The idea of turning your auto transport to a road trip might sound fun until you undertake it. Driving a car through scenic back roads that you are familiar with might be therapeutic but same cannot be said about unfamiliar roads. In addition to that, the wear and tear that your car will be exposed to on the journey and the mileage it piles on are serious factors to consider.
What if you have to move a car across state lines or you have more than one vehicle to move? What about the situation where you ordered a car from overseas or you finally found that vintage vehicle you have been looking for? You cannot possibly drive the vehicle(s) to your destination.
This is where vehicle shipping companies comes in; these service providers are duly licensed (or should be) to help you move your car from one place to the other. Read this article for details about this industry.
Factors To Consider Before Choosing A Vehicle Shipping Company
Whether you are shipping your car from one state to the other or internationally, there are important factors to consider so that you can have a hitch free experience. So below are some these factors:-
Shipping Method
The most important factor in our opinion is the mode of transportation that the company uses. The basic types of transportation are enclosed and open transport carriers.
- Open Transport – This is the most common form of inter/intra city or state shipping. In this method, the cars are loaded on an open truck and transported by road. This is the cheapest form of auto transport and also the most popular method for not too long distance shipments and regular vehicles.
- Enclosed Transport – This method is more expensive than the foregoing and as the name implies, vehicles are loaded on enclosed trucks with roofs and walls. These types of carriers are usually best for vintage/classic vehicles and luxury cars because they provide more protection from the elements and other risk factors on the road.
Type Of Service Provided
There are two types of service you can get in the auto transport industry and they are door to door and terminal to terminal.
- Terminal to Terminal – In this option, the shipper will drop off your vehicle at their terminal and you pick it up from there; this is in case you ordered from a dealer. In the case of moving your vehicle from one location to the other, you will drive your car to the pickup terminal and also arrange for pick up at the destination terminal.
- Door to Door – This is an option where the shipper picks up the car from your doorstep and delivers it to the destination. This is a great option for busy individuals or those who do not have the time for pickup and delivery hassles. Check out this site for benefits of door to door shipping: https://therealtimereport.com/
Timeline
Ensure that you know/understand the shipping timeline of the company that you are considering. Some companies offer fast (emergency) shipping for those that want it. If you want to have your shipment delivered faster than the regular timeline, your vehicle will be prioritized for quicker delivery but at additional cost.
But if you do not want to pay extra, you have to book for shipping way in advance. That is why you need to know the shipping timeline of the company that you want to use.
Factors that Can Affect the Cost of Shipping
There are a number of factors that affect the cost of shipping your vehicle and the major ones are the distance the vehicle has to travel and the location it is to be delivered to. However, these two are not the only things that affect shipping costs; the following also do:-
- Condition of the vehicle – if you have an inoperable car, it means that it cannot be driven unto the carrier transport and off it; this therefore will increase the cost of shipping for you.
- Price of Fuel – This is an important factor that affects shipping cost; so if pump price of fuel is high, then you can surely expect a higher cost.
- Size of the vehicle – it goes without saying that the size of the vehicle will determine the carrier to be used. You do not expect that it will cost the same amount to ship a full pickup truck and a small passenger car.
- The carrier – This refers to open and enclosed carrier transports. While you can get cheap vehicle shipping in both options, be prepared to pay higher for enclosed carrier. Of course, this also offers added benefits which may be worth the added cost.
- Time of the year – The time of the year determines how much you’ll pay for your shipment. This is because demand is higher in some months than the other. January and summer months actually experience higher demand and thus higher rates.
Conclusion
We have discussed a few things to bear in mind before you checking out auto companies and also factors to consider. We believe these tips will help you get the best deals for you.
