What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by vehicle transportation companies that involves collecting your automobile from one location & delivering it to another. This service is beneficial in various circumstances where operating the vehicle yourself is not practical, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence, or transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle transportation companies provide a variety of auto transport services to accommodate different requirements.
Categories Of Auto Transport Services
When selecting an auto transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your vehicle collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or shipping an automobile to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases. While this alternative is typically less expensive, it demands more effort on your part to get the automobile home. Most individuals, however, favor a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their vehicles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of the distance.
Vehicle transport services can be classified into two primary types: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's across the country or to another state. This approach is often less expensive as it doesn't require trailers or an additional vehicle, & it can be quicker due to its simplicity. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your automobile (especially when shipping a vehicle across country) & the slight risk of damage during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for people buying or selling vehicles online who want to ensure the automobile arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing your vehicle 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 types, & the choice depends on the value & size of your automobile.
Single trailers are more expensive as they only transport one vehicle at a time, but they are ideal for moving expensive or classic automobiles that require extra care. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, although this is the most expensive option. Multi-car transporters, which can carry several automobiles at once, come in different variants:
Open vehicle shipping is the cheapest & most common alternative offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & 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. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage & prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This alternative is preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto transport.
If you need to move your automobile overseas, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas vehicle shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Car Shipping in Greensboro
Time-efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business for transporting a vehicle, on our site 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 spent phoning businesses & inputting details. Communication with these firms is also feasible via our platform, allowing you to store all your Greensboro car shipping details in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the car shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to employ to transport your vehicle. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite car transport quote without having to input information & complete details. Although this is reasonable, it means that price comparison & getting a car transport quote isn't exactly a simple process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from car shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering the ability to contact them individually to inquire about any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the optimal company for you.
Affordable Car Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply can usually provide their services at a lower cost than if you contacted them directly. This is because they are frequently seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. For instance, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your car there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, & they are simply looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Eco-Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also more environmentally friendly. In the above example, if your car didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire journey would be needed just for your car. Similarly, many car transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only expensive for them but also for the environment as there are many people who could have used that transporter to move their cars in the opposite direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return journeys, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Car for Shipping
If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your car & feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It is crucial to ensure that any necessary documents are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal belongings from your vehicle before 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 & 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 assess 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, & 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, & 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.
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