The 6 Biggest Myths About Car Shipping

If you’re thinking of shipping your vehicle, you’re probably doing a great deal of research. After all, this is a major decision. You want to have as much confidence as possible that you’re making the right choice. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions – actually, flat-out myths – when it comes to auto transport. It’s important for your peace of mind that you know the truth.

Here’s a look at six of the most common myths surrounding vehicle shipping so you can separate fact from fiction.

  1. You might as well drive your car across the country. It’s cheaper.

Are you moving thousands of miles away to a new home? You might think driving on your own would be less expensive than shipping your vehicle, but that’s not the case at all.

Think about everything that goes into a long road trip. You’ll have to schedule stops along the way to eat, and you’ll probably need to find a hotel for at least one night. How often would you have to fill your car’s gas tank? Three or four times, at least? Then you’ll have to factor in the wear-and-tear on your vehicle.

There are other costs to think about as well. Let’s say you’re moving from New York to Los Angeles, or from Seattle to Miami. That’s going to probably take four or five days. For a lot of people, that means missing time from work – and that can add up to a great deal of money.

When you take all of the obvious – and not so obvious – costs into consideration, shipping your vehicle is, in a lot of instances, far less expensive than driving yourself.

 

  1. Getting your car ready for shipping isn’t worth the hassle.

This is one of the more frustrating myths out there, because nothing could be farther from the truth. It’s surprisingly easy to prepare your car for auto transport. There are just a few things you’ll need to do.

  • Have a technician check your vehicle to make sure there aren’t any mechanical or electrical problems. Also, make sure the tire pressure is where it needs to be, and that the battery has a full charge. The technician should check the fluid levels and seal any leaks that may be occurring.
  • Wash the outside of the vehicle and take out any extra items, such as personal belongings. If your car has a luggage rack, take it off. If it has an antenna you can remove, remove it.
  • Disable your car alarm. If you leave it on, that could drain the battery. If the driver has to stop in order to turn off the alarm, that could lead to major delays in shipping
  • Keep a good record of your car’s condition. Write down any damage that might already exist, such as a crack in the windshield or dents. Take pictures of all areas of the vehicle before shipping.
  • You might also want to remove any toll tags from your car if possible. You could be charged if they’re triggered while your vehicle is being shipped.
  1. You’ll have a hard time finding someone who offers door-to-door vehicle shipping.

You won’t have to worry about taking your car to a certain location in order to have it shipped. One of our teams of car movers will come to your front door, take the vehicle, and handle the rest. When you arrive at your new home, we’ll bring your vehicle to you and hand you the keys. It’s that simple.

  1. Open transport is never a good idea.

Open auto transport is where your vehicle is secured to the back of a truck. In many cases, it will be shipped with other vehicles. A lot of people prefer this option because it’s the most affordable method of shipping, and it’s also the fastest.

There are some risks involved, however. A car could be damaged due to debris from the road, from inclement weather, or from vandalism.

In the vast majority of instances, however, open transport is completely safe, and results in no problems whatsoever. Any reputable company is obviously going to want as many satisfied customers as possible, and the auto transport industry is no exception. No one wants to deal with damage claims, because they end up leading to increased prices. They also lead to bad reviews, which can horribly damage a company’s reputation.

We take every possible precaution to make sure our customers’ cars are shipped efficiently – and more importantly – safely.

We also offer enclosed transport for customers who want to take all risk out of the equation. As the name implies, this method completely protects your vehicle from the elements and other dangers. It’s a more expensive option, but well worth it if you have an especially valuable car.

  1. You can’t trust the quote you’ll receive.

This is one of the biggest myths out there. Just like in any industry, there are some unscrupulous companies that hit customers with hidden charges. That’s led a lot of people to believe you simply can’t trust any quote from an auto transport company.

But that’s simply not the case.

When you get a quote from Ship Vehicles, we will quickly provide you an accurate quote. Our process is transparent, and there won’t be any sort of unpleasant surprise when you receive your bill.

  1. Cheaper is always better when it comes to auto transport.

It would obviously be understandable for someone to immediately go with the lowest price they find for vehicle shipping. But as the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” You need to be very careful not to put too much emphasis on cost – especially when it comes to something as important as transporting your car.

In a lot of cases, you might agree to a low quote only to be hit with hidden fees, as we mentioned above. Once an unscrupulous company gets possession of your car, they may charge you a lot more than you expected in order for you to get it back. Or their service may not be up to industry standards, and your vehicle could be damaged as a result.

Do a little research on auto transport providers before you make your final decision. Look for companies with positive online reviews, ones with quotes that are comparable to others you’ve received. That will give you the best chance of getting reliable service – and not having to worry about getting a final invoice that’s a lot higher than the original quote.

Talk to Ship Vehicles Today

Hopefully we’ve cleared up some of the misconceptions commonly associated with the auto transport process. We want to make sure you’re as confident as possible in the company you choose to ship your vehicle.

At Ship Vehicles, we know how difficult it can be to take care of all the details involved with a relocation. It takes a lot of work to get ready to move, and there’s a lot of stress involved. We want to take the burden of moving your vehicle off of your shoulders, helping you focus on the other things you need to do.

If you want a reliable auto transport company that will take great care of your vehicle at a fair price, we’re ready to help. Give us a call or contact us online for more information or to receive a no-obligation quote.