Whether you are moving cross-country, traveling, selling, or buying a new or used vehicle, you may want to enlist the help of a car shipping company. For many, the process of relocating can be a long and tedious one with many moving parts.
Opting to ship your vehicle can save countless hours on the road, protect your car from wear and tear, and simplify the car shipping process. Cars are precious cargo, making it crucial to choose the best car shipping company with the right auto transport services for your unique needs.
Keep reading to learn the answers to commonly-asked questions and discover how auto transport services can create an easy shipping experience for you.
When Do You Need a Car Shipping Company?
Car transport companies allow car owners to skip a long-distance drive and have their car delivered with efficient, trustworthy, door-to-door service. When driving at certain times of the year, in harsh weather conditions, on busy highways, or driving alone, transporting your vehicle on your own can add unnecessary risk to your travels and increase your likelihood of getting in an accident.
The type of car you are transporting is an important factor to consider, particularly if you will be relocating a classic car. Classic cars and older vehicles often cannot withstand long-distance driving and are typically more vulnerable to the elements and road conditions.
If you own an older or classic car, car shipping services can provide enclosed trailers and enclosed carriers to protect your vehicle and save it from excess mileage, potential damage, and added risk. Hauling a car trailer with your personal items can create added challenges along your journey and can be especially dangerous for inexperienced drivers.
If you are considering relocating your vehicle, it is important to first consider if you are comfortable spending long hours on the road, driving through unknown areas, and traveling through locations with potentially harsh weather conditions. If doing so is not something you are comfortable with or would like to save yourself a lengthy trip, it may be a good idea to call in the help of an auto transport company.
What Should You Look for in a Car Shipping Company?
With countless vehicle shipping brokers, it can seem daunting to determine which shipping services are right for your unique needs. Factors such as customer ratings, car shipping quotes, available shipping options, the capacity for expedited transport, and the type of vehicle can all factor into which car transport services will best suit your moving needs.
Available pickup and delivery locations can also help determine what shippers are available to you. Some companies may not offer to ship to Hawaii, Alaska, or Florida, while others will.
Vehicle transport services may offer enclosed transport and open transport or offer one or the other. Other car shippers may offer guaranteed pickup and drop-off, international shipping, will ship rental cars, RVs, SUVs, inoperable vehicles, or heavy equipment, or may have higher customer satisfaction rates or better shipping prices than other companies.
These are all important aspects to consider and can help you eliminate auto shippers that do not offer the services you need to help your move go as smoothly as possible.
Check for Insurance
When vetting auto carriers, checking if each car shipment company has auto insurance is crucial. Transportation providers in the auto transport industry should be licensed, insured, and bonded.
Cargo insurance and shipping insurance protect shipments from theft, damage, or loss and makes shippers liable to reimburse customers for the cost of the shipment if any unintended harm occurs during transit.
By looking into each auto transport broker’s insurance policy, prospective customers can determine their specific insurance coverage. Due to the average cost of insurance, the price to ship may be slightly higher with insured vehicle shipping services, although it will be worth it for the sake of stress-free shipping and peace of mind.
Look at Reviews
Customer reviews can provide prospective clients with insight into car shipping brokers. When reading auto transport reviews, it is a good idea to look for reviews that mention upfront guarantees, excellent customer service, low transport costs, and the best auto shipping options, such as enclosed shipping and open carriers.
Reviews from popular car shipping companies can help determine how each company’s cost to ship compares to other service options. Often, car shipping is the cheapest way to transport your vehicle.
Gas, hotel stays, stops for food, and added mileage to your vehicle can drive up the cost of your trip. Sherpa Auto Transport reviews verify the company’s price lock promise and clean car guarantee, meaning customers receive a complimentary car wash and are guaranteed to pay no more than their instant quote for the shipping services they receive.
AmeriFreight reviews mention reputable service, discount opportunities, and above-and-beyond customer service. Car moving companies, including American Auto Shipping, Easy Auto Ship, and Montway Auto Transport, each has overwhelmingly positive reviews, touting low prices, free quotes, open trailer options, convenient pickup dates, and dependable service.
UShip’s reviews praise services such as motorcycle shipping, heavy equipment transport, movers, and auto transport.
Check for Credibility
To determine a car shipping service’s credibility, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) categorizes car carriers with the highest rating (A+) to the lowest rating (F). If an auto transport company has not been accredited by the BBB, often due to providing insufficient information, it will receive no rating (NR).
Looking up auto shipping companies on the BBB website will provide customers with up-to-date ratings, online quotes, and links to each business’s website and contact information.
What Should You Avoid?
Auto transport companies with a low rating or NR with the BBB may be conducting fraudulent business or providing customers with unreliable services. Companies that do not provide customers with a bill of lading (BOL), a Department of Transportation (DOT) number, and a Motor Carrier (MC) number, cannot be verified as legitimate by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and should be avoided.
Although choosing the cheapest car shipping cost may be tempting, opting for the least-expensive option is not always the smartest method. Some companies may compensate a lower-than-average with poor service, added hidden fees, and little-to-no insurance coverage.
Instead, choose a transport company you can rely on and sit back, relax, and enjoy a worry-free shipping experience.
The Bottom Line
Let’s face it, moving can be stressful. However, with the right car shipping services, you can focus on your move and leave the rest to a trusted car-hauling company such as Carvaygo.
With immediate quotes, risk-free booking, and dependable transport services, our network of carriers will get your vehicle safely and efficiently from pickup to delivery.
Interested in car shipping services? Visit our website today.
Sources:
Why Do People Ship Their Cars? | Mercury Auto Transport
How to Choose an Auto Transport Company for Shipping Your Car | SuperDispatch
BBB National Programs | Better Business Bureau
The 5 Best Car Shipping Companies of 2023 | Move.org
