Shipping A Vehicle To STX

Shipping is a matter of personal choice more than economics. If you have a paid-for car that you love and it's not too new or to old and has good clearance, you should consider shipping. But selling there and buying here is also a good option. Is you car worth the $3,000 it will take to ship? Can it be sold here if/when you leave? Will you be happy with buying a $3,000 car here (the answer to that is no!)? There are decent cars to buy here, but you'll have to start at $6,000 to $8,000.

Also, what is your Moving budget like? If it is less than $10,000.00 and you don't have a job lined up, I would say ship your vehicle if it's paid for and worth over the shipping cost. If you can afford it, buy one here. But like it's already been pointed out, a decent used vehicle will run a MINIMUM of $6,000-$8,000.00 and jeeps even higher. Don't be surprised at what you will get for that coin either, it won't be within 6'8 years old either or have less than 75,000-100,000 miles on it. Also, spend the extra $100.00 and have a mechanic check the vehicle out before you buy it. This may save you a lot of money. The islands are very hard on vehicles from the climate to the roads, especially when you get out of town. The roads haven't been re-surfaced in years.

I agree with Linda J. Buying a used vehicle on the islands is expensive and then you will still not know what you are getting. After you have lived here for quite a while and have established a circle of friends then you can find a good vehicle for a good price.
I have bought two from friends that were leaving the island, one from Linda J, and have had great luck with them. BUT I KNEW THE VEHICLES HISTORY!
I brought a 85 Bronco II from AZ because I knew the condition of the vehicle.
Suggestion if you ship it. Replace the front rotors first. The salt air is very hard on brakes here, especially disc brakes.

Just as a helpful offering, we bought our truck as a year-old spec model from the Ford dealer in Richmond, still new with low mileage, in 2006 (it's a 2005 model). Got a great deal on it, still going strong with the regular brake replacements and front end alignments. New isn't impossible here, if that's a possibility for someone to want to consider.

bring your own vehicle. you know what you have and it is still cheaper than buying something you know nothing about

Thanks, guys! I have pampered the “Westerfield” since bought new. It was the first delivery vehicle I bought for a business I used to own; I had to make sure it was in tip top shape at all times or I lost money! Since selling the business and moving into the healthcare field, I have converted it into a semi-camper with cabinetry, bed/couch, deep cycle battery, inverter, isolator/solar panels, kick ass rims, tinted windows, new paint..etc.

I really hate to sell it. It has almost 200K miles and 90% of those are from M-F morning deliveries on the freeway from San Diego to Calexico (350 miles roundtrip). So, I know the Westerfield might have mileage, but they are clean miles and I wouldn’t get my value back if I sold. I guess shipping would be my best bet even though the MPG are terrible. Right now we are paying $3.80 to $4.25 per gallon. I usually fill up the 33 gallon tank in Mexico for a $2.75ish per gallon.

I would never dream of moving to STX without a job lined up. I am speaking with JFL now and want to plan a PMV for later this summer. I wanted a few weeks, but it looks like it might be closer to 4 or 5 days as they are in hurry, but dragging their feet on dates (if that makes sense) and that makes it hard for me to plan. I guess I can drive the Westerfield to Miami filled with everything I need and maybe tow a trailer as well. From there I can ship everything across and maybe get a little run-around for $6Kish car on the island for most of the daily stuff.

Thanks for all the input. I appreciate your help!

One bad thing about a van like yours is parking downtown. The spaces are really tight. I had a Dodge extended cab pick-up for a while. Hated parking it in C-sted. About the only place I could park it was the government lot. Like my Honda CRV and Bronco II much better.

Thanks Terry,

I want to get a run around car for 6K or so and use the Westerfield as an RV; something I can tow with. I want a little dinghy/boat to fish and have fun with. I will start a new thread!

-Brian