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 is beneficial 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 another 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 want your automobile collected from and delivered to, whether it's a long-distance vehicle transport or shipping a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is a possibility, where designated collection and drop-off points, frequently the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are utilized. While this option is typically more affordable, it necessitates more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most individuals prefer door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their automobiles 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.
Have Someone Drive Your Vehicle
Employing someone to drive your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's across the country or to another state. The advantages of this method include lower costs, as trailers and additional vehicles are not necessary, and quicker delivery due to the simplicity of the transport process. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your vehicle, particularly when shipping a car across the country, and the slight risk of damage during the journey. 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 ensure a higher level of protection compared to having someone drive your vehicle. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value and size of your automobile. Single trailers, while more expensive, are ideal for transporting expensive or classic cars that require extra care. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, although this is the most costly option. Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, come in different 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 cars are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during transit, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage and prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and 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 on our platform or one with experience in overseas vehicle shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Fayetteville
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a company on Fayetteville auto transport, on our platform you complete one quotation form & can then obtain quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you hours of effort you would have had to invest phoning companies and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is all feasible through our platform too, allowing you to store all of your auto shipping details in one location.
Cost Comparison - When it comes down to it, the price of the auto shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which vehicle transport company to utilize to transport your automobile. The challenging aspect is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average costs & rough estimates, you won't actually be given a definite auto transport estimate without having to supply information & fill in details. While this is understandable, it does mean that cost comparison & getting an auto transport estimate isn't exactly a simple task. Using Shiply allows you to receive genuine, final price estimates from auto shipping companies & compare them in one place, providing the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the best company for you.
Affordable Auto Shipping - Vehicle transport businesses on Shiply are typically able to provide their services for a lower cost than if you went direct to them. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. Say, for example, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your automobile 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 vehicle transport by using our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for vehicle transport more affordable, but it is also more environmentally friendly. In the above example, if your automobile didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate auto shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your automobile. Similarly, many auto 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 automobiles in the other direction. Many of the vehicle 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 affordable transport for our users.
Readying For Your Automobile To Be Transported
If you have decided on a vehicle transport company to move your automobile & feel secure using them, then it's time to ready your automobile 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 ascertain 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 auto delivery service to pick up is to take high-quality photographs of all parts of the automobile. This provides you with evidence of the automobile's condition before shipping should anything happen to it during transport.
What To Do After Delivery
Once the auto 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 automobile is in the expected condition, as well as enable you to immediately raise concerns with the auto 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 ascertain whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping an automobile can, in rare cases, cause damage, & you want to be sure your auto transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to auto shipping services where the automobile 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 vehicle transport company you used through Shiply so that others can browse auto shipping services with the same peace of mind.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have answered some of the most asked questions about auto shipping:
How much to ship an automobile? Auto 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 most affordable way to ship an automobile? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the most affordable way to ship an automobile, however, if you need a trailer then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the most affordable way to ship an automobile.
How do I pay for my vehicle transport? This is down to each individual vehicle transport company on Shiply & is something you should discuss with your chosen auto delivery service before confirming the delivery. Most companies will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my auto transport online? Each auto shipping company on Shiply has different ways of operating, but many offer the ability to track your auto shipment, with some even able to provide personal updates. If you require tracking, you should message individual auto transport companies to confirm that this is possible with them.
Does someone have to be present for pickup & delivery? In most cases, the auto 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 automobile keys.
Can I keep items in my vehicle during my auto shipment? Most auto 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 automobile 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.
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