I did some price searching and digging.
The Mitsubishi iMiEV is a weird little car. It's rear-wheel drive with single gear reduction (same as a Tesla Roadster!) so that seems to rule out a tow-dolly, which is really only designed for front-wheel drive cars.
It's also just big enough that you need a real car trailer, instead of a more affordable plain flatbed cargo trailer.
After running the math on rental, distance, average gas price, etc. I really am better hiring somebody else. As much as I wanted a wacky road-trip adventure, it's just not worth it, and I can't afford to waste money right now.
I did find some pretty decent bids on shipping. The car being "Non-Op" is a disadvantage, but it being at a giant car auction place is a plus. They have the big loading dock and forklifts and ton's of truck drivers going there every day.
Some of the cost on shipping a car also depends on when you want it done. If you can give a BIG window of when it can leave, that makes it cheaper. The auction house needs the car gone one week after the sale, or they start charging $20 a day "storage fee".
I've got one company ready to go get the car for me, (no deposit needed until they find the driver) and another company that lets drivers bid directly. That has the potential to cut $100 to $150 off the bill, but only if there happens to be a truck in the right time and right place with an empty space on it.
Ah, the joys of shipping cars!
