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, or transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle transportation services provide a convenient solution for individuals who need to transfer their vehicles across states or even nations.
There are several types of car shipping services available to accommodate different needs and preferences. Whether you require cross-country vehicle transportation, transporting a car to another state, or even international automobile shipping, vehicle transportation companies can meet your needs.
Types Of Car Shipping Services
When it comes to car shipping services, there are a few crucial decisions to make. First, you need to determine the collection and delivery locations for your automobile. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option where designated collection and drop-off points, often the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. While this option is generally more affordable, it requires more effort on your part to get the automobile to and from the terminals.
Most people, however, prefer door-to-door car shipping delivery service, regardless of whether it's a cross-country vehicle transportation or transporting a car to another state. With this option, your automobile is collected and delivered at your doorstep, eliminating the need for you to arrange transportation to retrieve your vehicle.
Vehicle transportation services can be categorized into two main types: having someone operate your car to the destination or placing your automobile on a trailer for transportation.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Hiring someone to operate your car to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping. This method is often more affordable as it doesn't require trailers or an additional vehicle. It can also be faster due to the simplicity of the transport process. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. Firstly, your automobile will accumulate mileage during the journey, which can be significant when transporting a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your vehicle while it's being operated. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the automobile arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Put Your Automobile On A Trailer
Placing your car on a trailer offers a higher level of safety compared to having someone operate it. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value and 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 by using a shipping container, although this is the most costly option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, are another popular choice. Open car shipping is the most common and affordable option, where your automobile is securely placed on an open carrier and driven to its destination. However, the cars are exposed to the elements during transit, making it less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Enclosed auto transport, on the other hand, involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and debris during the journey. This option is preferable for newer or more expensive automobiles.
If you need to move your vehicle overseas, it's essential to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas car shipping. These providers can offer tailored advice based on your specific requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transportation in Chicago
Time-Efficient - Instead of completing a quotation form each time you require an exact cost from a business for transporting a vehicle, on our platform you complete one quotation form and can then receive estimates based on the information you supply from several companies. This can save you a significant amount of time that you would have spent phoning companies and filling out forms. Communication with these businesses is also possible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your Chicago car shipping information in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to employ to transport your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite car transport quote without having to give information and fill in details. While this is understandable, it means that price comparison and obtaining a car transport quote isn't exactly a simple process. Using Shiply allows you to obtain genuine, final price quotes from Chicago car shipping companies and compare them in one place, providing the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately decide on the best company for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport companies on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower fee than if you went direct to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on journeys they are already making and have already sunk the cost for. Say, for example, you were moving from Los Angeles to New York and needed to move your car there. On Shiply, a company may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled, and they are just looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, and pick-up/drop-off locations work for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport cheaper, but it is also better for the environment! In the above example, if your car didn't get on that multi-car transporter and instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire journey would be needed just for your car. 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 lots of people who could have used that transporter to move their cars in the other direction! Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return journeys too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued cheap transport for our users.
Readying Your Vehicle for Transportation - If you have decided on an auto transport company to move your car and feel secure using them, then it's time to prepare your car for shipping. We recommend following these steps:
Documents - It is important to ensure that any documents you may need are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - 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 is also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport as this will allow you to see its condition and 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 and tire pressure levels. Again this can also help you better judge 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.
Actions to Take Following 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 see whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping a car can, in rare cases, cause damage, and 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 and 500 miles, and 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 and 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 and delivery? In most cases, the car shipping company will require you to be in attendance for the pickup and 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, and 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 and 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 and 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 and has the right equipment to safely carry it out.