An auto transport quote is the biggest question mark in a car owner’s mind, especially if they’re hiring an auto transport company for the first time. An auto transport quote is calculated after considering many factors about the shipped car’s state, pick-up and delivery locations, carrier type, and others; however, even with that in mind, a car owner might not know why they got a high or a low quote.
In this article, we’re spotlighting the essential things that help a car owner understand the auto transport quote calculation process and how to get the best deal.
1. Evaluate the company’s reliability
Before trusting an auto transport company and ordering a quote, one has to ensure that the company they’re about to deal with is trustworthy. With an increased number of online auto transport companies, it’s easy to mix a reliable company with a scam one. So, one has to get to know what makes a company eligible.
A reliable auto transport company should:
- Be licensed by the FMCSA and DOT
- Be highly experienced
- Has a wide network of carriers
- Be highly rated by previous clients
- Offer reasonable quotes
2. Assess your car’s state
Auto transport quotes greatly vary depending on the shipped car’s state. Shipping an inoperable vehicle, for example, always cost more than an operable one. And that’s because shipping inoperable cars require extra tools and special expertise that isn’t needed for transporting any car in a healthy state.
In addition, the size of the shipped vehicle matters; the bigger the car, the more space it will occupy on the trailer and the more the fee.
3. Type of carrier
An auto transport quote can dramatically alter depending on the shipping carrier’s type. All auto transport companies impose high fees for utilizing an enclosed carrier, as it fits only a small number of cars, isn’t fuel efficient, is challenging to maneuver, and operate it requires additional permits.
On the other hand, an open transport trailer is a flexible carrier that fits up to eight cars at a time, is easier to maneuver, and consumes less fuel. So, one has to keep in mind that an auto transport quote is greatly affected by the type of trailer one choose.
4. Pickup and delivery locations
Whether it’s an open or enclosed trailer, the distance between point A and point B is the baseline of the auto transport quote. The longer the distance, the more the mileage, and the more the fee.
However, it isn’t only the distance between pickup and drop-off locations that determine the transport quote; the auto transport service also plays a significant role. A door-to-door auto transport service requires more effort on the auto transport company’s part and additional fees and permits for accessing residential areas.
That’s why the fee increases. However, going for the terminal-to-terminal auto transport service is an affordable option that slashes the auto transport quote.
5. The auto transport season
Auto transport companies work under excessive stress in the peak auto transport season, the snowbirds season, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the college semester beginning. So, to be able to operate efficiently under such acute pressure and to be able to arrange with more auto transport carriers in a record time, auto transport companies increase their quotes.
So, securing an auto transport quote outside the peak seasons is recommended if a car owner wants to transport their car for a fair price and without any extras.
6. Compare quotes
The golden tip for getting the best deal from the most reputable auto transport company is to compare quotes. Car owners shouldn’t settle for the first company they find and accept the first quote they get. Rather, they should confirm the reliability of as many auto transport companies as possible and order quotes from them all. Then, compare the given quotes as well as the company’s reliability and compliance with the standards mentioned above and hire the one that prevails.
This step is crucial as auto transport quote dramatically differs from one service provider to another. So, going the extra mile and consuming a little more time ordering and comparing quotes will definitely pay off.
Well-known auto transport companies such as Tempus Logix impose very reasonable quotes, and that’s after evaluating all factors involved, from the car’s state to the pickup and delivery locations. Tempus Logix also offers very generous discounts for returning clients, college students, senior citizens, and active military members
One won’t need to wait long to get an auto transport quote from Tempus Logix, as the AI cost calculator this company integrates into its website is a sophisticated, speedy tool that generates real-time, accurate auto transport quotes for free.
The bottom line
All the factors mentioned above directly impact an auto transport quote. And learning about them in detail will help car owners determine whether or not the auto transport quote they get is fair or not. However, collaborating with a reputable, experienced, and reliable auto transport company guarantee clients the most professional service for the fairest price.