Anybody have ideas about a cheap way to get a couch from Austin to Fort Worth?

June 29, 2008 6:40 AM

I found a great vintage Danish couch in Austin that I want to refinish. I need to get it to Fort Worth though. Any ideas on an inexpensive way to move it?
posted by Zebtron to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

Budget has a full-size pickup starting at $48. You might also call AmTrak or Greyhound and see if they can accommodate a couch in their cargo holds. We shipped a couple of boxes via Greyhound a few years ago and I remember it being extremely reasonable, much cheaper than UPS (but that's much much smaller than a couch).
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:06 AM on June 29, 2008

Don't know what your idea of inexpensive is, but I'd think the cheapest would be pick it up

You could rent one of those enterprise cargo vans for 1 day and go pick it up.
Van will run you about $ 65 for the day ( more if you take out insurance)

you are looking at about 400 mile roundtrip. if you get only 12 mpg you are looking at 33 gallons of gas. if gas cost you $ 4.50 a gallon thats about $ 150 worth of gas

for a total of $215 (or less if gas is cheaper/ mileage is better)

Of course, you could always borrow a truck from a friend ( no shortage of pick-up trucks in TX) but this could cost you a lot more if you damage the truck in any way
posted by Mr_Chips at 7:10 AM on June 29, 2008

You might try Uship. You post details of what you want to have shipped (from where, to where, schedule, size, target price, etc.), shippers bid, and then you select a bid. I had a scooter shipped this way a year or so ago and my experience was pretty good.
posted by hawkeye at 7:14 AM on June 29, 2008

My solution isn't appropriate for your situation as you have such an extreme distance. However, I'm posting it anyway as I think it'll be helpful to others wanting to move a single piece of furniture within their city: don't rent a van or call someone on Craigslist to help out. Instead, just call the cab company and ask for a minivan taxi with seats that go down. In Toronto, renting a van/driver can cost you $80 or more. The minivan taxi is simply the meter plus $10.
posted by dobbs at 7:14 AM on June 29, 2008

You could use specialist shipping companies like PakMail or Craters & Freighters. Both of them have Austin locations (just follow the links I gave you). I can't say which one is better though - I just know they do that.

Or, if we talk really inexpensive, a couple of blankets (to wrap around furniture) and a U-Haul trailer!
posted by cst at 7:15 AM on June 29, 2008

Find someone with room for a couch who´s already headed that way and offer to pay half their gas money. Try the rides section on craigslist.
posted by yohko at 10:42 AM on June 29, 2008