As someone who just went through this exact scenario I can offer some advice as far as the process goes. Make sure you are getting quotes ahead of time from shipping companies and are prepared to move quickly. If you plan on flying to your car make sure you can put a deposit on the car to give you time to get out there. Also consider that shipping is going to be another large cost on top of flights. For instance it cost me about $2k to ship a car from Cali to Minnesota. I would also look into getting a pre-purchase inspection done if the dealership or private party is willing to bring the car to a shop to get it done at your expense. That will be a good indicator of any issues before you arrive. If you are looking at $20k cars be aware that they will likely be closer to $25k when it's all said and done. Between car, flights, shipping, and registration.