Shipping your car to another city, state, cross-country, or overseas is convenient when you don’t want to drive. Reasons for this include preserving mileage, suffering an injury, and bringing a gift for someone else. However, shipping your car is expensive. Fortunately, you can do this on a budget if you take these five suggestions to heart.
Get the best price from the best carrier
Don’t select the first quote from the first company you find. Investigate local moving providers’ and auto shipping companies’ plans and pricing on their websites. Read customer reviews and testimonials about their shipping experiences, and find out whether the provider or company has insurance coverage in case of car damage. Reach out to companies that do not have a website through the yellow pages or white pages online. Call those companies directly and inquire about their plans and pricing.
Narrow the choices to the plans and pricing that suit your needs, and then pick the best solution. It’s best to balance the cost and the service. Choose the most affordable option that includes all the services you need. When it comes to vehicle shipping, look no further than Shiply, the best carrier and vehicle transporting company that ensures you get the best price and service.
Ship your car during the slower months
The most expensive times of the year to ship your vehicle are during the summer and holidays. Off-season months would be January through April and September through October. Those off-season months are the cheapest times to ship a car. They are also more likely to have sales, discounts, deals, and coupons because fewer people ship vehicles during those times.
Be flexible
Car shipping in Michigan is beneficial financially if you let the company choose the schedule. Last-minute bookings and strict arrival times will cost more than flexibility. You’re better off driving the car to the specified drop-off and using alternate transportation to reach the new location. If you let the company pick up your automobile at your house, they may charge you extra.
When it’s time to pick up the vehicle from the company, the company wants to do it at a location with lots of room. Your area may not have the space to remove the car safely. Therefore, let the company choose a safe place. It will cost more if the company drops the vehicle off at your house with less room to move around.
Ship your car using open transport
The shipping method from Point A to Point B affects the cost. Enclosed transport, open transport, express transport, or top-load transport are the options. Open transport (or open trailer) is the most economical of the four. It moves multiple vehicles on a two-level carrier to your destination. The drivers driving it will handle your car with care during transport. However, it is unprotected from weather and flying debris, which is something it endures on the road anyway.
Open transport is too risky for sports cars, car collections, and other expensive cars. The enclosed transport option (also called an enclosed trailer) is the better solution. This carrier or trailer is pricey because it holds one car, but that trailer or carrier will have extra protections to keep your vehicle secure.
Photograph or record the vehicle before transport
Protect yourself from paying additional dollars for car damage during transport. Snap a photo of your vehicle. Take photographs of the vehicle’s exterior and interior and get specific with the shots. Examples are bumper, tire, windshield, door, seating, flooring, and dashboard photos. An alternate method is to film a video detailing the car’s exterior and interior.
There is no preference between a camera and a phone for photos or videos. However, the pictures should be clear enough to see details and accessible on a flash drive, cloud storage, or computer. That is important because when the car returns to you, you will need to inspect it for damage. You may have to file an insurance claim for car damage during transport. Don’t forget to remove your items from the seat, disc player, glove compartment, trunk, and center console before sending the vehicle to the provider.
It’s always good to keep more money in your pocket, but these tips show your finances will not go to waste. The last thing you want is to spend more money because of the wrong choice. Being thorough, prepared, and flexible will eliminate buyer’s remorse so you can focus on getting your car to the location.
