Transporting a vehicle from FL to CT

My Wife and I are moving from Florida to Connecticut in a couple of months. We have a 2007 Toyota Prius we want to both drive up in (including a cat in a carrier and a small dog in my lap or back seat?) We have a second vehicle, a 2004 Honda CR-V EX 4WD that we want to “ship†to our destination but I am such a fanatic with our vehicles, plus it’s in fantastic condition, I ONLY want to use an “enclosed†trailer to transport it. Our moving company is taking our 12,000 pounds of items for a reasonable fee but when I asked how much more to transport the ’04 CR-V they said $1100. I went on the internet and found an ENCLOSED TRAILER vehicle transporting company that will transport for $900 but know nothing about their reputation. I know I definitely DO NOT want an “open†car carrier and prefer an enclosed trailer !!​

My concerns are that if using my moving company, the vehicle is mixed in not only with OUR furniture, boxes, etc., but with other people’s furniture and goods as a mover usually take three or four families per trailer load.

Can anyone suggest a “trusted and dependable†vehicle carrier (enclosed trailer) that will get our vehicle from Florida to Connecticut without the fear of boxes or furniture falling on it ??​

 

The trouble is that ALL our family and 95% of our friends are in Connecticut. I was thinking of having my Brother take a few days off work, fly down here, drive the CR-V back up, but that would put me out well over $700+ not including the money for gasoline to drive it back and overnight hotel stays.

 

The price difference I have found between a traditional "open" carrier and a "closed trailer" was $300 - $400 higher for the closed. If I'm gonna shell out $800 for an "open" I might as well go the extra "protection" of flying debris, road grime, etc. and pay $1200 for the "closed" !! Just my wierd logic, I guess !!

 

This is exactly what we DON'T (and CAN'T) want to do again (separate vehicles w/ walkie talkie communication) ...... we did it TWICE before and unfortunately I am currently on a medication that makes me very drowsy, no matter how much sleep I get, so long distance driving for me is not a good thing. I will mainly be the "co-pilot" this trip and probably do less than 20% of the actual driving. Last time we drove two separate vehicles was about seven years ago and I was in a lot better shape..... I remember wanting to drive straight through the night, non-stop, and it was my Wife who was getting very drowsy as she drove her vehicle alone. I was the lucky one with the cat and dog along with me for the drive !! Times sure have changed !!

 

As we know, and as the moving company reminded me, they take two or three other families posessions in the same moving trailer along with our stuff. They outright said (quote) .... "that there is always a chance of an object or box falling onto my vehicle" ....
After hearing that quite UN-assuring sentence, I made my mind up to ship the vehicle in it's own "vehicle transport trailer" made specifically and ONLY for vehicle transport.
Just DON'T want to go through the hassle of making a damage claim, etc. with the moving company......... just want my vehicle to arrive exactly as it was when it left !!

 

A good idea, but..... unfortunately the rear bumper on the CR-V is a thin, vinyl bumper with NO "inside reinforcements" and I have NO trailer hitch installed on the vehicle. A decent trailer hitch (installed by myself) and rental (one way) of a trailer (remember the CR-V is AWD so I can't "dolly" it) would all be as much (or more) than a "covered" carrier !! Plus I can't imagine the MPG drop from 20 now would probably go down to 15 or so, thus gasoline would cost me around $350 - $400 !!

 

Our 2004 CR-V EX (AWD) has only 30K miles, never in an accident, original owner, NON-Smoker, Florida vehicle, ALWAYS GARAGED, '05 16" alloys with four new BFG's, new battery, Mobil1 and WIX oil filters ever since the end of break-in period and changed at 4K intevals since...... I'd be a F:bowl::bowl:L to sell it !!

 

I DON'T expect an enclosed transport for "low dollars", especially as the Summer months arrive, prices will fly high, but for "peace of mind" I don't mind paying the price for a quality and time efficient transport service !!
I used to be a Service Manager at a Chrysler Dealership in Connecticut and we sold (on eBay) a ZERO MILES, brand new, sitting in showroom for three years, Prowler, with all manuals, tools, papers, etc. shrink wrapped in orig. plastic wrapping, and the buyer was out west coast (California) and had it shipped with an enclosed carrier. Mahogany wood floors in the carrier, top notch all the way. Back then it was only $1,500 CT to CA. The driver (of the carrier) walked around the vehicle before it was loaded on, for nearly 45 minutes, and made sure no scratches, dents, dings, etc. I was thoroughly impressed with the care he used in driving it into the enclosed carrier, too. Now, on the other hand, I have seen dozens of "open trailer" transport delivery and pickups and made out quite a bit of damage claims. Lots of stone chips in glass was most common.