Traveling never going to happen??? need advice

Given the weight and size of the Andras, definitely pay the price for getting the right replacement shipping boxes/crates from Eggleston Works. While using commodity cardboard with foam, etc...works with smaller speakers, something like the Andra with granite finish and heavy bottom-end (IMHO) needs the boxes that EW themselves would use. Lacking that, get a UPS Store rep to give you a quote on "custom crating and shipping"; works for antiques and all manner of valuable items. This is not to be confused with them doing a traditional boxing prior to shipment, this is a custom service that would build crates and cradles that are tailor made for whatever you will ship.

Next time...SAVE YOUR BOXES/CRATES!!!

For the record, I would not drive 3000 miles roundtrip to buy a pair of speakers or other electronic gear. Too much time, exposure on the road, etc...

I drove about 7 hours one way to pick up my speakers. Had to measure a couple of times to make sure they fit. I rented some moving blankets to help pad them because the owner didn't keep the original boxes. It worked perfectly. The way I look at it, if someone isn't willing to drive a bit to pick them up then how interested can they really be?

It's really just a math problem, right? At 3k round-trip miles getting 23 mpg and gas at 2.30/ gallon + a night at motel 6 and fifty bucks worth of McDonald's you're at $400 for the trip. After that, you need to figure out how good a deal you offer someone as well how desperate you are to sell. For anything in the Andra line I would make a road trip out of it. I recently bought a pair of 140# speakers from a gent who offered to drive them 300 miles free in his Agon ad to make the deal. He was a good guy and helped me set them up for a test so I gave him enough money to split his expenses 50-50 before he left.

I wouldn't do it. I suggest you pay for shipping and take the issue away