While cars have become an essential need for every individual in the United States and worldwide, no one can go anywhere without a car, whether public or personal. So, even when one travels, many resort to auto transport services to drive themselves anywhere immediately and use their vehicle! These services, however, have different impacts on shipped cars; some are positive, and others are negative.
So, in this article, we highlight the positive and negative impacts of auto transport services on cars and their owners.
Positive Impacts
Having one’s car transported to their destination without any worry about the drive, routes, and stops is a great advantage that has allowed many people to enjoy their travels stress-free while keeping their cars safe and secure.
No Added Wear and Tear
While the engine won’t start, the steering wheel won’t spin, and the car’s wheels won’t touch the ground, the chances of damage, regardless of the trailer’s type, are much lower than driving it.
It’s also worth noting that long car drives can cause tire wear, undercarriage damage, and an exhausted system. In addition, the deadly accidents that tens of drivers get involved with, damaging their cars and harming themselves, aren’t there.
Safe Through All Weather Conditions
By driving long distances, a car can never avoid the weather conditions, whether severe cold or scorching heat. Hot weather, to begin with, can be more detrimental to cars than winter. It can raise a car’s temperature, increasing the possibility of a battery failure, causing the car to burn oil quickly, and so on.
Additionally, cold weather can significantly decrease a car’s battery capacity and performance, not to mention the risks of driving in heavy rain or thick snow. All of these challenges can be mitigated by employing an auto-transport trailer. Even if it’s an open trailer and the car is exposed, the risks are more manageable than driving it on the road.
Insurance
To get into an accident and damage one’s car, one must have collision or liability coverage, which is a minimum of $290 per year. However, not all car owners can benefit from this insurance, as those with a bad history of violations and accidents must pay a higher insurance fee.
When collaborating with a reputable auto transport company for shipping a car, auto transport insurance is automatically included in the transport deal. Nevertheless, each auto shipping company provides different insurance coverage than another, so confirming this point with the service provider is crucial before the vehicle is on the way.
Negative Impacts
Even though auto transport services solve many problems and can be life-saving solutions in some cases, there are some negative impacts of these services on the car and its owner.
Risk of Damage
Due to its economical price and relatively safe shipping process, most car owners resort to open auto transport. However, this auto shipping option isn’t 100% safe and guaranteed under severe weather and road conditions.
For example, the car’s paint can fade due to sun exposure; extreme cold can also thicken its oil and freeze its fuel lines. In addition, if the shipping trip is long, dirt and dust can accumulate, a problem that may concern classic and luxury car owners.
High Cost
One can eliminate all the abovementioned problems by opting for the safer auto transport option, enclosed shipping. However, they will encounter a different issue. Renting an enclosed trailer is more expensive than an open one because the privacy and protection levels are higher.
The trailer is fully covered, and external conditions won’t affect a shipped car. Additionally, the enclosed trailer is smaller than the open one, accommodating fewer vehicles resulting in a higher charge.
Vandalism and Theft
During the auto transport process, trailer drivers take regular breaks to ensure the shipment’s safety. During such breaks, and in the worst scenarios, vandals can access the shipped cars—if they are in an open trailer—and cause harm to them. In addition, any personal belongings packed in the car can be stolen if not properly secured.
In fact, in some auto transport companies, it isn’t allowed to pack any personal belongings in the car, and the company doesn’t take responsibility for them. For others, it’s allowed; however, personal belongings are typically not included in the insurance coverage, so if anything is lost or damaged, it’s the client’s responsibility. As for acts of vandalism, most auto transport companies’ insurance policies cover them.
Conclusion
Even though there are some negative impacts of auto transport services, similar to anything in life, one can’t let go of them. The time, energy, and money auto transport services save are great.
Tempus Logix, a long-experienced auto transport company with a long list of shipping achievements, has shipped more than 45,000 vehicles of all types and 67 million miles safely driven.