First up, you need to know the difference between the vehicle carriers and brokers. They both have a part in the vehicle shipping process. If you decide to work directly with the carrier, then, you are dealing with the company that has their transport trucks and they do not depend on anyone else to transport the vehicles. If you are working with a broker, you will need to be versatile as the broker depends carriers to ship their orders.

When you decide to ship your vehicle for the first time, the process can seem a bit confusing and even daunting in some cases. Most companies understand this and will try to help you along the way. Here at MotorCarTrans, we want to be as transparent as possible so you know how the process woks, so when you begin the process, there are no surprises. 

Next, you need to fully understand what the “pick-up window” actually entails. When shipping your vehicle, the “pick-up window” refers to when the vehicle will be available for shipping. For example, if you pick October 23rd as your first available pick-up date, we then look for a transport truck that can pick up your vehicle by that date. Please note, it may take a couple of days to find a carrier to take your vehicle where it needs to go. That period of time is called the “pick-up window.”

Another thing that you may not be aware of, is that the location plays an important role in your vehicles transportation. When transporting to a big city, you’re going to have an easier time finding carriers versus transporting to a smaller rural town. It’s better to prepare early to avoid an issues, delays or confusion. 

Scheduling exact dates and times isn’t always a guarantee when transporting your vehicle. Things to take in to consideration are weather, traffic and other transport loads. These items can significantly impact your shipment. Unless you are shipping in an enclosed trailer, (see Open Transport vs. Enclosed Transport), your vehicle will be shipped on a trailer with other vehicles and those cars will need to be picked up and dropped off as well, traffic and loading issues can delay your shipment.

To experience a stress-free shipment, try to always remain flexible. This doesn’t mean you should be prepared to wait 2+ weeks for your vehicle to be shipped but, you should be flexible when it comes to the shipment of your vehicle. Contacting the shipment company as early as you can to get on their schedule is the best option. Give yourself and the company enough time to be prepared. 

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Myth 1: Vehicle shippers provide inaccurate quotes on purpose.
Yes, some untrustworthy companies give a very low quote, knowing you will naturally select the lowest quote available. However, with an honest shipping company like MotorCar Trans, that’s not the case at all. Here you will ALWAYS get the best shipping quote that’s 100% based on your requirements.

Myth 2: With open car carriers, your car will get damaged.
Open car carriers have become the “standard” way of shipping cars. It has been deemed the most effective way to transport your vehicle, as they can transport up to 10 vehicles at one time, which in turn, is more cost effective for you. Open transport may not have sides or a roof, but, the racks and beams still offer an abundance of protection from any debris your car may come in contact with. Nevertheless, if you decide the best option for your vehicle is enclosed transportation, we have that option available to you as well.

Myth 3: You should select the lowest auto transport quote. 
As previously mentioned in myth 1, the lowest quote you receive, isn’t always the best. As Kurt Vonnegut said “You get what you pay for.” Safety and service must be top priority when shipping your vehicle. Just because they come in at the lowest price, doesn’t mean their level of service is going to be award winning. Save yourself the headache in the long-run and take time to research each shipping company, read their past customer reviews and look up their accreditations. We promise it will be worth it.

Myth 4: It’s cheaper to drive versus ship your car.
This myth all depends on where your final destination is located. First, you need to ask yourself a few questions: how far am I going? Am I thinking about the gas, the tolls, (if any), what about meals? Snacks for the road? How about time away from work? Will I need a hotel? Let’s not forget the time away from work and wear and tear on my car, not to mention the time stuck in traffic and potential weather hazards. All of these things must be factored in when considering driving versus shipping your vehicle. When you ship your vehicle, the drivers are accustomed and trained for these situations. The time, meals, breaks, etc., are all factored into your quote. There are no surprises.

Considering all of the factors at play for driving your car, it’s worth getting a free, no obligation quote. 

Check it out, you may be surprised at the cost-savings it presents.

When transporting your vehicle, you have many options, one of those options is open versus enclosed transportation. But what do those mean exactly?

Open transportation is the industry “standard” for most car shipping. It has been deemed the most effective way to transport your vehicle, as they can transport up to 10 vehicles at one time, which in turn is more cost effective for you.

The drawback with open transport trucks is, they cannot pick up individual cars from residential, or many commercial, locations. Typically, a single car hauler will pick up individual cars and bring them to a terminal where they will be loaded onto a trailer for long distance transport.

To reduce your cost of shipping, you may also arrange to deliver your vehicle to the terminal where it will be loaded onto a trailer. You can also pick up your vehicle from the destination terminal instead of having it delivered to your location.

Enclosed transportation trailers look similar to the more common container trailer that is prevalent on the roads and highways in the USA. Enclosed transportation is safer for your vehicle as it is protected from the road elements, not exposed to the sun, or any other elements that may cause damage to the paint or vehicle itself.

While enclosed transportation sounds like the way to go, the main disadvantage of using an enclosed trailer is that it is more expensive. Enclosed trailers are more commonly used for the transport of classic and expensive vehicles, or for transport during winter months where vehicles may be exposed to harsh elements.

There are multiple factors at play when it comes to getting the “best” price when shipping your vehicle. For example, when are you planning on shipping it? Where to? And what kind of vehicle are you shipping? But some easy ways to minimize cost, are simple to address.

First off, get multiple quotes. Don’t just settle on one company. Compare rates from 5-6 companies. If they are all in the same ballpark then you know the price is going to be, on average, the same no matter who you use.

Next up, choose open carriers versus enclosed carriers. Enclosed carriers are more expensive and are more commonly used to transport classic and expensive vehicles during the winter months when they may be exposed to harsher elements.

Move your car in the off-season. If you plan to ship your car from a major city in the summer, expect to pay more. Many transport companies charge more during the hottest months when vehicles are being picked up or delivered to city centers. As you may have experienced this yourself, roads between major destinations are more congested with travelers, during these months, which leads to vehicle transport carriers on the road longer, using more fuel.
While the winter months tend to be the slower season, make sure you do your homework on, which carriers have drivers and routes available if you plan to ship your car to any of the northern states. Doing this will avoid any delayed shipments and longer ship times.

Make sure your vehicle runs. Shipping a non-running vehicle can be difficult and not every vehicle transport company will transport your car. The transport company will require special equipment and it is crucial the company knows this information upfront. Any mechanical issues, repairs, or if the car cannot be driven safely is considered a non-running vehicle. The cost of shipping a non-running vehicle is dramatically more expensive than if you were shipping a vehicle that runs, this is due to the equipment needed during the process of loading the vehicle. If the repairs are minor, we suggest getting the repairs done prior to shipping the vehicle.