My new Car, drive or ship?

1996 Honda Accord
Looks great for a 15-year old car!

 

I have great news, I am getting a new car.  Well… a “new” car to me at least.  I will be buying a 1996 Honda Accord from my Grandma in Irvine, California.  It has 120,000 miles on it, was kept in superb condition, runs and drives great.  Lucky for this car it has been in CA its whole life.  So no harsh winters, therefore no rust.  Originally it was my aunt's car and now I'm buying it.  Accords are such good cars, we want to keep this one in the family.  I know I will be able to get another 120,000 miles out of it easily.  Maybe even get 300,000+ miles out of this car.  Hey, it's a Honda!  It can make it.

The only problem is… well… I'm in Baltimore, MD and the car is in Irvine, CA.  That's on the other side of the county.  My two options are to ship it through an auto transport company, or drive it on a fantastic road trip across the country.  I would love to drive it, but my family feel it's better to ship it and not put extra miles on the car.  My thoughts are “It will be an adventure.  Besides it's a Honda, another 3,000 miles is nothing.  It should make it back to Baltimore no problem!”  The car does need a few maintenance items before it could make a cross country trip.  The back tires should be replaced, it could use a new battery, a brake flush, and probably an oil change.  Just that, then it should be set.  I'm having trouble deciding.  Shipping would be about $800-1000.  Driving might work out to be about the same, but it would be an unforgettable journey.

I would love to hear suggestions, comments, or advice from people.  What are your thoughts?  Ship or drive?

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Don’t Get Taken Everytime

If you feel clueless about buying a car, which most people are, then I would highly suggest buying Don't Get Taken Everytime by Remar Sutton. It's a great book that explains dealership gimmicks and tactics used to confuse consumers. It will help you understand the mindset of an auto salesman and dealership, and make you an informed car buyer. I had heard of some of the tactics in the book before, but the things that some dealerships do is eye-opening! If you get the book be sure to read as much as you can. However, it is long so I would pick and choose which chapters apply to you. I wouldn't even think about buying a car unless you read Don't Get Taken Everytime!