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 proves useful in various circumstances where operating the vehicle yourself is not practical, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a different state, or moving your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping services provide a practical solution for people who need to transfer their vehicles without the inconvenience of driving long distances.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When it comes to vehicle transport services, there are multiple choices available to cater to your specific requirements. The initial decision you'll need to make is whether you prefer terminal-to-terminal or door-to-door delivery. Terminal-to-terminal auto shipping involves designated collection and drop-off points, typically at the car transport company's facilities or operating bases. While this choice is often more economical, it requires additional effort on your part to get the automobile to its ultimate destination. Conversely, door-to-door vehicle transport is the most favored option, as it ensures that your automobile is collected & dropped off right at your doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country car shipping or just transporting a car to another state.
Automobile transport services can be further classified into two primary types: having someone operate your vehicle to its destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Engage Someone To Operate Your Vehicle
Engaging someone to operate your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping. This approach is often more cost-effective, as it eliminates the need for trailers and additional vehicles. It can also be quicker due to the simplicity of the transport process. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. Firstly, your vehicle will accumulate mileage during the journey, which can be significant when transporting a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage occurring to your automobile while it is being operated. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals purchasing or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Automobile On A Trailer
Placing your automobile on a trailer is a safer alternative that guarantees a higher level of protection compared to having someone operate it. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile. Single trailers are more expensive but are ideal for transporting expensive or classic cars that require extra care. The safest way to move a car is by using a shipping container, although this is the most costly option. Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, are another popular choice.
Open car shipping is the most affordable & common option offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is securely placed on an open carrier & driven to its destination. While this method exposes your car to the elements during transit, it remains the cheapest way to ship a car cross-country. However, longer journeys in open trailers may pose a higher risk of damage.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is fully enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is 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 vehicle overseas, it's essential to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas car shipping. These providers can offer tailored advice based on your specific requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Arizona
Time-Saving - Instead of completing a quote form each time you require an exact price from a company on transporting a vehicle, on our platform you only complete one quote form & then can receive quotes based on the information you submit from several companies. This can save you hours of time you would have spent phoning companies and filling out forms.
Communication with these businesses is also possible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping details in one location!
Price Comparison - When it comes down to it, the expense of the vehicle shipping quote is the most important factor in choosing which auto transport company to utilize to transport your vehicle. The challenging part is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices & general estimates, you won't actually receive a definite vehicle transport quote without having to submit information and fill out details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison and getting a vehicle transport quote isn't exactly a simple task.
Using Shiply allows you to obtain genuine, final price quotes from vehicle shipping companies and compare them in one place. providing the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately decide on the best company for you!
Affordable Vehicle Shipping Arizona
Auto transport businesses on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on trips they are already making and have already invested the cost for. Say, for example, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York and needed to move your vehicle there. On Shiply, a company may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled. 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 work for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
Better For The Environment
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also better for the environment. In the above example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter and instead you arranged transport from a separate vehicle shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your vehicle.
Similarly, many vehicle transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only costly for them but also for the environment as there are lots of people who could have used that transporter to move their vehicles in the other direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere. as well as continued cheap transport for our users!
Preparing For Your Vehicle To Be Shipped
If you have decided on an auto transport company to move your vehicle and feel secure using them, then it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We recommend following these steps.
Documents - It is important to ensure that any documents you may need are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle!
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal items 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 see its condition and 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 enough fluid, as well as checking battery charge & tire pressure levels. Again this can also help you better judge 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, 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 see 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 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 & 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.
