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 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 transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping companies provide a variety of services to accommodate different requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to, whether it's a nationwide car transport or shipping a vehicle 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 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. This is more convenient as it eliminates the need to arrange transportation to collect your vehicle.
Vehicle transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's a nationwide or interstate move. This method is often less expensive as it doesn't require trailers or an additional vehicle. It can also be quicker due to its simplicity. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. Firstly, the journey will add mileage to your vehicle, which can be significant for nationwide shipping. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your automobile during the drive. These concerns are particularly relevant for people buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Utilizing a trailer to transport your automobile offers a higher level of safety compared to having someone operate it. 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 as they minimize the risk of damage. The safest option is to use a shipping container, although it is the most costly. Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, are another option with a few variants:
Open car shipping is the least expensive & most 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. Long journeys using open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage due to prolonged exposure.
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 minimizing the risk of damage is a priority.
For overseas vehicle transportation, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in international car shipping to provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transportation
Time-efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business on transporting a vehicle, on our site you complete one quotation form & then can obtain quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you hours of effort you would have had to invest phoning enterprises and inputting details. Communication with these businesses is all feasible via our platform too, signifying you can store all of your car shipping lexington data in a single location.
Cost Comparison - When it boils down to it, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial aspect in choosing which auto transport enterprise to utilize to transport your automobile. The challenging thing is that, while most businesses are glad to provide average costs & rough estimates, you won't actually be given a definite vehicle transport estimate without having to supply information & input details. While this is reasonable, it does mean that cost comparison and getting a vehicle transport estimate isn't precisely a straightforward task. Utilizing Shiply allows you to receive genuine, ultimate cost estimates from vehicle shipping businesses & compare them in one location, offering the capability to message them separately to inquire about any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the optimal company for you.
Inexpensive Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport enterprises on Shiply are typically able to provide their services for a reduced 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. Say, for instance, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your vehicle there. On Shiply, a business may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, & they are just seeking to ensure they are not squandering 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 utilizing our service.
More Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport less expensive, 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 vehicle shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your vehicle. Similarly, many vehicle 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 vehicles in the other direction! Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are seeking to fill their trailers on return trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued inexpensive transport for our users.
Readying For Your Automobile To Be Transported
If you have decided on an auto transport business to move your vehicle & feel secure using them, then it's time to ready your automobile for shipping. We recommend following these steps:
Documents - 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 automobile.
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 ascertain 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 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.
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 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, & 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 lexington 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.