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 proves useful in numerous situations where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, 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 cater to your specific requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, you must determine 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 alternative, where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the car transport company's stores or operating bases. This alternative is typically more affordable but demands more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, the majority of individuals prefer a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, irrespective of the distance.
Vehicle transport services are generally categorized into two types: having someone operate your vehicle to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Engage Someone To Operate Your Vehicle
Engaging 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. The advantages of this approach include lower costs, as trailers & extra vehicles are not necessary, & faster delivery due to the straightforward nature of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to this approach that lead some individuals to opt for other types of car transport. Firstly, mileage is added to your vehicle during the journey, which can be substantial when shipping a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your automobile during the drive. These concerns are especially 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 vehicle on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate your automobile 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, which can transport many automobiles at once.
Open car shipping is the most affordable & common option when transporting a vehicle. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. While all vehicles are safely secured, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so this may not be recommended for highly valuable automobiles. Long journeys in open trailers also run a higher risk of damage & exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This alternative is often preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles 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 one with experience in overseas car shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
What Is The Cost Of Shipping A Vehicle?
The cost of shipping 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 gather car shipping quotes from different companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
Factors That Can Influence The Cost Of Vehicle Transport
Several factors can influence the cost of car shipping, including:
- Distance: Cross-state & cross-country journeys cost more than interstate car delivery.
- International shipping: This is always more expensive due to the logistics of transferring a vehicle overseas & the distance it needs to travel.
- Route: Routes with higher traffic or unforeseen circumstances like roadworks can increase costs.
- Shipping dates: Flexible timings can result in lower costs, while expedited shipping will cost more.
- Vehicle size: Larger automobiles like SUVs cost more to transport than sedans.
- Vehicle condition: Non-drivable cars may require extra equipment, increasing the cost.
- Auto transport service type: Having someone operate your vehicle is the most affordable option, while enclosed car shipping is the most expensive.
- Locations of pickup & delivery: Urban areas are usually more affordable, while rural or hard-to-access locations can increase costs.
- Auto transport insurance: Additional cargo insurance may be necessary, affecting the overall cost.
- Time of year: Seasonality can impact prices, with winter being the most expensive & spring being the most affordable.
How To Ship A Vehicle - Finding A Vehicle Transport Service
Finding the right car shipping service can be a daunting task, given the numerous options available. 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 Assist In Finding Vehicle Transport Companies?
Shiply simplifies the process of finding a car shipping service. To get started, complete a simple form with the make & model of the vehicle, pickup & delivery locations, & the dates you need to move the automobile. This information allows auto transport providers on Shiply to provide accurate quotes for your job.
Once your listing is live, you will receive quotes in your Shiply inbox & email. It's recommended to keep email notifications turned on to know immediately when a new quote arrives. Quotes can start coming in within minutes of posting your listing, but it's best to wait for a few options before making a decision.
Before selecting a quote, ask the companies any questions you may have, such as their availability, insurance coverage, & how they secure vehicles during transport. Shiply's feedback & ratings system allows you to view previous customers' experiences & overall scores, helping you make an informed decision.
Why People Frequently Move Vehicles To & From Laconia, New Hampshire
Laconia, a city in Belknap County, New Hampshire, is a popular destination for car shipping due to various reasons. Many individuals relocate to Laconia for its scenic beauty, outdoor recreational activities, & quality of life. The city is situated on the banks of Lake Winnipesaukee, attracting tourists & residents alike. Laconia is also home to several major events, such as the annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, which draws thousands of visitors from across the nation.
When moving to or from Laconia, many individuals opt for car shipping services to transport their automobiles safely & conveniently. Laconia car shipping companies offer a range of services to meet the needs of customers, whether they require door-to-door delivery or terminal-to-terminal transport. By using car shipping services in Laconia, residents can save time, money, & effort associated with driving their vehicles long distances, while ensuring their cars arrive at their destination in the same condition as when they were collected.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Laconia
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 phoning companies and completing forms.
Communication with these businesses is also feasible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your "car shipping laconia" details in a single location.
Price Comparison - Ultimately, the expense of the car 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 submit 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 task.
Utilizing Shiply enables you to obtain genuine, final price estimates from "laconia 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 Car 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.
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 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 selected an auto transport company to transport your vehicle and feel confident using them, then it's time to ready your car 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 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.
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 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 ascertain whether any extra damage has occured. 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.