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 spot & 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 & requiring it to be transported to a different state, relocating & needing cross-country vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are unavailable. Luckily, there exist various vehicle transport services 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 desire your automobile to be collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transportation or shipping a car to a different state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is a possibility, where specified pick-up & drop-off locations, frequently the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are utilized. While this alternative is typically more affordable, it necessitates 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 divided into two types: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's across the country or to a different state. The advantages of this approach 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 method that cause 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 harm to your vehicle while it is being operated. 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 guarantee 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 costly or classic cars, or a multi-car transporter that can carry several automobiles at once. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, but this is also the most expensive option.
Multi-car transporters come in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping is the most affordable & most common option provided 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 the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage & prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is enclosed, shielding them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is often preferred 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 Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transportation in Mount Pleasant
Time-Efficient - Instead of completing a quotation form each time you desire a precise cost from a company on transporting your automobile, on our platform you only fill out one quotation form & then can receive estimates based on the information you supply from several businesses. This can save you hours of time you would've had to invest in contacting companies and completing forms.
Communication with these businesses is all feasible through our platform as well, allowing you to store all of your "car shipping mount pleasant" details in one location.
Cost Comparison - The Crucial Factor
Ultimately, the price of the car shipping estimate is the most significant factor in choosing which auto transport company to utilize to transport your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite "mount pleasant car shipping" quote without having to submit info and fill in details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison and obtaining a car transport quote isn't exactly a simple task.
Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from car shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the optimal company for you.
Inexpensive Car Shipping - The Budget-Friendly Way
Auto transport companies on Shiply are typically able to provide their services for 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 & have already invested the cost for. Say, for example, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your car there. On Shiply, a company may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, 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 are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing 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 & instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, then 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 people who could have utilized that transporter to transport their cars in the opposite 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 emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued inexpensive transport for our users.
Readying For Your Car To Be Transported
If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your car & feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your vehicle 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 automobile.
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 sufficient fluid, as well as checking battery charge and 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 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 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 & 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 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 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 and 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, 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 & 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 & has the right equipment to safely carry it out.