How to find best car shipping company

How to find best car shipping company

Finding out the best car shipping company is always a hassle. When you know there are thousands of car shipping companies in the United States.

It’s very difficult or even impossible sometimes to get in touch with car shipping company that provides the best possible services and at an affordable price.

If you happen to find a decent car shipping company without much hassle. Then, it’s simply a stroke of luck or serendipity that you come across the best car shipping company.

For those who haven’t had much luck or don’t have the adequate know-how in finding a decent and reliable auto transport company. We are here to help you

today with all the necessary information and knowledge for selecting the best car shipping company in the US. Mind you, this could take awhile and would take a dedicated effort from your side to learn this skill and knowledge.

So, here we go!

Find and Shortlist a Few Car Shipping Companies You would easily get recommendations from your friends and family (from their perspective) the best car shipping company.

Whether or not you believe them, it’s better to keep your options open and look their recommended companies and online. See if anything pops up. The more good stuff and reviews about the company, the better.

The other more simplified method is DIY. Search any random keyword related to car shipping company. For instance, search the most common keyword “Reliable auto transport in the United States�.

There are also companies like Auto Transport City (ATC), who have hundreds of car shipping companies registered with the FMCSA and many of them are even registered with the BBB.

You would see an ample amount of car shipping companies in ATC. Dig into all of these companies and see if you find anything useful.

You can also put down your requirements on their online auto shipping calculator to get an estimate for your shipment.

Many of the best car shipping companies on the market have also got the best online car shipping cost calculator.

Better hit one of them to get an idea of what it will cost you and how much budget you have to set.

Research and Check Car Shipping Reviews As the late and great Mr. Otto von Bismarck said, “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.�

Considering his infinite wisdom, we would also strongly advise you to adhere to his words.

Following his guidelines, you should start researching or should we say investigating on those car shipping companies.

Looking for any positive or negative feedback on their services rendered. If their customers are satisfied, see how much are they satisfied? Would they recommend anyone to avail their services or not?

Don’t exhaust too much time on online forums. Most of the companies have already made fake positive reviews and fake IDs to upgrade their ratings and profile on the internet.

Instead, call them or have a live chat with their representative. Ask for quotation.

This is probably the best way to sift the best car shipping company from the rest.

One of the best ways to sort a company out is by the level of dedication to their customer service.

If you are speaking with a polite and soft-spoken sales representative instead of fast talking one. That’s a good sign.

Don’t Get Tempted by the Low Cost of Car Shipping The other thing to consider is how long have they been in the auto transport industry.

There are many fraudulent companies who have been coming with different names and aliases time after time again.

These companies lure with a low rate of car shipping and when you get signed up with them and hand over your car keys to them. They will start to raise their prices and extort more money out of your pocket.

This could really bad for you if you are not in the state with that shady car shipping company. They would have a complete leverage on you and your car.

So, better stay away from these companies at all cost!

On the other hand, well-experienced car shipping will quote a reasonable and an accurate bid for the cost of shipping your car.

There are many well-reputed car shipping companies who even add on an insurance coverage along with their cost of shipping.

Before you head to the signing the contract, it’s better to view their authenticity on the FMCSA.

Thoroughly Read the Contract It goes without saying before putting your John Hancock on any piece of paper, it’s well-advised to give the contract a go through completely.

Don’t sign it just for the sake of the formality. Many a time, the content which is typed in a diminutive font size is the one with the most important details of the contract.

So, it’s imperative to do not leave anything out. Especially the teeny weeny content.

You signed the contract. So, what’s next?

Prepare Your Car for Shipping If you have done everything according to the guide. Then, you are at the right track. However, we are just getting started. It’s time to do some real work.

Prior to handing over your car to the shipping carrier, you need to prepare your car for the shipment. That includes adhering to the following, Take Out All the Removable Parts

In shipping a car, weight matters a lot. Therefore, you need to take out all the removable spoilers and antennas.

It’s always better not to take a risk on the special and pricey items such as GPS, audio system, toll tags or any important documents in the glove department.

Ensure to remove all of these components and items out.

Fuel Limit The standard limit of prior to shipment should not exceed one-quarter of the gas tank, as mentioned in the electronic Code of Federal Regulation or eCFR. Having more than required amount, will violate these rules and also increases the weight on the car.

Always remember, the lighter the vehicle, the fewer and easier the cost to carry them by the carrier. Resulting in fewer costs will be charged to you.

Get a Car Wash Getting your car washed is always worth your every single penny. The essential feature of that it gives a clear picture of your vehicle.

You would be easily able to identify dents, fender benders, and scratches if found any. It is also a good idea to take snaps of the current condition of your car.

Snapping pictures will be of great help if there are any damages you need to claim. Almost all the time, insurance companies would ask you for proof of the damages.

If you have taken photographs prior to shipping, you’d more than happy to oblige.

Be Vigilant Upon Pickup When the car shipping carrier arrives to pick up your vehicle. The driver will inspect your vehicle beforehand. Here, you need to be vigilant and carefully note down everything the driver inspects and notes down on the Bill of Lading (BoL).

Take your time reading the bill of lading. If any oddities found, do discuss it with the driver. When you and the driver come on the same page, put your John Hancock on BoL.

Inspect Upon Delivery

Now it’s high time for you to put on your thinking cap of a Sheriff and inspect your car thoroughly upon delivery. Don’t leave anything oddity out. Any minute detail could be crucial for your car.

Once you have signed onto the Bill of Lading, then there is nothing could be done.

You will be stuck with the same condition of your car.

If you think that you’re not up for that kind of pressure or to undertake that much of a responsibility.

You can always hire someone, for instance, a mechanic, who could take a look at it on your behalf upon inspection.

Fair Tips and Warnings of Car Shipping

In finding the best car shipping company, there are a few warnings and tips you need to follow, 

Never take up the offer of the lowest quoted company. This never ends well, always. These bids are usually made by the brokers, who entice you

with a low bid but once they get ahold of your shipment. They would not be able to get a decent car shipping carrier for your shipment. Plus be wary of their hidden charges which are most likely be included in the offer which many people ignore. 

Always be straight with your respective broker or car shipping company.

Your car is not in a beauty pageant or going on bout in a boxing ring. You have to tell your car shipping company about the weight and dimensions of your car clearly. The carriers are limited to carry a certain amount of weight and they are being checked and scrutinized in every state they step into. It would be a great help if you give them at least a heads up before you hand over your car keys to them.

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Remove and take out all the detachable items such as spoilers and antennas or anything related to them. To avoid getting damages or even breaking during the transit.

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Put some effort into researching the car shipping company. Ensure that they are registered with FMCSA and proper MC number and USDOT number.

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Observe their tone of speaking, it’s always a sign of judging a good customer service. If they are courteous and friendly and really show importance to you and your car, then you’re in luck.

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Go through the contract carefully. Remember to give extra attention to the content in the minute font size. See if there are no hidden fees or charges mention in the contract.

Remember in the whole process, if anything doesn’t add up or you have a gut feeling that something isn’t right. You always have an option to back out from the company. But do it before signing up or giving your car or your money.

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