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Cross-Country Car Shipping: The Best Ways to Do It

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   Cross-Country Car Shipping: The Best Ways to Do It

A cross-country move is stressful and challenging so you can simplify the process and save yourself time by having your car shipped. Rather than spending several days and hundreds of dollars driving the car yourself, you can simply hop on a plane and have your car shipped from point A to point B. Not only is this a more convenient option, but it will prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicle as well. There is a lot to consider when you are shipping a car for the first time, so consider these tips as you plan and prepare to ship your car across the country.

Do Your Research

There are a lot of companies out there who claim to provide affordable and fast auto shipment but unfortunately not  all of them are reliable. Your car is one of your most valuable assets so you don’t want to hand it over to just anyone. You should also spend time researching in order to find a carrier that is reputable and reliable. The first step in finding a trusted shipper is to read customer reviews and check with the Better Business Bureau. You should also check with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to confirm the company’s license, insurance record, and complaint history. When you have found a few reputable companies, be sure and ask for a quote that includes all fees and charges. 

Check Insurance Coverage

Again, your car is a valuable asset so you want to be sure it is adequately insured before you ship it across the country. Start by asking the shipping company about their liability insurance. Most reputable companies will provide some insurance coverage but it’s always important to check. You should also check with your own provider to see what coverage you have for auto shipment. 

Plan Ahead

Shipping a car is not like shipping a package. It is much slower and can sometimes take weeks to transport a car across the country. For this reason, you need to begin planning well in advance. You should also keep in mind that the more time you the transport company has to complete your delivery, the better the price. Unless you require your car to be shipped quickly, you can save a lot of money by being flexible with your delivery date.

Choose an Open Carrier

Most people are looking to ship their car the most affordable way possible and you can save yourself hundreds of dollars by choosing an open carrier. While an enclosed carrier will provide additional protection from outdoor elements, this can also cost up to 50% more. This option is really only necessary if you are shipping a luxury or antique vehicle. It is much more cost effective to choose open transport. 

Consider the Pick-Up and Drop-Off Locations

There are many factors that go into determining the cost of auto shipment and one of those is the location of your pick-up and delivery. It should be noted that delivering between two major cities will cost less than delivering between small towns. Furthermore, door-to-door delivery is certainly more convenient, but it is also more expensive. You can save money by choosing terminal-to-terminal transport. 

Prep Your Car for Shipment

Once you have decided on all of the logistics, you need to prepare your car for shipment. Prepping your car is the best way to ensure it arrives at its destination in the same condition in which it left. Start with a visit to the mechanic to check for any mechanical or electrical issues. Once you know your car is in good working order, it’s time to give it a good clean. Washing your car will make it easier to see any scratches or dents. Once your car is clean, you want to take time-stamped photos of the entire exterior of your car so you have proof of your vehicle’s condition. Next, make sure there is no more than a quarter tank of gas and top off all other fluids. Finally, remove any personal belongings from inside the car. 

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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