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 is beneficial in various circumstances where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence, or transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping companies provide a variety of services to accommodate your unique requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to, whether it's a nationwide car transport or shipping a vehicle to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the car transport company's stores or operating bases. This alternative is typically more affordable but requires more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most individuals prefer a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of the distance.
Vehicle transport services are typically categorized into two types: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Engage Someone To Operate Your Vehicle
Engaging someone to operate your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's across the nation or to another state. The advantages of this approach include lower costs, as trailers & extra vehicles are not necessary, & faster delivery due to the straightforward nature of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your vehicle, especially when shipping a car across the country, & the slight risk of damage during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals purchasing or selling automobiles 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 way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate it to its destination. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & 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, which can carry many automobiles at once.
Open car shipping is the most affordable & most common option, where your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. While all automobiles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage & exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple automobiles on a carrier that is 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 best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas car shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Iowa
Time-Saving - Instead of completing a quote form each time you desire a precise 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've had to spend calling companies & filling in forms.
Communication with these firms is all possible through our platform too, allowing you to keep all of your car shipping iowa details in one place.
Price Comparison - The Primary Factor
When it comes down to it, the price of the car shipping quote is the most important factor in deciding which auto transport company to use to ship your vehicle. The challenging thing is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices & general figures, you won't actually be given a firm car transport quote without having to give information & fill in specifics. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison & getting a car transport quote isn't exactly a straightforward task.
Using Shiply allows you to get genuine, final price quotes from car shipping firms & compare them in one spot, giving you the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately choose the best company for you.
Affordable Car Shipping in Iowa
Auto transport companies on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower cost than if you went direct to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already sunk the cost for. Say, for example, you were moving from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids & 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, & 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 Enviroment
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport cheaper, but it is also better for the enviroment! In the above example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a seperate 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 enviroment 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!
Readying Your Vehicle For Shipping
If you have decided on an auto transport company to move your vehicle & feel secure using them, then it's time to prepare your car 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 & 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 proof of the car's condition before shipping should anything happen to it during transport.
After Delivery Checklist
Once the car shipping company you selected has completed their delivery, there are a few things you should do:
Check Vital Signs - Lights, brakes, & 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, & 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, & 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 & 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 & 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, & 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 & 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 & 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 & has the right equipment to safely carry it out.
