Transporting a vehicle across the country might be intricate, but it can be quite simple and relaxing if approached correctly. Oftentimes people need vehicles shipped for business purposes, buying a new vehicle from out of state, or even sending vehicles to family members in different states. In this piece, I will describe choosing a shipping service, prepping your vehicle, and ensuring that everything moves along flawlessly.
Step 1: Determine Your Vehicle Shipping Criteria
Don’t just go ahead looking for companies without clearly defining your shipping requirements. Below are some pointers that require your utmost attention:
- Type of Vehicle: Will it be a luxury SUV, an ordinary sedan, truck, motorcycle, or even a bike? Some transport agencies concentrate on a certain vehicle type and offer supplemental services like enclosed transport for expensive cars.
- Distance to be covered: The distance you want to cover shipping your vehicle influences the cost and even limits shipment methods available. Long distance moves requires a lot of planning, but there are services available designed for a range of distances including regional and transcontinental.
- Budget: Make sure you think about your budget reserved for shipping the vehicle. Indeed, shipping a car across the continent is a herculean cost undertaking but there are a number of pricing plans available depending on the timeframe for delivery, transport mode, and even vehicle size.
Step 2: Find Companies that Offer Vehicle Shipping Services
Based on your requirements, you should now start looking for a company offering vehicle transport services. Due to the considerable differences in service offer from one transporter to another, it is important to choose a company that meets your expectations. Here is how you can begin:
- Reputation and Experience: Look for companies with an impressive reputation and good years of service providing vehicle shipping. This can be done by searching through online reviews, asking for some recommendations from relatives or even checking some professional bodies such as American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) for their members.
- Offered Services: Not all companies offer all services. Some may only specialize in open transport, the cheapest yet exposing your car to weather hazards. Others may provide full on closed transport for added protection. Find a company that offers the exact services you wish to be performed whether door to door transport or terminal to terminal shipping.
- Insurance and Licensing: Confirm that the company has a license from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and that they have sufficient insurance coverage for your vehicle while it is being transported. That coverage is critical because it helps protect your vehicle from damage.
- Scheduling and Availability: Determine if the company you wish to work with is able to provide the services by the dates you prefer and whether they give you the time that is best for you. Expect that shipping a car across the country will typically take anywhere from 7 to 14 days.
Step 3: Solicit and evaluate several quotes for shipping your vehicle
The next part to consider after narrowing down your list to a handful of companies is getting their quotes and evaluating them. Here’s how you should go about the vehicle shipping quotes:
- Provide Complete Details: Ensure you give the correct information, which includes the make, model, year, and condition of your vehicle. Additionally, you need to provide the exact addresses for pick-up and drop-off, the preferred mode of transport, and the timeframe for when the vehicle needs to be shipped.
- Examine All Costs: As with shipping, a vehicle’s transport cost will depend on the distance, size of the vehicle, and the chosen mode of transport. From my experience, always ask for at least three quotes so that you can make price comparisons. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that the lowest quote is what you should go with. There is always a catch, and in this case it may be the level of service, insurance, and reliability you expect.
- Check for Additional Fees: These are often hidden for the sake of a competitive quote. Fewer companies, however, show their hands before these seemingly low prices. Fuel, additional services, and even insurance can take their toll, so ensure you have them explain every cost so that there are no nasty surprises.
Step 4: Get Your Vehicle Ready For Shifting
Once your vehicle is properly prepared there is less chances of damage or scratches occurring during transport. The auto transport shipping company you choose should definitely have some of the steps highlighted below on their checklist.
- Wash the Vehicle: Empty and clean the insides as well as the exterior of the vehicle. This does not simply work to guarantees for clean vehicles free of great marks, but ensures that the driver can take exceptionally clean pictures for reference post transport.
- Take Out All Belongings: Remove all items from the car. This is done for safety and also follows some of the basic guidelines for vehicle shipping services. The vehicle’s contents may shift while it is being transported, which may damage the vehicle.
- Inspect For Any Fluid Leaks or Other Mechanical Problems: Check if there are any leaks or fluid escaping from the vehicle and if it is working properly. A lot of companies that deal with vehicle transport have restrictions that the vehicles must be in working condition, meaning the engines must be started, and the vehicles must be able to drive onto the transport truck. Alternative arrangements will be required if this is not the case.
- Capturing Your Car’s Photos: You need to chronicle the car’s condition by capturing it from different perspectives. Taking these photographs will assist in resolving any issues that may arise before the car is delivered.
Step 5: Verify All Information And Finalize The Booking
After choosing a vehicle shipping company, go ahead and verify the details and finalize the booking. The remaining checklist consists of the following:
- Review The Contract: Review the contract to confirm that all details have been captured including the mode of shipping, delivery timelines, and any insurance provided.
- Confirm Availability of Tracking: A number of modern companies provide GPS tracking for vehicles in transit. Ensure tracking will be provided so that you can monitor the vehicle’s advancement throughout the trip.
- Confirm Delivery and Pickup Dates: Verify the agreed dates, times, and places for pickup and delivery. When using door-to-door services, confirm that the company will be granted access to your locations. For terminal-to-terminal shipping, confirm that both locations are accessible to you before proceeding.
Benefits of utilizing car transport services
When considering shipping cars for long distances, car transport services seems to be appropriate due to their cost efficiency and reliability. Having dealt with vehicle shipping for years, we offer you numerous choices. Whether you need open or enclosed transport, delivery to your doorstep, or expedited services, we meet all your requirements.
Car Transport boasts of having great customer support, no hidden fees, high safety measures, and clear pricing. Car Transport is the best shipping option for cross country transport, they are free quotes, and kickstart the work right away.
With just a bit of additional effort, such as following these guidelines, you can ensure a streamlined experience when it comes to shipping your vehicle with absolutely no hidden costs or delays. The effort put in ahead of time will prove to be invaluable when shipping your car across the country.
