Any car/motorcycle haulers here?

[kmac]

I am in need of a career change after a life of heavy construction was ended by a ladder fall and has resulted in 2 consecutive neck surgeries.
An hourly job is not likely in my situation, looking down at a desk/computer/paperwork for more than a few minutes kills my neck. I am looking at starting some kind of business that I can have some flexibility and make a living.
I LOVE driving and even with my neck issues it is not overly painful. Sitting in bumper to bumper traffic while commuting is not fun per say, but road driving is enjoyable and not overly taxing on my pain scale.

I am willing to invest in a business by purchasing some equipment, or whatever, and what I have come up with is vehicle transportation. I like meeting people. I like seeing cars/MC/trucks/boats/tractors....and I like driving. I know it has its stresses and long days and overhead, but it seems like a good match for me.

So my question is for anyone who already does this or has done it in the past.....What do you recommend for trailer equipment? { I am looking at a new Dodge 3500 dually Cummins as a tow rig with Gooseneck and 5th wheel hitches along with a HD 2-1/2" receiver hitch}

Also, Is there a living in this without buying a long haul 18 wheel 9 car carrier? My hope is to move auction cars as a bread and butter but try to get into western state over the road delivery more. Like Ebay cars/bikes, Sturgis haul, Daytona bike week run, but mostly the 11 western states.

Thanks for ANY help or suggestions you may have.

 

[autoteach]

We have been getting a bunch of "you ship it" deliveries of bikes. The customers that have been collecting the bikes that we are receiving are sending them through the same guy repeatedly because he does a nice job. All he does is bikes, all across the country. His set up is a Chevy 2500 diesel with bed camper and 18-20 foot (I think) trailer. I think the truck was a four door, but I can't remember off hand. He ships bikes through his business, and fills in the blanks with bikes through you ship it. hope this helps

 

[kmac]

Thanks, any info is helpful. I have found U-ship and another brokering company that I can register with. I know you lose a bit with the brokers fee but they usually keep you more busy so that is a trade off. It could at least help me build up cliental.

I am looking at a new Dodge truck. I found a really great deal on one. Tradesman version with fabric interior, which I prefer, and black bumpers and grille, perfect for road truck imo, but all of the good things like PW, PD, remote start, CC, back up camera for coupling, a factory built in gooseneck and 5th wheel mount plate, spray in bed liner, towing mirrors, dually crew cab model for substantially less than any others I have found $43k....a lot of money, but a lot of truck for that expense.

I already own a 12' enclosed trailer that can haul 3 large bikes like baggers for smaller jobs and I am debating what kind of car carrier to buy. I like the 4 car 53' wedge style gooseneck but those do not work well if you are carrying wrecked cars like from auctions because of loading and unloading issues. So I am looking at a 40' + flatbed gooseneck with a hydraulic dovetail/beavertail and a solid flat deck so I could load and unload wrecked cars like a rollback tow truck does.

Just a bit undecided on what will be best and the most flexible.

 

[patrickg450]

I see you are out west, I used to live in El Cajon, now I am in the mid south. The best place to look for used trucks is OKC or Texas. If you want to get in on a used one to save a few bucks consider riding your ST out there and hauling it back home. The price difference will be worth your time and fuel. Maybe the CA prices have fallen but I doubt it. There are so many used rigs out there that are already set up, if you decide to go with a sprinter lokks Wash state Oregon area.


Good luck to you, sorry to hear about your accident but it sounds like you are planning a a good "bounce back".

 

[kmac]

I am thinking about a new truck only because I can get really good financing and a good warranty. A ready to run new truck at a payment under $600 p/mth is worth not worrying about a used trucks brakes, or alternator, water pump, trans.....used trucks with low miles {pick up trucks anyway} are still not cheap. I have looked at a lot of sites and craigslist, ebay....and a good used dually diesel in GM or Dodge {I can not own a ford...way TOO many bad past experiences...never again} is still over $30-35k. I can get a new one for $43 all dressed out how I want it. I know you take a $5k bath driving off the lot, but building a business on broken truck is not a good way to start. I can use Chrysler motors credit to build my business.

Now a trailer I would consider buying used, much less to go wrong. Check brakes, lights, tires and welds and off I go. I am looking at a trailer like this, seems very versatile for wrecked cars from auctions and drivable cars. Decent compromise, but I am looking for input on why this or a wedge trailer would be better or worse..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2014-PJ-Gooseneck-Hydraulic-Dovetail-102-x36-Low-Profile-Flatbed-Trailer-/251494269186?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=q5RF29Zmsgtxqu3TFPjbQL%252FfV6k%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[kmac]

I am looking at a trailer like this:

http://www.equipmenttraderonline.com/listing/2014-PJ-TRAILER-Flatdeck-with-Hydraulic-Dove-%28FY%29-111906116

With that I could winch up broken down and wrecked cars from auctions like a rollback can. I can drive cars, trucks & tractors up on it. Cars could fit 3, maybe 4 small ones if I have a ramp made to go up over the tongue of the GN. I could also open up another possible hauling door as a Hot Shot hauler with a dovetail like that....options are usually good in my experience.

What do you folks think?

 

[Checkswrecks]

It's gotten to be a HIGHLY competitive area, so I'm not sure what your income could be at this point. Buying a vehicle and trailer is the easiest and most fun aspect.


I somewhat recently shipped an airplane and the hauler was similar to what your describe. I don't have the name of the owner/driver any more, but we did talk for a while as we loaded. He said that he has two really big problems. One is the number of uninsured competitors who underbid him and everybody else. He said that you NEED to be insured, because there are enough people who will try to make claims for damage that he didn't do. He photographed EVERY INCH of everything going into his trailer! The second problem was simply getting insurance to get the business going.


[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]My suggestion would be to talk to as many of the independents as you can who advertise on WWW.USHIP.COM. Pick people on the other side of the country and make it clear that you are not competing with them. Instead, you want some advice and to network if you have jobs for them & vice versa.[/font]

 

[kmac]

Thanks CW
That is very much what I am looking for.