Snow bird - car rental or transport car?

[abc31]

My parents have been driving from NY to Florida where they stay for 3 months during the winter. I think my dad is getting too old to do this, although he doesn't think so. I will try to convince him to fly next year. Is there an economical way to either do a long term car rental or have their car transported?

 

[lvhmbh]

Alot of Snowbirds transport their cars. One of the pluses is that they get to cram the car full of clothes and other things as well. Sorry I don't have the name of one as I'm not a "bird". Linda

 

[Nancy]

Autotrain

Is autotrain an option? If so, for cheapest fares you need to make reservations way in advance.

Nancy

 

[Debbie0329]

Autotrain

The autotrain is a good idea - you can cram as much as you can comfortably (by that I mean still see out the windows...) into the car. You pick up the train in Lorton, Virginia and travel overnight to Sanford, Florida - we've done this a couple of times and it's worked quite well. We did get the sleeper accommodations - and if you have AAA you can get a discount.

When you use a transport company to ship your car most will not allow you to put anything extra in the car for shipping - they are not responsible for items missing out of the car when it arrives at the destination.

There is a very good website of reviews for companies shipping cars:

http://www.transportreviews.com/

We used 1st Call Auto Haul to ship our car to Arizona from Massachusetts - great customer service.

Deb

 

[Gerie]

For years the folks drove down to their 6-month rental. Then, as macular degeneration progressed my father finally conceded that he would no longer drive, much to the relief of his children. At that point one of us would take a long weekend and drive their packed car for them while they flew. Mom and Dad paid for the driver's trip down and return flight home.

This lasted for several years until, finally, at the ages of 82 and 84, they sold their home of 53 years along with all it's furnishings and moved to Florida permanently. All they had was a promise of a 6-month rental. I called them "gypsies," and reminded them of how they were all over my case when I made lifestyle choices like that. But good for them. Mom passed a couple of years ago, but Dad just celebrated his 89th birthday enjoying his corner condo on the ocean with a two-year lease. He's got a cruise planned for January and hopes to continue hitting his age on the golf course (with the help of his seeing-eye caddy.)

 

[abc31]

Thanks for the replys.

abc

 

[lvhmbh]

I just checked with my friends and they said they always pack their cars full of clothes, etc. and have never had a problem.

 

[kitte1]

Snowbird car rental

My parents went down to Fort Lauderdale last winter to wait for the winter to pass and they rented a car. It is a lot cheaper sometimes becasue so many people go down to florida for the winter you will be able to get great rates like $10 a day or somethig like that. They rented from Sixt rent a car last year Sixt Snow Birds

 

[ronparise]

A lot of snowbirds own their condo, rather than renting every year, and leave a car at the property

And even if they would rather rent than buy... If they intend on visiting the same town every year, rent a storage unit for the car and keep it in Florida