We recently completed delivery of a 2015 BMW M235i from Ladera Ranch, CA to West Lafayette, IN. This transport covered a distance of 2,094 miles via an open trailer and cost us $1,631.00 or $0.78 per mile.
The BMW M235i was working perfectly fine when picked and drove on the ramp on its own. What was unusual about this transport was the trailer used. Normally, we do performance vehicles in enclosed trailers but not this time.
The route
The distance between Ladera Ranch and West Lafayette is 2,094 miles through the desert Southwest and plains, ending in the corn belt.
Ladera Ranch is located in south Orange County; hence the shipment uses the I-5 North towards the Los Angeles Basin, and there joins the I-15 North towards the Cajon Pass and Barstow.
At Barstow, the cargo uses the I-40 East towards its destination. The interstate covers the long middle portion of the route. It starts by covering the Mojave Desert and entering Arizona through Kingman and Flagstaff, crosses into New Mexico and passes through Albuquerque before continuing through the Texas panhandle to Amarillo and passing through Oklahoma City.
After leaving Oklahoma City, the cargo uses the I-44 towards St. Louis through Tulsa, Missouri and Springfield. From there, it uses the I-70 East into Illinois and enters Indianapolis where it switches to I-65 North. West Lafayette is located near the I-65 about one hour north west of Indianapolis.
When a sports car does not need enclosed
We move a lot of performance vehicles enclosed because it makes sense. Enclosed does not always mean it is necessary, however, and charging for something unnecessary means more money out of your customer’s pocket than needs to be.
This is our real test:
The first test: ground clearance. The ground clearance for the Corvette is around 4½ inches and requires a liftgate or extended ramps. The ground clearance of the M235i is around 5 inches with a standard front end, which is lower but still transportable with a standard ramp. No extra equipment, no upper deck only, so no added fees.
Next, replacement value. Enclosed is used in an effort to protect vehicles where getting a rock chip on them will result in monetary damage. This applies to collector cars and six-figure exotic automobiles. It does not apply to the ten-year-old production vehicle with the OEM clear coat.
Finish and trim follow. The M235i is painted body with modern clear coat, not chrome or hand-lining or paint from seventy years ago. Modern paint does what modern paint is supposed to do under highway conditions.
What the customer was going to use the vehicle for. A vehicle destined for a show or an auction is a very different matter than a car bound for the driveway and daily driver use.
This is how all four of the cars came out open on. We said so, and our client saved several hundred dollars by being open where enclosed would have been 2,094 miles more.
What $0.78 per mile reflects
Below eight dollars a mile is an excellent rate and two factors are responsible for that.
Distance is one. Costs of pickup, loading, securement and coordination, and delivery are incurred by a carrier equally regardless of the haul length. These expenses are fixed. The allocation of these across 2,094 miles reduces the burden per mile significantly. Allocation of these across 350 miles yields a result three times higher.
Open trailer is the second factor. Open trailers transport more units per load and operate much more frequently than enclosed ones and this is always priced into the quote. Were the vehicle transported on enclosed trailer on the same haul length, the result would have been noticeably higher.
The lanes assisted too. Interstate 40 and Interstate 70 are two of the main east-west corridors for freight transportation in the USA. And haul from Southern California to Midwest is a stable one. There were no shortages of carriers on that route.
Open transport
The M235i was towed on an open trailer, since that is how most of the vehicles in America travel.
Loading went smoothly because the vehicle was operational and thus could drive up the ramp itself. The approach angle demanded some attention with the front end, although not to the extent that the use of a liftgate or stacked ramps was required.
Straps were used for securing the car rather than chains, since with a vehicle that has performance suspension parts it is very important not to put any additional load on the control arms.
Transport summary
- Origin: Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
- Destination: West Lafayette, IN 47906
- Distance: 2,094 miles
- Service cost: $1,631.00
- Cost per mile: $0.78
- Vehicle: 2015 BMW M235i
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Open
- Route: Ladera Ranch, CA → I-5 north → I-15 north through the Cajon Pass to Barstow → I-40 east through Kingman, Flagstaff, Albuquerque and Amarillo → Oklahoma City, OK → I-44 northeast through Tulsa and Springfield → St. Louis, MO → I-70 east to Indianapolis → I-65 north → West Lafayette, IN
