There are many reasons you’ll need to enlist the services of a shipping company. Finding and booking the right shipping company can be tricky. It’s important to understand the services you’ll need. For example, if you’re shipping internationally you’ll need a company that understands the US Customs and Border Protection criteria. Choosing poorly here could mean additional costs that could have been easily avoided.
With a high-value item like your car, reliability matters. Delays, hidden costs, and poor communication are all too common in the shipping industry. This is where professional guidance is useful. We’ll be going over vehicle shipping rates, how prices vary, using tools and how to compare quotes.
The Shipping Process
We all wish shipping a car was as simple as paying the money and handing over the keys. Unfortunately a lot of moving parts go into making the logistics work on a strict schedule.
An overview of the typical shipping process would be as follows:
- You’ll request a quote for your chosen service. Shipping details are verified between you and the shipping company. These details include the pickup and drop-off location, requested dates, your car type, and any additional requirements.
- Once both sides agree. The shipping company confirms the agreed details and logs them into its dispatch system.
- Your booking and pickup date are confirmed with a suitable carrier assigned based on your designated route and timeline.
- You’ll now be asked to prep your car for travel (this can come as part of the overall service but it is not standard). You are asked to remove personal items, and log fuel and fluid levels. For tips on preparing your vehicle, see our guide on how to prepare your car for shipping.
- The transport driver will arrive on the given date to inspect your car. You’ll be asked to sign a form verifying its conditions on pickup. The car will then be loaded for transport.
- Your car begins its journey. Some but not all services will offer you real-time tracking updates. This is usually an additional fee, but more providers have started providing it with their standard pay structure.
The overview glosses over the amount of work that goes into confirming some details. Pickup and drop-off locations are validated for the delivery type. Syncing up times, routes, and availability of chosen carriers. Going in depth here is only really necessary if you’re a logistics enthusiast or looking to set up your own company.
Your Choices
The biggest factor that will affect your shipping cost is distance. Most, but not all, services charge based on mileage. After that it’ll be the size and type of car, Anything over certain weight loads usually incurs additional fees for handling and specialist equipment.
Those are all things you don’t have much control over. You need your car shipped from point a to point b, you own ‘x’ make and model of your car, and the auto shipping cost is calculated from that.
This is where you need to decide what is an acceptable base cost, compare quotes between providers and find the provider that best fits your budget.
Aspects of your order you do have more control over are things like the type of carrier chosen. Open carriers are the industry standard and tend to be on the more affordable side. Enclosed trailers offer greater protection at a higher cost, tailored more towards things like classic car shipping.
If you’re able to be flexible with your pickup and drop-off dates, it can be a great way to further control the cost. Tight timelines and last-minute bookings will always cost a premium.
It pays to get clear pricing early on. Reliable shipping companies offer tools to quickly gain access to a car shipping quote. SGT Auto Transport uses its own on site calculator, a breath of fresh air in the vehicle shipping industry. This tool lets you generate a quote for car shipping prices based on your input fields.
The transport cost is then calculated based on the cost per mile alongside other factors like the year, make, and model of the vehicle, the running condition, travel route, and even time of year. Once a vehicle shipping quote is confirmed, SGT Auto Transport would then process the request and move through the steps we mentioned earlier, assign a carrier, scheduled dates, and instructions sent to prepare the vehicle.
Use Tools and Plan Ahead
As mentioned before, calculators like the one provided by SGT Auto Transport can help you get an idea of the cost to ship a car. This gives you an instant, no-obligation vehicle transport quote.
Using the calculator is actually quite easy. You only need a few basic details. A pickup and drop-off location, your car’s make and model, and your expected shipping timeline.
You’ll then get access to an estimated car transport quote based on the company’s real-time data. Tools like these make it easy to plan ahead, even if you don’t end up using SGT Auto Transport. A quote with all the costs upfront lets you quickly litmus test what you find acceptable for your budget. Getting a clearer idea of how much to ship a car costs based on your current needs.
Comparing Quotes
Getting quotes from multiple providers is the smartest way to start. But it’s not just about finding the lowest price. Some companies lowball the initial estimate, then add on additional fees later. If you’re ever in doubt, look for the customer service section and speak to a representative. Ask clear questions and be assertive with the information you need. If a site makes it difficult to access its customer support that’s a red flag, and could be a sign to look at other providers.
When comparing your quotes, here are a few things you should be looking out for.
- Insurance is included in the standard price
- Exit or cancellation fees are clear to understand
- The carrier is licensed and registered with FMCSA
- How quick the provider responds to enquiries about your quote
- What are past customers saying? Check online reviews for quick feedback.
Taking the time to ask the right questions will help you avoid hidden costs and make things easier when comparing auto shipping rates based on provider value, not just its price.
For example, you’re down to the final two providers and one is cheaper than the other. The cheaper provider takes days to respond to your enquiries, but does reply with detailed feedback. The other gives you concise and detailed feedback within hours, but is more expensive. If you judged solely on price the choice is clear. Once you consider the company value you can ask yourself, is it worth it for you to pay more for the quick communication.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let the process of shipping your car overwhelm you. Many companies will try to overwhelm you with information in an attempt to add on additional fees. Remember not to rush into a decision, check with customer service, get the information you need, not the information they want to give you.
If an offer seems too good to be true, check past reviews. Compare services and ask yourself if the difference in values is worth the price discrepancy.
Always be on the look out for a company that is prioritizing a clear pricing plan. Customer support should be easy to find and use and a good site will have resources that will help you plan regardless if you choose to use them. A rising tide raises all ships.