Not too long ago we concluded delivery of a Mercedes Benz 560SL of the year 1988 from Mound, MN to Bloomingdale, NJ. The trip took 1,209 miles with the open trailer and the price was $1,100.00 for total mileage of $0.91.
The Mercedes 560SL was operable and driven up the ramp by itself. It is important to mention that being operable means something different on a cold winter day in Minnesota than what it is mentioned in the spec sheet.
The route
The 1,209-mile drive between Mound and Bloomingdale goes through the upper Midwest region and Great Lakes area into northern New Jersey.
Mound is located on Lake Minnetonka, west of Minneapolis. Drivers take the drive east out of the Twin Cities area, getting on I-94 and driving east through Wisconsin through Eau Claire and Madison, and onto Chicago.
From Chicago, drivers go east following I-80 going through northern Indiana and Ohio past Toledo and Cleveland into Pennsylvania. I-80 passes through Pennsylvania at Clarion and Bloomsburg to Delaware Water Gap.
Bloomingdale is located in Passaic County in northern New Jersey highlands, so the driver finishes at I-287 and NJ-23.
What “operable” means on a cold morning
This is the one thing that can trip up owners of older cars in colder states, and when it happens it’s expensive.
A car that starts when it’s warm in the garage doesn’t necessarily start when it’s cold outside on the driveway. A thirty-seven-year-old car works much harder at ten degrees than sixty degrees. A car said to be running in October does not have to run on the day you pick it up in January.
Batteries don’t crank as well when it’s cold. This is the number one reason for problems during winter pickup but it is also the easiest problem to avoid. If the car hasn’t been driven recently, then you should get it on a tender before your truck arrives, or at least the day before.
Operable and inoperable are two different loads at different rates. As explained in our discussion regarding an inoperable Range Rover, an inoperable vehicle will have to be towed using a winch since all carriers may not necessarily have them. An operable vehicle booked and which fails to start when the driver gets there is a headache for the person driving rather than an issue of documentation.
So please let us know about your doubt. If the booked vehicle is inoperable but it starts, then it’s an added advantage. But if the booked vehicle is operable and fails to do so, it’s an unsuccessful load and rebooking.
The other factor is road salt. The northern states use lots of salt on the roads and this can come under the open deck if moving in the winter months. If moving in the winter season with an old or valuable vehicle, then it’s always good to quote enclosed transport.
What $0.91 per mile reflects
There are two other factors that contribute to the figure.
Distance is the primary factor. At 1,209 miles, fixed costs of pickup, loading, securing, coordination, and delivery have quite some distance to spread across. In the case of short distance transportation, the fixed costs per mile are more or less double.
Corridor is the second factor. Interstate 94 and Interstate 80 from the Twin Cities to New York metro area is an established freight corridor with major markets on either side.
Open transport is the third factor. The higher frequency and larger volume per trip of open trailers as compared to enclosed trailers are always considered in any price quotation.
Open transport on a classic
A Mercedes-Benz R107 SL is a car that increases in value over time and a lot of owners transport theirs encased. The customer decided to transport this car open, which is an acceptable option and a choice that belongs to him/her.
Transportation in an encased trailer ensures safety from all kinds of external influences during the entire journey but is more expensive. Transportation of a vehicle open is a usual way of moving cars in this country and under good weather conditions the danger is not great. What changes the game plan in case of transportation of a car like this is the winter season and the presence of salt.
Mercedes-Benz 560SL is equipped with both removable aluminum hardtop and soft folding top. Depending on which one is installed, the car is always transported closed and locked and the mechanism is never operated while in motion. In case of the removable hardtop being detached from the car and transported separately, it should be covered as well.
Tires are strapped with soft straps instead of chains being placed around suspension.
Transport summary
- Origin: Mound, MN 55364
- Destination: Bloomingdale, NJ 07403
- Distance: 1,209 miles
- Service cost: $1,100.00
- Cost per mile: $0.91
- Vehicle: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Open
- Route: Mound, MN → east through the Twin Cities → I-94 east through Eau Claire and Madison, WI → Chicago, IL → I-80 east through Toledo and Cleveland, OH → across Pennsylvania via Clarion and Bloomsburg → Delaware Water Gap → I-287 / NJ-23 → Bloomingdale, NJ
