travel all the way to another state you will want to hire someone to do a prepurchase car inspection for you. You can hire someone off of a site like craigstlist or you can use on-demand car inspection services like WeGoLook.
 
The prepurchase inspection is crucial to verifying everything you read and saw in the car’s history report. This is definitely one area where you do not want to take the previous owner’s word for it.
 

What you need to know

 
There are a few things you should know about before you buy a car from out of state:
 
Taxes – There will be applicable state taxes to consider when buying a car from out of state. The tax you will incur is sales tax. Sales tax is between six and ten percent in most states. Prepare for ten percent, this way you will be ready to incur the sales tax from any state.
 
Some states do not have a sales tax. You can see each state’s particular sales tax rate here.
 
Emissions – Make sure that the vehicle you are purchasing meets the emissions standards of the state that you are shipping it to, especially in California. If you do not, your car might not pass inspection thus you won’t be able to drive it.
 
Insurance – You will want to work out the insurance before you receive your car. This way you can start driving as soon as it arrives.
 
Title Transfer – Do not forget to take care of the title transfer. If you are buying from a private seller you will need to take care of all the paperwork and any trips to the DMV. You can get this process started by visiting your particular state’s DMV website. You can find your state’s DMV site here.
 
VIN – Certain states require that you verify the Vehicle Identification Number. The states that do not require this are Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, and South Dakota.
 
You can get the required form for this here.
 

The benefit of shipping your car

 
When you go through all the effort of avoiding any trips to inspect the car yourself, you likely will not want to go pick it up and drive it home either. Even if you did venture out of state to give your new ride a look, you probably will not want to get on a plane or train and then drive your new car all the way home.
 
First, you should consider the fact that you will be putting hundreds or even thousands of miles on the vehicle right off the bat. Mileage equals depreciation in terms of any potential future resale value. If it is a new car then the depreciation is much steeper at first. You’ve probably heard that once you drive a new car off of the lot the value instantly decreases. Well, that is the truth, and the rate of depreciation remains high for the first several thousand miles you drive it, so you would be lowering the value of the car considerably just by getting it home.
 
You also need to consider the cost of going to get your car versus shipping it. When you go get your car, you will need to rent a car and drive there or take a train or plane there. You will also likely need to stay a night in a hotel unless you plan on crushing coffees and driving back in the new car immediately as you arrive. There is also the cost of gas you will incur driving back. You could also face an economic concept known as opportunity cost. This is when you lose an opportunity for something at the cost of doing another. In our case opportunity cost would be taking time off from work to get your new car , whereas if you shipped it you would not miss out on either getting paid or saving paid days off.
 
As an example, let’s say you live in New York, New York and you bought a car that you found online from Miami, Florida. At the time this is being written (July 2021) a one-way plane ticket would cost at least $100. The fuel cost using an average sedan and current gas prices would be about $180 for the trip back. The cost of a hotel room in Miami would be at least $130.
 
Now consider the depreciation of the vehicle due to the trip home. On average, a new car’s value will drop between $5,000 and $10,000 after three thousand miles driven. The trip from Miami back to New York will be about 1300 miles. So, let’s take $5,000 and say the depreciation is 40% of that which would equal, at minimum, $2,000. For a used car, the depreciation will be less, but it will depend on how many miles were already put on the vehicle. So, let’s say in the case of a used car there will be $800 in depreciation for the trip. The total cost for driving a used car home would be $1,210 . For a new car it would be $2,410 . A quote from RoadRunner using all of the same information and waiting a week reveals that it would cost $1,195 to ship the same car home. Don’t forget, when you ship your car, you also save big on the time and energy it will take to get your car home yourself.
 

Conclusion

 
There is definitely some extra work involved in buying a car from another state , but if you follow this guide, you will be just fine. Once you do your due diligence and buy the car, you should really ship it rather than trying to drive it home or haul it home yourself. Let RoadRunner Auto Transport take care of this for you so you have one less thing to worry about.

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Tips for Buying a Car from Out of State

Posted on 07/30/2021

Jump to:
Get a report about the car’s history
Hire someone to do the prepurchase inspection
What you need to know
The benefit of shipping your car
Conclusion
 
out-of-state-car-shipping

 

Get a report about the car’s history

 
The first thing you should do when buying a car from out of state is get on CarFax and download the report on the specific vehicle that you are buying.
 
The CarFax report will let you know if any of the following has happened to the car in question:
 

  • Accidents
  • Mileage rollback
  • Multiple owners
  • Flood damage
  • Hail damage
  • Much more…

 

Hire someone to do the prepurchase inspection

 
Unless you want to travel all the way to another state you will want to hire someone to do a prepurchase car inspection for you. You can hire someone off of a site like craigstlist or you can use on-demand car inspection services like WeGoLook.
 
The prepurchase inspection is crucial to verifying everything you read and saw in the car’s history report. This is definitely one area where you do not want to take the previous owner’s word for it.
 

What you need to know

 
There are a few things you should know about before you buy a car from out of state:
 
Taxes – There will be applicable state taxes to consider when buying a car from out of state. The tax you will incur is sales tax. Sales tax is between six and ten percent in most states. Prepare for ten percent, this way you will be ready to incur the sales tax from any state.
 
Some states do not have a sales tax. You can see each state’s particular sales tax rate here.
 
Emissions – Make sure that the vehicle you are purchasing meets the emissions standards of the state that you are shipping it to, especially in California. If you do not, your car might not pass inspection thus you won’t be able to drive it.
 
Insurance – You will want to work out the insurance before you receive your car. This way you can start driving as soon as it arrives.
 
Title Transfer – Do not forget to take care of the title transfer. If you are buying from a private seller you will need to take care of all the paperwork and any trips to the DMV. You can get this process started by visiting your particular state’s DMV website. You can find your state’s DMV site here.
 
VIN – Certain states require that you verify the Vehicle Identification Number. The states that do not require this are Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, and South Dakota.
 
You can get the required form for this here.
 

The benefit of shipping your car

 
When you go through all the effort of avoiding any trips to inspect the car yourself, you likely will not want to go pick it up and drive it home either. Even if you did venture out of state to give your new ride a look, you probably will not want to get on a plane or train and then drive your new car all the way home.
 
First, you should consider the fact that you will be putting hundreds or even thousands of miles on the vehicle right off the bat. Mileage equals depreciation in terms of any potential future resale value. If it is a new car then the depreciation is much steeper at first. You’ve probably heard that once you drive a new car off of the lot the value instantly decreases. Well, that is the truth, and the rate of depreciation remains high for the first several thousand miles you drive it, so you would be lowering the value of the car considerably just by getting it home.
 
You also need to consider the cost of going to get your car versus shipping it. When you go get your car, you will need to rent a car and drive there or take a train or plane there. You will also likely need to stay a night in a hotel unless you plan on crushing coffees and driving back in the new car immediately as you arrive. There is also the cost of gas you will incur driving back. You could also face an economic concept known as opportunity cost. This is when you lose an opportunity for something at the cost of doing another. In our case opportunity cost would be taking time off from work to get your new car , whereas if you shipped it you would not miss out on either getting paid or saving paid days off.
 
As an example, let’s say you live in New York, New York and you bought a car that you found online from Miami, Florida. At the time this is being written (July 2021) a one-way plane ticket would cost at least $100. The fuel cost using an average sedan and current gas prices would be about $180 for the trip back. The cost of a hotel room in Miami would be at least $130.
 
Now consider the depreciation of the vehicle due to the trip home. On average, a new car’s value will drop between $5,000 and $10,000 after three thousand miles driven. The trip from Miami back to New York will be about 1300 miles. So, let’s take $5,000 and say the depreciation is 40% of that which would equal, at minimum, $2,000. For a used car, the depreciation will be less, but it will depend on how many miles were already put on the vehicle. So, let’s say in the case of a used car there will be $800 in depreciation for the trip. The total cost for driving a used car home would be $1,210 . For a new car it would be $2,410 . A quote from RoadRunner using all of the same information and waiting a week reveals that it would cost $1,195 to ship the same car home. Don’t forget, when you ship your car, you also save big on the time and energy it will take to get your car home yourself.
 

Conclusion

 
There is definitely some extra work involved in buying a car from another state , but if you follow this guide, you will be just fine. Once you do your due diligence and buy the car, you should really ship it rather than trying to drive it home or haul it home yourself. Let RoadRunner Auto Transport take care of this for you so you have one less thing to worry about.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the vehicle shipping process.


When determining your car shipping cost, there are a few factors that we take into account in order to provide you with an accurate price quote. The mileage between the origin and destination is the biggest factor that contributes to your total rate. In addition to the distance of your relocation, another factor is the type and condition of the vehicle being shipped. The final factor is the date that your vehicle will be ready for transport. There are also additional options, such as enclosed carrier and top-load service that can be added to your shipment at the time of booking for a higher level of service. Read more about how much it costs to ship a car.

To get a quote for shipping your vehicle, you can either use our instant online car shipping quote calculator or you can call (888) 422-7584 to receive a quote from one of our car transport pricing specialists. In order for us to calculate your quote we will need to know the location you are shipping from and to, the type of vehicle you would like to ship, and the date your vehicle will be ready.

The transit time for your shipment is based mostly on the mileage between the pickup and delivery location. Generally, every five hundred miles will add one day to the transit time - so for a 1,000 mile transport, the transit time would be 2-3 days. Check out our estimated transit times for a detailed view of approximate delivery times.

Yes, online tracking is available to you 24 hours a day and is updated in real time. Upon scheduling your shipment, you will receive a unique booking number that will allow you to track the status of your shipment online. Your tracking portal will also give you the ability to live chat with a shipping agent that can answer any questions you may have regarding the status of your shipment.

All shipments include basic liability coverage during transit. Comprehensive insurance options are available for an elevated level of shipment coverage during transit. You will be able to select a level of coverage during the booking process. If you have further questions regarding insurance options give us a call.

We accept all major credit cards, electronic transfer, postal money order, and bank/certified check for the deposit or full pre-payment of your shipment. If a balance is due upon delivery, it can be paid directly to the driver and can be paid in either cash, bank/certified check, or postal money order.

Yes, there must be someone present to release and accept the vehicle, provide keys to the driver and sign the initial and final inspection reports. This person can be anyone over the age of 18 that you trust with releasing or accepting your vehicle.

You may transport personal belongings in your car, as long as their total weight does not exceed 100 pounds and they are stored in the trunk or back seat (below the window line). Please keep in mind that personal belongings are not covered by insurance if they are reported as damaged or missing.

To get a quote for shipping your vehicle, you can either use our instant online car shipping quote calculator above or you can call (888) 422-7584 to receive a quote from one of our car transport pricing specialists. In order for us to calculate your quote we will need to know the location you are shipping from and to, the type of vehicle you would like to ship, and the date your vehicle will be ready.

The further in advance you schedule your shipment, the more likely we will be able to meet the time requirements you desire. For best results, we suggest scheduling your transport at least 2 to 3 weeks in advance. Expedited shipping options are available in order to accomodate shipments that require . You can always give us a call and ask one of our car shipping experts what your options are in terms of the schedule for your car transport.

The driver will get the car transporter as close to your door as he can legally and safely get. In most cases, the driver will be able to pickup and deliver directly at your door. Some cities may have restrictions on large trucks that prohibit them from driving into residential areas. Auto transport trucks are large and need lots of room to maneuver and turn around, so if access to the pickup or delivery location is restricted by narrow streets, low-hanging trees or tight turns, the driver may ask that you meet at a location nearby with a large parking lot, such as a grocery store.

Open transport is the most common car shipping method. There are two types of open-air transporters. The Majority of shipments are be made with 8-10 car carriers. Smaller carriers which hold 2-3 cars are used for shorter more local moves. There is broader network of carrier availability for open-air carriers since they are used more often. We suggest choosing enclosed shipping methods when shipping classic, luxury or exotic vehicles. Enclosed transporters guarantee maximum protection from exposure to any open-air elements on the road. We suggest booking your enclosed transport in advance since there is limited carrier availability. Read more about the difference between open and enclosed transport

RoadRunner Auto Transport specializes in shipping all types of vehicles such as sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, minivans, oversized vehicles, antiques, classic cars, motorcycles, construction vehicles, inoperable cars and boats. If you are not sure whether or not we can ship your vehicle, you can give us a call to find out what we can do for you.

You should have about a quarter of a tank of gas in your car at the time of shipment. This leaves enough for the car to be loaded and unloaded but doesn't add much additional weight.

The Bill of Lading is a very important document used by car shipping companies that documents any pre-existing damage on the vehicle during the time of pickup. It also serves as a record of your contact info and the official agreement for transport. If you want to file any insurance claim regarding your shipment you will need the Bill of Lading.

Top load service is when your car is placed on the higher deck or level of an open auto transport trailer. This is considered to be preferable to the bottom load because the cars on the lower deck are at risk of possibly having fluid from the cars above leak on them.

Make sure your car has been completely cleaned, both inside and outside. This is particularly important because this will help the driver conduct their inspection in order to assess any pre-existing damage on your vehicle. You will also want to make there are no additional personal items in the vehicle unless you intend to ship those with the vehicle (remember those items must total less than 100 pounds combined and be kept below the window-line of the vehicle). Be sure to inform the driver of any special circumstances concerning the vehicle. Finally, make sure there is a quarter tank of gas in the car at the time it is picked up for shipment. Visit our car shipping checklist to make sure you are prepared for your vehicle shipment.

Yes, we can ship vehicles that are in non-running/inoperable condition. When inoperable cars are shipped, a special auto carrier is required that makes use of a winch which is connected to your car and slowly and safely pulls your vehicle onto the carrier. There is an additional fee for inpoerable vehicles because of the special equipment and extra work involved with securing the vehicle onto the transporter. You can select the inoperable option on the online booking form or inform your shipping agent if you make your reservation by phone so that the proper arrangements can be made to accomodate a non-running vehicle.

We offer open car shipping and enclosed car shipping services. Open car shipping is used much more frequently and is the type of auto transport that you see on the highway where carriers are hauling vehicles on two decks that are exposed. Enclosed car shipping is when your vehicle is shipped in a trailer which has walls and a roof, they look like a larger version of a regular eighteen-wheeler. This method is recommended for luxury, exotic or classic cars.

Door-to-door car transport is the full service delivery of your vehicle directly from the door at the pickup location to the door at the delivery location. Our drivers do their best to get as close as physically and legally possible to the pickup and delivery locations, but in certain instances there may be restrictions preventing them from being able to safely reach your door. Our transporters need ample space to maneuver and load/unload your vehicle. If your street is too narrow, or if there are hazards such as low lining trees or power lines, drivers may ask that you meet them at a location nearby where they can safely load or unload your vehicle, such as a large parking lot or shopping center nearby.