Car Shipping

Car shipping: Simple guidelines

Moving is one big orchestration. It requires time and energy and can be quite exhausting, and not to mention expensive. Amongst the many moving needs that you will be faced with is the need to transport your car from your home to your required destination. Car shipping involves transporting vehicles from one point to another. The routes for car shipping could involve road transport, rail transport, air transport, or freight transport.

Why the need for Car shipping?

There is always the option of driving down your car on your own or hiring someone else to do it. However, you need to consider the wear and tear that will occur to your car over long distances. Also for interstate or international distances, self driving is impractical to impossible. This is where car shipping companies come to the fore.

Things to check for when choosing a car shipping company.

Federal Car Shipping License

Make sure that the company you are intending to deal with has the required federal license. Ask them to show you the license to be sure. See that the company is registered with the Department of Transportation.

Insurance

Car shipping companies often have a basic insurance cover on their fees. However this may not adequately cover the value of your car. Hence check with them out the details of the insurance cover and purchase additional insurance as necessary.

Service options

Door to Door vs. Terminal to Terminal

Car shipping companies offer two types of services with relation to drop off points for your car. They either deliver your car to your doorstep which is a more expensive option, or can drop off the car at their designated terminal from where you have to pick your car up. This is the cheaper option in the car shipping process as the company finds this convenient and cost effective. However whether to choose door to door or terminal to terminal service should be determined by your need and not just cost.

Types of transport by road

Tractor trailer trucks.

These can transport multiple cars at once and are large slow moving vehicles

Pick up style trucks.

These are smaller vehicles and are more suitable for door to door shipping.

In both these choices you can decide whether you want an open type of truck or an enclosed transport. Obviously the enclosed transport is better because your car is protected from damage by natural elements. However closed transport is also more expensive.

Car shipping quotes

Get the car shipping company to give you a printed quote. Ask them for a breakdown of the individual charges so you know exactly what you are paying for. Compare the quotes of different companies carefully before deciding on which is most suitable for you. Understand this that you must consider a companies reputation and not just look out for the cheapest quote available. After all, you wouldn’t want your car damaged in transit by some inexperienced or ill equipped company. The Internet is a good place to obtain car shipping quotes and compare the various options available

Final check list before giving your car up for transport

Get your car checked by a professional mechanic and take a printed report from him about the status of your car. Give one copy of the report to the car shipping company.

Take photos from various angles to document the status of your car before you handed it over to the car shipping company.

Remove personal items from the car like CD/DVD players, GPS system etc.

Disable your car alarm.

The car shipping company will also guide you as to their requirements before you hand the car over.