Getting ready to start Cruising, what about a car?

[jabrockert]

My wife and I are avid sailors and and coastal cruise on our 34' catamaran between Galveston Texas and Corpus Christi, Texax, a few times each year. We will be expanding our cruising to a more full time roll as retirement is setting in. We plan on cruising up and down the East coast chasing nice weather. Summers up north and winters in Florida. We will be staying in marina's for 2-3 months at a time.
Would I be crazy to thing about shipping a my car to my next location each time we pick up and move?

Joe&Susan
Corpus Christi, Tx

[hellosailor]

Look at the costs (including loss of capital, annual insurance, requirements to change registration and title after 90? days in a state) and the costs of shipping (reliability and timing can be issues) versus the costs of just using ride services and taxis, or doing a monthly rental in different ports.

Gotta run the numbers.

[Don C L]

Welcome aboard Joe and Susan! I haven't done it but it seems like a good idea to me if you will be using the car a lot to explore the areas inland near the harbors. I don't know what car delivery prices are but do you know anyone who might drive it there for you and you pay their train ticket back? (Maybe a grown child who'd like a little road trip adventure?)

[hpeer]

We have done that. We use Uber for local rides when available. But if we want to drive around a bit we use Enterprise car rental. They pick you up, many places are quite good about that, some others are not nearly as good.

I would not do as you suggest. I think it would get really complicated and will remove your flexibility. You have to pay for delivery, get the driver back home, find a new driver in the next port, find parking places where: the car is safe, is allowed, is convenient to where you dock. Just a hassle.

Now for the summer we drive to Newfoundland from Philly. I keep a car near Philly in a locked lot, cost $50/month. But when I arrive ther I have to rent a car to get to the lot, make sure it starts. This time I will have to take it to the shop right away as something broke the day we were leaving. Also I need to get it inspected and keep up registration and all that. It’s a hassle, but I’m driving it 4 months and really want a 4wd where we go. Not a good rental option.

[Empty Pockets]

Having a car where you’re spending an extended period improves the experience greatly. You can have cars picked up and moved fairly cheaply.

[S/V Illusion]

Vehicle transport prices across country are typically in the $600 - $700 price range. Both reliably and simply. It can be picked up anywhere and dropped anywhere. We do that routinely.

[keithacausey]

Hi, If you sell your cars and then get some rentals along the way, what do you do for insurance on the rentals?

Thanks

[fatherchronica]

I would try folding bikes first. Plus public transportation. You will be amazed how much a bike opens up. I never rode in a bus after my last field trip in high school, and had a car from 16 years old in Los Angeles where I drove 30 to 50 each way to work for many many years. But when we began cruising without a vehicle and using buses, it was not at all unpleasant and often very interesting.

[Cadence]

As hpeer said us Enterprise. I have had great success with them. Transporting a car from port to port? Your plans may change during travelling from port to port do to weather or what ever. When renting drag out a card for everything you are affiliated with, AARP, etc, etc. NRA probably works? They discount the cost. The pick up and drop off is great. I'm not one to hyp. a company, it is generally the other way around, but good service deserves getting kudos.

[Mike OReilly]

In our full-time/half-year cruising lifestyle we’ve managed to keep the car and move it to various locations as we sail along. But it has been a PITA at times. And there is a real cost to keeping the car.

It has worked out for us so far, and the value of having our own fuel-efficient (50 mpg) car in our vagabond land-homeless lifestyle has been worth it financially. But it’s not always easy.

[sailorboy1]

Marinas normally have a few “stuck” cruisers looking to make a few dollars and offering to drive peoples cars.

[Lihuedooley77]

Good question...

We would probably have a couple of folding bikes, especially if what we were interested in was within a reasonable distance.

Yep, get some exercise, and feel the freedom of getting out and exploring away from the boat.

For longer explorations, if and when they would arise, we totally agree with Enterprise. And they will pick you up. We have had super service and no up selling.

Don't think we would be comfortable with our personal vehicle being driven cross country, place to place, and left in an area that we knew nothing about .

Also, does your insurance cover ANYONE who drives it. What happens if there is an accident or collision with an immovable object. What is the back ground of the delivery driver ?

Lots of different ideas, but we would keep life simple, with minimal possible problems, and not depend on anyone else, and have our car parked in some unfamiliar place where it may be broken into, or stolen.

And as mentioned what if you send your car off to where ever, and there is a mechanical or other problem with the boat, or the weather comes down and you cannot make your intended port.

Lots of things to take into consideration. Of course it is entirely up to you, you personal choice, do what feels good to you.

[RobTryon]

We use rentals and Uber for short stays. Sometimes we stop at a place and we really like it, or it's time for a refit and we stay for awhile. That has happened twice, once for several years in San Francisco Bay, and now in CIH, we buy a 2k car have had good luck so far.

[billknny]

We never even considered keeping a car. In fact, it was way cheaper for us to dump the car, and cancel the insurance, then pay the rental company (even at their insane prices) for insurance when we needed to rent a car.

You really need to look at the number of days you will ACTUALLY drive instead of the number of days you just feel better knowing you COULD.

In the USA if you shop on line you'll not be paying more than $50 a day for a rental car. If you sold your current vehicle for $5000, that's renting a car one every third day for year, not counting the money you save on transport and upkeep and parking, and...

Honestly, your life will be better, simpler and more fun without the hassle of owning a car.

But you know what? Anytime you ask the internet a question like this, you will get people who will say "YES" and some say "NO" and you STILL have to make your own decision for your own life.

[hpeer]

On the question of insurance...disclaimer ... no first hand knowledge, internet expert.....

This topic came up once befor and someone noted that once you give up your car insurance totally getting it back is tough and expensive. Apparently they will once again consider you a brand new driver and put in the very expensive new driver/high risk pool. So some wavy folks buy a junker, perhaps even have it crushed, but retain some inexpensive insurance.

I’m lucky, our “official” residence is a small hunting cabin in God’s country PA. At my age, and in that district, the insurance is very little. So I keep my junker 2998 Isuzu Trooper covered and, so far, it has gotten me to Newfoundland and back. Although I can see the end in sight. I may be looking for a “new” 4wd junker.