tessa_kelly•13d agoProlific Poster

Open deck vs enclosed shipping, my classic Mini learned the hard way

Last month I shipped a 1974 Mini from Phoenix to Seattle and went with the cheaper open carrier. Big mistake. It arrived with a cracked windshield from gravel kicked up by the truck ahead, plus a layer of grime that took two washes to get off. The enclosed quote was $1,150 vs $680 open, so I thought I was being smart. Anyone else regret saving a few hundred bucks on open transport, or did I just get unlucky with the route?

2 comments

2 Comments

emeryfox12d ago

Take that lesson to heart because the math only works out if nothing goes wrong. I always tell folks to add $500 to whatever the open carrier quote is because that's roughly what you'll spend fixing rock chips, paint touch-ups, or just deep cleaning the car afterward. The grime alone can scratch clear coat if you're not careful during the wash, and once that happens you're looking at a full detail or worse. Plus, the open trucks sit lower and kick up more debris on long hauls like that Phoenix to Seattle run, especially through construction zones. You paid the difference in stress and hassle, so next time treat the enclosed price as the real cost of getting it there safe.

the_eva12d ago

Funny how the $500 rule @emeryfox mentions is almost always right on the money.