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5 Tips for Shipping a Car When Moving Out of State

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   5 Tips for Shipping a Car When Moving Out of State

If you are moving to a new state, you may find that utilizing a car shipping service can be a convenient and reliable way to transport your vehicle long-distance. It will save you a tremendous amount of time and will protect your vehicle from unnecessary wear and tear. If you have never shipped a car before, consider these tips for shipping your car out of state.

Research and Compare Auto Shipping Companies
As with any company, you get what you pay for with auto transport companies. You want to avoid looking for the lowest possible price and research the company’s reputation instead. When you are moving to a new state, the last thing you need to worry about is damage to your vehicle. That’s why it’s in your best interest to compare different shipping companies by reading reviews, checking for proper licensing and registration, comparing rates, and asking about insurance coverage.

Confirm Your Carrier’s Liability
Before you choose an auto shipping company, be sure to understand the carrier’s limit of liability. Any reputable car shipping company should provide between $50,000-$100,000 in coverage. It’s also important to check with your own insurance company about additional coverage.

Pay Close Attention to the Bill of Lading
Always read the Bill of Lading very closely and make sure you understand all of the terms that are presented. Never take verbal promises- everything should be in writing. Make sure you have a clear understanding of all policies and procedures and ask for clarification if needed.

Inspect Your Car Prior to Shipment
Although it is unlikely, it’s possible that your vehicle could get damaged during transport. That’s why it’s important to thoroughly inspect your vehicle beforehand. Wash your car so you can easily spot any scratches, dings, or dents and take photos as proof of your vehicle’s condition. This makes it easier to spot any new damage that may have occurred.

Prepare Your vehicle for Shipment
Before handing your vehicle over to the carrier, you must prepare it for shipment. Here are few things you should do to ensure your vehicle is ready for shipment:
-Wash and clean the interior and exterior.
-Make sure there is ¼ tank of gas (no more)
-Remove ALL personal belongings from the vehicle
-Make sure the vehicle is in good working condition.
-Check car tires and battery.
-Disarm any alarm systems.

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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