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 location & transporting it to another. This service is beneficial in various circumstances where operating the vehicle yourself is not practical, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence, or transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping companies provide a variety of auto transport services to accommodate different requirements.
Categories Of Auto Transport Services
When selecting an auto transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your vehicle collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country car transport or shipping an automobile to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an alternative, where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the car transport company's stores or operating bases. While this alternative is typically more affordable, it necessitates more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. Most individuals, however, opt for a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of the distance.
Vehicle transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's across the country or to another state. The advantages of this method include lower costs, as trailers & extra vehicles are not necessary, & faster delivery due to the simplicity of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your automobile, especially when shipping a car across the country, & the slight risk of damage during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals purchasing or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing your automobile on a trailer offers a higher level of safety compared to having someone operate it to its destination. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile. Single trailers, while more expensive, are ideal for transporting expensive or classic cars that require extra protection. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, although this is the most costly option. Multi-car transporters, which can carry several automobiles at once, come in different variants:
Open car shipping is the most affordable & common option offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to its destination. While all cars are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during transit, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage & prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is preferable for more expensive or newer vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during transport.
If you need to move your automobile overseas, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas vehicle shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits Of Using Shiply For Vehicle Transport in Scottsdale
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from an organization for transporting a vehicle, on our site you complete a single quote form & can then obtain estimates based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you significant time that you would have spent phoning businesses & inputting details. Communication with these firms is also feasible via our platform, allowing you to store all your Scottsdale vehicle shipping details in a single location.
Rate Comparison - Ultimately, the expense of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial aspect in choosing which auto transport firm to employ to transport your vehicle. The challenging part is that, while most companies are willing to provide average rates & rough estimates, you won't receive a definite vehicle transport quote without supplying information & filling in specifics. While this is reasonable, it means that rate comparison & getting a vehicle transport estimate isn't exactly straightforward. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from Scottsdale vehicle shipping firms & compare them in one place, offering the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately choose the best company for your needs.
Affordable Scottsdale Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply can usually provide their services at a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are frequently seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. For instance, if you were relocating 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 trip with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, & they are just looking to ensure they aren't wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more economical, but it is also more environmentally friendly. In the above example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, 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 expensive for them but also for the environment as there are many people who could have utilized that transporter to move their vehicles in the opposite direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return journeys, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Readying Your Vehicle For Shipping
If you have selected an auto transport company to transport your vehicle & feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It is crucial to ensure that any documents you may require are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal belongings from your vehicle before shipping, for the obvious reason that you don't want to risk them getting lost or damaged in transit. It is also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport as this will allow you to determine its condition & notice any damages that may occur during delivery.
Running 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 is in running condition. This means ensuring that there is enough fluid, as well as checking battery charge & tire pressure levels. Again, this can also help you better assess the condition of the vehicle upon arrival.
Photographic Evidence - One very important thing to do when preparing your vehicle for the car delivery service to pick up is to take high-quality photographs of all parts of the automobile. 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.
Check Vital Signs - Lights, brakes, & engines should all be checked immediately to ensure that the automobile is in the expected condition, as well as enable you to immediately raise concerns with the car delivery service should anything not be working as it should.
Exterior Condition - You can compare the exterior of the vehicle to the photos taken of it before to determine whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping a car can, in rare cases, cause damage, & you want to be sure your car transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to car shipping services where the automobile 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 Scottsdale:
How much to ship a vehicle? 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 cheapest way to ship an automobile? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the cheapest way to ship a car, however, if you need a trailer then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the cheapest way to ship an automobile.
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 Scottsdale 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 items 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 vehicle will not be covered by insurance for the transport of the car 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 vehicle 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 vehicle 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 vehicle 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.
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