1. Timeframe: The first thing you should ask the shipping company is how long they usually take with pickups, and shipping to various places. The simple fact is that if you buy a car from an online auction, or other source, you likely need it soon. The carrier that takes a week to get your inventory to you is better than the shipper who generally takes 3 weeks to deliver.
2. Reliability: You will also want to know about reliability. Are they available for pickup on a regular basis, or is the driver always on the other side of the country? As a business you need a dependable auto shipper that you can rely on to get your inventory where it needs to go.
3. Call those references: After you have talked to a couple of companies, and narrowed down your list, take the time to call their references. Many times the list of references will include other dealership. In most cases the other sales manager will be happy to share information on the shipping company.
4. Confirm Insurance: Finally when you have selected a company that will be shipping your cars, make sure they have insurance to suit. Your inventory is your bread and butter, and you don’t want further issues when damage does occur. A simple call to the companies insurer is an easy way to make sure you’re covered.

As long as you take a few moments to find the right company for your car shipping needs, you’ll likely find a company that you can work with. The simple fact is that with so many companies out there, it can be quite intimidating. With a few phone calls, however, you will find the right people for shipping your cars.

Finding a Transport Company to ship your Cars

The first thing you will need to do is find a transport company. Call a local agent who is experience at shipping cars, or do an online search. Since you’ll likely be shipping more than one vehicle over time you will likely want to select a company and stick with them. Getting to know one company and their methods will enable you to arrange shipping for your customers when required. Even though selling cars is only a side business for you, knowing how to get your vehicles out to your customers will help you to appear more professional.

When you select a company for shipping a car, ensure that they carry the right insurance, and check their references to make sure they’re dependable.

Shipping a Car with Your Selected Company

Now that you have selected a dependable auto shipper, it’s time to get to shipping the car to your customer. Generally all this entails is a call to the transport company. They will require the details of the car to be shipped, and the destination. From that they will quote you a price, and arrange for pick-up or drop-off of the vehicle. You can then arrange with your customer to have them pick it up on the other side of the country.

Using an auto shipper is the best method for shipping a car. There is less chance of damage or breakdown when the vehicle is on the back of the truck, and the convenience of the service will impress your customers.

1. You will save money. With longer moves especially, it is more cost effective to have a car shipped than it is to drive it. By choosing to ship the car you will save gas, accommodations, meals, and time away from work.
2. Your not putting miles on the car. Those three thousand miles that you put on the vehicle, as you drive across the country, lower it’s value and add more wear to the driver train.
3. There is no need to figure out how to get back. That bus trip, or plane ride to get back home, may cost you just as much as the trip itself. Along with that, if you’ve ever taken a 3000 mile bus ride, then you likely don’t want to do it again.
4. It is the more environmentally friendly way of moving a vehicle. Although it may seem like a small thing, having your car shipped is environmentally friendly. Instead of 10 vehicles pouring carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, there is only that of the car hauler itself.
5. You don’t need to worry about damaging your car when you ship it. When you ship the car you are less likely to damage it. You also won’t need to worry about mechanical breakdown, or other problems that can arise on long drives.

The next time you need to have a vehicle sent a long distance, do yourself a favor. Save your money and your time and call an auto hauler. You’ll likely find that having your car shipped is much more convenient than the other route anyway.

1. Shipping your additional cars will likely save you money. This is especially true if you plan to sell your car and buy another after the move.
2. Having your cars moved by a professional shipper is convenient. It is much easier to have your car moved, than it is to find two extra drivers. It is as easy as a phone call.
3. Your move will be easier with your cars in the hands of professionals. When your car is on the back of a truck, and expected on a certain date, you no longer have to worry about where your wife or daughter are in the other car. This leaves you free to worry about the task at hand – moving!
4. Moving your car on a truck rather than driving it saves wear and tear on your car. With a long distance move you may be putting thousands of miles on your vehicle. When you choose to have it moved by professionals the only miles that will go on the odometer are the ones required to load and off-load the car itself.
5. Your vehicle is less likely to be damaged on a truck than it is on the road. In fact, it is much less likely. Every time you drive your car you run the risk of rock-chips, damage from debris, and even accidents. When your car is being handled by professionals it is much more likely to make the move in the same condition it left in.
6. A professional auto shipper is the best way to move your car. It’s convenient, and it saves you all kinds of unforeseen hassles.

When it comes time for your next big move, be sure to look up what it will take to have your cars brought with you. The reality is that shipping your car is a much better option than selling it and buying a new one. It will also make your entire move easier, since you won’t be struggling to find extra drivers.

Choosing a Dependable Auto Shipper

Before selecting a shipping company you will need to decide where your main routes are. Most dealerships tend to buy from certain auctions, and they often deliver used vehicles to the same wholesalers. Ensure you choose a shipping company that visits the various routes that will be required. A good place to start asking, to find out which shipping companies are the most reliable in your area, is other dealerships. Most dealers will have no problem recommending a good auto shipping company.

Working with an Auto Shipper

Once you have selected a shipping company, most of them are fairly easy to work with. As long as you work with them, and keep your bill paid on time, they likely do whatever they can to help you out. One area that you should pay attention to is the way you deal with each vehicle. If you make every shipping job a rush you are placing pressure on the shipping company, by clearly stating the requirements of each job they will be much more likely to work with you when you have a job that really is a rush.

The key to finding a dependable auto shipper is really in the way you deal with them. If you use one shipping company on a regular basis, keep your bill paid on time, and keep your expectations in line with their policies they will likely work with you to add a whole new level of service to your dealership.

5 Reasons that A Company May Provide Cheap Car Shipping

1. Not Properly Insured: When it comes to transport companies, one of their largest expenses is insurance. A company that provides overly cheap car shipping may not be carrying the right coverage’s. A good car mover should carry both liability, and damage protection. Without these insurances your car isn’t properly covered while it is being carried across the country.
2. Poor Truck: If a company doesn’t keep their equipment up, then they may be able to quote cheap shipping for your car. The problem with this is that it can lead to big delays should something happen to the truck. A good car shipping company will have newer equipment and keep it in roadworthy condition.
3. Old Trailer: Another big expense for an auto shipper is the trailer that they haul with. To put it simply these trailers are just like the truck. They must be kept up, and they only have so much of a life span. If your driver is pulling a 1972 car hauling trailer behind his 1973 Kenworth, you’ll be much better off choosing a different shipping agent. Nobody wants that call, “the trailer broke and your car fell off”.
4. Unqualified Drivers: One other reason that a company may provide cheap car shipping is because they aren’t hiring qualified drivers. You’re putting your $30,000 car in this companies hands. Do you really want someone who has never seen a car transport trailer towing it across the US?
5. Not Properly Registered: Another expense for a car shipping company is the registrations they must go through. Along with vehicle registration, transport companies must properly register with transport safety authorities.

Conclusion: Cheap Car Shipping Really?

When you begin to factor in the reasons a car shipper may be able to provide shipping rates that are cheap, it changes the story a little bit. It won’t be cheap at all if the carrier isn’t properly insured, and your new mustang ends up broken. That great deal you thought you were getting has suddenly turned into a massive headache. Get your quotes to ensure that the rate you’re paying is fair, but realize that cheap car shipping may be a worse deal than you thought.

To help you understand the process, here is what you should expect to be happening while your vehicle is in the process of car transport.

Before Car Transport

When you first drop off your vehicle with a shipping company, you may be required to perform an inspection with them. This ensures that both you and the company are aware of any existing damage to the car. After you drop the vehicle off, the company will arrange for which load the car is going on. Sometimes this means that you car may sit on their lot until they are ready for a trip to the destination that your car is being transported too.

On the day the load is scheduled to leave, the driver will load the car onto a transport trailer. Most trailers are built to haul between 6 and 10 cars at once. They generally arrange their load so that they can drop off the vehicles in order. (ie. If your vehicle is the last drop off, it will likely be the first one on the truck).

While your Car is In Transit

After your vehicle is loaded it will begin its trip across the country. While in transport the driver will likely stop a few times to unload other vehicles, pick up new ones. During this process your vehicle may be rearranged on the load several times (that’s why a strong battery is important). When it comes time to drop off your vehicle, the driver will put it in the company’s yard, or at another pre-arranged drop off location.

After Transport is Complete

If you arranged to pick up your car after transport, then you will likely be required to inspect the vehicle again. This is for your peace of mind, and the company’s protection. The second inspection is performed to ensure that the vehicle is in the same condition as it was before. You’ll likely have to sign a release to get your car back (and pay any outstanding bill).

The important thing to remember throughout the entire car transport process is that your vehicle is being handled by professionals. As long as you did your homework and hired a dependable auto shipper the whole process will likely go through without a hitch.

There are actually a number of factors that each shipper will use in formatting the bid to move your automobile. Understanding what expenses a trucking company must deal with will help you to better understand your quotes. With that said, let’s take a look at the main cost factors that will be included in your quote.

General Car Shipping Costs

1. Fuel: One obvious expense that will be factored into your quote is the cost of fuel. Each company may use a slightly different factor based on their truck and their carrying capabilities (ie. how many cars they can haul at once).
2. Insurance: Another factor in car shipping costs, is insurance. Trucking companies in general have to pay a large amount for insurance. When it comes to transporting cars, additional insurance is required for the value of the cargo they are carrying. Damage insurance to cover 7-10 vehicles is a large factor in the cost of shipping cars.
3. Driver(s): Simply having a truck and car hauler isn’t enough. Obviously the driver’s time, for that coast-to-coast trip, will be factored into the costs of shipping a load of cars.
4. Equipment Costs: Mechanical equipment wears out. To keep a truck and trailer in top condition requires regular maintenance. The mileage put on the equipment will also be factored into each load.

Factors that Affect Your Quote Directly

1. Weight of your Vehicle: One factor that will affect your quote directly is the weight of your vehicle. Even if a car transport trailer can carry 10 cars, the trucker must still be within the weight limits for any given route (and for the truck itself). Generally it will cost you more to ship a 1-ton truck than it would to ship a small car.
2. Value of your Vehicle: The next thing that affects your car shipping costs directly is the value of your vehicle. If the automobile you want shipped carries a price tag of $60,000 additional insurance may be required to cover your vehicle. This will be factored into your quote.
3. Operating Condition: Finally the operating condition affects the cost of shipping your vehicle. It takes more time to haul a vehicle that has to be winched on and off of the trailer. More than that, it may also prevent the company from taking a full load of vehicles. A car that doesn’t run may cost a lot more to have shipped.

The Car Mover and Their Truck

Obviously an important part of the car mover’s equipment is the truck they use to pull all of those vehicles across the country. A reputable company will keep a fairly new truck (not necessarily brand new as these trucks are expensive), but they will have their truck well maintained. Regular maintenance to a rig is important. The condition of a mover’s truck is actually a good indication of the overall health of their business. Those that car about what they do will car about their truck as well. The car mover that drives up in an old beat-up rig, is likely inexperienced, or would rather be doing something else.

At Hunsky’s, for our main truck, we have a 2002 Peterbilt with a sleeper. Our truck is always well maintained, and it still looks like it did when it was new.

The Car Mover and Their Trailer

There are actually a variety of manufactures and types of car hauling trailers. Some smaller moving companies who operate in a smaller area run with only a deck trailer that can haul two or three vehicles at a time. The bigger movers use trailers intended to be car movers. These trailers include a network of hydraulic ramps that allow for vehicles to be loaded up to ten at a time. An important thing to note about these types of trailers, is that they require regular maintenance as well. Without being maintained hydraulics, ramp locks, and other important aspects of a trailer may fail.

At Hunsky’s we use a 2002 Cottrell 10 car trailer. Like our truck it is, always well maintained.

If you’ve hired a car mover to transport your vehicles, the condition of their equipment is often an indicator of what kind of service you can expect. The company that keeps well maintained, clean trucks usually takes pride in their work, just like they do in their equipment.

When it comes to car moving, there are many questions that we get asked on a regular basis. If you have questions you can always call us at (858)-488-8485. But, to help you get started, here are the five most common questions we answer.

Top Five Car Moving Questions:

Won’t moving my car cost less if I drive it?

Most likely not. Of course this depends on how far you need to move the car, and other factors; but if you are making a large move, the cheaper route is often to have your car shipped. For a closer look, please see our Automobile Shipping vs The Costs of Driving article.

How long will moving my car take?

This largely depends on how far you have your are moving, and a few other factors. Your best bet is to call a few weeks ahead of time so that definite pick up and drop off dates may be arranged.

Is there anything I need to know before selecting a company for my car moving job?

Yes. You need to know where the company goes (obviously) to ensure there routes match your destination. You will also want to do a few background checks on the company before you hand them your keys. For more information, please see the article Protecting Yourself when Hiring Auto Shippers.

When it comes to car moving, is there anything I need to do to get my vehicle ready?

Before the day that your car gets dropped off (or picked up) there are a few things you should do. You will want to ensure that your car is in decent running condition, that the tires and battery are okay, and that the gas tank isn’t full. You should also make a list of any current damage on your vehicle.

How much will moving my car cost?

The cost of your car moving job will depend on a few factors. The vehicle itself, the distance, and a few other factors. It also costs more to ship a vehicle that isn’t in good running condition. Your best bet is to see our quote page, and request a quote for your move.