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5 Things to Take Account When Shipping an Automobile

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   5 Things to Take Account When Shipping an Automobile

Choosing an auto shipping company online can be overwhelming and confusing. It’s difficult for many people to turn their vehicle over to a company they know very little about. That’s why it’s helpful to know which factors are more important than others when it comes to choosing a reliable auto transport company. Here are a few things you should take into account to ensure you get the best service at the best price. 

1.Research the Company’s Reputation

This is one industry where reputation really matters. Sometimes, word of mouth is the best information you can get. Talk to people you know who have shipped cars and ask them about their experience. It is also important to read the company’s reviews. Typically, customers who have a great experience or a terrible experience are most likely to leave a review. Keep in mind, however, that reviews are never 100% representative of the company’s overall performance. In addition to checking reviews on the company website, you should also check reviews with the Better Business Bureau, Google Business Reviews, and Transportationreviews.com.

2.What’s the Price?

One of the first questions on most people’s minds is “How much is this going to cost?” You can ask for a quote via the phone or through the company’s website. When you provide the right details such as the dates of your shipment and the make and model of your vehicle, you should be able to get a fairly accurate quote. Be mindful of a few things when getting a quote:

-Quote prices are not final and they tend to fluctuate.

-Beware of the lowest quote. (If it seems too good to be true it probably is)

-Make sure you are clear on the terms and conditions and understand things cancellation fees, booking fees, etc.

3.What is the Company’s Insurance Policy?

It’s important to check with the company to make sure they are fully inspired. Otherwise, you run the risk of being financially responsible if anything should happen to your vehicle during transport. This could turn into a financial nightmare if you aren’t properly insured. 

4.Consider the Season

There is definitely a difference between shipping services during the warmer months versus the winter. Transporting a vehicle in the winter can be a bit more challenging due to unpredictable weather conditions. Drivers have to be more cautious if there is snow or icy roads. That said, shipping a car during the summer can be more expensive due to higher demand. Just be aware of how the seasons affect the price and shipment time. 

5.Carrier Options

Before shipping your car, one of the most important things to consider is the kind of shipment carrier that best suits your vehicle. Most companies will offer open transport or enclosed transport. Transporting a vehicle through an open carrier is the cheapest option, but keep in mind that your vehicle will be subject to the outdoor elements and could potentially get damaged by rain, hail, ice, wind, rocks, or other debris. Enclosed carriers, on the other hand, are more expensive but they provide additional protection for your vehicle. These carriers are ideal for shipping classic or luxury vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Honest Answers to Your Car Shipping Questions

Yes, we always ask for your specific pickup and delivery addresses, if the carrier can get right to the addresses you provide, they will. If the addresses that you give us are not safely accessible for a Multi-car carrier, however, you will need to make arrangements with the driver to meet at a nearby location where the carrier can safely get in and out.

People do it all the time (rarely for free) but the official answer is no.

Not what you wanted to hear, we know, but that is the honest answer.

We are not licensed to broker the shipment of household goods and, likewise, no car carrier that operates in the USA is licensed to transport them from state to state either. Despite what you might be being told by other car shipping companies you may speak with.

Remember, at the end of the day we're all salespeople, and the true answer to this question is not a great selling point.

You will hear a lot of companies tell you that you can put up to 100 pounds of items in the trunk, but that is not entirely true. That fact is that items of that amount are fairly common and the department of transportation is probably not going to split hairs and fine the trucker over items of that amount, provided they are not over their weight limit. They could fine them, however, if they see a vehicle stuffed full of personal items so the car carrier will most likely try to negotiate something with you to cover themselves against any costs they could incur. It's not something we can build into your contract though.

We have a short and helpful video on this topic in our user videos.

Only in rare cases and car carriers will usually charge a premium to make it happen.

All dates given by car carriers are typically estimates and projections.

For this reason (and to keep your cost down) we ask that you build in some flexibility and give us the earliest possible date you would be WILLING to release the vehicle, even though it may not be your preferred date.

We'll put you in direct contact with your car carrier and the driver will also typically call you the afternoon or evening before your pick up and delivery (they won't just show up unannounced, and if they do we want to hear about it). However, car carriers are out on the road battling traffic, weather and any number of other factors that can and do throw them off of their pickup and delivery projections from time to time.

If the projected dates we give you come and you are unable to make contact with your carrier, please call our office immediately so that we may help resolve the situation.

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will average 7 to 10 days. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

Yes!

Even better, we do not even ask for payment until we have you confirmed for pickup by a safe, reliable, fully insured, direct car carrier. If for any reason you do not ship your car with the carrier that we arrange for you, there is no fee.

The fees paid directly to the carrier however, (in most cases, their fees are not paid until your vehicle is delivered) are not directly controlled by us, so any requests for a refund of the carrier's portion would need to be addressed with the carrier directly.

Of course! And you are always backed by our Damage Free Guarantee policy.

Part of what you pay us for is to verify that the car carrier that we put you on is covered by the proper amount of insurance and that everything is up to date.

There is never any additional cost to you for this coverage, and their insurance is always primary.

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