Planning to move cross-country or relocate to another state? If you own a vehicle, then instead of driving it yourself, you might want to have it transported. When it comes to shipping a car from one place to another, you have two options – open carrier transportation and enclosed carrier transportation.

Open carrier transportation is exposed to elements like dirt, snow, hail, rain or whatever else the carrier may encounter on the road. So your car might not arrive at your destination in top shape. This is one of the biggest disadvantages of this type of car shipping. Open-air trucks typically range between 75 ft. and 80 ft. in length and haul a two-level trailer with a number of cars on the top and a few on the bottom. There are no roofs or sides on the trailer, which is why your vehicle can get damaged by elements. The advantage of open carrier transportation is that it is less expensive than the enclosed alternative.

On the other hand, in enclosed carrier shipping, cars are housed in a covered trailer. These carriers can only carry a few cars at a time. The advantage of this type of shipping is that it would protect your vehicle from foreign elements, ensuring that it arrives in the condition it was before being loaded into the carrier. The caveat is that enclosed carrier shipping is more expensive.

While open carrier transportation costs about 33 percent less than enclosed carrier shipping on average, they aren’t always the best choice. There are circumstances when enclosed carrier shipping will be the better option for your vehicle. Let’s see what those are.

When to Consider an Enclosed Car Shipping

• Expensive Vehicle
  If you are shipping an expensive vehicle – worth over $60,000 – you should consider an enclosed carrier shipping. Reason being, you can’t afford to take chance with something this valuable. Open carriers can’t guarantee the safety of your vehicle. You spent thousands of dollars on the vehicle so it won’t hurt to spent pay up a few more to keep it safe and in good condition. Consider the enclosed trailer an extra insurance coverage.

  It is also worth noting that open trailer carrier shy away from hauling expensive vehicles due to the liability they incur. Therefore, if you own a very expensive vehicle, steer clear of open carrier transportation.

• Weather Poses a Threat
  If you are making a move during a time of the year when bad weather is expected on the route or if the route takes the transporting trailer through terrains where rocks, dirt and other debris may be kicked up from the track, you might want to go with the closed carrier. A closed carrier would protect your car from debris, rain, hail, snow, bird droppings and everything that can potentially damage it.
• You Own a Vintage or Classic Car
  If you own a vintage or classic car, you’ll know its value and how important it is for you to protect it to preserve that value. If you are moving to your new home and want to take this elegant piece with you, keeping it away from road debris and inclement weather is worth it. Book an enclosed carrier from a reputable shipping company to ensure that your prized possession arrives at the destination in top shape.

Final Thoughts

Even though open carrier transportation costs less, they aren’t always a good option. If you own an expensive vehicle and want to keep it safe from foreign elements that it might encounter through the journey, book an enclosed carrier. Similarly, if you expect that the transporting truck will encounter inclement weather on the route, don’t take the risk of going with open carrier transportation as your car will exposed to rain, hail, snow and debris.  You should also book an enclosed carrier for your classic or vintage car as you can’t afford to take risk with this valuable possession of yours. If you aren’t face with these circumstances, you can opt for open carrier transportation to save your hard-earned dollars.