Archive for the ‘Car Shipping’ Category

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Why You Should Consider Terminal Car Shipping

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

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Most car shipping companies heavily advertise their door-to-door service, which allows you to stay home and wait for the driver to ring the doorbell and give you your car back. However, door-to-door vehicle shipping is expensive, and it may lead to additional expenses if for some reason you miss the delivery the first time around. A good alternative is to inquiry about terminal car shipping. While this may not be available in every area, it is a much cheaper (and sometimes simpler) option if you can get it.

Terminal delivery is also a good option if you are rarely home. Why pay extra for door-to-door car delivery is chances are high that you will miss the delivery. Instead, have the car or motorcycle delivered to a terminal and then pick it up at your convenience. Do remember that storage fees will apply for each day you leave the car at the car transport terminal, so make sure you pick it up as soon as possible after being notified of its arrival.

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How Car Shipping Price Rates is Determined

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

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When it comes to vehicle shipping, there’s no such thing as one-fits-all price. In fact, there are a few factors that affect shipping price significantly.

While distance is a major factor in car shipping price rates, traveling cross country is also more expensive than shipping your car north or south, as trucks are more likely to run into highway problems, weather issues or other difficulties when you’re traveling from coast to coast.

Working cars are cheaper to ship than those with engine or wheel problems, since those need to be rolled onto the trucks and require additional man power.

Bigger cars cost more to ship, but so do newer cars, collectibles and other cars that need to be shipped in enclosed car transport carriers or under special circumstances. Large vehicles, like hummers or trucks can cost up to 50 percent more to ship than a standard-size car, as they occupied more space that could be used to ship other cars.

Before you agree to a price for the vehicle shipping services, make sure you understand all the fees involved.

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What Affects Car Shipping and Car Delivery Times

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

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Car transport times are all approximate time frames. This means that you will be given a time period in which your car or motorcycle will be delivered, but not a specific date. In most cases, it sounds something like “10 to 15 days.” This is because many factors can affect car shipping times, most of which cannot be controlled by the carrier driver. When you book car delivery pick up, remember the following factors that can affect when you’ll get it.

Road Conditions: blocked roads, highway accidents or detours will all affect how fast the truck can make it to its destination. Even heavy traffic can slow down delivery.

Distance is of course the major reason delays occur during car transport. Trucks going through long distances have more of a chance to running into complications than those delivering to the next state over.

Finally, trucks that carry a large number of cars will have to deal with a number of deliveries. If your car is number 10 in the delivery order, you have more chances of running into delays, as the truck will have to deal with maneuvering through streets, dealing with car owners who are not home and other problems.

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International Car Shipping Insurance and Fees

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

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International deliveries are riskier than in-country shipments, as cars have to be moved through customs, rolled on and off closed containers and transported across the ocean, increasing the chances of running into problems. When booking international car shipping, you need to make sure the insurance provided will be enough to cover potential damages.

All car shipping done by a company, both locally and overseas, include insurance against damage. This will cover everything from scratches to dents to incidental damages. Cars shipped by water, however, should also have insurance against total loss. This will protect you in case the vehicle is stolen or the boat sinks. Total loss is not part of your general agreement and you will have to pay for it. It generally costs 1.5 percent of the blue book value of your car. Full-coverage insurance will protect against all possible damages, even the ones not included in your basic policy. If you want to make sure every little thing is protected, you will have to pay for this type of insurance out of pocket. It will cost you about 2.5 percent of the total cost of your vehicle.

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When To Leave It Behind and not get Car Shipping

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

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Sometimes, it just doesn’t pay to pay for car shipping. While taking your car along may seem like the best option, you should consider your situation and all costs involved before you decide whether to pay for vehicle shipping or to sell your car.

Car shipping is a bad idea if you’re tight on money. Aside from the obvious car transport fee, you may also incur in additional expenses, such as storage fees or penalties if you miss the delivery truck and your vehicle needs to be taken to storage.

Car shipping estimates vary and you won’t have a guaranteed delivery date. If you’re moving tomorrow and you don’t have access to public transportation in your new town, how do you plan on moving around? Will you rent a car? Consider whether it makes more sense to simply sell the car you have and buy another one at your new location.

Old cars are usually not worth the expense of vehicle shipping.

If your car won’t fit into the environment of your new location, why move it at all? If you own a convertible and moving to Maine, it probably makes more sense to sell it and buy a 4×4 once you get there.

If your car will end up being more a problem than a solution, just leave it behind. Cars are an inconvenience in places like NYC, where parking is difficult and expensive and where public transportation takes you anywhere you need to go. Instead of paying a car shipping company, just rent a car when you need it and sell your old one.

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Posted in Car Shipping, Enclosed Car Shipping, International Car Shipping, Motorcycle Shipping | 3 Comments »

Options for Shipping a Car Cross-Country

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

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When it comes to shipping a car your car across the country, there is more than one option to consider.

OPTION 1: Drive Vehicle Yourself

The obvious advantage of this is that you don’t have to pay somebody else to do it. You should, however, consider the costs associated with it, including gas, wear and tear, tolls and food and accommodations along the way. You’ll also be spending a lot of time on the go, which can make you miss work days.

OPTION 2: Open Car Shipping

This is the most common car shipping option, where your car is carried on an open truck along with others going the same way. This is usually the best option if you’re trying to save money and want your car delivered safely and without hassles on your part.

OPTION 3: Enclosed Car Shipping

Enclosed vehicle shipping allows you to ship your car or motorcycle in a closed container, inside a truck. All bikes must be shipped this way, as they need to be secured by cables. Vintage, collectible or particularly expensive cars should also be shipped this way to protect them from the elements. Enclosed car transport service may does cost a higher rate then standard open transporting method.

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Getting Ready to Go with Car Shipping service

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

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Many car shipping companies won’t allow you to leave anything inside your car, while others will let you keep some items in the trunk. You need to ask in advance what the company’s policies are so you are not caught off guard when your car is picked up. Even if you car shipping company allows you to keep items inside the car, there are some things you should never pack:

Items that can explode or cause a fire are not only dangerous but sometimes illegal, especially if the truck has to cross bridges or tunnels, where gas containers and other common household equipment is not allowed. Even sprays, aerosols and matches are considered dangerous and thus should be kept out of your car.

Car shipping companies cannot be responsible for valuables left in the car. In most cases, you will be asked to remove anything of value before the car transport will accept the vehicle. If you leave a box or container in the trunk and this contains items of value, such as personal papers, jewelry or electronics, the vehicle transport company cannot be held accountable for anything that happens to these items and no claim can be made if they disappear.

Unless you have the proper paperwork, fireworks, guns, prescription medication and even needles are considered illegal and can get you into a lot of trouble if they’re found inside your automobile.

Anything live, including plants, or anything frozen or perishable can’t be left inside the car.

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Shipping Your Car to a Rural Area

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

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Most car deliveries are made to big cities, where arrangements are easy to finalize and road conditions rarely affect the shipping. If you live in a rural area or want your car delivered there, you will have to talk to the car shipping company in advance to ensure they deliver to the area and to find out what are the differences with standard shipping.

One of the most common differences is price, as vehicle shipping to rural areas is road-based, rather than distance-based. This means that you will pay not only based on how far the delivery truck has to go, but also on how difficult it is to get there due to weather, floods or construction. You will also pay more because cars shipped to big cities will share a truck with others going on the same route. However, cars that have to be delivered to rural areas are more likely to be the only ones to go there. Since the cost of the truck is not share, the added expenses are passed on to you. To ensure timely car delivery, you will also need to arrange for somebody to receive the car on the first try. Chances are the car shipping company won’t have a local holding place and you will be forced to pay extra for the time wasted.

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Shipping Your Car Across the Ocean

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

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International car shipping is a lot more complicated than cross-country vehicle shipping for several reasons. For starters, the amount of paperwork required is a lot bigger. Aside from the cost of the shipping itself (which is done on boats, inside sealed containers), you will need to keep in mind additional expenses. Most countries charge custom import duties and VAT, although you may be exempted of VAT if your car is more than 20 years old. Collectible, vintage or customized cars will probably incurred in additional expenses. Newer cars and certain luxury models may be charged up to 35 percent of the total price of the vehicle in import taxes.

Rules and regulations vary from one country to the next, so there are no hard and fast rules regarding prices and restrictions. The vehicle shipping company may give you a general idea of what to expect during international shipping, but the amount you pay them will not include whatever charges there are at your point of destination. To prevent major problems, contact the Embassy of the country you’re shipping the car to and get the exact details of the process. You will also need to inquiry whether door-to-door delivery is possible and if not, how much are you charged for every day your car has to be stored at the port. You may also need to present special papers (such as an international driver’s license) in order to be allowed to drive the car out of customs.

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Preparing Your Car for Long-Term Storage

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

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Both before and after shipping, chances are your car will be stored for a period of time before you have access to it again. This is especially true if you’re shipping your car overseas, where it will have to wait for you in customs. If you foresee your car being stored for more than two weeks, do the following:

  • Wax the car so the finish is better protected against debris.
  • Disengage the parking brake. This will prevent corrosion and ensure the brakes will work properly when you start your car again.
  • Find out if the shipping company requires the gas tank to be empty or full. For storage, empty tanks are better (they prevent condensation). However, the shipping company may require you to leave enough gas for the car to be driven up and into the truck, as well as out.

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Posted in Car Care, Car Shipping, International Car Shipping | 7 Comments »

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