What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by vehicle shipping companies that involves collecting your automobile from one spot & transporting it to another. This service proves useful in numerous situations where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online & require shipping it to a different state, or when relocating & need nationwide vehicle shipping. Moreover, auto shipping services can be incredibly beneficial when you must transport your car overseas, & unless ferry services are available, you will have to rely on a car transport company to manage this for you. Luckily, there are various vehicle transport services available to cater to your unique requirements, which we will discuss below.
Varieties Of Car Transport Services
There are numerous car transport services available, which we have outlined below. It can be extremely advantageous to review & identify precisely what kind of vehicle transportation service you need or prefer to relocate your automobile.
The initial choice you must make is where you want your vehicle picked up from & delivered to, whether it's a nationwide car transport or shipping a vehicle to a different state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, which means that designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently the auto transport company's stores or operating bases. For this reason, terminal-to-terminal car delivery is often more affordable but will necessitate some extra effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, the vast majority of individuals require a door-to-door car transport delivery service so that their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it is a nationwide vehicle transport or just to ship a car to a different state. This is often preferable as it means you do not need to go anywhere to then collect your car - something that can be challenging without your vehicle in the first place!
Vehicle transport services are generally categorized into two types: either you have someone operate your car to where it needs to be, or it's placed on a trailer & transported there.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
This is a straightforward solution to vehicle shipping that involves hiring someone to come & operate your car to where it needs to go - whether the need is to transport a vehicle across the country or to ship automobiles to a different state. The advantages of this car transport method are that it is often more affordable as trailers & an extra vehicle are not required, & it can also be quick due to the straightforward nature of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by auto shipping companies that lead some people to opt for other types of vehicle transport. The first is that mileage is obviously added to your car on the journey, meaning if you are shipping a vehicle across the country, there will be some significant miles added - less so when simply shipping a car to a different state (as long as it is close by). Second, there is a slight risk of damage occurring to your automobile whilst it is driven from A to B. These are particularly worrisome for people buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in exactly the same condition as it was advertised.
Place Your Automobile On A Trailer
Placing your car in a trailer is a secure way to guarantee a higher level of safety than having someone operate your vehicle to its destination. With vehicle shipping trailers, there are multiple options that you may want to go with depending on the value & size of your automobile.
First off, you need to decide whether you want a single trailer for your car. These are often more expensive as they only transport one vehicle at a time but are a great option if you are moving an expensive or classic automobile which you don't want to risk getting damaged. The absolute safest way to transport a car is to put it in a shipping container, but this is by far the most expensive option. The other option is a multi-car transporter which can transport many vehicles at once, of which there are a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any auto shipping company is the most affordable & by far the most common option when transporting a car. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & is driven to the destination. All cars are safely secured but, as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive & so this may not be recommended by vehicle shipping companies for highly valuable automobiles. Further, whilst it may be the most affordable way to ship a car cross country, long journeys in open trailers will obviously run more risk of damage & leave your vehicle exposed to the elements for longer periods of time.
Enclosed car transport involves multiple automobiles secured on a carrier but they are enclosed, meaning they are not exposed to the dust, weather, & debris of the outside world during transit. This is often preferable for more expensive or newer vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during car transport.
Should you need to move your automobile overseas through a car transport company, then you should try & find one of the specialist services on our platform or one which has experience in overseas vehicle shipping as they can provide you with tailored advice based on what you require.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Alabaster
Time-Efficient - Instead of submitting a quotation request each time you require a precise cost for transporting your automobile, on our platform you only complete one quotation form & can then receive estimates based on the information you supply from various businesses. This could save you hours of time you would have spent contacting companies & completing forms. Communication with these enterprises is also possible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping information in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the cost of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most significant factor in deciding which auto transport company to employ to transport your automobile. The challenging aspect is that, while most businesses are happy to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't receive a definite vehicle transport quote without supplying information & filling in specifics. While this is understandable, it means that price comparison & obtaining a vehicle transport quote isn't exactly straightforward. Utilizing Shiply enables you to obtain legitimate, final price estimates from vehicle shipping businesses & compare them in one place, giving you the ability to message them individually to ask any questions & ultimately choose the best company for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping in Alabaster - Auto transport enterprises on Shiply are typically able to provide their services for a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. For example, if you were moving from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled, & they are just looking to ensure they aren't wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations are convenient for you, you can frequently save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it's also more environmentally friendly! In the above example, if your car didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire journey would be required just for your vehicle. Similarly, many car transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only costly for them but also for the environment as there are many individuals who could have utilized that transporter to move their cars in the opposite direction! Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Readying Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you've chosen an auto transport company to move your vehicle & feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your car for shipping. We recommend following these steps:
Paperwork - It's essential to ensure that any documents you may need are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your car.
Cleansing - You should take care to remove all personal items from your vehicle prior to shipping, for the obvious reason that you don't want to risk them getting lost or damaged in transit. It's also highly recommended that you clean your car before transport as this will allow you to assess its condition & notice any damages that may occur during delivery.
Operational Condition - If the vehicle will be driven at any point during shipping or driven home from the drop-off location then you should ensure that it's in operational condition. This means ensuring that there's enough fluid, as well as checking battery charge & tire pressure levels. Again this can also help you better evaluate the condition of the vehicle upon arrival.
Photographic Documentation - One very important thing to do when preparing your car for the car delivery service to pick up is to take high-quality photos of all parts of the vehicle. This provides you with evidence of the car's condition before shipping should anything happen to it during transport.
What to Do After Delivery
Once the car shipping company you selected has completed their delivery, there are a few things you should do:
Inspect Vital Signs - Lights, brakes, and engines should all be checked right away to ensure that the car is in the expected condition, as well as enable you to immediately raise concerns with the car delivery service should anything not be functioning properly.
Exterior State - You can compare the exterior of the car to the photos taken of it before to determine whether any additional damage has occurred. Shipping a vehicle can, in rare cases, cause damage, & you want to be sure your car transport service has not done so.
Verify Mileage - This is more relevant to car shipping services where the vehicle is driven to the destination but it can help to check the mileage to ensure that it matches up with the journey taken.
We would greatly appreciate it if you could also leave a review for the auto transport company you used through Shiply so that others can browse car shipping services with the same peace of mind.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have answered some of the most asked questions about car shipping in Alabaster:
How much to ship a car? Car shipping prices can vary drastically depending on the circumstances, but on average a journey should cost you around $2.92 per mile if the journey is less than 200 miles, $0.93 if the journey is between 200 & 500 miles, & if the journey is over 1,000 miles then this drops to $0.78.
What is the most affordable way to ship a car? Having someone drive your car to its destination is the most affordable way to ship a vehicle, however, if you need a trailer then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the most affordable way to ship a car.
How do I pay for my auto transport? This is down to each individual auto transport company on Shiply & is something you should discuss with your chosen car delivery service before confirming the delivery. Most companies will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my car transport online? Each car shipping company on Shiply has different ways of operating, but many offer the ability to track your car shipment, with some even able to provide personal updates. If you require tracking, you should message individual car transport companies to confirm that this is possible with them.
Does someone have to be present for pickup & delivery? In most cases, the car shipping company will require you to be in attendance for the pickup & delivery of the vehicle. This is because there are likely to be release forms that you need to sign, as well as handing over the car keys.
Can I keep items in my vehicle during my car shipment? Most car transport companies will be fine with you keeping some personal belongings in the vehicle when it is transported. However, there are two important things to remember: 1. The weight of the items may affect the price of the vehicle shipment, & 2. Any items in the car will not be covered by insurance for the transport of the vehicle itself.
How much gas should I have in my vehicle during transit? Generally, you should aim to have around a quarter of your tank full. This allows for easy loading & unloading of the car but will not add too much extra weight to the vehicle.
Can I ship my vehicle if it isn't running? You can ship your car if it isn't in running condition, however, this will be more expensive as specialist equipment is required to load & unload the vehicle.
Can I ship a modified vehicle? Almost any type of car is able to be shipped on Shiply, with hundreds of transport providers available to bid on your job there will always be someone that is up for the job & has the right equipment to safely carry it out.
