What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by vehicle transportation 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 across the nation, or transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle transportation 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 a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the car transport company's stores or operating bases. While this alternative is typically less expensive, it demands 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.
Car transport services can be classified into two primary categories: having someone operate your vehicle to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for car shipping, whether it's across the nation or to another state. This approach is often less expensive as it doesn't require trailers or an additional vehicle, & it can be quicker due to its simplicity. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your automobile (especially when shipping a car across 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 vehicle on a trailer offers a higher level of safety compared to having someone operate it. Car 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, are available in different variants:
Open car shipping is the most affordable & common option offered by car shipping companies. Your vehicle 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 automobiles. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage.
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.
For overseas vehicle transportation, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas car shipping to provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Bentonville
Time-Efficient - Instead of completing a quotation form each time you require an exact cost from a company on transporting a vehicle, on our platform you fill out one quotation form & then can receive estimates based on the information you supply from several businesses. This can save you a significant amount of time you would have spent contacting companies & inputting details.
Communication with these firms is all possible via our platform as well, allowing you to store all of your Bentonville vehicle shipping information in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most important factor in choosing which auto transport company to use to transport your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most firms are willing to provide average costs & rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite Bentonville vehicle shipping quote without having to supply information & complete details. While this is understandable, it does mean that cost comparison & obtaining a vehicle transport estimate isn't exactly a simple process.
Utilizing Shiply enables you to obtain authentic, final price estimates from vehicle shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the optimal company for you.
Inexpensive Vehicle Shipping
Auto transport firms 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 relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your vehicle there, on Shiply, a company may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled, & they are just looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, and pick-up/drop-off locations are convenient for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Superior for the Environment
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, 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, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip 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 trips, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Readying for Your Vehicle to be Transported
If you have chosen 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 prior to 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 car. 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, and engines should all be checked immediately 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 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 car 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:
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 cheapest way to ship a car? 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 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 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.