Best way to ship a Semi Truck to the West Coast

No way I’d deliver it

what if you drive it out there and he backs out of the deal ?
That’s exactly what’s going to happen unless you get the money in a wire transfer or something solid before you even start making plans to deliver it .


tell the buyer if he wants it to come and get it. but that he needs to send a non refundable deposit and that will only hold it 10 days because you have several other interested potential buyers looking at it .

 

I am sure he is getting paid upfront. He is a pretty smart business man so don't see any issues on the payment part.. Worse case you have it put in an escrow.

 

Or @Midwest Trucker instead of removing all that stuff that'll make it high.......find yourself someone with a mini deck! There are different sleeper size t680(Think thats what your selling I cant remember the 1st page lol) but a full size I believe is 13'4 high ground to top of sleeper. I moved one a few weeks ago.

 

I’m with @Ridgeline I would definitely just tell him picking it up is on him. He can find a buddy, drive over with a Prius for $400 round trip and have it done. Tell him you’ll take $430 off the price to do that, lol. The extra $30 for a 30 pack of the good stuff. The mileage and expense all the way to the coast should not be on you. You could just as easily tell him you’ll let it sit and someone local will buy it eventually. Definitely not worth the hassle!

 

You mention fuel. Think about that for a minute. Which burns less fuel, a truck running bobtail, or a truck hauling another truck on a trailer?

 

Do you know any retired (and bored) drivers that you might trust?
Offer him $650 plus $50 per day expenses (4 days) fuel paid and a cheap plane ticket back. Toss a new sleeping bag in the bunk that he can leave and send him on his way. You may consider tossing a box of gravel on the frame behind the fifth wheel to take the bounce out of the drives.
If it was local to me I would jump at it.
$1100 plus fuel is reasonable cost and he gets a free holiday to the west coast.

 

Just tell the Buyer, You'll reimburse Him His Airfare (in cash) when he knocks on Your Door to Collect It...!!!

 

Never heard of a buyer expecting or wanting a truck delivered. Seems like that would open up a lot of nitpicking about “damages” when the truck gets to him. Then what? Turn around and drive it back home or agree on a lower price? I’d say if he wants the truck it’s up to him to decide how to get to you.

Last Sept when my truck was down I flew out to Tacoma and picked up a truck my friend bought. He paid for the flight, 2 nights in hotels, reimbursed me for the fuel I bought, and gave me $1500 for my time. So roughly $2200 plus the fuel, I don’t recall how much I put in. Whatever he’s offering expecting it delivered I’d say about $3500 less and it’s up to him to find a way to come get it.

 

Coldiron Companies: Nationwide Truck Transport & Asset Recovery

Call em, pay em, move on. I've had good luck using them but it's been a few years.

 

I bought mine out of Florida in August. Needed it delivered to Texas but I was out of State until September. Scheduled a DOT inspection at the dealer in Florida. After seller dropped it off I wired the money. TruckMovers drove it to the dealer in Fort Worth where I had scheduled another DOT inspection. The dealers made the transaction more secure since they had possession of the truck and I got a months storage for $110.

 

I don't get some of you guys, even if he is paid up front, the truck breaking down is on the OP, not on the new owner.

If it was an accident, then what?

You have more problems and have to give the money back.

I sold a few trucks in the past like this. Someone in my office handled the work but the buyers wanted them to do the leg work to make arrangements to get it to them, when I heard about it I told them to call them up, tell them the truck is here and they need to come and get it or arrange for someone to pick it up, we are not playing games and told the person we don't have time to be their transportation expert for free. I added that if they want us to deliver it, it is $6 a mile plus expenses and transportation back paid up front - the bill was an estimated $10k. I wasn't going to take a chance with moving a truck to sell it unless it was going to auction. Only one buyer backed out and the truck was sold by the end of the week to a local guy running containers, no loss at all.