Things You should Check

There are a few things you need to know before you hire a shipper for your auto transport needs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a family moving across the country, and just need a single vehicle mover, or a dealership with extensive auto shipping needs; without knowing about insurance, authority, and business records you may be putting your car at risk.

1. Insurance: The first thing you are going to want to check is the shippers insurance. There are two ways to confirm a transporters insurance coverage. You can go to the FMCSA’s web site (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)and search by authority number. You can also call the carriers insurance provider directly. What you need to ensure is that they have liability coverage, and damage insurance that would cover the cost of your auto(s).
2. Authority: You should also check the carriers qualifications. Are they registered with the FMCSA? Is there any local or state authority’s that they must be registered with where they work? Finding this out, helps you to ensure that you are choosing a carrier that takes regulations and safety seriously.
3. History: The last thing you can check is the auto shippers business history. Do they have claims with the better business bureau, for example? If they do, were they satisfied promptly? Another way to check is to ask for references and then actually take the time to call those references. In doing so you will quickly learn about any past problems, and how they were resolved.

Conclusion

Choosing an auto shipper doesn’t need to be difficult. Taking a few minutes of your time, to check a company’s qualifications, can go a long way in protecting yourself, and your car(s). If you are in need of auto transport, we highly recommend that you take the time to make sure you pick a company that works for you.

• Arrange the Drop-Off/Pick-Up Dates and Locations: The first thing you need to do is know where you are supposed to be and when. Are you dropping your auto off at the moving companies yard? Will they pick it up at your home? Arrange a date and time and stick to it. The biggest delay in most car transports is the customers failure to arrive on time.
• Ensure Your Vehicle is in Shippable Condition: The next thing you need to do is make sure your vehicle is ready for shipping. Does it start right away? Is the battery strong enough to handle a few start and stops without charging for a longer period of time? Are the tires in good condition, and do they keep air? By making sure your car is ready you will ensure that there are no further delays.
• Make a written inspection and go over it with the auto mover: To protect yourself you should also mark down all current damages to the vehicle. When you drop off your most auto moving companies will do this anyway. With your list in hand, however, you can go through it with the shipper to ensure everything is listed correctly. If any damages do occur, in the shipping process, this list will make it easier for you to deal with the problem.
• Don’t fill your tank: A transport agent usually won’t carry a vehicle that is completely full of fuel. It’s against the law. There needs to be enough fuel in the vehicle for the auto moving company to load and unload the vehicle a few times, and that’s it.

Hiring an auto moving company is both convenient, and it will likely save you money over moving a car yourself. With a few steps to get your car ready, and protect yourself, you can ensure the whole process goes as expected and your vehicle arrives without delay.

It is unfortunate, but also inevitable that, sometimes things happen. Driving on any road there is always the chance of accident, or damage from external sources. Rocks turn up by the tires of passing vehicles, flying debris, or a plethora of other sources can damage your vehicle. When it happens in the auto moving process there are a few things you should do. There was a reason you did your homework before hiring a transport agent, and part of that reason is the ability to deal with the situation you are in right now.
Mark Down the Damage

When the transport agent picked up your vehicle you should have made a list of any current damage to the vehicle. With a copy of this list compare the damage, that is on your car now, to the items that you marked down before. Mark down all inconsistencies. This should be done when you are picking up your vehicle (or having it dropped off), and not 2 or 3 days later.
Report Damage to The Company

After you have your list of inconsistencies, report them to the shipping company immediately. Reputable auto shipping companies will reimburse you for any damages, and usually fairly quickly. As long as the vehicle was inspected on pick up, and on drop off, it is difficult to argue where the damage occurred (in the moving process obviously).
Should Issues Arise

If you did your homework before hiring a company to move your car, then there likely won’t be any issues. However, sometimes they do occur. If you have any problems getting reimbursed for the damage to your car, the BBB is one place that can help. Unfortunately most issues arise because of failing to do proper inspection, and in this case it can be difficult to deal with. From the shippers point of view the damage could have occurred before or after the auto moving process. The best way to avoid any issues is to go through the inspections with your driver or agent when you are picking up and dropping off the vehicle.

As long as you hired a dependable, and reputable auto moving company the process should go fairly smoothly. Most companies are extremely careful with your car, but it is inevitable that on occasion damages do occur. Protect yourself by including yourself in the inspection process.

Driving more than one vehicle can make the move even more stressful. More vehicles
means greater chance of breakdown, a higher cost of moving, and it adds the
problem of having to figure out how to stay together so that no one gets lost.
It doesn’t need to be that way.

A phone call to an auto mover may have saved you many headaches, and in fact
could have even save you money. There are many reliable auto shipping companies
who specialize in transporting vehicles. Choosing one needn’t be difficult,
and the added convenience of having your other two vehicles shipped saves you
many possible frustrations.

Tips for Hiring an Auto Mover

1. Get more than one quote. Don’t necessarily hire the cheapest bidder, but
   at least make sure the one you do hire is in line with everyone else.
2. Check their references and insurance. This is your vehicle that they have
   in their hands, make sure that the transport agent you hire is dependable
   and carries the right insurance.
3. Arrange the pick up and drop off dates, and ensure you are there for both.
   The biggest delay in having an auto mover ship a vehicle is often the customer
   themselves. Be sure to arrange the dates and stick to them.
4. Allow at least four weeks from the time you hire a mover to the time you
   have to move. Most transport companies need time to arrange for shipping your
   car. Be sure to allow enough time by hiring them ahead of time.

The next time you make a big move, save yourself some frustration. Hire an
auto mover to take your other three vehicles. The added convenience of this
service can make your move ten times less stressful. You will also be able to
enjoy your move with less worries added to the equation.

Having a vehicle shipped, by a qualified automobile shipper, is often less
expensive that moving it yourself. To further look at this issue let’s look
at the cost of taking the automobile yourself.

The Costs of Driving Coast to Coast

For comparisons purpose let’s assume that you wanted to move a vehicle from
Portland, Oregon, to New York city. The distance between the two places is about
2820 miles. What will it really cost you to take time off work and drive your
automobile across the country?

Cost of Gas: If your car gets 20mpg, at today’s rate of $3.50
per gallon, it will cost you $493.50 in gas.

Accommodation Costs: If you could maintain a speed of 60mph
coast to coast, it would take you 47 hours of driving time to get across the
country. Unless you have 3 or 4 drivers, you will likely need to stop for the
night at least twice each way. Even if you manage to find $50 per night motels,
it will still add $200 to the cost of your trip.

Meals: Since most of us can’t go 4 or 5 days without eating,
food must be factored into the equation as well. If we add four days of restaurant
meals, at an average of $8 each. That’s an additional $96 in expenses.

Unforeseen Expenses: Here’s where the costs can really go
crazy. Is the vehicle an older vehicle? If it is then mileage won’t affect it’s
value much, but are you sure it can take a 3000 mile trip without an issue?
What will the costs of a breakdown be in the middle of the country? Your 1000
miles away from home, so if the repair takes a few days, then you can add more
travel expenses and the costs of repairs.

On the other end of the scale is a newer automobile. Likely you can trust the
vehicle to make it across the country, but then you have to factor in mileage.
3000 miles on a car takes about $750 out of the value of a vehicle.

Time Away from Work: It will likely take you 3 days to get
from Portland to New York. If you would normally make $200 per day, that’s $600
for the trip their alone.

Now that we have an idea of what the trip will cost. Add all of the figures
up and then double them (you have to get back). A simple trip suddenly costs
thousands, instead of the original $493.50 in gas. With a simple phone call
to an automobile shipper, you can likely have your vehicle moved for 1/3 of
the price!

5369 La Jolla Blvd. Unit 15
La Jolla, CA 92037

Contact: Walter
Main Phone: 858-488-8485
Local Phone: 619-248-3496
Fax Number: 858-488-8908
Hours: M-F 10-5 S 10-3 PST