Transporting vehicles across the country

[ajbera]

Ozzy: Moving the day after Christmas. Wife's job starts Jan. 16th.

Japher: Yeah, I was looking at crime stats. Not thrilled. But the house is in a gated development, surrounded by other nice suburban developments. Stockton itself might largely suck, but my immediate surroundings are pretty nice. I'll post pics later. If you search Stockton, CA in Google maps, you'll see a tangle of streets just south of the Van Buskirk golf course. Those are all nice suburban developments. My development is so new it's not even on the map yet. The house is brand new (2 stories, 3 bed, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage), and the rent is $1350. We only signed a one year lease, so if it winds up sucking we're only stuck for a year.

BTW, what's the problem with Alameda? It looked really nice, particularly Bay Farm Island.

Ming: Thanks! I take back every nasty thing I said about you.

Just kidding. I don't take it back.

[Az]

Man, I wish I was in NY now. I'd love doing it for the gas and snack money and the plane ticket back.

I LOOOOOVE Driving.

[KrazyHorse]

...says the man living in a country whose longest dimension is a third the distance from Baltimore to Montreal...

[KrazyHorse]

Do y'all even have roads over there? I heard you still rely on camels.

[Joseph]

Re: Transporting vehicles across the country

Originally posted by ajbera
The wife and I need to ship a car from New York to California, and we can't find anyone to drive it. Can anybody suggest a reliable vehicle transport company (preferably with door-to-door service)? Does anyone have any experiences or anecdotes to share?

You drive one and she drives one.
When my daughter move from Ca to Georgia, we (Wife and I) drove one and my daughter and her husband drove the other.

[ajbera]

I loath driving. I'm not a confident navigator when I drive, and I get flustered when I screw up. Besides, I function better as the wife's co-pilot. Once we get out there I'm not going anywhere (except the local store) without a GPS/navigation system.

BTW, here's a pic of the house.

[:) Smiley]

Whatever room is on the right on the first floor is going to get awfully hot during the long Stockton summers.

Alameda is a nice town, although it does feel a little isolated and backwards, having been a military base until not to long ago. As for Oakland, only parts of it are bad, and in general is getting better, as housing prices are now so high that former slum districts are turning into loft and condo districts.

Day after Christmas I'll be back home in New Jersey, but mid January I'll be back and I think it'd be Polymeet time. :Party

[Az]

..says the man living in a country whose longest dimension is a third the distance from Baltimore to Montreal...

It's not about the distance, it's about time behind the wheel - and I've had plenty of that, driving for 12hrs, etc.

[laurentius]

I'm not sure if this is of any help to you but my friend shipped his car from California to Finland through the Panama Canal...that could be one option. You'd save a hella with the gas at least...

[Az]

A car should fit in a 20 feeter. I think.

[laurentius]

whats 20 feeter?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by ajbera
I loath driving. I'm not a confident navigator when I drive, and I get flustered when I screw up. Besides, I function better as the wife's co-pilot. Once we get out there I'm not going anywhere (except the local store) without a GPS/navigation system.

BTW, here's a pic of the house.

Oooooh, pretty! Not like the monstrosities we have around here :vomit:

[ajbera]

Smiley: The house has CAC, so it shouldn't be a problem, but thanks for the heads-up. That'll be the guest room, anyway.

Kuci: Thanks. We were lucky to find something this nice for such a great price.

Everybody: Thanks for the advice. We have quotes to about $1500. The $1150 company even allows you to store up to 50 lbs. of stuff in the trunk. I just wish I had some references or testimonials from satisfied customers.

[Ming]

Originally posted by ajbera
I just wish I had some references or testimonials from satisfied customers.

You might want to check with the Better Business Bureau in the state the company is based in... you would be able to see if a complaint has been filed against them. Also do a google search... maybe they have been listed in a story or on web site. While it's not a reference, it would uncover a truly bad company.

[Joseph]

Originally posted by ajbera
I loath driving. I'm not a confident navigator when I drive, and I get flustered when I screw up. Besides, I function better as the wife's co-pilot. Once we get out there I'm not going anywhere (except the local store) without a GPS/navigation system.

BTW, here's a pic of the house.

Stockton like most cities in the valley is lay out North, South, East, and West. Very few streets will run NE, SW, etc. You will have the 99 on the east side running from Sac to Bakerfield, I-5 on the west side running from Canada to Mexico. There is a cross town Highway 4.

BTW I was born in Modesto and live on Crows Landing Highway until I join the Navy.

I go through Stockton a lot but, I don't drive around it at all. I do know some of the roads outside of Stockton because several of my first and second cousin still live within 10 to 30 miles of Stockton.

About your wife going to Oakland each day. There is no good way to go. You can take Highway 4, but it is a two lane highway until to get to Oakley, then it is a 4 lane until you hit 680 or I-80. But if she goes to I-80, she would be 20 miles north of Oakland and one of the worst traffic in the world. In Concord she could go south on 24 which is a cross town and then take 24 at the I-680, 24 split and go into Oakland from the east.
The other way is go I-5 to Tracy, turn on I-205 west and it runs into I-580 and just stay on it until she hits her exit in Oakland. There is BART in Pleasanton, but that would depend on far the BART station would be from her job.

According to a Traffic program LA has to worst traffic follow by the San Francisco Bay area as 2nd in the nation. They claim that we are worth than good old NY.

The one good thing about living in Stockton, if you want to go somewhere and after you have been here awhile and get to know some the rual roads in your area, you will not have used H 99 or I-5. Someone with the knowledge of local roads can drive from Sac to Bakersfield and never hit I-5 or the 99.

If you have AAA Ins., go to a office in Stockton, the maps are free. If not AND you still need some, I would get them for you.

Welcome to California.