moving from coast to coast

[detm78]

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Hi, is anyone moving from one coast to the other?
Do you plan to ship your things, drive cross-country? Just curious to see what others are planning.

I'm looking into shipping my car, and going UPS to ship some other things...

any advice for how to do this move painlessly?

 

[paean]

No great ideas, but I did look into shipping. Except for books, which I plan to ship through the US Postal Service (media rate, formally book rate, is very cheap) I will either use Amtrak or Greyhound's shipping services. While they are not door to door (you have to dropoff and pick up at a station) they are significantly cheaper than UPS or FedEx. I just ordered boxes online (I wanted clean boxes rather than the ones you can get for free from friends or the grocery store, and wanted to make sure they would hold up to shipping). After looking at several places, I ordered from <a href="http://www.uline.com" target="_blank">www.uline.com</a> They had the best prices, and although shipping is expensive because cardboard is heavy, the overall package was cheaper than the other 10 or so companies I checked. The companies that advertised free shipping just worked the price into the price of the boxes, and were more expensive overall.

 

[c33]

i'm planning on driving, along w/ all of my belongings, from CA to IL. I've also decided to make it a 16-day road trip with some friends. 😎

 

[EMTgirl]

I am also driving from CA to IL, but I have way too much stuff to fit in my tiny car. I have been out of school for four years so I have furniture and too many clothes, plus books and stuff. I looked into a few options. Renting a u-haul and towing my car behind it was way too expensive ($1300 not including fuel). I checked into two services that do the same thing: citytocity.com and helpumove.com. You basically pack your own stuff in their vehicle/container, and they move it for you and you unpack it. I got both of these references from people who have actually used these companies, so I am hoping they are not shady. Helpumove was the cheapest option for me. It is still $700 but at least I don't have to drive a huge uhaul, and I can drive out with a friend in a (relatively) short amount of time. I think those u-hauls max out at about 65 mph or something. anyway, just some info from my own research. good luck to everyone who is busy packing and shipping!!

 

[encee]

Just another consideration--about moving to another state:

Confirm that the bank you presently use is in the other state. I wrongfully assumed that Bank of America was all over the country, and when I moved across the US 2 years ago, I had to open a new account at a new bank, and transfer stuff over--which can take time!

 

[The Fly]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by encee:
•Just another consideration--about moving to another state:

Confirm that the bank you presently use is in the other state. I wrongfully assumed that Bank of America was all over the country, and when I moved across the US 2 years ago, I had to open a new account at a new bank, and transfer stuff over--which can take time!•••••Excellent point!

Despite my efforts to locate a engine that lets you determine which banks are where, I couldn't.

Citibank has branches in CA and the northeast and Fleet is all over the east coast (from maine to FL).

 

[TSpoon]

I have been looking at the same thing as well (Utah to Cincinnati). UHaul was pretty expensive to rent a van and tow my car ($1800), Budget does rent vans but wasn't much cheaper ($1500).

I found that my best option was to install a hitch on my Honda Accord ($170) and then rent a 5'x 8' UHaul trailer (210 cu. ft.) to tow behind ($230). So I will be getting all my stuff there for around $400.

The downside is that my car will be doing a bit of work and I'll have to put 2000 miles on the engine + towing strain.

UHaul also had 5X10, and 6X12 trailers, if that is what you need, they also install hitches for around $170.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I'm moving from FL to IL, but taking my Grandma's car, so that will be shipped from NY. If you're shipping your own car, I think you can stuff it with your belongings too. 🙂

I plan to take my clothes in duffle bags on the airplane, and since my parents are coming with me, we can bring 9 suitcases full of junk <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> . I'll ship the little stuff like my little TV and printer, and I'll buy furniture when I get there. I had to do this for college a few weeks ago---since my whole family came to graduation (in MA), we went home with 15 suitcases! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> Yes, I'm still unpacking...

By the way, does anyone know of a good car-shipping service???

 

[singing doc]

paean: thanks for the uline.com info. i just ordered boxes from them today...gosh, i sooooo much junk in my apartment, i can't start packing til graduation day, and i need to leave soon!!

sneezy: thanks for starting this thread...can you believe that my parents were thinking of driving all the way to vermont so i can have a car (not old bubbles, though)!? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> but you should definitely have yours shipped over coz it's really nice. 🙂

keep posting impt.info you guys coz i get the best advice from SDN folks. thanks for sharing. 🙂

 

[altaskier]

Anyone know how to ship your car and other belongings across the country? I'd be way cheapier for me to have my car and other stuff shipped than it would be for me to drive across the U.S.

 

[TSpoon]

There are several services that will let you have someone else drive your car, and let you fly. My brother had his car driven out to Albany from SlC.

They pair up people that need a ride to a certain destination, and then they find people whose cars need to go somehwere, put them together and Voila.

Check your yellow pages, and if I can get ahold of my brother I'll get the info from him.

 

[Ceez]

i'm probably moving from Cali to Boston at the end of the summer and i also need to get my car shipped. and if it's cool with the shipping company, i'm going to stuff all of my belongings in my car so i can travel light 😀

 

[detm78]

I have a list of car-moving/shipping companies, i'll post some phone numbers later... i don't have them with me now.

What I have found though, is that you can't pack your car with anything that didn't originally come with the car--like a spare tire. It's too dangerous and the companies don't want to be liable for anything that breaks.

have to run... will post more when i find new info

 

[Ceez]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by sneezy:
•I have a list of car-moving/shipping companies, i'll post some phone numbers later... i don't have them with me now.

What I have found though, is that you can't pack your car with anything that didn't originally come with the car--like a spare tire. It's too dangerous and the companies don't want to be liable for anything that breaks.

have to run... will post more when i find new info•••••i checked out a few car shippers and it seems like most do allow you to pack things in your car. you are allowed to pack about 100lbs of belongings in your trunk, but they aren't responsible for anything breaking or getting stolen.

does anyone know how much it typically costs to ships cars coast to coast?

 

[detm78]

Ceez,

Ranges between $600 and $900.

 

[altaskier]

Hey Sneezy...could you post some links to companies that ship coast to coast when you have the chance?

Thanks

 

[Ceez]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by altaskier:
•Hey Sneezy...could you post some links to companies that ship coast to coast when you have the chance?

Thanks•••••if you run a search on Yahoo, you'll get plenty of links