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 you are unable to drive the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online & need to transport it to another state, relocating & requiring cross-country vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are not an option. Luckily, there are numerous vehicle transport services available to cater to your specific requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, the initial choice you need to make is where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or shipping a car 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 vehicle home. However, most individuals prefer 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 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 significant when shipping a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your vehicle while it is being driven, which is particularly worrying for those buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the automobile arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Put 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. Single trailers, which transport only one car at a time, are often more expensive but are a great choice for moving expensive or classic cars that you don't want to risk damaging. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, but this is also the most costly option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry many automobiles at once, come in a few variants:
- Open vehicle shipping: The most affordable & common option, where 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 the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage & prolonged exposure to the elements.
- Enclosed auto transport: Multiple automobiles are secured on a carrier but are 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.
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 Conway
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate estimate from an auto transport company in Conway, on our platform, you complete a single quote form and can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can save you a significant amount of time that you would have otherwise spent contacting companies and completing forms. Communication with these companies is also possible through our platform, allowing you to keep all of your auto shipping details in one convenient location.
Rate Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the auto shipping estimate is the most crucial factor when choosing which car transport company to employ for shipping your vehicle. The challenge is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices and general estimates, you won't receive a definite auto transport quote without supplying information and filling in details. Although this is understandable, it means that comparing prices and obtaining an auto transport quote is not a simple task. Utilizing Shiply enables you to receive authentic, final price estimates from auto shipping companies and compare them in one place, offering the opportunity to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately select the best company for your needs.
Affordable Auto Shipping - Car transport companies on Shiply can typically provide their services at a lower cost than if you went directly to them. 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 car there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled, 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.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more cost-effective, 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, the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire journey would be required just for your vehicle. 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 many people who could have utilized that transporter to move their cars in the opposite direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return journeys, resulting in even less wasted CO2 being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your car and feel confident using them, it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documentation - 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.
Operational 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.
Post-Delivery Steps
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, 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.
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