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 spot & transporting it to another. This service proves useful in numerous situations where operating the vehicle yourself is not practical, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence, or moving 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 automobile collected from & transported to, whether it's a nationwide car transport or moving 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 car 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 are typically categorized into two types: having someone operate your car to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Car
Employing someone to operate your car to its destination is a straightforward solution for car shipping, whether it's across the nation or to another state. The advantages of this approach include lower costs, as trailers & extra vehicles are not necessary, & quicker delivery due to the simplicity of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your vehicle, especially when shipping a car across the country, & the slight risk of damage during the trip. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying or selling automobiles online who want to ensure the car arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Car On A Trailer
Placing your car on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate it to its destination. Car shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your vehicle. Single trailers, while more costly, are an excellent choice for transporting expensive or classic cars, as they minimize the risk of damage. The safest way to transport a car is in a shipping container, although this is the most expensive option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, come in different variants:
Open car shipping is the least expensive & most 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 the drive, 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 often preferable for more expensive or newer vehicles, where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during transport.
For overseas vehicle transportation, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas car shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your specific requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Schaumburg
Time-Efficient - Instead of submitting a quotation request each time you require a precise cost for transporting your automobile, on our platform, you complete one form and can then receive estimates based on the information you supply from various companies. This can save you hours that you would have spent contacting companies and completing forms. Communication with these companies is also possible through our platform, allowing you to keep all of your Schaumburg car shipping information in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping quote is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to use to transport your car. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite Schaumburg car shipping quote without having to give information and fill in details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison and obtaining a car transport quote is not exactly a simple task. Using Shiply allows you to receive genuine, final price quotes from 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 directly to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on journeys they are already making and have already invested the cost for. For example, if you were relocating 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.
Eco-Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also more environmentally friendly! 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 Shipping
If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your car and feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your car for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Paperwork - It is crucial to ensure that any documents you may need are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Washing - 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 ascertain its condition and 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 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.
Visual Documentation - 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 After Delivery
Once the car shipping company you selected has completed their delivery, there are a few things you should do:
Inspect Vital Components - 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 ascertain 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.
Verify 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 most affordable 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.
