Help: Moving across the country -please advise

[LazyPrizm]

When I moved from MD to Norcal, I didn't own much stuff. Mailed all the books USPS media mail (super cheap but super slow), UPS'd the things I needed, and the rest I took as checked luggage in a suitcase + military duffle (back when checked bags were free...).

Moving back east many years later, I rented a Penske truck (was cheaper than U-Haul, shop around), got a friend to drive with me and stayed w/ our friends and family on the road. Took about a week. Truck rental was about $1000 or so IIRC, but remember that if you are moving for work reasons you can deduct the expenses on your taxes (save ALL your receipts).

 

[LazyPrizm]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
Another question:

How many days to break up the drive and WHERE to stay ? Motels, random people from craigslsit? It could add up quickly cost wise

I drove w/ a friend and we stayed at friends and family along the way except for two stops. The whole trip was about a week of driving (it took longer as we spent time visiting w/ folks). Having a second person is good, you can put many more miles in per day. But you might have to buy them a plane ticket back or something, unless they are cool pay their way back. Spin it as a "free" trip to Cali! Maybe arrange the trip to stop at actual fun places if you do it that way.

Try using Hotwire or something and find the cheapest roadside motels you can, if saving $$ is your objective. The beds will be uncomfortable, the rooms smelly and the neighbors shady, but you'll get some fun stories out of it.

An old friend of mine did the trip even shorter, also driving with a buddy, but they were wild men. One would drive, the other would take a few glugs of vodka as a nightcap, then sleep/pass out until the car was on 'E', and they'd switch + repeat at the gas station. I think they only stopped for the night twice.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: EricF
I'd get a 17' U-Haul, and a car dolly and tow it across the USA.
Definetely see the sights along the way.


That's what I did in '97 when I moved to Denver. My Olds Cutlass coupe went on the dolly. Three long days in a noisy, vibrating truck would have been a terrible strain on my big red cat, who was 14 at the time, so I left him temporarily with a friend he liked, then had her fly him up later. Your dog would probably take to the trip much more easily, though.

The U-Haul was speed-limited to 55 (56 downhill!), so, yeah, three very long days. U-Hauls may not be speed-limited any more.

When I came back to Da Swamp, though, I had all my furniture put in storage, loaded my clothes and personal stuff in the Mercedes, and drove back down with Linda's cat Marie-Antoinette in her carrier in the front seat. Still took three days, but shorter ones, and the 420SEL was a superb cruiser, so I wasn't exhausted at the end of each day.

 

[Norm Olt]

If you can $ell your car before you go, getting something similar in CA is going to co$t a little more, but probably with less hassles in the long run. Either way, put all your posessions in a single pile and figure out just what really needs to Go West (Young Man?) and then have someone ask you why you feel you need to take/ship each item. Winter coats and the like should be left at home until you decide whether you really are going to need them after all. Shipping a few boxes of the lighter stuff later (as in "when you are settled") makes sense: if you don't have a kitchen do you need pots & pans right away, etc,

If you decide to keep the car the suggestion of a car top carrier is a good one for the lighter, bulky items like clothing. Heavier stuff will need to be inside the trunk or in the passenger compartment. Dog size makes a big difference on a long trip, BTW.

I'm presuming you have some kind of job and a line on where you'll initially stay when you get there? Hauling everything you own cross country only to have it stolen from the car in the parking lot your 1st night in Sac-o-tomatoes won't make you a happy camper.

We drove West, Dayton to Portland 38 years ago in a Pinto with our company-paid move (1/4 of a truckload that arrived 4 weeks later!) and believe me the Left Coast ain't all it's cracked up to be, anymore! Expect things to be a bit more expensive in general, the fruits and vegetables to be fresher and better, and prepare yourself for the eventual culture shock, in general: CA ain't PA, that's for sure!

Good Luck!

 

[surfstar]

Early welcome! Sac isn't much, but compared to PA it will be nice. Be sure to take some weekend trips to Tahoe and Yosemite and enjoy our great outdoors - especially when Sac is sweltering in the summer (although w/o the humidity you might find it fine).

 

[accent2012]

-Get rid of car - it probably has rust due to the salt on roads and a CA emissions guys may mistake it for frame damage and deem the car salvage...

-sell your heavy furniture
-ship your grandfather's table to your parents
-bring your clothes, cookware, linens, PC, TV, etc.
-Rent a minivan
-see the sites, but within budget, hotel and gas can get expensive quickly
-don't drive over 70mph, keep it at the very least 60mph to get the most MPGs and over a span of 2,500 miles you will save tens to almost a hundred dollars.
-that money saved can go towards security deposits or decent food.

Above all, have fun!

 

[djb]

I looked into this a few months ago. The move was from the DC area to San Jose.

Moving with a PODS or similar enclosed pallet costs about $2K for the first, and about $1K for each additional one.

Real movers required a quote. My research showed that the quotes were all over the place.

A friend was willing to drive, so we ended up renting a Ryder truck with a tow-behind car trailer. Picking it up in Delaware was the best deal at the time, and minimized (but didn't eliminate) the sales tax. With fees and required extras, the truck and trailer was about $3K.

The big surprise was fuel. We specifically picked a diesel, expecting better mileage and lower overall cost. But the higher cost of diesel negates that advantage. Plus instead of getting 8-10MPG suggested by the web site, the truck got less than 6MPG at 55MPH, and even lower going up hills at 40MPH. The truck used over 600 gallons at an average price of a little over $4/gallon. (With a tank that had 40 usable gallons, you often didn't have much of a choice where to get fuel.)

All told, the cost was about $6K, plus ten days of my friend's time. He got some tourist sights, and visited a few friends on the route, but he crawling along for fuel efficiency, slept in cheap hotels or with those, and ate fast food.

In retrospect, while the car trailer seemed like a cheap option, it was a PITA, took hours to load and secure, probably cost a lot in fuel, and discouraged leaving the highway for food or fuel. It probably didn't save money over shopping carefully for a car transporter that would have charged $800-$1K ($1500 if you have less pick-up or delivery flexibility).

Once the car was out of the picture, giving away most of my stuff and packing the rest into one or two PODS might have been better.

 

[needsducktape]

Since most of my furniture is from IKEA and is not I don't think I will be doing using Moving truck.

I think have it narrowed down to selling my car and renting a minivan

or keeping my car and driving it.

According to AAA trip adviser it will set me back apx $350 in fuel. (2001 Accord fuel ratings)

Is it worth the wear and tear? I think I could get a premium for this car locally since it is completely rust free and in excellent shape.

The minivan would give similar mileage and allow for more nic nacs to be packed though

thoughts?

 

[SatinSilver]

I'd probably throw the Accord up on CL to see if you get any hits on it for a decent penny. Not looking at any book values I'm thinking around $4k for it. I had a 99 4cyl Accord coupe and liked it....nice cars.

 

[Doog]

Sell everything except personal items. Rent a minvan and drive away.

I will be moving cross country in 2-3 years. Easier to sell everything and buy when I get there. When you figure it out your furniture and car (especially that car in Cali) are not worth moving.

 

[needsducktape]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Sell everything except personal items. Rent a minvan and drive away.

I will be moving cross country in 2-3 years. Easier to sell everything and buy when I get there. When you figure it out your furniture and car (especially that car in Cali) are not worth moving.


Why is my car in California difficult?

 

[Tosh]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
Originally Posted By: Doog
Sell everything except personal items. Rent a minvan and drive away.

I will be moving cross country in 2-3 years. Easier to sell everything and buy when I get there. When you figure it out your furniture and car (especially that car in Cali) are not worth moving.


Why is my car in California difficult?

It's not difficult! I moved an 01 Acura from FL to CA in 2004, and it was EASY. And it's even easier these days...
Look it up for yourself:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9.htm
If you like your car, keep it! And get used to people telling you odd things about CA...

 

[needsducktape]

Just an Update,

I'm going to take my car-

Might do a tune up: plugs and wires and air filter

Anything else to prepare for a cross country trek?

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
Just an Update,

I'm going to take my car-

Might do a tune up: plugs and wires and air filter

Anything else to prepare for a cross country trek?

People have their battery load tested to make sure that it can last the entire trip.