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Most Frequently Asked Questions About Car Transport

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   Most Frequently Asked Questions About Car Transport

Shipping your vehicle is not something you do every day so you will undoubtedly have several questions about vehicle transport. Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions regarding car transport to help you better understand the process.

How much does it cost to ship a car?
The cost to ship your vehicle will depend on a number of factors: the size and weight of your vehicle, pickup and delivery location, distance of transport, open or enclosed trailer, and the condition of the vehicle.

How long does it take to ship a vehicle?
This all depends on the location and destination of the vehicle. On average, vehicle transport takes about 1-2 weeks. If you are picking your vehicle up from a terminal, it could take an additional 1-3 days and if it’s being delivered directly to your door it could take an additional 5-7 days. You should keep in mind that delivery times are subject to change due to variables that are out of the carrier’s control such as weather, traffic, and road closures.

Do car transport companies provide insurance?
Most car transport companies include some form of insurance or warranty in their basic price but you should inquire about the specifics of their policy and ask if they offer additional coverage at a higher price.

Can my car be delivered directly to my door?
Many car transport companies will offer door-to-door delivery but it might come at an additional cost. It might also take a little bit longer for delivery.

How far in advance do I need to schedule?
Although this varies depending on the company and the destination of your vehicle, most car transport companies try to be flexible and accommodating but you should plan on booking a minimum of three days in advance but no more than 30.

Can I track my vehicle during shipment?
Most car transport companies will provide you with some sort of tracking information so you can keep up with your vehicle.

How do I prepare my vehicle for transport?
You should clean the exterior of your vehicle and inspect it thoroughly for any damage or scratches. Empty out all personal belongings and make sure there is a quarter tank of gas. You should also check your vehicle’s battery and make sure your tires are properly inflated.

Do I need to be present at pickup and delivery?
It is recommended that you are someone you trust be present at both pickup and delivery. During pickup, you will need to inspect your vehicle and sign the Bill of Lading before your keys can be handed over. Therefore, it is important that you or someone you trust be present at the time of inspection.

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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