Car Shipping Tips & Tricks

(Advice of a Good Automobile Transportation)

One of the most tedious works when moving to another state is shipping your car. In some cases, people worry about shipping their vehicles when they got a lower price for a car in a different state and need the car brought home. No matter the reason, an affordable option for car shipment is all you need, and here is how you do it.

Top 9 Car Shipping Tips

1. Multiple Quotations

When it comes to auto transport, it doesn’t matter if you are hiring an auto transport broker or a car carrier company. It is always wise to call more than 3-4 different companies and get quotes for your car. Getting multiple quotes will help you understand the market landscape and reasonable price ranges for you to choose an affordable way to ship your vehicle.

2. Open Truck Carriers

If you are not worried about structural damage to your car, and are looking for an affordable way to ship your vehicle, look for an open car carrier. Although closed carriers help protect your vehicle from dust and road debris, it costs almost twice as much as an open carrier. The reliable and affordable choice would be the open car carrier trucks.

3. Location Flexibility

You have to pay for premium service if your pick-up or delivery location is in a remote place away from any major city or interstate. In such cases, you can save money by meeting the truck driver at the conveniently selected pick-up or drop location and receiving the car rather than having the truck driver deliver the vehicle at your doorstep. This ensures standard rates and hassles free delivery schedules.

4. Off-Season

The offseason in the auto transport industry refers to the months of December-February, while the busiest months are June-August. Shipping your car in the off-season months will guarantee you lower prices or discounts and better delivery.

5. Self-Brokering

One of the less convenient but affordable ways to hire a shipping company is to cut out the middleman, i.e., the auto transport broker. Although tedious, you will have to call various auto transport companies and get quotations. You will also be in charge of pick-up and delivery of the vehicle. On choosing a car transport carrier, you will have to go through their credentials to check for proper licensing, insurance, and reputation for being sure of their service quality. Although the cost-saving from the cutting of the broker is often not worth the time and effort, it will save you a substantial amount if you are up for it.

6. Time is money

When you are prepared to wait for as long as it takes for your car to arrive, you can save money. Fast delivery on a tight schedule is a costly affair. When shipping your vehicle, it is advised to do it while keeping time in your hands so that you have to pay less. Any time spared in the pick-up or delivery schedule will save you money.

7. Do-It-Yourself

Is you are moving to another state and looking for adventure, here is your chance. Hiring a shipping company and talking to brokers could be a lot sometime. The cheapest way to ship your car across the country is by doing it yourself. Rent a truck if you do not have one, rent a car dolly to carry your car and drive. If you are in luck, this is the easiest and cheapest way to transport your vehicle. The question of success arises because many things need to fall into place for you to save money. Apart from renting all the shipping equipment, you will also have to consider the days you take off from work for your journey, food, hotels, and gas. Added to that, there are after transportation maintenance costs of your vehicle that might cancel out the savings you made from the transportation. But if luck does favor you, shipping your car itself is the cheapest way to transport your vehicle.

8. Hire a Broker

Hiring an auto transport broker is the easiest way to transport your car. An auto transport broker has hundreds of contacts that will help you get the best price for your shipment. But, some brokers might give you a quotation too good to be true. It is always wise to cross-check the quote. In case of cheap transportation, the broker might hire a non-reputed carrier service or come back to you asking for more money when he is unable to complete the shipping in the money he asked for earlier. 

9. Hold the Steering

If adventure is your thing or you have a trusted friend or family member who is a good driver, you can always drive the car from the pick-up point to the destination. Although taking a long road trip can be problematic, and you have to prepare your car well for the journey, it is one of the easy and fun ways to get your vehicle shipped. The cost of a road trip, including car maintenance, food, lodging, and gas expenses, can be close to hiring a shipping company. Still, it is often preferred by people as their car is the essential thing in their life, and they are reluctant to trust anyone else with its responsibility.

Like any industry, the car shipping industry follows the same rules. You get exactly what you pay for. Shipping cheap might make you compromise quality, and on-time delivery while opting for premium services will leave you with no savings.