12 Tips for Choosing the Best Car Shipping Company
There are hundreds of auto transportation companies operating in the United States and almost all of them claim they are the best in the industry. This poses a dilemma for people who need to get their car shipped. How exactly do you find a great car transporting company from among the list of mediocre — and truly terrible — ones?
To understand which business has your best interest at heart, you need to consider the factors below:
Experience
Checking for how much experience a car shipping company has is a no-brainer. When conducting a background check, take a look at how long the company has been operational because experience is the one thing that molds an average auto shipping company into an outstanding one.
Research
Don’t just get stuck on the first car shipping company you see online. Explore others as well. Select several companies and do thorough research on them to see what makes them stand out from the competition.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
While you are researching a list of varied auto shipping services, it is quite likely you may become confused as every other company may seem like the very best one for you. To determine if it is worth your cost, check out what benefits it provides you and then estimate the cost you will have to bear to use those features.
Cost-Effective
Some people often fall into the trap of choosing the cheapest auto shipping company. However, this is not a wise move since services with very low shipping quotes can be too good to be true. You may end up with a damaged vehicle or a delayed pickup or delivery. Look for a company like Haul Match which provides you excellent customer service with reasonable shipping fees.
Customer Service
Making a call to the company can do wonders to reassure you if whether an auto transport company actually delivers what it promises. A good company will pick up your call immediately and will be willing to answer all your questions regarding the shipping process courteously. If their customer service is amazing, then you can expect their primary service that is auto shipping, to be great too.
Testimonials
Some people think that reading testimonials and reviews are a waste of time, but they can give you a big insight into the car shipping company. Check out the social media pages of your chosen service and see if they have overwhelmingly positive reviews. Some services, like Haul Match, have a separate review page where you can see all the testimonials written by their customers.
Transport Carriers
Cars can be shipped in two types of carrier trucks: open-plan and enclosed. An enclosed carrier is not commonly used and is not always available upon demand. They may also result in a delay in shipping since your company will have to order them especially for you at a time when they are not available. Transport carriers should only typically be used to carry extremely expensive new sports car models or vintage cars. In contrast, open carriers are more affordable and readily available. They are also very safe, despite the fact that the cars are not covered.
Shipping Quote Calculator
Any company that gives you a fixed price for shipping a vehicle may not be reliable. Shipping rates are always changing depending on numerous factors like size and weight of the car, type of carrier, distance, accessibility to the location, and even weather. Go for an auto shipping company that has a shipping quote calculator that estimates your price based on these factors.
Read All Documents
Do not trust a company that does not allow you to fully read the entire car shipping documents and try to rush you into signing the paperwork. Read the documents fully so that you understand all the implications of using that particular car shipping company’s services and only sign the documentation if you are satisfied. A good car shipping company will make sure you go through all the paper and will help you understand any difficult concepts.
Tracking System
Make sure the car transport company you are using has a tracking system so that you are able to know your vehicle’s status at any time. Also, make sure the procedures they use are legitimate and will ensure the safe delivery of your vehicle.
Professional Drivers
No one wants to hand over their precious cars to an inexperienced or negligent driver. The best car shipping companies will have only professional and experienced drivers who will ensure the safe and secure delivery of your car.
Visit the Office
If you are still not sure about the company, you can go ahead and visit the company, this way you can ensure the company is operating in a professional way and how careful they are with your vehicles. In fact, visiting the office can be an enjoyable experience.
Shipping your car can be a nerve-wracking experience; however, if you do our homework right and follow the tips above, you will have a much better chance of getting your car delivered safely to you.