Six surefire tips in choosing the best auto transport company
Six surefire tips in choosing the best auto transport company
Moving your car to a new location means two options; drive it yourself or hire an auto transport service company. Now driving can be enjoyable if you have the time and energy to do it, but for most of us busy mortals, getting an auto transport would be a better option.
There are a lot of advantages in getting a car mover to transport your car; firstly, you remove the hassle from your shoulders. Imagine how much time, energy and fuel you will have to spend in driving the car yourself. Secondly, car movers are experts in this business and you remove a lot of the possibility of things going wrong if you leave your car to them, than if you drive it yourself. That leads us to the big question; how do you choose an auto transport company? Now that is a legitimate question considering that there are a lot of companies to choose from, so here are some tips:
1. Know the company
Since there are so many car movers around, you must choose the one that you can fully trust to ship your priced possession. Research the reputation of a company by asking around forums and reading blogs and user reviews. You can also go to the Better Business Bureau's website and search for reports from previous customers. Doing this will give you a list of company names that has attained notoriety in the business. List these names down and contact them and ask for a car moving quote.
2. Ask and compare auto transport quotes
After you have made a list of some famous company names, contact each of them and ask for a free auto transport quote. If you don't want to use the phone, you can go to their corresponding websites and fill in the quote form which will generate a shipping quote. Compare these quotes and choose a company that you can afford. Don't forget to negotiate the price because these are not written in stone. Companies are willing to give you discounts if you know how to haggle.
3. Make sure your car is insured
When shipping a car, you have make sure that it is insured. You don't want to run the risk of paying for repairs in case something wrong happens to the trip. Now just because your car isn't driven doesn't mean there are no risks. There are still plenty of risks because your car will be moved up and down the cargo truck and will travel for hundreds of miles until it reaches your destination. Between your point of origin and your destination, there are a lot of things that can happen so you better be prepared.
4. Ask if the company has a tracking system
A tracking system is a common feature for auto transporters nowadays so your company should have it. In case it doesn't, then that is a sign for you to look for another company. A tracking system is very important because it will give you an idea as to where your car is at a given point in time and it will give you the peace of mind instead of just waiting blindly.
5. Ask if there is a guaranteed delivery date
You have to ask for a guaranteed delivery date in order to know when to expect your car. Along with the tracking system, it is now easier to foresee when your car will be arriving so spend less time waiting. You have to remember though, that even with all the technologies around, it's still difficult to guarantee a delivery date in this business so you better go easy on your car mover if they get late in their delivery.
6. Closed or open carrier
This is another thing that you have to consider. For most shipping needs, an open carrier will suffice. This is the standard transport system and can be trusted enough, except that your car will be exposed to the natural elements if you use this. If you have some special needs like when you are shipping a luxury car, you better opt for a closed carrier. With a closed carrier, your car will be well protected because it will be placed in a special container which will serve as its garage while in transit.
Driving your car to your new location is just too much like work therefore, hiring an auto transport company is the better option. If you follow these tips choosing a car move will definitely become an easier task.