How and Why Vehicle Shipping Quotes Change Over Time

How and Why Vehicle Shipping Quotes Change Over Time
Published on January 16, 2020

When providing our customer with a quote, we take into consideration the following things:

  • Make and model of the car
  • Condition of the car (operable, inoperable)
  • Modifications on the car
  • transportation type (open, enclosed)
  • Locations of pickup and delivery
  • The current average market price of the shipment
  • Given timeframe for the pickup

The customer should provide the above-mentioned information fully so that the price will be firm and will not be changed afterward.

You should consider the fact that the price is subject to change if any of the information is provided wrong or is changed during the process of the shipment.

Let’s talk about all the above-mentioned points and explain cases when the price is subject to change.

Changing the make and model of the vehicle

The quote is usually different for each type of car (sedan, SUV, pickup, van, etc.). Typical sedans like Toyota Corolla or Hyundai Sonata require the lowest amount to be shipped. Big SUVs or pickups are more expensive, as they require more space on a trailer and more fuel for the truck to ship the car. If you decide to change the car which you are transporting, you should contact us and ask for a new quote. This should be done before we dispatch the shipment to a carrier so that any other fees (e.g. free run fee) are not generated.

Change in the condition of the car

If the condition of the car is changed during the process of transportation, the quote changes accordingly. For casual sedans, the price change is usually around $150. If the vehicle is inoperable, the customer should also provide further information about it. We should know if the car rolls, brakes, and steers. If it doesn’t, we also need information about any assistance being provided on both the pickup and delivery locations.

Modifications on the car

If the car is modified, you should provide the exact dimensions of the car and the type of modifications. Pickup trucks are usually lifted and the tires may be bigger than stock. Sedans and coupes may be lowered or can be modified to a racing car with a roll cage. The latter require enclosed trailer (preferably with a lift-gate) as the ramps are longer and will not scratch the bottom part of the car. If no information is provided about modifications but the car is not stock, the driver may ask for some extra amount depending on the modification type. So make sure to provide the correct information when booking.

Changing the service type

When asking for a vehicle shipping quote you can request quotes for both open and enclosed auto transportation. The price of the enclosed transport is higher than for open car transportation (read more), so if the customer decides to change the transportation type, the price will be changed accordingly.

Changing the location of pickup and/or delivery

One of the most important things to consider is the location type of pickup/delivery. If the car is going to a port, the driver needs to have a TWIC card (read more).  We need to have the exact information about both locations to arrange the shipment accordingly. Changing the pickup and/or delivery locations may result in additional charges.

Changing the address of the locations will also affect the price if the difference between the original and the new addresses is a long distance (more than 20 miles difference may result in a price change).

Changes in the market

If the shipment is booked now but is available a couple of weeks later, the market may be changed because of a variety of reasons (gas price change, season change, weather conditions, etc.). When you book a shipment, please make sure to inform us about the timeframe of the pickup, so that the price can be adjusted accordingly.

Changing the timeframe of the pickup

Tempus Logix is a brokerage company, which means that we will subcontract another company to do the shipment. For that, we need a timeframe of 1-7 days. If the timeframe is narrower (less than 7 days) the price may be changed, as we need to offer the drivers a bigger amount so that it is prioritized over other shipments in the market. (Read more about expedited shipments).

As a result, the customer should provide the full information about the shipment, and in that case, the price is calculated considering all the above-mentioned factors and an accurate price is provided.

When a customer books with Tempus Logix, we send them a Google Form to fill out. It gives us all the necessary information about the shipment.

Interested in working with Tempus Logix? Book with us now by clicking CAR SHIPPING QUOTE INSTANT CALCULATOR.

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