So, you’ve finally been able to buy your dream car off of Craigslist. You found a trusted seller, checked the condition of the vehicle, and completed all of the paperwork to make it your own. There’s just one problem – it’s still sitting in the old owner’s driveway.
How can you ship the car you bought off Craigslist and get it home so that you can start driving it? That’s a great question, and in this article from Resident Weekly, we’ll go over your top options for shipping a car you’ve purchased from Craigslist, but have not yet picked up.
1. Go Pick It Up Yourself & Drive It Home
This is the simplest option, and it may be a good choice if you don’t live too far from where you purchased your vehicle. All you have to do is show up to the seller’s house to take physical possession of the vehicle, and drive it home. There are a few ways you may be able to do this, depending on where you are and the amount of time you have to pick up your car.
● Drive there with a friend or family member – If you’re just a few hundred miles away, you may be able to drive there with a friend or family member, either in their car or in another one of your cars. Then, you’ll pick up your new car and drive it home, and your friend or family member will drive the other vehicle back home.
● Take the train or bus – This depends on where you live in the US, but if your car is not too far away, it may be practical to simply take a train service like Amtrak or a bus service like MegaBus or a Greyhound bus to its location, pick it up, and drive it home. Note that this will likely take a lot longer compared to driving to pick up your car.
● Fly to the area & drive home – This is the best option if you’re short on time, or your car is located across the country. This is an expensive option, to be sure, but definitely faster than driving or taking the train or bus. However, you will still need to plan to take time off from work to drive home if the car is located across the country.
Of course, this also assumes that the car is operable and/or reliable. If you’re buying an older car that you think will need some work and maintenance, it may not be a good idea to drive it home – particularly if you are driving a few hundred miles or more.
You could end up stranded in the middle of nowhere, or damaging your new purchase because it had a hidden mechanical issue, such as a worn-out timing belt. Consider this carefully before you commit to picking up the car yourself.
2. Rent A Truck And/Or A Car Trailer & Drive To Pick It Up
This may be a good option for picking up a car that’s located in your city or state, or in a nearby state. You can rent a truck and a car trailer from a company like U-Haul, and then drive to the location of the car you bought off Craigslist, load it up, and head home.
If you have a friend who has a truck, you can save some money by borrowing it and simply renting a trailer. This is definitely an affordable way to move a car that may need some mechanical work.
3. Hire A Professional Auto Transport Carrier For The Job
If you want to avoid the stress of picking up your car yourself or are short on time, you should definitely hire a professional like A1AutoTransport.com. With a professional auto transport carrier, you won’t have to lift a finger during the entire process.
Instead, you’ll contact the car shipper with information about the location of the car you bought off Craigslist, your home address, your time-frame for delivery, and other details. Then, you’ll get a quote.
Accept your quote and sign the paperwork, and a car transport truck will be sent directly to the location of your vehicle. Then, it will be picked up, shipped, and delivered to your door – it’s just that simple.
Consider These Options After Buying A Car On Craigslist!
Going to pick up a car yourself or renting a truck and trailer can be a way to save some money, but the process will likely take a lot of time, so if your time is at a premium, it’s often best to hire a professional auto transport carrier.
Depending on your own situation, though, any of the above suggestions may be a good option for shipping the car you bought off Craigslist – so take another look now, and start thinking about the best method for your needs.
