How to Ship a Car: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Ship a Car: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Shipping a car can be very overwhelming, mainly if you are doing it for the first time. Whether you are changing jobs and moving, or you are purchasing a car that’s located out of state, one must be well versed with auto transport. Thus, this guide will help you in understanding how to ship a car, determinants of the cost to ship a car, and why it is beneficial to go for the services such as Door-to-Door Car Shipping services. Moreover, we will also give an example of a car shipping cost calculator and explain how it gives accurate estimates.

Research Auto Transport Companies

The first step in the car shipping process is carrying out an overview of auto transport company. One company may not offer the same services as its counterparts. Some companies provide more comprehensive services such as enclosed car transport for high-value cars while others may specialize in cheaper forms of car transport such as open car transport. The most reputable companies will obtain customer satisfaction, licensing and insurance coverage against risks.

With this service you are able to ship your vehicle without having to leave your house which is best for the people who value their time, and who wouldn’t really make that extra effort if they were given the option.



 

What is Door to Door Car Shipping?

Door to Door Car Shipping refers to a service in which your car is collected from and/or dropped off at a specified point, for instance, your home or working place. Thus, you do not have to deliver or pick up the vehicle from a terminal, which is more smooth and convenient. It is advisable that those with limited time or distance opt for Door to Door shipping.

 

Get a Car Shipping Quote

Once you have trimmed down the last few of the auto transport companies you are considering, the next step is sourcing quotations for the auto shipping. The cost to ship a car will vary considerably as a result of many factors including:

Distance: The greater the distance that your car has to be shipped the more the cost. For example, shipping a car across a continent will definitely cost more than shipping it within several states.

Vehicle Size and Weight: There are certain classes of cars such as trucks and sport utility vehicles that are more difficult to ship than standard cars.

Transport Type: There are open car transport and enclosed car transport. Open car transport is cheaper to the users compared to enclosed car transport, however the later is usually recommended when transporting classic and high end automobiles due to the lack of any outside exposure.

Seasonal Variations: Prices may be influenced by the timing of the season. For example, some shipping costs might increase due to the winter time or the highest season when people move a lot.

 

How to Calculate a Price for Shipping a Car across the States

Most of the auto transport companies provide a car shipping cost calculator on their websites. They provide you with such information as your vehicle type, pick-up place, delivery place and type of shipment, open, closed or any other, and the cost assessment for the shipment of the vehicle.

So, you know more or less how much you should be ready to pay and you do not have any surprises when you reach that company. Just note that the final cost can be adjusted by some points such as diesel prices or unplanned alteration of the route.

 

Choose the Type of Transport

This decision usually boils down to two general approaches intended for shipping a car, open or enclosed car transport.

Open Car Transport

This one is by far the easiest and most affordable method to ship a vehicle. Your vehicle will be placed on an open car carrier along other vehicles for transportation purposes. This is the less expensive option but it means your car will be susceptible to weather and other risks such as dirt or debris. Although this method involves the most risk, it is still used for the transportation of most cars and is safer for mainstream cars.

Enclosed Car Transport

There are benefits of enclosed car transport if you are shipping costly, rare or classic vehicle. Your Vehicle will be put in a covered trailer thus keeping it safe from elements such as rain and dust. Though it is on the high side, enclosed transport is worth the extra buck especially when high price cars are involved because of worrying preservation.

 

Prepare Your Vehicle for Shipping

Last but not the least, on packing for shipping of your vehicle-be sure to take time out for this. Most transport companies will do the proper research however some areas are often become brushed over but they actually help in making the whole process of shipment smooth.

Clean your car: A clean vehicle facilitates the investigation of the vehicle and helps determine and locate any minor damages that would not have been visible had the vehicle not been washed for insurance purposes.

Remove personal belongings: Due to insurance reasons, auto transport companies do not encourage the existence of personal effects in the motor vehicle while in transit. It will also remove unnecessary costs due to added weight.

Inspect your vehicle: Take several photographs of your car so as to show how it looks and its condition in that period of time in this particular case. This will assist in any situations which lead to damage of the car while in transit whereby a claim towards the transportation company will be made.

Check fluid levels: Make it a prerequisite to check the fluid levels of your moving vehicle and its engines. Examine that there are no leaks in the system, if any. Also check on the battery as it should be charged, and the tires should have enough inflation.

Disable alarms: Some vehicles have alarms that are inevitable; therefore, deactivate them to avoid being awake when it’s not appropriate while the journey is on.

 

Scheduling and Tracking

Once you have selected a company, and prepared the vehicle, you need to make a schedule that will allow for a pick-up. Auto transport companies are known to have flexible customers where they allow customers to select certain dates or time windows or offer for set pickups and drop off times.

Some of them provide GPS and you are able to follow the minutest details of your car as it travels. This feature is particularly useful if you are shipping your car over long distances or overseas where car transport takes a long time.

 

Delivery and Inspection

After the car delivery reaches you, you should assess the car, and ensure that there are no scratches or other types of physical damage that could have occurred while moving. Examine how the car looks relative to the images taken prior to the shipping.

In the event all is well with the car, there will be a need for signing Bill of Lading that signifies that the car is taken and in good working condition. Or if there are damages, you are to contact the company and make an insurance claim with the shipping insurance.

 

Conclusion

Although the process of Shipping a car may appear to be complicated, it is not. It can be easy by following the steps outlined above. Start by detailed research of the reputable auto transport companies, use a car shipping cost calculator to obtain a quote and then determine the preferable type of transport for your case such as an open or enclosed one.

All this can be achieved by simply taking due care of the vehicle, knowing how things are done, and wait for the car to be delivered without much stress.

Enlightened understanding of the cost to ship a car as well as the advantages of using Door to Door Car Shipping will enable you to make an appropriate decision.

This guide will familiarize you with everything whether you are relocating and intend to ship your vehicle across the country or you wish to ship a vehicle, which you just bought on the Internet.

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