Shipping is a popular option many buyers choose when taking delivery, especially if you don't have the time to fly or drive to us and pick up your vehicle in person. The expense of shipping is often offset by other savings factors. When you do the math, you may realize that due to variances in regional pricing and vehicle availability, it's often more cost-effective to buy a vehicle from outside of your area and have it shipped to you, than it is to buy it in your market area!
You can shop around for shipping--and you may be able to get a cheaper quote than we do (more on that later.) If you don't want to deal with it, you can chill--we are happy to arrange transportation to any of the 50 states, on one of our reliable and preferred carriers. While the process is not that complicated, there is a lot to know. Probably more than you want to know. But, since we like our customers to be well educated on the process, here are some tips which will help you become a "near-expert" on the topic of automotive shipping. You'll also be able to completely bore and/or annoy several people at your next party:
Generally, there are three types of shipping available:
Professional Drive-Away service can be an excellent choice for shorter intrastate deliveries. This requires a bit more definition though. By "professional drive-away" service, we are referring to established companies who have a regular staff of bonded professional drivers. These drivers are highly trained and screened, and they transport vehicles daily for a living. They pick up your vehicle at our facility and drive it directly to your home location, or one you specify.
You will pay a set fee, which typically includes a preset per diem for food (and overnight hotel stays if required.) You will also be billed for all fuel and any vehicle related expenses, such as repairs or maintenence (if required) along the way. You must pay for a return airline ticket for the driver, along with paying for or providing transportation for the driver to the airport. Finally, a gratuity is traditionally given to the driver for good, on time service. Obviously, on a multi-day trip this can become rather expensive, so professional drive-away services are best used for shorter, between-city intrastate trips, or when the vehicle needs to get to the new owner quickly--as in the same day. Advantages can include similar or sometimes lower total cost than a short haul intrastate open carrier, but with fast or even same day pick up and delivery! Disadvantages include additional miles on your vehicle, normal exposure to road hazards and weather in transit, and sometimes a more limited delivery range.
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INSIDER INFO:
Professional drivaway services should NOT be mistaken with publicly brokered drive-away companies such as "Auto Driveaway". This company and others like it, simply recruit anyone with a pulse, usually through Craigslist or a local newspaper, to drive your new car. So unless you like the idea of handing your new car over to a total stranger whose driving skills and hygeine may be suspect and who has no real reason to take care of your vehicle, DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER using these publicly brokered services. We NEVER use such services and WILL NOT knowingly release your new vehicle to any driver who is found to be participating in a publicly brokered arrangement.
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An Open Carrier works well for longer intrastate distances or economical cross-country shipping. Many carriers have an excellent track record, and advantages include relatively low cost per mile for longer distance deliveries and minimal additional mileage on your vehicle. Disadvantages can include possible damage from loading or unloading, weather elements such as hail, or chips/dings due to road debris, such as small rocks. And even though your vehicle will leave our facility freshly detailed, if it is traveling far at all, depending on the weather, chances are it will become pretty dirty on the outside during open carrier transport. Finally, unless you've made sure your bid is attractive enough to make the driver honor it in a timely fashion, you could be facing a long delay for your vehicle.
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INSIDER INFO:
There are several excellent vehicle shipping companies in the U.S., and most of them own and operate their own vehicle fleets with staff drivers. There are also many companies calling themselves "carriers" who are actually just shipping brokers. Some are very conscientious, some are NOT. It is a good idea to ask if the company you're talking to owns and operates their fleet, or if they are a broker. This will immediately identify you as someone who knows enough to be dangerous.
Get ready to be dangerous!:
Brokers usually use independent drivers or sometimes smaller regional carriers, who bid on "loads" or individual cars needing transport. Often, drivers will quote very low rates to brokers in order to attract initial cars for a load. Later, they may give priority to picking up and transporting higher cost or more efficiently routed deliveries once their carriers begin to fill up. If this happens, you may find that your pick up and delivery is delayed by a substantial amount of time. We've heard of times in excess of three weeks--and of vehicles which were NEVER picked up at all. If time is of the essence and you are delayed significantly, a shipping broker may even suggest that you increase your bid in order to secure quicker pick up and delivery. You may have no choice but to do this or cancel your delivery entirely and rebook on another carrier, which can waste money and valuable time. This is why the lowest bid doesn't always end up being a good deal. In reality, a low bid delivered weeks late can end up costing you more than a higher initial bid that is delivered on time!
By the way, most brokers generally charge YOU a fee, which they often refer to as a "deposit." It IS a fee, make no mistake! You can usually pay that with a credit card. Be aware, however, it is the actual shipping charge you'll need to pay the driver upon delivery of your vehicle, using a Certified Cashier's Check. Most drivers WILL NOT release a vehicle using any other payment method. NEVER give a driver cash for the shipping charge! You may give a cash tip if you feel the driver provided timely and exceptional service.
Delivery time may not matter to you if you are not in a hurry to receive your vehicle. In that case, you may want to tell your shipping broker or carrier that you are willing to have a longer delivery time if you can save money. When accepting a very low bid (one that is well below others), make sure you understand ALL costs and terms, and try to get a "maximum" timetable for delivery first! Many will not guarantee shipping times--for good reason. Ask the carrier if the bid is binding. MAKE SURE YOU ASK YOUR CARRIER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AND ASSUME NOTHING!!
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Enclosed Carriers usually offer "white glove service" or more careful handling of your investment. Many of these enclosed carriers companies own and operate their own fleets and have regular staff drivers. Advantages include protection from weather elements or road debris damage, minimal handling once the vehicle is loaded in the trailer and limited exposure during transit, and NO additional road mileage on your vehicle. The disadvantage of enclosed carrier transport is higher cost. However, for high-value, rare, or exotic vehicles, (especially convertibles,) we strongly recommend this type of transport. Plus, your vehicle will generally arrive in the same highly detailed condition as when it left our facility. Delivery timetables tend to be much shorter with enclosed carriers.
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INSIDER INFO:
To prevent cloth top damage or paint damage from other vehicles leaking fluids, convertibles and high-value or exotic vehicles should NEVER be shipped on Open Carrier unless a top row space can be reserved (often at extra cost.) You should also request that your vehicle be loaded toward the back of the carrier in order to minimize exposure to soot from the truck's diesel exhaust and road debris being kicked up. Again, we strongly suggest using a Closed Carrier when shipping ANY convertible, exotic, or high-value vehicle!
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Safe and timely intrastate and interstate vehicle transport requires working with responsible carriers, available in the right location at the right time, within an acceptable price range. Therefore, carriers need to be contacted as early in the buying process as possible and carefully vetted to assure quality service and the timely arrival of your vehicle at your destination. It isn't a difficult task--but it does take some time and you will want to stay in frequent contact with your shipper to monitor their progress. You can check out many carriers and read customer comments/complaints about them using "Google."
If you have questions or would like to hand it off to us and have your Customer Service Specialist arrange shipping for you, just ask. We are happy to handle all communication and we contract only the most reliable and safe carriers; those with a good track record of on-time pick up and on-time, damage-free delivery. And because we are a higher volume customer, carriers tend to take us a little more seriously when it comes to working out delivery issues. They like our business!
Do it yourself or have us handle it...either way, we are here to make your shipping experience safe, quick, and as easy as possible!
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