Car Shipping
There may be many reasons that you want to ship your car. You may be moving across the country and can’t drive it, or it may be a classic car that you don’t want to drive it that far. You might have sold it to someone across the country and they don’t want to come and pick it up. All of these are good reasons to ship your car.
There is information that you will need before you choose to move your car. You will want to get a quote about how much it will cost you. There are other questions that you need to ask before you get that quote.
There are many companies that can give you this information. You could get Roadrunner car shipping quotes online to get more information. They could help you with a quote and other information that you might need.
This article will help you to learn some of the questions that you should ask before you get a quote. It will also help you with some of the answers that you should get. You could also do more research to find out more information.
Questions You Should Ask
- Are They Registered? The carrier should be registered with the Department of Transportation at the very least. They should also have a DOT number that they can show you to prove they are registered. If they ship autos across the ocean, they should also be registered with the Federal Maritime Commission.
- What Services Do They Offer? Asking about the services the carrier offers will let you know if they have restrictions about what vehicles they can transport. It will also let you know if they have open or closed transports so that you can decide which you want: ajot.com/news/6-types-of-vehicle-transport-services. They might also only be able to transport regionally and not be able to get your vehicle across the country.
- What Are the Costs? The rates of auto transport companies vary a great deal. Call a few different companies so that you can compare the prices that they quote you. Make sure that you don’t go to the cheapest company, but compare the services they offer, as well.
- What Insurance Do They Have?Your standard car insurance probably won’t cover your vehicle if it is shipped across the country. Ask the shipping company if they have insurance that will cover your auto if something happens. They should have this type of insurance that protects all the vehicles that they transport.
- What Documents Do You Need? Make sure that you ask about the documents that you might need before transporting. You will need to have your title and registration, your personal identification, and insurance information to begin with. The company might also require more information from you.
- How Do You Get the Car Ready for Shipping?Remove all your personal items from your vehicle before transport. It is also a good idea to clean your car inside and out to make sure that there is no damage. See here to find out what else should do to get the auto ready. Take pictures to show what is there and what isn’t so that if there is damage, you have proof.
- How Long Will Shipping Take? This will vary from one transport company to another, so ask how long it will take. It should generally take about one or two weeks to ship across the country. This can’t be guaranteed because of things that could happen on the way such as a mechanical breakdown.
- What are the Payment Arrangements? Again, this varies with each company because they each have their own policies. Some will want the total amount of money up front, while others want a down payment with the rest due upon delivery. Some might want payments by credit or debit cards, while others may accept cash or checks.
- How Can You Make Sure My Car is Safe?This is where taking pictures of your car comes into play. You will also need to go over the vehicle with the carrier to make sure that they also see what it looks like before placed on the transport. Then when it arrives at its destination, you can compare to see if there is any damage.
- What if My Car Does Get Damaged?Since you have gone over your car with the carrier, you will know when there is damage. This can be documented by the driver so that you can get satisfaction from the carrier. They should have insurance so that the damage will be paid for, and you will be able to get your vehicle repaired.
Conclusion
These are just some of the questions you need to ask before you get a quote for shipping your auto across the country. Asking these questions will help to assure you that you are picking the right company to do the job. You can make sure that you will get the service that you need and that the company will fulfill their obligations.