A Beginner’s Guide to First-Time Car Shipping
Are you on the verge of significant changes? Are you about to ship your car for the first time but don’t know what processes to go through to make a decision best fit for you? Save your precious time and take into consideration our accurate and brief tips. At first, the shipping process may seem very complicated, but once you understand the basics of automobile shipping, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is. After reading this step-by-step guide, you will find out a few factors you need to concentrate on your target. Let’s get started.
Look for the Best Shipping Company
Selecting the best shipping company is an essential factor to consider. After all, by the time you hand in your keys to the carrier, your car is already under the company’s responsibility. One of the main factors when choosing a shipping company is the cost. So check out sites to get quotes and compare the prices. Now let’s figure out the factors that affect the price:
- Enclosed or open-air transport. You may choose the enclosed method of transportation if your car is rare and expensive, as it fully protects the vehicle from all sides. Open-air transport is not only very safe but also far cheaper and more accessible.
- Door-to-door shipping is the fastest way for car shipping. Thus, the driver has to pick up and deliver your vehicle as close as possible to your mentioned addresses.
- Shipping destination. Depending on the popularity of the drop-off location, the shipping price can vary significantly. In the busiest areas, all the companies try to provide lower prices.
- Expedited or standard shipping. You should reserve your auto shipping beforehand because each process takes time. But if you need to do it faster, you can select the expedited shipping, which will cost you a bit more.
- Shipping insurance. The safety of the vehicle is one of the focal elements of auto shipment. The carrier company is usually responsible for any damages that may occur to your car after pickup. It can also affect the price.
When making your final decision, remember to consider the pricing and the company’s reputation. Check out Trustpilot, BBB, and Google Reviews to see what people say about auto transportation companies.
Prepare Your Car for Shipping
Now that you’ve decided which shipping company will deliver your vehicle, it’s time to get it ready for its journey. Let’s go over the significant actions you need to take.
- First, wash the outside and inside of your automobile and take clear photos.
- Take out all of your belongings from your vehicle.
- Inspect your vehicle for any existing damage, which the carrier will document at pickup and delivery.
- Reduce the fuel consumption by around a quarter tank.
After all these preparations, hand over the car keys and sign the bill of lading. If you have late or delayed delivery for various reasons, try to be patient and understanding.
When you get your car, make sure you inspect it thoroughly. If you discover any damage, please notify the carrier, fill in a complaint form and make applicable notes on the inspection report. However, if everything appears to be in order, sign off on the condition and enjoy your vehicle!
Can I Ship a Classic Car That’s Not Working?
Whether you are a classic car collector or want to get hold of your dream car, you’re probably concerned about how you can move your non-running classic from point A to point B without getting it damaged. From elegant Model A to gorgeous Chevy Bel Air, Tempus Logix will help you transport your prized vehicle all across the US. We transport hundreds of luxury vehicles each person-day, especially with vintage and classic cars being some of the favored.
How to Ship a Non-Running Classic Car Safely?
There are two popular ways to transport your vehicle cross-country: either using open-air or enclosed auto trailers. However, when speaking of shipping a rare or high-end vehicle, we strongly encourage opting for enclosed auto transport as we understand the importance and value of such cars. Choosing an enclosed trailer to ship your classic car safe and sound is always a good idea to add more protection against weather or other road hazards that could damage your luxury vehicle. With that in mind, Tempus Logix offers a hassle-free auto shipping experience in your best interest.
Proper Equipment to Transport a Non-Driving Classic Car
To keep your classic ride safe and have your car shipped in peak condition, you need more research and extra preparation. When choosing an auto shipping company, you need to ensure whether it owns the necessary equipment to ship your car without damaging it. Apart from having special equipment such as an electric winch and pulley system to haul a non-running classic vehicle, a shipper also needs to have wheel nets and nylon straps as metallic ropes or chains may easily scratch the car paint. Please be informed that standard auto transport trailers don’t come with such hauling equipment; meanwhile, most companies specializing in classic car transport will almost always have one in stock.
Non-Driving Classic Cars Need Special Attention During Shipping
Classic cars are usually a valued possession for the vehicle owner, as they are apt to be delicate and challenging to repair because of hard-to-find replacement parts. Restoring a classic car using new auto parts may cause a considerable price drop and disrupt the original condition. Therefore, it’s essential to find a reliable carrier with the necessary equipment and a good track record of safely transporting classic cars. With this in mind, Tempus Logix already has the drivers selected with care to manage these responsible missions.
Ship Your Classic Car with a Reliable Company!
If you run into difficulties transporting your non-running classic car, Tempus Logix will help you ship your vehicle quickly and safely. We are here to make your car transport hassle-free and provide you peace of mind. We know that having your classic car shipped is quite stressful, and the stress doubles when you own an extremely rare or high-end vehicle. However, with Tempus Logix, you have nothing to worry about, as our rich experience in classic car transport enables us to ship your premium car to your front door at its top shape once you choose to opt for our door-to-door service.
Problems You May Encounter During Classic Car Transport
You may experience many difficulties while shipping your classic car nationwide, such as late delivery, incorrect quote, off-route destinations, or poor communications. However, the most catastrophic mishap that may occur during incompetent and inexperienced auto haulers remains the damage to your vehicle, particularly if you own a rare or ultra-expensive car. Nonetheless, if you don’t haste to ship your automobile with just any auto shipping company, you won’t have to worry about car damage or any other mentioned problem.
Insurance for Non-Running Classic Cars
Having cargo insurance for shipping companies, including carriers specializing in classic car transport, is a legal requirement. However, on the other hand, the insurance coverage may vary by company. For example, if you chose to transport a vintage vehicle worth $1 million or more, you would most certainly exceed the carrier’s included coverage limit. In this case, the insurance policy will not cover your car damage in full. As a result, transporting your antique automobile with a professional logistics organization, such as Tempus Logix, that can manage a feat like this is always worthwhile.
Is Cheaper Auto Transport Always Better?
If you are looking for safe transportation and great value to get your vehicle from one location to another, you might be tempted to choose the cheapest way to ship a car. However, auto transport involves more than just picking the least expensive car transport service. Prices for shipping your car can fluctuate based on factors such as the size of your vehicle, drop-off destination, and the time of year. Additionally, many carriers may end up charging more than their initial quote. As a result, finding the cheapest car shipping option while ensuring quality service can be quite challenging.
The Cheapest Way to Ship a Vehicle
Currently, there are two options to transport your car: shipping either by open or enclosed transport trailers. In the case of open hauler auto transport, weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or mud, may affect your car’s exterior, thus reduce its resale value. All the same, open transport remains the cheapest way to ship your vehicle across the country. Car haulers like open-air trucks make up more than 80% of cross-country car shipments. Even most dealerships transport their brand-new cars using open carrier auto shipping.
There is a less affordable car shipping method known as enclosed transport. However, it adds more protection to your vehicle during the trip. When you ship your vehicle in a fully enclosed trailer, it reduces the risk of damages/losses not covered by shipping insurance.
Things to Consider for Low-Cost Car Shipping
Checking for Car Condition
If you are looking to transport a car for a reasonable price, make sure your vehicle runs and drives. The price can be significantly less than shipping the inoperable vehicle. It’s always better to invest a little money to ensure your vehicle is drivable before shipping it rather than shipping it in a non-drivable condition.
The Pickup Window
If your pickup window is flexible, you are more likely to get the cheapest way to ship a car. Instead of scheduling your car shipment for a specific date, you can offer a flexible window, such as within five business days, and allow the carrier to choose a pickup day within that period. So make sure you are flexible with your schedule if you are looking to get the cheapest car shipping.
The Time of the Year
Being flexible on car shipping and considering it during the off-peak auto-shipping season may guarantee the lowest prices near you.For instance, shipping your car in the winter can be more expensive because not all truckers are comfortable making such a challenging journey. If you’re not pressed for time, you can take advantage of off-peak shipping to save hundreds of dollars on your car transport.
How to Get a Car Shipping Discount?
If you are shipping multiple cars together, you can expect your carrier to offer a discount depending on how many vehicles you have. Make sure you have your cars at the same time from the exact pickup location to the same drop-off location. Nevertheless, most likely, a discount won’t be offered if you are shipping, for example, five cars from different addresses at different times of the year. Another option to acquire a discount is to find a company, like Tempus Logix, that offers a price reduction to its returning customers, college students, or military personnel.
Common Problems during Auto Transport
Shipping a vehicle across the country is a very stressful and worrisome deal as it’s hard to anticipate all problems that may occur during transit. However, you may still take some steps to understand the ins and outs and minimize the risk associated with the shipping process. It’s hard to cover all possible problems, but here are some commons you need to consider while transporting your car.
Vehicle Damage
Having your car damaged during the transportation process is one of the most common mishaps that you are likely to encounter. Everything from severe damages to minor dents and scratches may occur during auto transport. Thus, make sure to inspect your vehicle meticulously after you have it shipped. Don’t miss areas that are most commonly overlooked, such as under the bumpers and roof. If you have your car damaged after having it loaded onto the hauler truck, you need to fill out a complaint against your shipper and make applicable notes on the inspection report (known as a bill of lading). Make sure to have the driver’s signature on the document to avoid difficulties in the future when filling in your complaint form.
Incorrect Car Shipping Quote
Occasionally, auto carriers provide customers with an incorrect car shipping quote to estimate the shipping cost. It may mostly happen because of a misunderstanding related to a car drop-off location. For instance, two different cities in different states bear the same name but are a couple of hundred miles apart. To avoid such unpleasant situations and get a correct car shipping quote, please ensure to reiterate the postal codes of both pickup and drop-off locations.
Late or Delayed Auto Delivery
Late delivery is one of the last things you want to come across when shipping your vehicle. Although delays in auto delivery may happen because of the trucker’s negligence, the most common reasons continue to remain out of human control. Traffic jams, extreme weather conditions, mechanical troubles, and even late acceptance of delivery create a domino effect and lead to late delivery. That’s why many respectful auto transport services offer a delivery window of one to six business days to avoid delivery delays.
Poor Communications
Poor communication and bad customer service are what may push you to find a new company to ship your car. To make the auto shipping process quicker and easier, consider working with an auto transport broker. Although brokerage companies don’t own their trucks and have no control over them, they cooperate with a more extensive network of auto carriers that don’t deplete the capacity of shipping orders nationwide.
Off-Route Destinations
Most auto carriers use common routes for auto transport trips. If you want to have your car delivered to an off-route destination, you may incur additional fees and have late or delayed delivery. Thus, before you hire a shipping company, it’s always good to review the terms and conditions to avoid unexpected delays and hiked prices.
How Can You Avoid These Problems?
To insure yourself against these problems when dealing with auto transport, you need to carefully research the carrier/broker company and consider all pros and cons. Check online reviews, get recommendations from other customers, check records with Better Business Bureau (BBB) and use the company’s Motor Carrier number to verify it with FMCSA. Nothing is for sure in this industry; however, the above-stated steps may help you find a reputable carrier or broker to ship your car safely and quickly anywhere in the US.
How Does Car Shipping Work from Start to Finish?
When driving your vehicle long distances is impractical, car shipment is the best and most convenient option. If you are new to this field, you probably think that the shipping process is quite complicated. For sure, you will change your mind after doing research and receiving answers to your questions. Let’s go through the main aspects of car shipping and find out how it works.
What is Auto Transport?
Auto transport is a service that people apply to move their vehicles to any location in the United States. This service is available to get either by an auto transporter or an auto transport broker. In both circumstances, the organization is responsible for transporting your vehicle securely. You can benefit a lot by entrusting the transportation of your car to a reliable and reputable company. It can assist you in avoiding a variety of stressful situations.
What Are Your Choices?
Once you’ve decided to ship your car, you’ll need to choose between the services offered by the various companies. Here they are:
- Open-air auto transport vs. enclosed auto transport: The first option is very safe, and around 95% of all customers select it. But if your car is rare and luxurious, you should choose the enclosed shipping option. It is capable of providing complete protection to your vehicle. But the price is much higher.
- Door-to-door shipping vs. terminal-to-terminal shipping. The door-to-door shipping option is the most convenient for the customers. The truck driver tries to get as near as possible to both of your addresses. However, it costs a bit more than terminal-to-terminal shipping.
- Delivery time. If you want to get your vehicle much faster, you can choose an expedited shipping option. Although this option is more expensive, it may be a good alternative for those who require quick delivery.
What do you have to do?
Firstly, do your research to select the best shipping company. When comparing the advantages of the shipping companies, pay great attention to the following tips:
- Ensure that they have the proper licenses to operate.
- Read online reviews from past customers.
- Check insurance coverage.
- Learn about the driver’s experience.
- Get a pricing quote.
How much will it cost to ship a car?
Every customer wants to ship the vehicle at a reasonable price. But note that paying a lower price sometimes can be very risky. There are, however, some factors that influence the price. Such factors are vehicle type, type of transport, season, distance, condition of the car, and time frame. Obtain at least three different pricing quotes before making your ultimate decision.
How to prepare the car for shipping?
You should prepare your car for transport before giving over the keys. It’s an effortless task. Let’s go through several actions you should do:
- Thoroughly clean the exterior and interior of your vehicle and take good photographs from every angle.
- Remove all your items.
- Cut your fuel use by a quarter of a tank.
- Look over your car for any damage and inform the truck driver.
There is nothing other than to wait for your car’s safe delivery. Only remember to sign the condition report after receiving and inspecting your vehicle.
Why Use Auto Shipping Brokers Instead of Carriers?
When you are looking to transport your vehicle, you have two options you can choose to book with: going directly with a carrier or picking up an auto transport broker, also known as a logistics service provider. However, before shipping your car, you need a bit of insight into how this industry works. The process can be pretty confusing if you have no idea where to start and what to consider. Today we will discuss differences between shippers and brokers and the role they play in the process of transporting your vehicle.
Auto Shipping Carrier VS Auto Shipping Broker
At first glance, both carriers and brokerage companies go into the same labor known as auto shipping; however, there are significant differences between these two. In simple terms, an auto carrier also referred to as an asset-based shipper, carries out shipping using its trucks. At the same time, a broker works as a mediator to help you find shippers in your neighborhood to pick up and ship your vehicle.
Large companies that own their trucks and operate individually sometimes work with auto brokers to have extra resources and get more shipping offers. Meanwhile, compared to auto carriers with specific routing and geographical restrictions, most brokers operate and coordinate auto shipping throughout the country.
Why Might You Want to Work with a Broker?
Extensive Network: Though carriers have their trucks and hold direct control over them, brokers offer a much extensive network to help ship your car nationwide. It means that using brokerage services to have your vehicle shipped is much easier and quicker than dealing with a direct carrier.
Good Truckers: Relying on a legitimate broker means having an experienced and licensed trucker shipping your car. Auto brokers are industry experts, and they work exclusively with legitimate carriers.
Unexpected Situations: When you book auto transport with a carrier, you have no protection against emergencies or unforeseen situations. For example, if the truck breaks down during the trip, you are down on your luck until fixing the issue. Meanwhile, in the same situation, a broker may offer to replace the truck without any delays.
Flexibility: Unlike any carrier, auto brokers aren’t tied down with their fleet, meaning they can offer you shipping services irrespective of where you locate. Due to an extensive network of carriers, they may find trucks with open spots in your neighborhood and offer you a flexible pickup window.
You Save Time: If you are looking for a stress-free shipping experience and saving your time looking for a licensed carrier or competitive prices, you need to rely on a brokerage company. Apart from being easy and quick, dealing with legitimate brokers prevents you from auto shipping scams that are too common in the US market.
Easy to Reach: This feature mainly refers to excellent communication and good customer service that most brokerage companies try to boast. Many brokers are available 24/7 to be proactive about any problems that may happen during auto transport.
You can read more about the Advantages of Auto Shipping Brokers.
Key Takeaways
Whether you choose to work with an auto broker or deal with a carrier directly, we suggest checking if a company is reliable and licensed. Try to get references and find genuine reviews from real customers. In many websites, such as Google, it’s pretty easy to spam with false reviews, thus opt for using reliable sources (such as BBB) to navigate reviews and make a good decision.
How to Ship a Damaged Car
Being in a car crash is never fun, especially when it happens in a foreign state, and you need to get your wrecked car back home. Typically, a vehicle involved in an accident becomes a non-runner, meaning it has functional issues or missing essential components, making it unsafe to drive. Today, we’ve put together some key things to consider before you ship a damaged car.
When you need to ship a damaged car, the process requires careful preparation and attention to detail. Ensuring your vehicle is safe for transport and providing accurate information to the auto transport company are crucial steps. Properly preparing your car can help avoid additional damage during shipping and ensure a smooth process. Whether you are dealing with a minor fender bender or a more serious accident, understanding the necessary steps can make a significant difference.
In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know to ship a damaged car, from preparing your vehicle and understanding special equipment needs to the importance of hiring professionals for the job. By following these tips, you can ensure your damaged vehicle is transported safely and efficiently.
Preparing Your Crashed Car for Shipping after an Accident
When you reach out to a auto transport company to get your wrecked vehicle delivered right to your door, you need to make sure to provide as many details as possible about your vehicle’s condition. For example, the hauler has to know whether the car brakes, rolls, steers, has a full fuel tank, or any fluid leaks in a vehicle. Also, make sure your vehicle is pointing forward, the transmission puts in neutral, and the parking brake is working correctly.
To protect your vehicle during car transport, we advise inspecting your car and taking photographs to help with the condition report once the carrier arrives. And also, having concrete proof with you is the main guarantee to claim indemnification if your automobile gets damaged during transport.
Special Equipment Needs to Transport Your Damaged Car
When shipping damaged or semi-functional vehicles, a carrier needs special equipment. This equipment is used to load and unload them on and off a hauler trailer. Using the hydraulic auto lift, also referred to as a forklift, is often necessary for damaged vehicles. However, if your car doesn’t run but still rolls, brakes, and steers, it can be pulled onto a trailer using a winch. If you ship a damaged car that is non-working, the carrier needs proper tools. These tools will help load your vehicle onto a flatbed trailer.
Don’t Ship a Wrecked Car on Your Own
You might wonder why you can’t just grab a few friends and try to load your damaged car onto a standard truck by pushing or dragging it. At first glance, this might seem like a good option. However, it contradicts all safety rules found in auto transport literature. Loading or unloading a non-runner without special equipment, such as a forklift, flatbed truck, winch trailer, or rollback tow truck, is unsafe. It can also cause considerable damage to your car, potentially costing more than professional shipping. This is why it’s best to hire professionals to handle your car shipping, whether it’s damaged or totaled.
The Final Word
When speaking of shipping a car after an accident, the primary thing you need to be concerned about is finding a reliable company specializing in crashed car transportation. With Tempus Logix, you can have your car (either new or wracked, operable or non-running) shipped wherever you need. In addition, our company offers professional services, reasonable delivery windows, and carriers with full insurance coverage. And what about pricing? In the vehicle shipping sector, Tempus Logix has the most competitive rates.
When to Choose Enclosed Auto Transport?
When speaking of shipping a rare or upper-class vehicle, most people are usually concerned about getting a damage-free experience during the road trip. As a result, many decide on enclosed auto transport to add extra assurance in car protection. The carrier transports your automobile in a fully enclosed trailer which entirely shields it from road dangers.
Tempus Logix might be your best choice to ship your vehicle safe and sound if you choose to go for enclosed car shipping to prevent risks for your high-end automobile. It doesn’t matter if you want to transport a classic, antique, or vintage car; we can help you deliver your vehicle nationwide just in time, and what is more important, in tiptop shape.
Reasons Why You Need to Consider Enclosed Car Transport
Enclosed car transport is the safest alternative to other conventional shipping methods. With an enclosed car hauler trailer featuring walls and a roof, you add more protection to your vehicle during auto transit. Because a car is known as one of the most valuable assets people possess, there are situations when enclosed car transport is much preferable compared to open-air auto transport.
Use Enclosed Transport to Ship Luxury and Rare Cars
If you have a Ford Mustang Eleanor like the one in Gone in 60 Seconds or a supercar such as Koenigsegg Agera RS that can do 0-70 mph in less than three seconds, you cannot skimp on safety and choose to ship your specialty car by open trailer. Shipping a vehicle that features a hefty price always requires special attention, as even minor damage may critically drop the car’s trade-in value. Thus opting for enclosed auto transport to add more protection against harsh weather or debris on the roadway is what you need to consider when shipping your elite car. As a rule, these kinds of premium cars are an extremely valued possession for their owners; so, having a vehicle delivered safe and sound at its final destination is the number one priority for them.
Make Use of an Enclosed Trailer when Shipping a Car with Low Ground Clearance
Everyone shares the same road with low ground clearance cars. However, sometimes the distance between the lower end of the body of these vehicles and the ground is shorter than 4-inch, which obliges haulers to have special equipment to lift and load it onto the trailer.
Here is the trick, if you have a car with low clearance, enclosed auto transport is not just the best option for you; it’s the only option. Carriers move low clearance cars using special equipment, such as a hydraulic liftgate. Otherwise, your vehicle could descend over the uneven ramps, scratching the front bumper and damaging the underbody engine splash cover.
Learn more about When to Choose Enclosed Auto Transport.
The bottom line
If you are looking for enclosed auto transport to add extra protection to your premium car during the road trip, Tempus Logix is here to help you out. Our company features a wealth of experience in enclosed auto transportation, including sports, exotic and classic cars shipping. At Tempus Logix, we understand that your four-wheeled companion is a valuable investment for you, especially when it’s a rare or expensive car. Thus, if you want to get a hassle-free auto shipping experience and have a piece of mind knowing that your beloved vehicle has extra protection and full insurance coverage, we are always at your service.
Auto Transport Glossary: Terminologies of the Auto Transport Industry
Organizing your car shipment can seem like a complicated procedure full of paperwork. Therefore, it is inevitable that you are going to deal with unknown acronyms and terms. Below we are going to present some commonly used terminologies of the auto transport industry.
Glossary of Terms for the Auto Transportation:
A.T.A.: An abbreviation with the meaning of Actual Time of Arrival. It is most commonly used to indicate the exact time when you will have your vehicle delivered to its drop-off destination.
A.T.D.: An abbreviation for Actual Time of Departure is meant to show when the vehicle is picked up and departed from the original location.
Agent: An individual or a company that has the authorization to arrange and handle shipping transactions and documents.
Auxiliary Service: This is a supplementary service if additional assistance is required to load or unload your car on or off the freight trucks.
Bill of Lading (B.o.L.): Legal document in the form of either receipt/contract showing detailed vehicle loading information, agreement of its transportation, terms of the shipment, etc. In simple terms, BoL is a receipt of freight services, the copy of which you need to have with you at the drop-off location.
Binding Estimate: The total cost presented on the final contract, showing the exact price for the shipping service you will end up paying.
Brokerage License: This is a legal document that brokers should possess to make shipping arrangements.
Carrier’s Liability for Loss or Damage: The shipper company presents a statement of loss/damage to the client while the vehicle is under their responsibility. You may usually come across such a statement in a Damage Claim Form.
Co-Loading: It means loading more than one car in a single carrier. This mode of transportation is quite common due to its cost-effectiveness.
Cut-off Time: The term generally indicates the deadline of the shipment delivery to its final destination.
Diversion: This term means rerouting or changing the originally decided route while the shipment is in transit.
Enclosed Car Hauler: This is a transport method to carry out auto shipping and protect your car from road hazards. Enclosed auto transport is a common choice to ship a rare or high-end vehicle by adding more protection during a road trip.
En Route: It signifies that the vehicle is in transit towards the final destination.
Open Carrier: The open-air carriers are the most common and cheapest method of shipment, but the vehicles on-board can be vulnerable to external elements such as wind, snow, road debris, etc.
Proof of Delivery (P.O.D.): A document is a shipping receipt that may also contain information about the car’s condition after delivery.
Shipping Mileage: It shows the total distance between pickup and delivery points.
S.I.T.: An abbreviation for storage in transit.
Terminal-to-Terminal: The terminals are assigned areas where the shipped vehicles are stored and prepared for loading. In this case, the clients need to drop off and pick up their car from the closest terminal.
Tracking: Following the auto shipment progress throughout its delivery process.
Vehicle Logistics Company: It is a service provider that plans and manages auto transport procedures.
V.I.N. Number: A vehicle identification number is a unique registered code used to identify individual motor vehicles.
Buying a Car out of State and Have It Shipped to You?
There was a time when the only way to buy a car was to go to the nearest dealership lot and work out a deal in a sales office. However, many things have changed since then. Today, many online vehicle retail platforms offer to help you locate hard-to-find cars or discover the exact models you want at a lower price.
Thousands of Americans opt to buy a car out of state, thanks to online auto dealerships. At first glance, the process of buying a car out of state and having it shipped to you seems pretty hassle-free, but it’s easier said than done. If you consider purchasing your vehicle in another state, please make sure you understand the whole lot related to a car with an out-of-state title.
Why Buy a Car Out of State?
Currently, because of concerns over the supply-demand imbalance, car prices in different states vary widely. Therefore, when considering buying a car out of state, the first thing that comes to mind is capitalizing on these price differences. For instance, in Miami, despite an ample supply of vehicles, the demand is relatively low. On the other hand, in California, increased demand cannot satisfy the marketplace needs. In a nutshell, you can find the right price for your desired car if you buy a car out of state and purchase it online.
Shipping Your Vehicle Across State Lines
Once you decide to go ahead with the car purchase, you need to consider getting your car delivered to your door or driving it yourself. While driving a car cross-country is sometimes lower-priced than shipping, affordable car transport service is a lot more convenient and hassle-free. If you have decided to have your car shipped to another state, you need to find good carrier service and rely on professionals.
Aside from using a car shipping rate calculator and getting initial shipping quotes, consider some notable factors that directly influence the shipping price.
Car Delivery Distance
The primary factor that influences the shipping cost is the distance between pickup and drop-off locations. In general, the price per mile varies between $X and $X, depending on the shipping distance. However, the longer the shipping distance, the lower auto shipping rates per mile you can get.
Vehicle Size and Weight
The size and the weight of your vehicle will also affect the carriage cost. Apart from taking up more space on the transport truck, oversized cars also increase the fuel constipation of the haul truck. So the heavier your vehicle is, the more costly it will be to deliver.
Auto Shipping Method
Shipping costs may also vary depending on the shipping method. You can decide between open auto transport or enclosed auto transportation and choose the one which fits your needs the most. The main benefit of going open-air car hauling is to have your car shipped for a low price. On the other hand, enclosed transport offers a higher level of protection and reduces the risk of damages during the car trip.
Consider Other Variables
Other variables that you need to consider while calculating car transport costs refer to pickup & drop-off locations and additional liabilities that a carrier may take. For example, a car shipping company may charge you extra money for loading your car onto the transport trailer from a hard-to-reach place. Vise versa is also true. If the locations are accessible easily, drivers may charge less money for transporting your car.
The Bottom Line
Buying a car out of state and having it shipped to you is a significant undertaking. Even if you buy a car from an online auto dealership, you will have to fill out paperwork and register your vehicle with DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). Just consider all pros and cons, understand the state taxes & shipping costs and determine whether it’s worth the effort. Once you decide to ship your car, the all-important step will be to choose the right car transportation company. Top-rated car shipper, Tempus Logix, moves cars, motorcycles, boats, ATVs, and heavy equipment throughout the US. Our process takes place in three easy steps: you book your order, we transport and deliver your vehicle. Our professional team is au fait with transporting a newly online purchased vehicle (https://tempuslogix.com/online-car-buying-transport/).