Moving a vehicle from one location to another, often referred to as Transport Car or car shipping, is a service provided by specialized companies. These services are indispensable in various scenarios where driving the car yourself isn’t feasible. Whether you’re purchasing a car online from out of state, relocating across the country, or even moving abroad, understanding your transport car options is crucial.
Fortunately, a diverse range of transport car services exists to accommodate your unique needs. This guide will explore these services, helping you determine the most suitable method for your vehicle transportation.
Exploring Different Types of Car Transport Services
Choosing the right transport car service depends on your specific requirements. Let’s delve into the available options to clarify which best aligns with your needs.
The initial decision revolves around pickup and delivery locations. Do you require door-to-door service, or is terminal-to-terminal transport sufficient? Terminal-to-terminal service involves dropping off and collecting your vehicle at designated depots, usually owned by the transport car company. This option is often more economical but necessitates additional effort on your part to get your car to and from these terminals.
However, most individuals opt for door-to-door car transport. This convenient service ensures your vehicle is picked up directly from your specified location and delivered straight to your desired destination, whether it’s a cross-country move or simply transporting a car to another state. Door-to-door service eliminates the logistical challenges of terminal pickups and drop-offs, especially when you’re without your vehicle.
Fundamentally, transport car methods fall into two categories: having someone drive your car or transporting it on a trailer.
Option 1: Drive-Away Car Transport
Drive-away service is a straightforward transport car solution where you hire a driver to operate your vehicle to its destination, be it across the country or to a neighboring state. This method can be cost-effective as it avoids the need for trailers and additional transport vehicles. It can also be quicker due to the direct nature of the transport.
However, drive-away transport car has drawbacks. Firstly, it adds mileage to your vehicle, which can be significant for long-distance transport. Secondly, there’s a slightly increased risk of wear and tear or minor damages during the drive. These concerns are particularly relevant for those buying or selling vehicles online, where maintaining the car’s advertised condition is paramount.
Option 2: Trailer Car Transport
Utilizing a trailer for transport car offers a higher degree of security compared to drive-away services. Various trailer options cater to different vehicle types and values.
Consider whether a single car trailer is appropriate. While generally more expensive due to transporting only one vehicle at a time, single car trailers are ideal for high-value or classic cars where minimizing risk is paramount. For maximum protection, enclosed shipping containers offer the safest transport car method but are also the most costly.
Alternatively, multi-car transporters are available in several forms:
Open Car Transport: This is the most common and budget-friendly transport car option. Your vehicle is secured on an open carrier and transported to its destination. While secure, open carriers expose vehicles to weather elements and road debris. While cost-effective for cross-country transport car, prolonged exposure on open trailers can increase the risk of minor damage and elemental exposure, which might not be ideal for very valuable vehicles.
Enclosed Car Transport: Enclosed transport car involves shipping multiple vehicles within a covered trailer. This protects cars from dust, weather, and road debris during transit. Enclosed transport is often preferred for newer, luxury, or classic vehicles where owners prioritize minimizing any risk of damage during transport car.
For overseas vehicle relocation, it’s crucial to choose a transport car company specializing in international shipping. These specialists can provide tailored advice and services to navigate the complexities of international vehicle transport.
Understanding Car Transport Costs
Numerous factors influence the cost of transport car. However, understanding average pricing can provide a useful benchmark. In the US, average transport car costs are roughly:
- Short distances (under 200 miles): Approximately $2.92 per mile.
- Medium distances (200-500 miles): Around $0.93 per mile.
- Long distances (over 1,000 miles): About $0.78 per mile.
These figures are averages, and your actual transport car costs may vary. The best way to get an accurate estimate is to obtain quotes from various transport car companies. Online platforms like Shiply simplify this process.
To better anticipate your transport car expenses, let’s examine the key factors that affect pricing.
Factors Influencing Car Transport Costs
Seeking affordable transport car is a common goal, but several variables determine the final price. Understanding these factors helps you estimate whether your transport car needs will be budget-friendly or more expensive.
Distance: As previously mentioned, distance is a primary cost determinant. Cross-state or cross-country transport car will naturally be more expensive than shorter, interstate deliveries. While total cost increases with distance, the per-mile rate generally decreases for longer journeys.
International Shipping: International transport car invariably incurs higher costs due to complex logistics and extensive travel distances. It often necessitates specialized enclosed trailers or even shipping containers for vehicle protection.
Route: Beyond distance, the chosen route can impact transport car pricing. Routes through congested areas, like Los Angeles, might cost more due to increased transit times. Unexpected roadwork or traffic events can also lead to extra charges or necessitate longer, costlier alternative routes.
Shipping Dates: Flexibility in your transport car schedule can affect pricing. If you have flexible dates, you might secure lower rates as companies can integrate your vehicle into existing schedules, optimizing their operations and passing savings to you. Conversely, requiring expedited car transport within a strict timeframe typically increases costs as companies might need to dedicate a trailer and driver solely to your shipment.
Vehicle Size: The dimensions of your vehicle (height, length, width) influence transport car costs. Larger vehicles require larger trailers. SUVs, for example, generally cost more to transport than sedans. Always inform the transport car company about any accessories like bike racks or roof racks, as these can also affect trailer requirements.
Vehicle Condition: Non-drivable vehicles can increase transport car costs. They may require specialized equipment like winches or forklifts for loading and unloading. A car with a locked wheel, for instance, cannot be easily rolled onto a trailer, demanding more time, effort, and equipment. Most carriers consider a vehicle in shippable condition if it can brake, roll, and steer.
Transport Car Service Type: The chosen service type directly impacts cost. Drive-away service is typically the cheapest, as it primarily covers driver time and fuel. Single car trailers and enclosed transport are more expensive due to specialized equipment. Enclosed transport car, offering maximum protection, is generally the most premium and costly option.
Pickup and Delivery Locations: Location accessibility influences pricing. Urban areas with readily available transport car services and common routes often result in cheaper shipping. Rural deliveries can cost more due to route deviations and extra mileage. Difficult-to-access pickup or delivery points may also increase costs due to added loading complexities.
Auto Transport Insurance: While transport car companies are legally required to have liability insurance, many don’t offer additional cargo insurance. If cargo insurance isn’t offered, it’s highly advisable to obtain separate coverage for your vehicle during transit. Carefully review any insurance policy to understand coverage details, deductibles, and exclusions.
Time of Year: Seasonality affects transport car pricing. Winter often sees higher prices due to ice and snow-related delays.
- Winter: Often the most expensive season. Ice, snow, and blizzards cause delays and reduce driving speeds. December is particularly costly due to holidays, while January sees increased demand as people move to warmer climates. February, however, is usually quieter, offering better rates.
- Spring: A favorable time for transport car. Improved weather, longer days, and driver availability can lead to lower rates and greater service availability. March is often more affordable than April or May, though demand might increase for moves from colder to warmer regions.
- Summer: Peak season for transport car. University student moves, vacations, and housing relocations drive high demand in June, July, and August. Expect higher prices during these months.
- Fall: A good time for potentially cheaper transport car. Demand decreases after summer, and driver availability improves. October and November are generally more affordable than September, which is still busy with student moves to universities.
Finding the Right Car Transport Service
Now that you understand transport car options and cost factors, finding a suitable service is the next step.
The challenge lies in the numerous transport car companies available. Searching online can be overwhelming, and contacting each company individually for quotes is time-consuming. Many companies are hesitant to provide upfront pricing, requiring individual quote requests.
How Shiply Streamlines Your Car Transport Search
Navigating the transport car landscape can seem daunting. Shiply simplifies this process.
On Shiply, a single, straightforward form initiates your quote collection. You provide vehicle details (make, model), pickup and delivery locations, and desired dates. This information allows transport car providers on Shiply to offer accurate quotes.
Once your listing is active, you’ll receive quotes in your Shiply inbox and via email. Enabling email notifications ensures prompt awareness of new quotes. Quotes can start arriving quickly, but it’s advisable to wait for multiple offers to compare options before deciding.
Once you have several quotes, you can directly communicate with providers through Shiply to ask questions about availability, insurance, and vehicle security measures. Asking these questions upfront ensures a smooth and reliable transport car experience.
Shiply’s feedback and rating system is a valuable tool. Reviewing past customer experiences and overall scores helps you choose a reputable and reliable transport car company.
Benefits of Using Shiply for Car Transport
Time-Saving: Instead of completing quote forms for each transport car company, Shiply’s platform requires only one form to receive multiple quotes. This saves significant time compared to individual inquiries. All communication with companies is also centralized on the platform, keeping your transport car information organized.
Price Comparison: Cost is a crucial factor in selecting a transport car service. While companies often provide average prices, obtaining firm quotes requires detailed information. Shiply facilitates easy price comparison by providing genuine, final quotes from various companies in one place. You can then message companies individually and choose the best option.
Cheap Car Shipping: Transport car companies on Shiply often offer lower prices than direct bookings. They frequently seek to fill empty space on already planned routes to maximize efficiency. For instance, a company with a multi-car transporter traveling from Los Angeles to New York with a few vacant spots can offer discounted rates to fill those spaces. If your dates and locations align, you can potentially save up to 75% on car transport using Shiply.
Environmentally Friendlier: Shiply promotes more sustainable transport car. By filling unused space on existing routes, it reduces the need for additional, separate vehicle transport journeys, thus minimizing carbon emissions. Many transporters also seek return-trip loads on Shiply, further reducing wasted journeys and environmental impact, while continuing to provide users with cheaper transport options.
Preparing Your Car for Transport
After selecting a transport car company, prepare your vehicle for shipping:
Documents: Ensure necessary documents are readily available at pickup and delivery, especially when selling the vehicle.
Cleaning: Remove all personal items to avoid loss or damage during transit. Cleaning your car beforehand helps you accurately assess its condition and identify any new damage upon arrival.
Running Condition: If your car will be driven at any point or driven after delivery, ensure it’s in running condition. Check fluids, battery charge, and tire pressure. This also helps you evaluate the vehicle’s condition upon delivery.
Photographic Evidence: Crucially, take high-quality photographs of your car from all angles before pickup. This provides evidence of its pre-shipping condition in case of any damage during transport car.
Post-Delivery Vehicle Inspection
Upon delivery, conduct the following checks:
Vital Signs: Immediately check lights, brakes, and engine to ensure they are functioning correctly. Raise any concerns with the transport car service immediately if issues arise.
Exterior Condition: Compare the vehicle’s exterior to your pre-shipping photos to identify any new damage that may have occurred during transport car.
Check Mileage: For drive-away services, verify the mileage aligns with the expected distance traveled.
Consider leaving a review for the transport car company on Shiply to help other users make informed decisions.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Car Transport
How much does it cost to transport car?
Transport car costs vary significantly based on factors discussed earlier. However, average costs are roughly $2.92 per mile (under 200 miles), $0.93 per mile (200-500 miles), and $0.78 per mile (over 1,000 miles).
What is the cheapest way to transport car?
Drive-away service is generally the cheapest. For trailer transport, multi-car carriers are the most economical option.
How do I pay for my auto transport?
Payment methods vary by company. Discuss options with your chosen transport car service before confirming. Most companies offer flexible payment solutions.
Can I track my car transport online?
Tracking capabilities vary. Many transport car companies offer online tracking, and some provide personal updates. Confirm tracking availability with individual companies.
Does someone need to be present for pickup and delivery?
Yes, usually. Transport car companies typically require someone to be present for pickup and delivery to sign release forms and hand over keys.
Can I keep items in my car during transport car?
Generally, yes, but with caveats. Item weight might affect pricing, and items inside the vehicle are not covered by the car’s transport insurance.
How much gas should be in the car during transport car?
Aim for about a quarter tank. This allows for easy loading and unloading without adding excessive weight.
Can I transport car if it’s not running?
Yes, but it will be more expensive due to the need for specialized equipment.
Can I transport a modified vehicle?
Yes. Shiply hosts many providers equipped to handle various vehicle types, including modified vehicles. With numerous bids, you’ll likely find a suitable and equipped transport car service.
