Transporting Cars in the Best Ways

By Clinton Courier | May 5, 2022 |

The choices for car transportation run from simply driving the car yourself to hiring professional haulers to bring your vehicle to its new home. Everyone’s looking for cheap car shipping, but the important thing to remember is what you want to ship, how long the drive will be, and how much money you can spare. But also remember that you need the process to be convenient, too, so you have to consider the best way to bring your car to its new home without necessarily spending thousands of dollars.

Why Transport a Car

There are many reasons why one might need to transport a car. The most obvious reason is moving to another state. Whether for love or a job, moving to a new state is always an exhilarating and overwhelming experience. While some people choose to sell everything they own when they’re moving to the other end of the coast, some still want to bring what they can to their new city.

Another reason people transport their car is for exhibits. If you’re into pimping your vehicle for events, you cannot drive it to the destination because the drive there might damage the design. Race-car drivers and car enthusiasts have made it a habit to hire professional car movers when they have to attend events outside their usual areas.

Driving It Yourself

The easiest thing to do is drive the car yourself to the destination. You can even pack it with some of the other stuff you need to move. When moving a car and your things, take this opportunity to transport important documents and valuable items. Maximize the time, effort, and money that you’ll spend on that long drive by bringing what you can. This means reducing the cost of moving these items, too, since professional movers charge by the weight of the boxes.

Open-air Truck

You’ve probably seen trucks like these transporting new cars to dealerships. Companies are also doing this to haul vehicles from one state to another. However, you can’t always have your vehicle moved at the most convenient time. You need to check when the haulers will fill up the open-air trailer. The shippers can give a delivery window time between seven to 21 days.

If you choose this route, ask the shippers how they will transport your car. Some shippers move the cars between city hubs, loading and unloading them onto other trucks. This process is more cost- and time-efficient. These companies also offer door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal transport, but it will cost more.

Enclosed Truck

Transporting a high-end or newer vehicle can cause a lot of stress. Instead of an open trailer, you can choose an enclosed truck because it gives protection and peace of mind. This is the perfect choice if you’re having the car moved in the dead of winter. The cost is 60% higher than open-truck trailers, but luxury cars need all the pampering.

Professional Driver Service

Consider hiring a professional driver who will bring your car to its new home. Companies provide professional drivers as part of their service. People use this service for shorter distances and corporate vehicles. These companies will even allow their drivers to haul personal belongings, including your pets.

Student Drivers

If you do not have much money, you can hire a non-professional driver service. You can hire a trustworthy student or someone you know personally. You can also ask a friend if they can drive for you. This is usually the option for people who do not have time to drive the car themselves and the money to hire a professional driver.

The only problem here is the risk you will take. Your car insurance company might not cover the damages to your car if someone else is driving it. Call the insurance company to know your coverage options.

Cargo Container

There is only one option for shipping the car overseas. That is through a cargo container. There is no other way but to have a cargo ship bring the car to another country. International auto transport can be complicated. There are a lot of requirements, and your car might not be eligible for overseas transfer. Some people pay an agent to take care of these requirements for them.

That container needs to be filled up by other cars, so your vehicle will need to wait until it is time for the cargo ship to go. How long your car will stay aboard depends on how far its destination is. And yes, you will likely wait weeks before the car reaches the other end of the world, so don’t expect the waiting time to be short.

Auto Train

Most people are unaware that they can ship their cars to the other coast via train. You can load your belongings in the car and have the vehicle shipped by train. Amtrak travels between Washington DC and Orlando, Florida. You can load sedans, SUVs, and motorcycles onto the train. There are several requirements, all of which are documents you already have in your home.

Conclusion

When transporting your vehicle, think about the process’ convenience and fees. Moving is a challenge enough without you having to worry about your car. Prepare in advance for the costs associated with transporting a vehicle. Ensure that you ask for quotations from different moving companies to pick the best deal. At the end of the day, you’ll be the one to suffer from bad decisions in the transport of your car.