Should You Ship Your Car During Your Move in 2022?

By Clinton Courier | January 12, 2022 |

There’s usually one question car owners deal with when they want to move to a new home. Should you drive your car to your new home or have it shipped there? While the answer may seem obvious, there are many factors to consider. Making an informed decision before committing to either option is crucial.

Why Shipping Your Car for a Long-distance Move is Worth It

Shipping your car can have several benefits if you’re planning on relocating over a long distance. Here are just some of the reasons having your car shipped makes more sense than the alternative:

1. Time

Time is valuable. Driving long-distance can take days, and if you factor in rest periods, it could easily turn into a week-long trip. Now, road trips can be fun, but when you have a busy schedule, driving your car can be a major time-waster. Transporting your vehicle through car shipping companies is going to cut that time down significantly.

Costs

For a long-distance move, your fuel costs are going to be hiked up considerably. For instance, driving from New York to Texas can easily cost over $200 in fuel alone. And since that drive takes more than 24 hours, you also have to factor in expenses for food and lodging.

Wear and Tear

Driving continuously over long distances can put a lot of wear and tear on your car. In particular, the tires, brakes, and shocks take a massive hit. While these parts can be serviced, it can still cost you a significant amount of money to do so. Shipping might be the way to go in this case, as you won’t have to worry about any of these components taking a hit.

Stress

Driving long-distance can get tiresome, and it can add a lot of stress to your life. You have to be both mentally and physically energetic throughout the journey. If you suffer from any long-term medical conditions, driving continuously over long periods is not advisable. It can put you in danger and compromise your health.

Shipping your car can make your long-distance relocation a lot less stressful. The weight is off your shoulders, as someone else deals with the driving.

Planning Ahead

When you’re driving, your day-to-day schedule is going to be thrown out of whack. You’ll have to make time for the trip as well as stopovers for amenities and breaks. This can be tough if you’re working or have a family to deal with.

When it comes time to ship your car, you can plan almost everything. You can book the entire trip, so there’s no waiting around at ports or frantically trying to find a rental car once you land.

How to Find the Best Car Shipping Company

Once you’ve decided that shipping your car is worth it, you’ll need to find a company that you’re comfortable with. This is the crucial part of the process. After all, who wants to hand over thousands of dollars to someone they don’t even know?

Here are some tips on how you can find the best car shipping companies:

Reviews – One of the best ways to find a reliable car shipping company is through online reviews. Sites like Yelp are fantastic for this, as many people like to post reviews on companies they have used.
Responsiveness – You shouldn’t choose a company that doesn’t respond to you promptly. You’ll want to make sure the company is responsive in the early stages of setting up the trip. This will help you save time and get your car shipped out quicker.
Transparency – The company you choose should be able to explain its process clearly. It shouldn’t make anything seem complicated, and it should have a transparent pricing policy. After all, you don’t want any hidden fees or charges popping up at the last minute.
Price – Of course, price is going to play a big role in your decision. You’ll want to get quotes from several companies before making your final decision. However, you’ll need to avoid companies that are too cheap. If it seems like they’re trying to undercut the competition, there’s probably a reason for it. There’s also the chance that they don’t have insurance, so you’d be taking a big risk if you go with them.

Is it Worth it to Ship Your Car?

So, we’ve covered the reasons why shipping your car might be a good decision. But, is your car worth the cost of transport? This isn’t an easy question to answer. If you’re dealing with an old, run-down car, it might not be worth your time or money. However, if you’re dealing with a new vehicle or one that is in good condition, it could make sense.