Why are the car shipping prices I am getting all over the map?

The hardest thing for people researching car moving companies to understand is that the prices they are getting are not hard and fast gaurantees, but rather ESTIMATES of what one company thinks it will take to get a vehicle moved promptly versus another company's opinion of what it will take. Don't be fooled, there are not carriers committed to take your vehicle at these quoted prices, the company you choose will still have to get to work getting a carrier to commit to move it at the price they quote you.

What goes into the car shipping prices I am getting quoted?

Your total price breaks down into two parts, the broker's fee (or 'deposit' as everyone calls it) and the carriers fee (your COD amount) Make no mistake about this, EVERYONE YOU ARE GETTING SALES CALLS FROM IS GOING TO BROKER YOUR MOVE. In this industry, there are brokers who try to fool you into thinking that they are the actual carriers and there are an equal amount of carriers who sell themselves on the fact that they have a truck or two but are not being honest about the fact that they broker out 90% of the orders they book. Here is a quick easy way to tell, if a company takes an up front fee, whether they call it a deposit or any other name, they are a broker. Carriers do not take any payment until the vehicle is delivered.

Should I pay a deposit before being given a car carriers name and contact info?

In our opinion, you are crazy to do so. Have you ever been paid up front for the work that you perform for your employer? Why would you pay a fee up front when there are reliable and trustworthy companies like ours that won't ask for it until we provide you with your carriers details?

How long does auto transport take?

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will be between one and two weeks. 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.

Vehicle Shipping Tips – Good Advice Before You Ship

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This is just to go over a few things about Vehicle Shipping for you before you make a decision.

Price and getting the car moved safely and on time are probably your biggest concerns. Here are some things to consider.

First, never pay an upfront deposit. This is very important.

If you are requesting quotes online, I can assure you that every company you’re speaking with is a broker (or a carrier with a brokerage division) and the people you are speaking with are salesmen who work on commission.

So what happens sometimes is that some salespeople will tell you whatever you want to hear just to get that deposit because they don't get paid until you pay the company. Then if they can't get you a car carrier because they bid it too low you could be the one left with no car moved.

Plus, now you've given out a deposit that you have to somehow get back. And if you do get the deposit back you'll see a $75 cancellation fee in their terms and conditions. (not in ours, of course)

So, whether you ship a car with us or someone else, do NOT give an upfront deposit. There are to many ethical companies like us who don't ask for a deposit until after we get you locked down with a carrier.

Secondly, make sure that the Vehicle Shipping company that you choose to move your car has a good rating with the BBB. Again, this is very important. You want to make sure that they are going to set you up with a reputable carrier.

We only use car carriers that carry a minimum of $750,000 in insurance and have been PRE-SCREENED so that they are known to be very good.

One problem with this industry is that most people only move a car once in their life and so it allows for people to be, how shall we say, "less than honest" since they don't need to worry about repeat business.

We have an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and are Accredited by them.

It's easy to see anyone's rating. Just go to www.bbb.org. Once there, select the company's location, (ours is Los Angeles). Then just type in the name of the company (i.e. Safe-Direct Car Shipping). From there you can read a 3 year history on what the BBB has to say about the company. If they have a lot of complaints (especially unanswered complaints) you may want to consider a different company.

As far as quotes are concerned, all of the quotes you are getting are actually just estimates. What really happens is that we all use the same website to post your move once you select a company. It's called Central Dispatch. This way the carriers have one place to go and can see what moves are out there. It makes it easy on them since they are driving all day and can only check when they stop at a truck stop and such.

Anyway, when you look at someone's quote, usually the amount of the *deposit* goes to the broker and the rest is what they are going to offer the car carrier when they post it. (This is usually the amount you pay COD)

So if you get a quote that is much lower than everyone else, you need to realize that it may not pay the car carrier enough to get their interest. So your move can just sit on that website with no one interested in it. And it's usually those low quotes that want a deposit up front as well. Be careful.

With that being said, if you ever feel the quote you get from us is not *competitive* enough, we have no problem re-looking at your quote with you on the phone, and we'll even go online while we're talking and tell you what other cars are offering at the time. Making sure you are priced in line with the competition is your our top priority.

I hope this has helped you understand this industry a little bit better. If you have any questions, just call us at 866-221-1664 and we'll take the mystery out for you.