This one will catch your attention.
And if you have even a shred of knowledge regarding the 450SL, you’ll understand that we weren’t referring to some ordinary car.
The car in question was a 50-year-old roadster from Germany that had probably seen more days in a garage with a cover on it than it had seen actual road time.
How The Transport Went
We reserved it on January 3rd. The first available date we set for January 5th. Rather a small window of time, yes? But we thought we could swing by.
This is where it got interesting.
But we didn’t select a carrier until January 7th. Usually, a wait like that would concern us. However, you’ve got to wait for the right guy sometimes. Not every carrier understands how to treat a classic Mercedes, you understand? They want someone who can understand that they’re dealing with a classic Mercedes, not a beat-up Honda Civic that they’re delivering to a junkyard.
After we identified that it was a match, everything happened quite quickly.
We picked the 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SL up on January 7th, the same day we assigned the carrier. The driver got to Brooklyn, loaded it up carefully, and set off south.
January 8th. The next day. Brooklyn to Spartanburg in under 24 hours.
The Price
$986 to transport the classic car over the distance from New York to South Carolina. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?
Why this seems like the only normal price?
First, this is no ordinary cargo. It is certainly precious car, something that can’t be replaced. You sure as heck don’t want to throw this in with the common carriers on the truck with the SUVs and pray that all is well. Sure, you could do that technically, but you don’t want potential problems if you drive a 1973 450SL.
Second, the distance is a consideration. About 700 miles from Brooklyn to Spartanburg, which is not a minute drive, but not a dash across town, either.
Thirdly, you are actually getting expertise. The driver who was hired to get the job done knew the ropes. No scuffs, no fanfare, simply good, clean handling all the way.
Side Note: Key takeaway from Mercedes’ 450
You’re not a Mercedes buff? Then the 450SL is the car people hold on to. They produced the thing from 1971 to 1980. It was a tank with a roadster and a removable top and V8 power. Real old-school German building, when a guy could actually work on his own car.
The problem is that they’re getting harder to find every year, so if you’ve got one that’s in good nick, you don’t want some Minger driving it to bits. This is exactly why this customer made such a great decision. They held off till a good airline came along, and that waiting period of two days must have saved them many headaches.
The Route
Hauling a classic Mercedes from Brooklyn down to Spartanburg wasn’t a mystery, but it wasn’t a breeze either. Most fellows take I-95 South out of New York, squeeze through Jersey and Maryland, then hop over to I-85 around Virginia, and from there it’s a straight run into South Carolina. Spartanburg sits upstate, close to Greenville if you know the lay of the land.
And the road? Early January traffic was agreeable: no rush to the beach, no summer peak, just open highway and truckers hustling to make up a little time after the holidays.
What Surprised Us
Snow, icy roads, and freezing temperatures can cause delays if not handled properly. That’s why our team carefully plans winter routes, works only with experienced carriers, and monitors weather conditions in real time to keep your shipment safe and on schedule. But sometimes, with the right truck driver, all the stars aligning, it all comes together. The customer’s 450SL arrived in Spartanburg in under 48 hours after it was picked up in Brooklyn by the carrier. That’s not common. It is the type of fast and consistent service people call for when they need another car hauled.
If You’re Shipping a Classic
Choose the right partner for the pickup. A seasoned one who understands picking up classic cars, who won’t tighten things up too much that the undercarriage will suffer, who actually believes what he is carrying. This took two extra days, but we got the right carrier for the job. It came spotless. It is all worth the wait.
Transport Summary
- Vehicle: 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SL
- Origin: Brooklyn, NY 11207
- Destination: Spartanburg, SC 29301
- Distance: ~700 miles
- Price: $986 ($0.70 per miles)
- Total Transport Time: 1 day
- Route: I-95 South through New Jersey and Maryland, then I-85 into South Carolina
See also: South Carolina to New Jersey Car Shipping
Maryland to South Carolina Car Shipping
