January 2013 - Ship a Car Direct Blog

Long Distance Car Shipping Companies

Car shipping companies hire qualified team members to assist them in providing the best pickup and delivery service to their customers. Vehicle delivery is not a typical, everyday business where people call and order take out or carry out food. It is a business that involves trust, commitment and satisfactory results. No one will entrust a million dollar ring to an inexperienced jeweler, without asking to see some type of credential. This is exactly how most customers feel about entrusting their vehicle to companies that have no knowledge of. Fortunately, there are companies like Safe-Direct Car Shipping, which can help customers make the right decisions.

There are many car shipping companies to choose from but not all of them come highly recommended. Satisfied customers provide excellent ratings and exceptional feedback. The BBB or the Better Business Bureau and Auto Shippers referral service devise an informational database of these responses, and rate these companies according to the customers input. Car shipping companies offer several type of transport services to local, commercial and long distance customers. Auto transporting services include industrial shipping of cars, boats, motorcycles, trucks, SUVs and vans. When vehicles need to be at a designated location at a specific date and time, dependability and reliability are the only two qualities most customers will look at.

Assurance gives customers a peace of mind, knowing that their vehicle is transported by professional car shipping companies with a reputation of being the best in the business. Safety and security are not words that many companies use lightly. When customers put their vehicle in the hands of strangers, they want to know that they have made the best decision, based on experience and past performance. International, local and long distance car shipping service providers are trained in automotive shipping and transporting services.

Experience in the car shipping industry, proves to customers that they have indeed choose the right industry. Shopping around for cheaper services is also a wise choice. However, cheap services, are no substitute for quality. Car carriers should not be elected, solely on the basis of who has the lowest price. Instead, car transport companies are chosen on their merits of good customer service, professional ethics, public ratings, and recommendations from referral services or their associates. Safe-Direct Car Shipping offers such services to customers all over the U.S.. Satisfaction is not a word that is thrown around loosely, it is a word that is earned, by proven customer satisfaction.

Reliable Vehicle Transport Services

Vehicle transport services are the best way to get your vehicle to its final destination. When you need your vehicle shipped across the state or to another country, you need to rely on a company you can trust. If you are not familiar with vehicle transport services and how they work, you may have some questions or concerns. This is not unusual if you are seeking service for the first time. You should always be cautious about hiring a company you are not familiar with. Your vehicle is your second biggest investment, or it might be your first. Even if it isn’t, you still want your vehicle protected at all times.

Experience means a lot in any industry. For instance, if you need your air conditioning repaired, you would call a HVAC provider, and if you need your engine tuned, you would take your car to a licensed mechanic. The same rule applies when you need your vehicle picked up and delivered to another location. Not every company has earned a 5 star rating for quality, service and satisfaction. The Better Business Bureau keeps an accurate record of all the companies that are registered in their system. Vehicle shipping companies earn their ratings from customer’s feedback.

Happy customers give great ratings, and Safe-Direct Car Shipping has ranked number one among customers, by receiving a high satisfaction ratings. Reviews tell the story of how well a service provider stands behind their service or product. The higher the rating the more highly recommended companies come. Shipping a vehicle across country requires organizational skills, industrial experience, and unprecedented knowledge of vehicle transporting laws. Each country is different in terms of how their import and export services work. It is not difficult for vehicles to get stuck in state technicalities and red tape bureaucracy, when inexperienced companies take on tasks they are not qualified to handle.

You can eliminate this type of worry, and enjoy a peace of mind. Hiring a referral service to direct you to the best vehicle transporters in your area saves you time and money. Let professional vehicle transport referral services find the best fit, at the right prices. When customers speak, everyone listens. Past customer experience is the basis for building future customer relationships. Choosing a company that is dependable and reliable is not a decision to take lightly. Our vehicle transport services offer you the worry free service you need and deserve.

Use Safe-Direct Car Shipping For Peace Of Mind

At Safe-Direct Car Shipping, we know that whether you are shipping your car across country or to another state, you want to ensure that your vehicle is in good hands. No matter what obstacles are in the way: Rain, snow, cold or hot, you want you guaranteed car transport.

When you say “ship my car” we know that you are actually saying, “I need a dependable and reliable auto shipping company to get my vehicle to its designated location on time and without any damage.” We make it happen every day.

We know that there are many options and companies available to help you ship your car. We know that you wont be disappointed with our services. Contact us by phone, or chat with us online and we’ll answer all your car shipping questions.

Here are some great questions that we get asked on a regular basis:

Who or what are auto carriers and shippers?
Which car carrier is the most reliable?
Will my vehicle be safe?
What happens if my vehicle is damaged, is my vehicle insured?
How much notice do I need to give when scheduling?
Can I ship item inside my car?
Are shipping dates guaranteed?
Is vehicle pickup and deliver door to door?
What is a Bill of Lading?

If you have any of these questions or others, please do not hesitate to contact us. Even if you do not end up using our services, we are happy to answer any questions and explain the car shipping process.

We have an A rating with the Better Business Bureau, and have earned the reputation as one of the best car shipping companies in the US. We have a dedicated customer service team that are experts in this field and have helped thousands achieve a successful shipment. They are dedicated to giving you the information you need, so you can make informed decisions.

We have access to more than 2500 dependable auto transporters. These companies have been already pre-screened and rated. Give us a call or request a FREE quote online!

Ship my car

Looking For Auto Shipping Quotes?

If you have a large move coming up, and you’ve decided that shipping your car instead of driving it will make your move easier to manager, you will need to collect a number of auto shipping quotes. There are many companies that transport cars from one state to another or completely across the country. Whatever your budget might be, understanding the shipping quotes might be difficult if you don’t know what you’re looking at.

Give Safe-Direct Car Shipping a call, or chat with us online and we’ll answer all your questions about your getting a quote, and how the entire process works. If you have any questions about your quote, don’t hesitate to ask.

Here are some factors that will affect your auto shipping quote.

1. Size and weight of your car.
This could impact the cost of shipping it from one place to another. Some companies may have a flat rate for all sedans and a higher rate for an SUV, for example.

2. Destination.
In addition to the make and model of your car, the destination will have the largest impact on the cost of shipping. Whether you are moving completely across the country or to a neighboring state will determine how long and how much it costs to get your car shipped. Currently we DO offer shipping to Hawaii, but not to Alaska.

3. Type of car carrier.
Many auto transport companies offer different methods of shipping. You can choose an open carrier, where the car is securely fastened to a truck or flatbed, but in the open air, where it is subject to weather, dust and other elements, or a closed carrier, where your car is protected inside a carrier container. There are pros and cons to both shipping methods, and you should always expect to pay more if you are using a closed carrier.

4. Advanced notice or scheduling doesn’t equal lower prices.It would seem to make sense that scheduling your car shipping date months in advance might save you money, but it doesn’t. A few days notice is all that is required. We have so many carriers in our network that whenever you have your car ready, we can have someone there to pick it up and have it on its way to your desired location.

Review all of the auto shipping quotes you receive before you make a decision. If you have any questions about your quote, ask for an explanation before you sign any paperwork.

Finally, do NOT pay an upfront deposit! You should never have to pay a dime until you’re given your car carriers info and have the opportunity to review your options.

When Relocating, Dont Forget To Schedule Car Transportation

car transport Whether you are relocating for a job, a spouse’s job, to be closer to family or just because you need a major life change, managing a move can be stressful and overwhelming. But there is also a lot to look forward to. Moving to a new city or town brings with it new opportunities and a chance to get to know new people.

With all the hussle and bussle going on during the moving process, its easy to overlook an important part of the process. How to transport your vehicles to your new destination?

There is good news! # 1. Safe-Direct Car shipping is here to help, and #2. You don’t need to schedule car transport months or even weeks in advance.

One of the most common questions we get asked by families on the move is if they can load up their vehicle with boxes before it is transported. The official answer is no. Normally carries to NOT accept any additional items inside the vehicles during shipment. There are strict laws in place regarding total vehicle weight, and the car transport company is responsible for tickets and fines if their transport vehicle comes in overweight. However, there are some carriers that for en extra fee will allow some items to be shipped inside the vehicle. If you want some items shipped inside your vehicle, talk to your driver, and see if you can come to an acceptable arrangement. As a general rule, don’t load up your vehicle with boxes BEFORE, you talk to your carrier.

We have a great reputation and a lot of positive reviews and testimonials. Do a bit of searching online, and it wont be hard to find information about us, and our satisfied customers.

We have a huge network of only the best car transport companies. It is very HARD for a carrier to get on our list, and very EASY to be removed. We’ll give you several options and help you choose the one that is right for your budget, car and relocation plans. Car damage during the moving process is rare, but if it does happen we’ve got your back. Our carriers will pay 100% for any damage, or we pay.

You’ve got enough to worry about when moving the contents of your home, let us remove the worry and hassle of getting your vehicles to your new home.

Before you know it, you’ll be settled into your new home, and can start planning something a little more fun, like a BBQ with the new neighbors.

Get a free quote, chat online, or call us today!

Understanding Car Shipping Rates

car shipping rates When you move from one state to another, or completely across the country, it might make sense to have your car shipped. This can leave you with better options for how to get to your new home. You could fly, drive with your spouse or moving partner or drive a moving truck yourself, without having to worry about towing the car with you.

When you decide to transport your car, you will be presented with several different car shipping rates. Making sense of these different rates options can be confusing. Why are some rates more than other, are you getting better service or more options from one carrier vs. another?

Here are some reasons why car shipping rates differ.

Shipping Distance:
Distance will impact the rates significantly. Remember that the carrier has to pick up and deliver door to door, so your specific location will affect rates.

Shipping Date:
Different carriers have different availability and schedules. If one carrier is experience a slow time, they’ll most likely offer a competitive rate. If the carrier has a tight schedule, the may charge more, and take only the most lucrative contracts.

Car Carrier Type:
The type of shipping method you choose will also impact the car shipping rates. You can have your car shipped on an open carrier or inside of a closed carrier. The closed carrier will cost more because that type of shipping method protects your car from extreme heat, rain, cold weather and the general dust and debris that cannot be avoided on the road.

If you care comparing shipping rates, Safe-Direct Car Shipping can help you find the best prices and the highest quality. You will not only have access to our wide variety of carrier companies, you will also be able to depend on the us help you manage your details, such as the type of carrier you prefer and the dates of your move.

We’ll explain the rates to you, so that you know exactly what you are getting and how the process works.

We are the only car shipping company that offers a full 100% damage free guarantee. If your car is in any way damaged, our carriers will cover the costs, or WE PAY!

We have earned some of the industries highest recommendations and reviews. Give us a call today for a free quote!

Understanding The Nature Of Auto Transport

Like many industries, fluctuating demand and availability will affect the price of goods or services such as cleaning, catering, or doing contract work. The same is true of auto transportation. Other factors also contribute to the variability of shipping prices, making it impossible for a customer or a shipping agent to nail down a specific quote for services weeks in advance.

This is why it’s not always recommended to make arrangements too far ahead of your travel date. For instance, if you know you will need your car moved to a different state three months from now, wait until a week or two before you depart to try and book services. While one might secure a copy of a long-awaited CD, book, or latest tech gadget, in advance (and maybe enjoy a discount for early ordering), this is not the case with auto carriers.

With auto transport, early booking does not equal paying less.

With most carriers, prices have yet to be set. Gas prices and demand for shipping will affect the price.

This doesn’t mean you can’t prepare in advance. Whatever causes prices to fluctuate will apply to every agency, so comparing one to another is a good idea. Check their testimonials, FAQs, pricing policies, and other policies. When you have found the one that seems to offer the best service for the best price, be prepared to put your name on the roster about a week before you need your car to be somewhere. It will be waiting for you when you head to a warm state for an extended holiday.

Being flexible can be beneficial for everyone. For instance, if you can ship during a slow time, you may get a better rate, and carriers can keep a steady auto shipping schedule.

Please contact us if you have any questions about auto transport, or click below for a free quote!

The Cost to Ship a Car

car shipping costs There was an interesting email chain that went around between the owners of many of the top Car Shipping Companies this week regarding the cost to ship a car (and some very misleading Pay Per Click advertisements that were resulting in angry and frustrated customers).

The email was generated by a equally angry and frustrated owner and sent out to us fellow owners, in which he asked everyone to band together against some of the larger auto transport ‘lead generation’ companies in an effort to get them to remove their PPC ads that contain headlines like “499 Ship a Car Cross Country”.

He brought up an excellent point, since 499 certainly wouldn’t be anywhere near enough to Ship a car across the country (unless, of course, we were all magically transported back to 1979) and the only goal of an ad like that is to generate a ‘click’ so that the poor, misled consumer’s information could be captured and sold to 8-10 hungry (read: bloodthirsty) car shipping brokerages.

In the end, it’s bad for everybody (except the PPC advertiser who made the ad, mind you) because the consumer has been misled and is now being FLOODED with calls and emails that are WAY out of line with his expectations; and the brokers are stuck chasing a customer that is basically a ‘dead lead’ because if he had known or even suspected what the actual price was, he probably wouldn’t have asked for a quote in the first pace.

It’s lose-lose and time wasted for all involved. (Again, except for the unscrupulous Advertiser)

I personally didn’t engage in the dialogue beyond reading the frustrated responses that were generated by various owners and cc’d to everyone on the original email.

I realized a long time ago that purchasing leads from these advertisers was a waste of time, because a customer that clicks on an ad like that is not “Safe-Direct Car Shipping Material” (as uppity as that sounds). That customer is just looking to go with the company that quotes him the lowest price, and that just simply isn’t what we bring to the table.

Our car carriers are the best of the best, and unfortunately, that means they are often not cheap.

But, I have always found that when you are up front and honest about the cost to ship a car, it is better for all involved. In fact, it’s a big reason that we offer a Free Rate Calculator on our website and strive to keep it up to date and as accurate as possible. With the calculator, you can get a fairly accurate assessment of the cost to ship a car, before ever picking up the phone or sharing your contact information.

That way, if shipping a car is too costly for you and you know it going in, it’s time saved for everyone involved.

There are too many “bait and switch” operations in the car shipping industry, and we will never be one of them. While it may result in one order placed, it will never result in happy customers and referrals from friends, which is one of our best sources of traffic.

So, the next time you read a PPC ad that sounds too good to be true, I would encourage you to “think before you click”.

Just like Mom always said, If something sounds too good to be true – it’s probably because it is.

Understanding The Car Transport Process

Although vehicles were designed to provide transport, they sometimes need to be transported. Generally this occurs when someone is moving home or visiting another city. Drivers who need to move their car to another state or city will need to use car transport services.

Choosing a Car Shipping Service

There are countless car shipping companies in the United States. Unfortunately, not all of them provide a top-notch service. Due to this, consumers need to select a transport service which is well-known and trusted. The best way to do this is to read reviews about the company in question. A good transport company will be able to provide testimonials from previous customers.

The first step in hiring a shipping service is getting a quote for transportation services. Many consumers make the mistake of hiring the company which offers them the lowest quote. In regards to car transportation, the quality of the service is more important than the price. The last thing consumers need is for the car to get damaged or lost during the shipping process.

During the quote process, consumers will be given various shipping options. Ultimately, the budget of the consumer will determine how their vehicle is shipped. Those who have a lower budget will generally choose open transportation or terminal to terminal delivery. If money is no object, consumers can opt for enclosed transportation and door to door delivery. In most cases, more expensive shipping services deliver vehicles faster than the alternatives.

Once consumers have chosen shipping services, they will need to prepare their car for transportation. Ideally, consumers will ask their shipping company what needs to be done. Most companies will ask that the vehicle is in functioning order, is clear of personal belongings and has up to 1/4th or 1/8th of gas in the tank.

Organizing shipping for a vehicle can be a frustrating experience. However, once one finds the right shipping company, this task can be performed smoothly. The best car transport service will charge a reasonable price and deliver the vehicle in a timely manner. Those who have further questions about the shipping process should contact their shipping company via phone. The staff at the company should be able to answer specific questions relating to their business. If consumers are happy with their quote, they can complete the necessary paperwork and pay for the service. The vehicle will then be picked up by the shipper.

Car Delivery

What happens at the end of your auto transport, and how do you need to prepare for your car delivery?

The most important thing to know is that you (or a friend) should be prepared to meet the carrier directly.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be you or the owner of the car, but someone you trust should meet the carrier to upon car delivery.

We don’t recommend that you ask the carrier to leave the car unattended; for everyone’s protection, it’s best if you or a friend is there on delivery to document the condition of the car. Someone will have to sign off on the Bill of Lading, and pictures with the driver are a great idea too.

This documentation can be critical in a successful insurance claim in the unlikely event that you experience damage. (Most folks don’t ever need to use that documentation, but it’s much better to be safe than sorry.)

I created a short video that explains this paperwork in more detail, too, it’s less than a minute and you can watch right here:

Aside from checking the car’s condition, you will be making your final payment to the carrier on car delivery.

Industry standard is payment in cash or certified funds (money order, cashier’s check), directly to the driver after he or she unloads your vehicle. That’s another reason why you or a trusted friend will have to meet the carrier.

So, since you have to meet the carrier, it’s best to leave some wiggle room in your schedule on the estimated delivery day. Or, you may want to have a back up contact person to cover hours you may be unavailable yourself.

While your driver will give you an estimate for his/her arrival, sometimes they can be delayed because of traffic or weather or issues with another customer. Of course, you won’t have to wait around all day for the carrier arrival, but it’s best if you don’t plan a major appointment for delivery day – just in case.

If you have any other questions about car delivery or any other phase of the car transport process, please give us a call. One of our friendly representatives is happy to explain it all: 866-221-1664. Or you can get a free estimate by filling out our simple online quote form.