Whether you are relocating or have purchased a vehicle from some other state, in both situations you need to transport it. Most of them think, why can’t we transport it ourselves and save money? Yes, you can ship it, but it will cost you more, so hiring an auto transport company is the best. They will have expertise in vehicle transport services and ship your car safely.
What is a Vehicle Transport Service?
Auto transport or car shipping involves transporting vehicles from one place to another using a carrier or trailer. The vehicle transport service is provided by an auto transport company that has expertise in shipping vehicles and a professional team to handle the shipping process. Depending on the type of vehicle and shipping requirements, there are several types of car transport services.
What Are The Types Of Vehicle Transport Services?
The most common and popular car shipping services are open, enclosed, door-to-door, and terminal-to-terminal shipping. See the table below to understand the difference between these vehicle transport services and to choose the best one, as the safety of your vehicle is the top priority.
Open vs. enclosed transport
Open Transport | Enclosed Transport |
Cheapest and the most common way to ship a vehicle. | Expensive and the most popular way to transport your vehicle. |
Easily available in the market. | You need to book in advance because it is not easily available on the market. |
Open trailer vehicles will be exposed to external elements. | Closed trailer with high-security features. |
Expedited car shipping
Expedited car shipping is the fastest and the safest way to ship your vehicle. In expedited car shipping, you vehicle will be picked up and delivered to you within one to two days, but it is the most expensive car transport method.
Door to Door vs. Terminal to Terminal shipping
Door to Door Shipping | Terminal to Terminal Shipping |
Your vehicle will be picked up from your address and delivered to your doorstep. | You need to go to the terminal point for the pickup and delivery of your vehicle. |
Costly car shipping option. | Cost-effective shipping option. |
How Much Does It Cost in 2024 To Ship A Car?
The average vehicle transport service ranges from $500 to $1500, but the shipping cost is affected by several factors. The major factors that affect the shipping cost are vehicle model, shipping and carrier option, shipping time, etc. Here, we have shared a few important factors that determine shipping costs. They are the following,
- The total distance and the distance between the pickup and delivery addresses are calculated to determine the shipping cost.
- Vehicle type, size, model, and weight determine the shipping cost.
- The date and time of the shipping affect the cost. If you are shipping your vehicle during the summer or in January, it will cost more than all other shipping seasons.
- The carrier and the shipping options you choose will affect the shipping cost.
- The route and location of the shipping also determine the shipping cost. Rural shipping will cost more than urban shipping.
If you want to know the accurate shipping cost, then you can use the shipping calculator to know the shipping cost, or you can directly contact the auto transport company and get a free auto shipping quote.
Benefits Of Shipping Services
Here, we have shared a few important benefits of using an auto transport company to ship your vehicle.
- If you transport your vehicle by yourself, it may take a long time and require a lot of travel. It will also increase the cost of accommodation and much more. However, if you transport your car with the help of an auto transport company, it will save you time and money.
- When you transport your vehicle with the help of an auto transport company, you need not worry about its safety. They will safely deliver your vehicle to you in pristine condition.
- You will get door to door shipping service and many more car shipping services at an affordable price.
- Auto transport companies have a team of professionals, and you will get professional vehicle handling services. They will safely pick you up and drop you off.
- Auto transport company offers flexibility.
How To Transport Your Vehicle?
Here, we have shared the shipping process and how you need to book the shipment.
- The most important thing is to find a trustworthy car shipping company. and, you will have to provide the details of your vehicle to the company. The details include the type of vehicle you are shipping, vehicle model, year, etc., the carrier you need for the shipment, and the shipping date and time.
- Once you find the shipping quote that meets your expectations, it’s time to book the shipment. Book and schedule the shipment of your car. You can schedule the date and time as per your schedule.
- The next step you need to take is to prepare your car before the date of the shipping, clean your car properly from its inside to outside inspect your car, and take photos of your car to notice any existing damage and to keep it as proof.
- Driver will pickup your vehicle from your address, and deliver to your address. You have to be available at the time of pickup and delivery to inspect your car before and after the delivery.
- Most of the auto transport companies get the payment after the delivery, so get ready with the payment to avoid any delay and pay after the final inspection.
Tips For Reducing The Shipping Cost
Here, we have shared a few important tips to help you reduce the shipping cost.
- Choose open car transport instead of enclosed transport because open transport is the cheapest transport.
- Choose terminal to terminal shipping. Open transport with terminal to terminal shipping will reduce the shipping cost.
- Transport your vehicle during the off-season.
- Clean your car before shipping and reduce its weight, as the weight of the vehicle affects the shipping cost.
- If you own more than two vehicles, then ship your vehicles with a multilevel trailer in one trip.
- Check for the shipping discounts and offers.
Car Preparation Tips
Preparing your car is the most important step you need to take before the shipment, and it requires much more effort. Here are a few things you need to do before the shipment. Consider these steps to experience stress-free shipping.
- You must gather all the documents, vehicle details, driving license, etc.
- Wash and clean your car properly from inside to outside, inspect it properly, and notice any pre-existing damage carefully.
- Remove and remove all your personal belongings and important documents to prevent them from getting damaged during shipping.
- Check for the car tires and disable the car alarms.
- Complete your car’s regular maintenance to ensure its safety and condition.
- Empty the fuel and gas level of your car.
- Inspect your car and take photos of your car.
Conclusion
When you are looking for the shipment of your vehicle, you need to choose a reliable auto transport company for the shipment because they have professional team to guide you throughout the shipping process and to ship your car safely to your destination. Auto transport companies offers the different auto shipping services at reasonable price rate, you can choose between them and get your car delivered to you in its pristine condition.