Auto Transport - Tow vs Ship

I'm trying to move as cheaply as possible across the country, which as I'm finding isn't exactly easy.

So far I've determined that renting a Penske truck is the cheapest way of moving our stuff, at about $1250 for the truck another $500 for fuel.

However, we've then got our 2012 Honda Fit to worry about. Originally, I wanted to ship the stuff, and drive the car, but shipping stuff aint cheap, the cheapest I've found is $2200. Which isn't bad, but we get less linear feet for our dollar than with a rental truck.

Lastly, there is of course the option of towing the Honda behind a rental truck. In hilly Pennsylvania, this wouldn't be fun, but in the flat midwest I dont think it would be a problem.

Any suggestions on towing a vehicle behind a rental box truck vs shipping on a car hauler?

The added fuel costs for towing it behind the rental truck will still be less than shipping the car, plus you'll have a little more storage space or an easier way to drive around after stopping at the hotel for the night.

Keep your stuff for the trip in the car (clothes, toiletries, computers) so you don't have to ever open the back of the truck until you get where you are going.

If you are already used to pulling a trailer around, it's not a big deal. If you are not, just be prepared to deal with the extra length behind you when changing lanes, taking turns, etc. I don't find trailering "fun", but I'll do it when I have to.

Another option, got any friends who might be willing to drive the Fit for you for the cost of gas, hotels, and a plane ticket home?

I moved ~1000 miles using a Penske truck and Penske car trailer. Even for that distance, I think total cost including fuel was $1200 or so. Some major hills on the way, but because Penske forces you to get a certain size to be able to tow the trailer, I found the engine adequate. Of course I'm used to underpowered 4-cylinder cars...

Would definitely go through Penske again, even though they were a bit more expensive the truck was nice (practically brand new, I think it had 10,000 miles on it) and I heard enough horror stories about U-Haul to avoid them.

Oh I should mention - get the extra insurance! Very glad I did, because I'm dumb and when pulling into my new neighborhood at night (lacking in the streetlight department) I pulled up to the curb and came to an abrupt stop with associated noises. There was a tree limb leaning out towards the street at enough of an angle for me to clip and pretty much destroy one of the cab corners on the box.

I are dumb. But all I had to do was tell them when I turned it in, feel stupid, and sign a report on what happened. No other drama.

if you have the Fit on a dolly, you can't back up like you can with a trailer.

If you ship your stuff, will they pack and unpack for you? The extra I paid to NOT lug couches, chairs, tables, and boxes full of books across the parking lot and up/down stairs was worth it.

In reply to Gearheadotaku:

You'd be better off burning all that stuff and just starting anew.

My wife is fine with burning everything but the couches, even though I explained to her that they are the very thing that is most expensive to ship. Oh well, her money is my money, my money is her money.

Too bad. Couches burn nice.

In reply to Wally:

Especially in West Virginia.....