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Cost-Effective Ways to Ship a Vehicle Across the United States

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   Cost-Effective Ways to Ship a Vehicle Across the United States

The first question most people ask when shipping a car is how much will it cost? Although auto transport costs will vary from one company to another, there are things you can do to ensure you are getting the best price. There are several factors that determine the cost of shipping a car so here are a few tips for finding the most cost effective way to ship your vehicle.

Get Multiple Quotes
Much like you would many other services, it’s best to shop around and compare quotes. This is the best way to be sure you are getting a fair price. Do, however, be cognizant of prices that are too low. Chances are if it appears too good to be true, it probably is.

Choose an Open Trailer
Many car shipping companies will give the option to choose between open and enclosed trailers. Although enclosed trailers do offer additional protection, they aren’t usually necessary unless you are shipping a luxury or antique vehicle. This option also costs more. Open transport is less expensive and is the best option for most vehicles.

Book as Early as Possible
If you can be flexible on your timeline for shipping your vehicle the better off you will be. The more time you give the shipping company to coordinate drop off and pick up, the more money you can save. Booking at the last minute will usually increase your price.

Schedule Pickup at a Terminal
Although it may be more convenient, door-to-door delivery can end up costing you more. It’s usually cheaper for you to pick up your car at a terminal where they can drop off multiple cars at once. Also, it can take extra time and cost additional money for carriers to travel on local roads.

Ask about additional fees upfront.
Another way to save money when booking an auto transport company is to ask about all fees and additional costs right up front. You don’t want to be hit with hidden costs when you pick up your vehicle. This could also be one reason why some quotes seem cheaper than others. Make sure you know the exact price before you sign with any company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Your Car Moving Questions

The hardest thing for people researching car moving companies to understand is that the prices they are getting are not hard and fast gaurantees, but rather ESTIMATES of what one company thinks it will take to get a vehicle moved promptly versus another company's opinion of what it will take. Don't be fooled, there are not carriers committed to take your vehicle at these quoted prices, the company you choose will still have to get to work getting a carrier to commit to move it at the price they quote you.

Your total price breaks down into two parts, the broker's fee (or 'deposit' as everyone calls it) and the carriers fee (your COD amount) Make no mistake about this, EVERYONE YOU ARE GETTING SALES CALLS FROM IS GOING TO BROKER YOUR MOVE. In this industry, there are brokers who try to fool you into thinking that they are the actual carriers and there are an equal amount of carriers who sell themselves on the fact that they have a truck or two but are not being honest about the fact that they broker out 90% of the orders they book. Here is a quick easy way to tell, if a company takes an up front fee, whether they call it a deposit or any other name, they are a broker. Carriers do not take any payment until the vehicle is delivered.

In our opinion, you are crazy to do so. Have you ever been paid up front for the work that you perform for your employer? Why would you pay a fee up front when there are reliable and trustworthy companies like ours that won't ask for it until we provide you with your carriers details?

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will be between one and two weeks. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

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