HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST CAR SHIPPING COMPANY

WebEditor Automobiles

Getting a car over a long distance may seem difficult to organize since you only have a few options to choose from, including driving the vehicle yourself or having someone drive it for you. But a third option that eliminates many complications of the process is to use an automatic shipping company. The most important question when looking for a company to send your vehicle is: which company will do the best job at a reasonable price? Finding the right international car shipping companies is easy when you follow some simple steps.

Find the best auto shipping company

Materials Needed

  • Mobile phone
  • Computer
  • Paper and pencil

To find the best auto shipping company, a little research goes a long way. Research is the first step in finding the perfect company to ship your vehicle. Find out everything you can about the sender and how a company performs when it comes to its customers. Remember to ask the right questions to make sure you understand everything about the shipping process.

Step 1: research and explore your options. Thoroughly investigate the companies that you may be interested in using. This includes verifying customer opinions, because the way they treat their customers and their vehicles can provide information about a company.

  • You should also check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints about the company. If you find a complaint, check if there was any follow-up by the company and the result of the follow-up. Even the best companies may suffer from lack of communication, and the way they respond should tell you a lot about their character and reliability.

Step 2: get a quote online. Then, get an online quote from the companies you have researched and that interest you. Some of the recommended options include Ship a Car Direct, eShip and Executive Auto Shippers, to name just a few. Some of the companies specialize in certain types of vehicles, such as luxury cars for Executive Auto Shippers, so be sure to check the type of vehicles they drive before approaching the company for a quote.
Warning: Stay away from automatic shipping companies that require a deposit in advance. These types of companies will sometimes take your money and will not provide services.


Step 3: verify your choices. Establish initial contact with the companies that interest you. Try to contact a company representative by phone. In addition, one of the first things to do is verify that the carrier has all the license and bonus information required in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) files. Through the FMCSA, you can search the security log of the automatic shipping company.

Tip: You can contact the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to verify a carrier’s license and insurance record. You can also find customer complaints about shipping companies on the FMCSA site.

Step 4: Question about the shipping process. Ask questions about any shipment you plan to make with an automatic shipping company. Some questions for the automatic shipping companies that you are interested in using include:

  • How long does the shipping process take? Car shipments do not occur overnight. Car shipping companies usually grant a time interval of one month from the time of collection, and even more if they send it abroad.
  • Do you offer covered or uncovered carrier options? While an uncovered company is the least expensive option, it also exposes your vehicle to the elements when heading to the destination.
  • How does the programming of a collection vehicle work? Very often, a company communicates with you when a truck opens to transport your vehicle. Shipping companies do this to save money by making stops while traveling from point A to point B. To get an exact collection date, you probably have to pay more.
  • What delivery options do you offer? This includes door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal vehicle delivery. Door-to-door delivery costs more, but the convenience of the transport company picking up and delivering your vehicle directly to you is convenient. If the company uses the delivery from the terminal to the terminal, it must travel to the terminal where the company leaves the car to retrieve it.
  • Tip: Make sure you know who is actually sending your vehicle. In most cases, the initial person with whom you contact the company is actually an intermediary and may not even be with the company you are thinking of using. If possible, select only those brokers and companies that represent themselves and not a third party.

Step 5: Know the terms and conditions. Read all the terms and conditions of the carrier you plan to use, and make sure you understand them. You should also find out what type of liability insurance the company has in case your vehicle is damaged while in transit. Also, check with your own insurance company to see if they offer any type of coverage for such a situation.

Step 6: Schedule pickup. Once you are satisfied, choose a carrier and schedule a pickup. Also, be sure to keep up with all documentation related to the shipment in case there are problems later.

Sending a vehicle can be complicated, but if it takes time to research a company, the experience will be less stressful. You should consider having your vehicle inspected by an experienced mechanic before sending it to ensure that nothing happens before giving it to a third party. Then, if the vehicle arrives damaged at its final location, it has evidence that the damage occurred during the shipping process.

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