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 drive the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online & requiring it to be transported to another state, relocating & needing cross-country vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are unavailable. Luckily, there are various auto transport services available to cater to your unique 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 cross-country car transport or shipping a vehicle to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is a possibility, where designated collection & drop-off points, frequently the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are utilized. While this option is typically more affordable, it demands more effort on your part to get the automobile home. However, the majority of individuals prefer door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their vehicles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, irrespective of the distance.
Vehicle transport services are generally categorized into two types: having someone drive your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Drive Your Vehicle
Employing someone to drive 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 method 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 this approach that lead some individuals to opt for other vehicle transport options. Firstly, mileage is added to your automobile during the journey, which can be substantial when shipping a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your vehicle during the drive, which is especially concerning for those purchasing or selling cars online who want to ensure the automobile 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 drive 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 economical & common option provided by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to its destination. While all vehicles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable automobiles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage & exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier that is enclosed, shielding them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during transport.
If you need to move your automobile overseas, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas vehicle shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Keizer
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 one quotation form & can then obtain quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you hours of effort you would have needed to invest phoning companies and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is also feasible via our platform, allowing you to store all of your Keizer auto transport details in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle transport estimate is the most crucial aspect in choosing which car shipping company to employ to transport your automobile. The challenging part is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite auto transport quote without having to give information & complete details. While this is reasonable, it does mean that cost comparison and obtaining a vehicle transport estimate isn't precisely a simple process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final cost quotes from auto transport companies & compare them in one place, offering the capability to message them individually to inquire about any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the optimal company for you.
Affordable Auto Transport - Car shipping businesses on Shiply are usually able to provide their services for a reduced rate than if you went directly to them. This is because they are frequently seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. For instance, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, & they are just aiming to ensure they are not squandering any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on car transport by utilizing our service.
Eco-Friendlier - Not only is using Shiply for car shipping more affordable, 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 auto shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be required just for your automobile. 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 people who could have utilized that transporter to transport their vehicles in the opposite direction. Many of the car transporters on Shiply are seeking to fill their trailers on return trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Readying For Your Vehicle To Be Transported
If you have chosen an auto transport company to ship your vehicle & feel confident using them, then it's time to ready your automobile for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It is crucial to ensure that any documents you may require are accessible at pick up or drop off, particularly if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal belongings 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 determine 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 assess the condition of the vehicle upon arrival.
Photographic Evidence - One very important thing to do when preparing your vehicle for the auto 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 auto 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 vehicle 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, & you want to be sure your auto transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to vehicle 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 car transport company you used through Shiply so that others can browse auto shipping services with the same peace of mind.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have answered some of the most asked questions about vehicle shipping:
How much to ship a car? Auto 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 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 most economical way to ship a car.
How do I pay for my car transport? This is down to each individual car transport company on Shiply & is something you should discuss with your chosen vehicle delivery service before confirming the delivery. Most companies will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my auto transport online? Each auto shipping company on Shiply has different ways of operating, but many offer the ability to track your vehicle 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 auto 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 auto shipment? Most vehicle 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.
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