People regularly have to ship their vehicles, especially when moving long distances, but choosing the right shipping service can be tricky. With so many different options to choose from, how do you know which company, service, or method to choose? Read on to discover helpful insights on all of that and more.
Methods for Transporting a Vehicle
The rise of online car shopping has led to an influx of remote purchase behavior. In decades past, the thought of buying a vehicle outside of your local market was rare. If you were buying a car from across the country, you were either a celebrity or a sucker. Today, it’s commonplace (and smart).
By looking past your local car dealership and browsing online inventory, your options suddenly expand. You’re no longer limited by local inventory – you can find the best deal no matter where the vehicle is.
However, there’s an entirely new challenge that emerges: how to get the vehicle from Point A to Point B. And you have several options:
- Do it Yourself
The first option is to drive the vehicle yourself. This is probably the least desirable option, as it requires you to fly to the vehicle’s location and then spend several days driving the vehicle back home. This requires you to spend money on flights, gas, hotel stays, and food. It also has the potential to put several hundred/thousand miles on your new vehicle right from the start. By the time you add all of these costs together, you aren’t saving much money.
- Hire a Driver
If you don’t want to drive the vehicle yourself, you could always hire a driver to deliver it to you. There are services that coordinate qualified drivers to bring you the vehicle. You pay them a reasonable fee and they cover all of the gas, lodging, food, etc. (Summer is the easiest time of year to hire a driver. Many people will use this as a cost-effective way to travel across the country.) The downside is that you’re putting miles on the car and someone you’ve never met is driving your vehicle.
- Ship by Rail
Depending on where you live and the routes that exist between you and your vehicle, shipping by rail could be a cost-effective option. The longer the distance, the more the economics of rail shipping make sense. Plus, you don’t have to worry about racking up miles on the vehicle.
- Ship by Truck
Shipping by rail has a few logistical hurdles involved. An easier alternative is to ship by truck, which allows the company to deliver your vehicle to your driveway, office, or local dealership. This is a relatively inexpensive option that puts no additional wear and tear on your car. Whether you are transporting your car across the state, or the nation, you can trust that Interstate Car Carriers has what you need to get your vehicle delivered safely, more details about the company are explained here.
Why Enclosed Shipping is the Way to Go
While every situation has unique circumstances, shipping by truck is often the best and most cost-effective option. And if you’re going to go this route, you have the option of shipping in an open container or a closed container.
Here are some reasons why enclosed shipping is the best choice:
- Better protection. When you ship in an open container, the vehicle is exposed to all of the elements. This could include rain, wind, sleet, snow, hail, and flying road debris (like rocks and pebbles). With enclosed shipping, you don’t have to worry about anything happening. You’re fully protected from the outside elements.
- More reliable shipping partner. For the most part, companies that offer enclosed auto shipping services exhibit the highest degree of reliability and professionalism. You can think of them as a white-glove service, whereas your average open-air auto shipper is a more budget-friendly service provider.
- Peace of mind. At the end of the day, enclosed shipping provides greater peace of mind for everyone involved. And even if it costs you a few bucks more than another option, it’s money well spent.
As you can see, enclosed shipping is the preferred method of transporting a vehicle across state lines. Whether it’s a new car, luxury vehicle, or vintage ride, enclosed shipping is the smart option for discerning buyers.
Adding it All Up
When it comes to transporting a vehicle, you have options. From doing it yourself to hiring a company to handle the logistics on your behalf, there are plenty of methods out there. But if the goal is to get the vehicle from its current location to its final destination with full protection and total confidence, enclosed auto shipping is the way to go! Give it a try and you’ll never look at car buying the same way again.
