[ShrimpBurrito]

For the reasons Bill eluded to, if I were to have a TM shipped cross-country, the ONLY way I would do it were on the back of a truck/flatbed. If my only option was to have someone pull it, I would simply find another TM. There are lots of things that can go wrong, especially on a used unit where the condition of the tires, bearings, and brakes are unknown. If it were towed, what happens when your hired driver goes a little fast through some areas that are hot on a road in rough shape? That's a perfect recipe for a blowout, and on a single-axle TM, that means damage. And it can be pricey -- thousands of dollars potentially if there is damage to the grey tank. Not worth the hassle for a few hundred bucks savings.

I wouldn't spend the extra cash to have it transported in any sort of enclosed trailer. I don't see any benefit.

I too have checked into hauling a TM cross-country, and it too was my experience that flatbeds were more expensive than someone towing it. I presume that is partially supply/demand, but probably mostly because a multi-vehicle carrier can load up with a bunch of cars/trailers, and then start hauling. But even once he drops off a unit, he can keep going to deliver more units. Someone towing a trailer then has to turn around to pick up another job, or have carefully scheduled to pick up another load nearby.

Another option I would consider: go pick it up yourself. It would be a long haul, but you can make it from SoCal to the east in 3-4 days, so you could conceivably be back in a week. You'd camp the whole time the way back and see some incredible countryside in the process, so it would basically be a bit of a vacation. ROAD TRIP. Plus, now is a perfect time because fuel prices are the lowest they've been in years, and most campgrounds are pretty much EMPTY. I drove from LA to Tennessee to pick mine up, then headed to the Northeast to visit some family, then up into Canada where we kept heading west before dropping down into Wisconsin and Minnesota. Then through the Dakotas, etc. It was an awesome trip. After all, these campers have wheels!!

Doing that also gives you an opportunity to see the unit first hand before leaving the lot. I'd ask that the bearings be replaced before pickup (a $100 job), brakes inspected, and I'd also have plans to replace those tires before you get on the road unless they were just replaced (check the date code). You're going to have to do it when you get home anyway, and the extra miles are free since you never replace trailer tires due to tread wear.

Give them a deposit, and start driving!

Dave