Thursday 20 May 2021

6 steps to transport your car cross country

I). Consider your options

A car can be transported in several ways to get your car from one side of the country to the other. Before choosing a company make sure you have explored all your options and criteria.

1. Drive your car


Many people ship their cars because they don’t want to drive them—but that’s still an option you can consider. The costs for driving your car are gas, food, and lodging.


2. Tow your car behind a rental truck



You’ve probably seen a U-Haul truck on the freeway towing a car behind it. Most cars can be transported on either a car trailer or a tow dolly (a mini-trailer with only two wheels). Both options are cheaper than professional cross-country vehicle shipping.


3. Sell your car

You can sell your car if you don’t have the time or money to drive or tow it. There isn’t much work involved in selling your car these days (thanks, internet), and you can put the cash toward moving expenses—or a replacement vehicle.

Selling your car is a drastic step, so we recommend it mainly if you don’t have the money to transport it, or if you’re already thinking about getting a new car.


II). Compare car shipping quotes

When choosing shipping co chooses wisely as per your requirement. Get a quote from various shipping companies. Ask them certain question likes what are your charges, no of days it will take, etc. Plan ahead. The price goes down if you give the shipping company a couple of weeks of notice to deliver your car.


III). Choose a company

After you get several quotes, pick the car shipping company that best fits your needs. Price is important, of course, but you also want to consider things like customer service and delivery time.

  • Low prices

It’s essential to get several quotes so you can find the lowest price. Make a list of all your specific transport needs and compare rates to determine the lowest price.

  • Fast delivery

Some car shipping companies are faster than others. If you ask about shipping timelines, you can compare estimates just like you do for pricing.

  • Excellent customer service



You should have a good sense of a company’s customer service after calling for quotes, but make sure to take a few minutes to check online reviews too. You don’t want to get stuck with long hold times, rude customer service reps, or unprofessional drivers.

 

4. Prepare your car for pickup

The auto transport service will pick up your car when it’s ready for shipment. The driver will load your car onto the truck and then hit the road. Before you wave goodbye, knock out some important items on your car shipping checklist:

  •  Ensure your car is driveable. Your car needs to be driveable. Be sure to check your tires and battery. And top off your oil and fluids.
  • Test your emergency brake. Car shipping companies won’t take your car if it doesn’t work.
  • Make sure your gas tank is less than one-quarter full. The more gas your car has, the more it weighs (the more it costs to transport it). 
  • Remove attachments. Get rid of bike racks, antennas, and anything else that could fall off or break during shipment.
  • Wash your car. It’s easier to identify damage if your car is clean, which is why this is a critical step in getting your car ready to ship.
  • Disable your alarm. It can annoy your driver if it goes off.
  • Deactivate your electronic toll pass. You still get charged for tolls if your device is on.


5. Select the insurance coverage

Shipping companies have impressive safety records, but accidents happen. You want to have adequate insurance coverage just in case.

All transport companies are required to carry basic insurance. However, some offer extra free coverage.

Car Direct’s gap coverage means the company pays $500 toward your deductible if your insurance company denies your claim.


6. Check for damage upon delivery

Your car isn’t likely to get damaged but you need to look and make sure. The car shipping companies want you to sign the document at pickup so you can’t claim pre-existing damage as their fault.

If you don’t document the damage (take pictures and write a description), then the car shipping company can say it’s not their fault. And that makes it nearly impossible to file an insurance claim.

We’ve put together an auto transport insurance guide to walk you through the process—and break down the big words insurance companies use.


0 comments:

Post a Comment