Have you ever used a Drive-Away service?

[Cruising Jedi]

We are looking at a one way cruise from Boston to Montreal, but my husband won't fly, so transportation seems like it will be such a pain. He only likes ports he can drive to, but then our van would be stranded. Renting a car across the border is an expensive hassle, taking a train or a bus is a long boring journey (like 17 hours with a stop over at 2:00 am in NYC, lol).

 

So I was thinking of using one of these Drive Away services. For a fee (and I don't even know the cost yet) they will pick up our car at the port in Boston and drive it up to Montreal. So we get off the ship and there it is! Awesome!

 

Aside from cost, I guess I'm a little paranoid about someone else driving our car and if we will ever actually see it again.

 

Has anyone used these services? Were they expensive? Was it worth it? Which company?

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[1025cruise]

I think it would be cheaper to do the 14 day round trip back to Montreal than to pay someone to drive your car from Boston.

[Cruising Jedi]

Yes, it would be we can only get one week off! :mad:

[Hlitner]

Have you considered simply doing a one-way car rental? I think the cost would be around $500 (maybe less if you get a good deal or have a discount cod). You simply rent your car near home and drop it in Boston.

 

Hank

[Algebralovr]

You might be able to find a hauling service, someone with a car hauler trailer on a big truck. I know they are out there, as one was used when a friend bought a car through eBay. I don't know the cost, but might be less than paying someone to drive your car. It might be more as well.

[dorisis]

Sounds like a lot of hassle to me.

[Cruising Jedi]

Have you considered simply doing a one-way car rental? I think the cost would be around $500 (maybe less if you get a good deal or have a discount cod). You simply rent your car near home and drop it in Boston.

 

Hank

 

I can't find a company that will let me do that. I can cross the border in a rental but can't leave it there, it would have to be returned in Canada. Now, I could go to Buffalo and rent a car, but same problem when we disembark in Montreal our van would be somewhere in Buffalo. I don't think there is any easy way!

[Cruising Jedi]

You might be able to find a hauling service, someone with a car hauler trailer on a big truck. I know they are out there, as one was used when a friend bought a car through eBay. I don't know the cost, but might be less than paying someone to drive your car. It might be more as well.

 

I've never heard of this - it is worth a look! Thank you for the suggestion :)

[Cruising Jedi]

Sounds like a lot of hassle to me.

 

Yep! But I'm trying to find a way to make it work!

[navybankerteacher]

We are looking at a one way cruise from Boston to Montreal, but my husband won't fly, so transportation seems like it will be such a pain. He only likes ports he can drive to, but then our van would be stranded. Renting a car across the border is an expensive hassle, taking a train or a bus is a long boring journey (like 17 hours with a stop over at 2:00 am in NYC, lol).

 

So I was thinking of using one of these Drive Away services. For a fee (and I don't even know the cost yet) they will pick up our car at the port in Boston and drive it up to Montreal. So we get off the ship and there it is! Awesome!

 

Aside from cost, I guess I'm a little paranoid about someone else driving our car and if we will ever actually see it again.

 

Has anyone used these services? Were they expensive? Was it worth it? Which company?

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've known several people who claimed they would "never fly" -- and then finally did it when push came to shove and they ran out of options. It really boils down to picking the lesser of two evils: when the inconvenience or expense of other modes of transportation outweigh the reluctance to fly, then flying does become an option. I'd suggest you evaluate all options - including just staying home - and then making a decision. You might just find that he would rather fly than stay home, or spend vast amounts of money or time to avoid flying.

[Hlitner]

I can't find a company that will let me do that. I can cross the border in a rental but can't leave it there, it would have to be returned in Canada. Now, I could go to Buffalo and rent a car, but same problem when we disembark in Montreal our van would be somewhere in Buffalo. I don't think there is any easy way!

 

Try searching for a car on "Kayak.com" and you might be surprised. When I looked at that site it did come up with a couple of companies (including National Rental Car) that seem to have pretty good prices. Of course it might turn-out that when you try to complete the rental it will reject....but its worth a try.

 

Hank

[Heartfruit]

I've never heard of this - it is worth a look! Thank you for the suggestion :)

 

I imagine you'd have to fill out some pretty fancy paper work to make this fly for Canada Customs. I know some Canadians will buy cars in the US because they can be rather significantly cheaper. I'm sure that would be the assumption the customs agent will make if they see your car on the back of a truck.

[Starry Eyes]

I can't find a company that will let me do that. I can cross the border in a rental but can't leave it there, it would have to be returned in Canada. Now, I could go to Buffalo and rent a car, but same problem when we disembark in Montreal our van would be somewhere in Buffalo. I don't think there is any easy way!

 

rather than driving to Buffalo, couldn't you take public transit...maybe megabus or a shuttle service?

[Northshorecruisers]

You can try one of the national household moving chains - Mayflower, United etc. They can get your car transported and handle the issues at the border - however, it will be on their schedule and it could be 3 or 4 weeks before your car arrives at it's destination depending on how busy they are.

Another options would be to look for hot-shot carriers. They operate mainly to move cars between dealerships or from various car auctions to dealerships. A lot of them haul used cars out of the FL auctions to used car lots....don't know if they are bringing cars all the way to Canada. Price is usually based per mile.

Check the internet under "Car Carriers" or similar and see what comes up. You could call a local car dealership and see if they have any recommendations. I know when my son purchased a truck in Wisconsin the dealership arranged to have it brought to Minnesota on a car carrier.

[Hlitner]

I was just thinking about this thread (again) so I went to the National Rental Car website and put in a one-way from Montreal to Boston for a few days this June. It gave me back a rate of $233 for a 2 day rental and did not seem to have any issues with the one-way drop. That being said, you never know until you try to finalize the reservation (which I did not do)

 

Hank

[Northshorecruisers]

I just checked the National site and for a full size from Boston Logan to Montreal Trudeau airport it gave me $487.50 for the car rental USD (even though I entered I was a resident of Canada) and with taxes $602.88.

 

It did give unlimited miles though - so that is good.

[navybankerteacher]

I can't find a company that will let me do that. I can cross the border in a rental but can't leave it there, it would have to be returned in Canada. Now, I could go to Buffalo and rent a car, but same problem when we disembark in Montreal our van would be somewhere in Buffalo. I don't think there is any easy way!

 

I went on Hertz' site -- to book a one way rental pick up in Montreat drop off in Boston. For every rental term less than a week, it always said "sold out" --- when I entered a week for a Kia compact, it quoted $1,303 (Canadian) as the estimated cost -- so it appears that a foreign drop off can only be for a week or longer - running up the cost.

[Cruising Jedi]

Just wanted to thank you all for your time and suggestions and help on this!

 

Some of the car rental companies are crazy for the surcharge they want to slap on! My husband was scared off by those car haulers, thinks it is way too much hassle just for going on a cruise (I will put up with any hassle to be able to go on a cruise)

 

So in the end we are going to take a bus from Toronto to Buffalo (thank you Starry Eyes!) , then rent a car in Buffalo one way to Boston and when we get off in Montreal will rent a car one way back to Toronto. Throwing Buffalo in the middle there does save a considerable amount of money....slightly inconvenient and does drive up the cost rather than just driving but still very doable.

 

Thank you all fellow Cruise Critc-ers (?)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Try doing round trip cruises ..

[Cruising Jedi]

Try doing round trip cruises ..

 

We usually do! But this time the one we want is only one-way, if we had time to do the back to back we certainly would. !

[navybankerteacher]

Just wanted to thank you all for your time and suggestions and help on this!

 

Some of the car rental companies are crazy for the surcharge they want to slap on! My husband was scared off by those car haulers, thinks it is way too much hassle just for going on a cruise (I will put up with any hassle to be able to go on a cruise)

 

So in the end we are going to take a bus from Toronto to Buffalo (thank you Starry Eyes!) , then rent a car in Buffalo one way to Boston and when we get off in Montreal will rent a car one way back to Toronto. Throwing Buffalo in the middle there does save a considerable amount of money....slightly inconvenient and does drive up the cost rather than just driving but still very doable.

 

Thank you all fellow Cruise Critc-ers (?)

 

I'm glad you found a workable solution.