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 place & transporting it to another. This service proves useful in numerous situations 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 moving your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping companies provide a variety of services to cater to your unique requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, you must determine where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to, whether it's a long-distance car transport or moving a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an alternative, where specified pick-up & drop-off locations are utilized, frequently at the car transport company's shops or operating bases. This alternative is generally more affordable but demands more effort on your part to get the automobile home. However, the majority of individuals prefer a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, irrespective 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 Automobile
Engaging someone to operate 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 approach include lower expenses, as trailers & an additional vehicle are not necessary, & quicker delivery due to the straightforward nature of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to this approach, such as increased mileage to your vehicle, particularly when moving a car across the country, & a slight chance of damage during the journey. These considerations are especially relevant for individuals purchasing or selling automobiles online who want to ensure the car arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Automobile On A Trailer
Placing your automobile in a trailer is a more secure way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate your car 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 car, which is more expensive but ideal for moving expensive or classic automobiles, or a multi-car transporter, which can move many cars at once.
Open car shipping is the most affordable & common alternative when moving a car. Your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. While all automobiles are safely secured, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, which may not be recommended for highly valuable vehicles. Long journeys in open trailers also run a higher risk of damage & exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple automobiles on a carrier, but they are enclosed, shielding them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This alternative is often preferable for more expensive or newer vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto transport.
If you need to transport 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 Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Washington
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate price from a company for washington auto transport, on our platform you complete one quotation form & can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can save you a significant amount of time that you would have spent contacting companies and completing forms. Communication with these companies is also possible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your auto shipping details in a single location.
Rate Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the auto shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which vehicle transport company to employ to transport your automobile. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't receive a definite auto transport quote without having to supply information & complete details. Although this is understandable, it means that rate comparison and obtaining an auto transport estimate is not a simple task. Utilizing Shiply enables you to receive authentic, final price estimates from auto shipping companies & compare them in one location, offering the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately choose the best company for your needs.
Affordable Auto Shipping - Vehicle transport companies on Shiply can usually provide their services at a lower cost than if you went directly to them. 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 automobile there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip 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 convenient for you, you can often save up to 75% on vehicle transport by using our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Using Shiply for vehicle transport is not only more affordable but also more environmentally friendly. In the previous example, if your automobile didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate auto shipper, the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be required just for your vehicle. Similarly, many auto 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 vehicles in the opposite direction. Many of the vehicle transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return trips, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Automobile for Shipping
If you have selected a vehicle transport company to transport your automobile & feel confident using them, it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documentation - It is crucial to ensure that any necessary documents are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleansing - 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 during 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.
Operational Condition - If the vehicle will be driven at any point during shipping or driven home from the drop-off location, you should ensure that it is in operational 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 Documentation - 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 vehicle. This provides you with evidence of the vehicle'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:
Inspect Vital Signs - Lights, brakes, & engines should all be checked immediately to ensure that the vehicle 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 determine whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping a vehicle can, in rare cases, cause damage, & you want to be sure your auto transport service has not done so.
Verify Mileage - This is more relevant to auto shipping services where the vehicle is driven to the destination, but it can help to check the mileage to ensure that it matches up with the trip 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 a vehicle? Auto shipping prices can vary drastically depending on the circumstances, but on average a trip should cost you around $2.92 per mile if the trip is less than 200 miles, $0.93 if the trip is between 200 & 500 miles, & if the trip is over 1,000 miles, this drops to $0.78.
What is the most affordable way to ship a vehicle? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the most affordable way to ship a vehicle; 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 a vehicle.
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 vehicle 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 auto 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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