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 picked up 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 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 are typically categorized into two types: 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 across the country or to another state. The advantages of this approach include lower costs, as trailers & an extra vehicle are not necessary, & faster delivery due to the straightforward nature of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to this method that lead some individuals to choose other types of car transport. Firstly, mileage is added to your vehicle during the journey, which can be significant when shipping a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your automobile while it is being driven from point A to point B. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying 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 is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate it to its destination. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile. You can choose between a single trailer for your vehicle, which is more expensive but ideal for transporting expensive or classic cars, or a multi-car transporter that can carry multiple automobiles at once.
Open car shipping is the most affordable & most common option offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to the 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. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage & 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 auto transport.
If you need to move your vehicle overseas, 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 requirements.
How Much Does It Cost To Transport A Vehicle?
The cost of transporting a vehicle varies depending on several factors, but on average, auto transport companies in the US charge around $2.92 per mile for journeys less than 200 miles, $0.93 for journeys between 200 & 500 miles, & $0.78 for journeys over 1,000 miles. However, these are just averages, & your car transport may cost more or less depending on your specific circumstances. The best way to determine the cost of auto transport is to collect vehicle shipping quotes from different companies, which is easily done on platforms like Shiply.
Factors That Can Influence The Cost Of Auto Transport
Several factors can impact the cost of vehicle shipping, including:
1. Distance: Cross-state & cross-country journeys cost more than interstate car delivery, which is often the most affordable option. However, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases.
2. International shipping: Transporting a vehicle overseas is always more expensive due to the logistics involved & the distance traveled. It may require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your automobile.
3. Route: The route taken from the pick-up spot to the delivery location can affect pricing. Routes with higher traffic, such as in LA, may cost more than quieter roads due to the added time. Unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs or require a different, longer route.
4. Shipping dates: Flexibility in timings can lead to lower costs, as vehicle shipping companies can fit your delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads. Expedited shipping, where you require auto transport within a strict timeframe, typically costs more.
5. Vehicle size: The height, length, & width of the automobile affect the cost of transport. Larger vehicles like SUVs cost more to transport than sedans. Accessories such as bike racks or roof racks can also change the size of the trailer required.
6. Vehicle condition: If your automobile is not in drivable condition, it may require extra equipment like a winch or forklift to load & unload it from the trailer, increasing the cost of auto transport. Most car carriers consider a vehicle that can brake, roll, & steer to be in good enough condition for easy shipping.
7. Auto transport service type: Having someone operate your vehicle is the most affordable option, while single car trailers & enclosed transport are more expensive due to the extra equipment required. Enclosed car shipping is the most expensive method, as it involves your automobile traveling alone & needing specialist equipment for loading, unloading, & protection during transport.
8. Pickup & delivery locations: Urban areas usually have vehicle shipping services in close proximity, & common destination routes tend to have cheaper car shipping. Rural deliveries can cost more due to deviations from normal routes & extra mileage. Unusual or hard-to-access pick-up or drop-off points may require extra steps to load your vehicle, increasing the cost.
9. Auto transport insurance: While all auto transport companies must carry liability insurance, many do not offer additional insurance. If a company does not offer cargo insurance, it is highly recommended to acquire some for your vehicle during transit. Make sure you understand what type of damage is covered, any deductibles, & which parts of the automobile are insured.
10. Time of year: Seasonality can affect vehicle shipping prices, with winter being the most expensive due to ice, snow, & blizzard conditions causing delays & reducing maximum transport speeds. Spring is a great time to ship, with improved weather, longer days, & more available drivers. Summer is the prime season for shipping cars, as it coincides with students traveling home, employees taking vacations, & people moving houses. Fall offers slightly cheaper prices due to less demand after the summer rush.
How To Ship A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
With hundreds of vehicle transport companies available, finding the right one can be a daunting task. Searching on Google or through phone books can be time-consuming, & many companies are reluctant to provide pricing without a detailed quote application.
How Can Shiply Help Find Auto Transport Companies?
Shiply simplifies the process of finding a vehicle shipping service. By filling out a simple form with your automobile's make & model, pickup & delivery locations, & required dates, you can easily collect quotes from auto transport providers. Quotes start arriving in your Shiply inbox & email within minutes of posting your listing, allowing you to compare multiple options before making a decision.
Before selecting a quote, it's essential to ask the company about their availability, insurance coverage, & how they secure cars during transport. Shiply's feedback & ratings system allows you to view previous customers' experiences & overall scores, helping you make an informed choice.
Why People Often Move Vehicles To & From Novi, Michigan
Novi, Michigan, is a popular destination for vehicle shipping due to its thriving automotive industry. Many car manufacturers & suppliers have facilities in the area, leading to a high demand for automobile transport services. Additionally, Novi's central location within the state makes it a convenient hub for car shipping to & from other parts of Michigan & the Midwest.
People often move cars to Novi when relocating for work in the automotive sector or when purchasing vehicles from dealerships & private sellers in the area. Similarly, automobiles are frequently shipped from Novi to other states when residents move away or sell their vehicles to buyers in different regions.
The presence of numerous vehicle shipping companies in & around Novi ensures competitive pricing & a wide range of services for those looking to transport their automobiles. Whether you need to ship a car across the country or just to another part of Michigan, Novi's car shipping industry has you covered.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Novi
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business for transporting a vehicle, on our site you complete a single quote form and can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can conserve you significant time that you would have otherwise spent phoning enterprises and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is also feasible through our platform, allowing you to store all your Novi vehicle shipping details in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor when selecting which auto transport company to employ for transporting your vehicle. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't receive a definite vehicle transport quote without supplying information and filling in details. Although this is understandable, it means that comparing prices and obtaining a vehicle transport quote is not exactly a straightforward process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from vehicle shipping companies and compare them in one place, offering the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately choose the optimal company for your needs.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply can typically provide their services at a lower cost than if you approached them directly. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on trips they are already making and have already invested the cost for. For instance, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York and needed to transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, and they are simply looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, and pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Eco-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 and instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, 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 individuals who could have utilized that transporter to move their vehicles in the opposite direction! Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also seeking to fill their trailers on return trips, resulting in even less wasted CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you have selected an auto transport company to transport your vehicle and feel confident using them, it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It is crucial to ensure that any necessary documents 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 during transit. It is also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport as this will allow you to assess 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, 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 evaluate 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, 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, 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 automobile.
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 automobile.
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.
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