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 and transporting it to another. This service proves useful in numerous situations where you are unable to drive the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online and needing to transport it to a different state, relocating and requiring long-distance vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are unavailable. Luckily, there are various auto transport services available to cater to your unique requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Shipping Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you would like your automobile collected from and delivered to, whether it's a long-distance vehicle transport or shipping a car to a different state. One option is terminal-to-terminal auto delivery, which utilizes designated collection and drop-off points, frequently the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases. While this alternative is typically more affordable, it demands more effort on your part to get the automobile home. Nevertheless, the majority of individuals prefer a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their vehicles are collected and dropped off at their doorstep, irrespective of the distance.
Vehicle shipping services are generally categorized into two types: having someone drive your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Engage Someone To Drive Your Vehicle
Engaging someone to drive your automobile 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 and additional vehicles are not necessary, and 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 damage to your vehicle while it is being driven. 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 automobile on a trailer is a safer way to guarantee a higher level of protection than having someone drive it to its destination. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value and size of your automobile. You can choose between a single trailer for your vehicle, which is more expensive but ideal for transporting expensive 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 and common option offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier and driven to its destination. While all vehicles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable automobiles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage and prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and debris during transit. This option is preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles 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 on our platform or one with experience in overseas vehicle shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Colorado
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 fill out one quote form & then can receive quotes based on the information you provide from several businesses. This can save you hours of time you would have spent contacting companies and filling out forms.
Communication with these businesses is all possible through our platform as well, allowing you to keep all of your colorado car shipping details in one location.
Price Comparision - When it comes down to it, the expense of the car shipping quote is the most important factor in choosing which auto transport company to utilize to transport your vehicle. The tricky part is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite car transport quote without having to give information and complete details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison and getting a car transport quote isn't exactly a simple task.
Using Shiply enables you to get authentic, final price quotes from car shipping colorado companies and compare them in one place, offering the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately decide on the best company for you.
Affordable Car Shipping
Auto transport businesses on Shiply are usually 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 and have already invested the cost for. Say, for instance, 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 trip 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, & 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 Enviornment
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also better for the environment! In the above example, if your car didn't get on that multi-car transporter and instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your vehicle.
Similarly, many car 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 opposite 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 Car 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 get your car ready 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 determine 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 and 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 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 and 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 and 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.
