Enclosed trailer or open carrier for a 400 mile move through the mountains?

So I'm shipping my 1987 Firebird from Asheville to Knoxville, about 430 miles, and I keep going back and forth on the trailer type. I talked to a guy at a gas station who runs a two car open hauler and he said open is fine, just tape the front bumper. But my neighbor had his Audi shipped open from Charlotte last spring and came back with a paint chip right on the hood, plus some tar spots. The price difference I'm seeing is like $380 for open versus $620 for enclosed, which is a lot for me but this car is kinda my baby. I also worry about the mountain roads and debris from trucks, has anyone else run into issues with open carriers on hilly routes like I-40 through the Smokies? Or is enclosed really worth the extra $240 in your experience?

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the_river17d ago

That gas station guy saying "just tape the front bumper" got me thinking about tape jobs I've seen over the years. I once watched a buddy tape up a whole classic Mustang for a short haul and he used that blue painters tape like it was armor. Thing is, he forgot to tape the side mirrors and one of them got snapped clean off by a rock kicked up from a semi. So yeah, open carriers on mountain roads like I-40 can be a real gamble with all the truck traffic and loose gravel. If that Firebird is your baby and you're already sweating the details, the extra 240 bucks is basically the price of one good paint job repair these days. I'd say go enclosed just for the peace of mind, even if it hurts the wallet a little now.

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