Archive for the ‘Enclosed Car Shipping’ Category

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

5 Things You May Not Know About Shipping a Car Overseas

Friday, July 17th, 2009

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  1. Some destinations may not allow you to drive your car from the pickup point and you may be required to hire a car transport company to deliver the car to your door or to a pre-established point.
  2. In order for your car to be released by customs, you will need to show the paperwork given to you by the shipping company, as well as the original title for the car and a letter or contract regarding the lien (if your leasing your car) and your right to move the vehicle. If you own the vehicle outright, you will to present the bill of sale.
  3. Don’t assume that RO/RO (roll on, roll off) service is available from every car shipping company. If not available at your destination, you will need to arrange for transportation after your car has been released from customs.
  4. Not all vehicle shipping companies offer complete insurance. While your car will always be covered for damages that occur during transportation and loading/unloading, some companies may not cover you once your car has been unloaded and stored in a foreign custom warehouse. Make sure you read the fine print and understand how well protected you are.
  5. In most cases, shipping companies allow you to use the empty space in the ocean container to store other items you wish to ship overseas along with your car. This can mean boxes, luggage or other personal belongings.

Handling the Exotic with Enclosed Car Transport

Monday, June 1st, 2009

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Shipping of exotic vehicles is a relatively new area of the car shipping industry. Vehicles included in this branch of vehicle shipping include antique cars, sports and exotic cars as well as luxury cars.

Most of these vehicles will need an enclosed car shipping protection service. Included as part of this high end service is the use of advanced satellite tracking of all vehicles being shipped to insure their safety and timely delivery. Exotics are usually shipped in state-of-the-art auto transport carrier trucks with unique tie-down systems, massive lift gates, and special coverings to insure the safety of vehicles during transit. With some services, trucks can even be hermetically sealed to further protect the worth of vehicles being shipped.

When choosing a car transport company that deals with high-end shipping, make certain that the company employs a professional crew of mechanics who will be there in case of need any time of the day. Insurance is obviously a big issue in shipping exotic cars and customers should choose wisely who they do business with. A flexible plan that covers all major conceivable problems and then some is a must.

Get Real Regarding Car Shipping Times

Monday, June 1st, 2009

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One thing first time customers need to understand is that when it comes to car shipping companies, there is no next day delivery. It does not work like a courier service or DHL, Fed Ex, the United States Post Office or UPS. The norm is that all dates listed for delivery and even pick-up are generally estimates only. Guarantees of vehicle transport delivery and pick-up dates are exceedingly rare.

Delays are frequent and can be attributed to any number of things, including a big snow storm, brutal traffic and the odd mechanical breakdown. Oddly, the biggest offender in causing vehicle shipping companies to arrive later than expected for a pick-up is not company employees, but other customers. Oftentimes, another customer will show up late for a scheduled pick-up or will attempt to contact the car transport company to alter the pick-up or delivery dates an hour before they are scheduled.

Knowing this will keep you patient going in and will make the process easier for all. Most auto shipping companies are quite busy with any large number of deliveries to make and so it is in their best interest to be within the agreed arrival and or departure time.