For you guys that have a car shipped (covered carrier) vs Museum delivery or picking up at dealership, how is that experience? Do you not get a familiarization session, explaining all the setup features of the car? Seems like the car is so complicated you need someone to show you how to maneuver the various screens and choices. Are the accessories like brake cooling ducts automatically included (plastic bag in trunk)? With no owner’s manual, seems like a big ask. And was the car protected well, not been driven (few miles on car), and not scratched opening door inside trailer? I’m considering a MacMulkin purchase and shipping car. The salesman said he can do an inspection with me using IPhone FaceTime. That way if there are any obvious issues like body panel misalignment, they can make those adjustments before it is shipped. Seems like a good approach to minimize some stress getting your dream car but being disappointed at delivery.

 

I did a courtesy delivery to a local Chevy dealer, and being a dealer, they did everything required by GM on delivery......orientation, etc. As for shipping worries in enclosed trailers, I wouldn't worry, as shippers deal with this daily, and seem to know how to be cautious, it is in their best interest. I have shipped many cars, open and closed. The risk if you ship on from a dealer, is any risk of damage will be on the shipper and you, being is the car sale is done. If you courtesy deliver to a GM dealer, GM shoulders the risk. I loved doing courtesy frankly. It is much cheaper and less risky. The real key is courtesy is only available prior to submitting the order and you must clear it with the receiving dealer prior. Dealers are not required to do this. In Phoenix, there is only a couple of dealers willing to do it. I would do courtesy without hesitation again!!!!

 

 

Don't use a broker or a bulletin board where the low bidder gets the job......if you actually want the car delivered to your door it will have to be possible for a truck/transporter to get to your door and will be very expensive.....especially with the current price of diesel ...I buy cars from all over the world but mostly in North America and frankly........ I will pay a trusted source to pick it up and haul it individually or drive it home, good luck......

 

Fly up, get the car and drive it home.
You get a road trip adventure and at the same time you get your break-in miles.

 

I ordered the car from MacMulkin and had the R8C Museum delivery mainly because they are only 65 mile from me. Cost is it worth it? all depends on you and your finances and how valuable it is to you.
Sounds like you want some extra attention in getting your car and that is fine. If so I do not think you can beat the Museum delivery as they will spend as much time with you as needed going over the car and they know it very well. They are very responsive and I asked a question after hours and the guy even responded at that time and I was very surprise. They let me know build date before McMulkin did as McMulkin only updates their info once a week.
It can be a fun experience and nice trip for you with a few extras that you get doing the R8C.
Good Luck and have fun.
If you have more question about the R8C you can message me your phone number and we can chat.

 

Do Not use a broker, use a shipper. Can't state this strongly enough. I have personal horror stories about brokers. I use Intercity Lines exclusively. They shipped my last Corvette from MacMulkin to my home in New Mexico. Quality service from quoting, pickup to delivery.
There are very few actual shippers out there. The vast majority you car transporters are brokers. The only two shippers I know are Intercity Lines and Reliable. Don't get fooled by the likes of Horseless Carriage, they are brokers. I had a link for actual shippers. I'll find it and post it.

 

If you do a MacMulkin purchase they will handle everything. The car will be prepped and any obvious issue will be addressed. I used Intercity for shipping to FLL. At the time they were working with MM. I paid 2,000 which was about 1,000 less than anyone else. They sent me photos and two videos of my car being loaded in the trailer. They had turned on OnStar so I was able to track the car as it came to me. I have shipped many cars and bikes cross country without issue. You must use a reputable carrier of which there are many....good luck.

 

I purchased from MacMulkin in March. They set up the transport with Intercity Lines, which cost me $2995 to ship to Southern California. The only drawback from purchasing this way is the potential wait for Intercity to pick up the Corvette. For me it was about four days after the purchase was completed, but at least one other forum member waited several weeks for his pick up. Transit time was about 10 days. Intercity also uses tracking software on their trucks so I was able to track where it was through most of the trip, I received three phone calls from the driver during transit.

When the Corvette arrived, it was perfect. No issues at all. MacMulkin left the factory plastic on the seats, as well as the other tape protection on the interior which was all easy to remove. The brake duck parts, the battery tender package and the original lug nuts were all inside the car, as was the paperwork for the front radiator grills that I had MacMulikin install prior to shipping. They also ran a load test on the battery prior to shipping - at my request - and included the test strip inside.

The owners manual is available for download in PDF format. Once your purchase is complete, you can call the Corvette Concierge and request a printed copy for free. It took about two months to receive mine. In the meantime there are YouTube videos. MacMulkin offered to set up a video conference call to do a walk through, but I never took them up on the offer as I was able to work it all out on my own.

 

In mid-late 2026, GM started shipping cars with owner's manuals again, so one less thing to worry about.

 

There are plenty of good videos with information on how to setup the C8. It’s not that complicated. I’ve had many vehicles delivered to my house. The transport driver is just the delivery guy. If you feel you need someone to help with delivery you may ask about a Courtesy delivery near you. The dealer will do the PDI and help you setup the car. It usually ranges from $300 to 1k. Normally less than a home delivery.

 

You might want to look at this before you ship a car. Closely parallels the experience I had with trying to figure out shipper vs broker.

 

I bought my 1st 2 Vettes (a 1988 and 1993) from the local "our only" larger Chevy dealer. For my 3rd the dealership changed hands and would not negotiate. Bought my 1st Vette out of State, a 2008 C6 over the phone from Kerbeck. Tried to arrange Courtesy Delivery but because of my own error in how I tried, could not. Flew to Atlantic City and drove the 550 miles home. My next Vette, an early 2014 C7 purchased right after the reveal at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2013. Kerbeck not taking early orders that soon. Found only one dealer willing at MSRP in writing (whatever it was as that was not announced for 3 more months) Hendrick in Cary NC, 150 miles away! Great folks. But chuckle at your comment you want to know all about the car because your OCD! The salesman tried to tell be about all the new Infotainment system, Nav etc. Great young man BUT after 30 minutes I said STOP. I'm overloaded, no way to remember all this stuff! Let's be sure my home address is in Nav and I'll figure it out at home.

First download the Owner's Manual as a PDF and spend whatever time reading AND making notes of what is on each page re setting up all the different features. I'd suggest just defining what you will use in Infotainment and leave a full understanding until you can "Play" with the controls.

My next Vette a 2017 Grand Sport found out what I had to do to find a local dealer who would do Courtesy Delivery.

• Don't try asking a dealership sale person or sales manager. They make most of their money on commission selling cars!
• Talk only to (if a large dealer) person who sells large company fleet sales that bypass sales manager and sales rep.
• In my case found (using a phone) the Controller at a small Chevy Dealer several towns away who manages the Chevy, separate Ford, separate Dodge dealerships and a body shop under one owner. Turns out the do fleet sales for the very large company in that small town. Visited with the Service Manager and asked all the questions you raise to see what they would do:
  • Found his wife had a C7
  • They have a a tech who only touches Vettes (now trained on C8s. In fact when my C8 was being serviced I talked with the dealership(s) owner who said he invested in the tools and training of their Corvette tech. He even went to the Ron Fellows driving school GM offered dealers. Was disappointed because of allocations they had limited order opportunity.)

They had a fixed price for Courtesy Delivery for all three cars I bought. No extras, no trying to sell warranty etc, They just want and earn my after sales business. I WOULD LOOK FOR DEALER CLOSE ENOUGH TO DO AFTERSALES SERVICE!
My 2017 Grand Sport and 2020 C8 were bought from Kerbeck and my E-Ray after the business was sold to Ciocca. All 3 for a fixed $350! The small dealer gets my aftersales business versus the large Chevy/BMW/Mercedes dealer in town!

Recall my 2017 Grand Sport the Service Manager found two small areas with dust under the clear coat! I never would have. Gave me a choice of seeing what their body shop could do or live with it! We drove to the body shop on the property and the body shop manager said can have it fixed in 3 hours. I waited and drove home with a perfect car. I signed the No Charge Invoice and GM paid for the repair, which GM covered. They have handled all warranty issues on the 2017 Grand Sport, my 2020 C8 and my E-Ray.

When my 2020 C8 arrived from Bowling Green at ~4PM the service manager contacted me to see if I wanted to watch them remove the white plastic. Said yep, can't get there until ~5 PM. He said no problem I'll be here.

All techs had gone home by 5 PM so Service Manager and the Owner's Son removed the white plastic as I took Pics.



When my E-Ray arrived also late in the day the Service Manager sent this text Pic. My added words.


Perhaps too late for you BUT for others, find a quality dealer who will do Courtesy Delivery for a reasonable price AND wants your after sales service!

 

I live in SW Washington and bought from an East coast dealer. I had the car shipped by the company they recommended and was happy with the trucking company. They took about 100 pictures before they loaded the car and sent them to me so I would know what condition the car was in when they picked it up. It's the dealer that I wasn't happy with. The car had 7 miles on it and had been driven in the rain and not cleaned up afterward despite the salesman saying he would have the car detailed. The car had some cosmetic issues that I rectified myself. The only damage from the trucking company was a scuff on the driver's door where they either got in or out of the car. I contemplated flying to the dealer to look at the car but not for their orientation.

As for learning the car, I had a C6 so there's many things that are familiar. I also read the owners manual cover to cover before the car got here. I didn't find learning the car to be a big challenge. In fact, it got dropped off a local Walmart and I jumped in it and drove it home. If you are able to use the features of a smart phone, you can figure this car out. You're going to be messing around with the displays for weeks before you decide what you want displayed. That process with familiarize you with the various display options. If you already have a car with a nav system you won't find the Corvette to be much different.

 

I went with a broker for my '26. No problems at all. $1800 from NH to CO. My '24 was shipped from NE by one of their employees who picked up my M4 that I traded. Took a chance as it was an open trailer, but not that far from Lincoln to COS. Worked out ok--some rain on the way, but the car didn't have any damage and he took it to a spray carwash when he got nearby. No hail, thank goodness. $1100 for the round trip. No rain on the M4 return.