With shipping costs continuing to rise, many people are looking for ways to cut the cost of shipping their cars. So to help you find the best way to reduce the cost of shipping your car, we’ve put together this simple guide to the most common ways of cutting those costs.
Do I Have to Ship my Car?
It’s important to consider whether or not you actually need to send your vehicle away. If you don’t absolutely need your car shipped then you can probably just drop it off at an auto transport company and they will pick it up from wherever you leave them with no additional charge!
In some cases, though, it may be worth sending your car out because if something happens whilst en-route then insurance won’t cover repairs done in another country. Also when shipping cars overseas it is often cheaper than having them repaired locally so if you’re unsure, get advice on what options might work best for you from your local mechanic or dealership before making any decisions.
How do I Choose which Option works Best for Me?
There are three different types of companies that offer auto transportation services – trucking companies, motor carriers, and freight forwarders. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages but ultimately the main factors for the cost to ship a car and quality of service.
Trucking Companies
These companies usually operate large trucks and trailers themselves rather than relying on other companies to provide these vehicles. They also tend to move more volume per day than smaller competitors. As a result, they usually have lower rates as well as better availability. The downside here however is that there’s little flexibility around dates and times of delivery.
Motor Carriers
Motor carriers typically use smaller vans and semi-trailers and generally move less volume each week. This means that they tend to have higher prices with fewer discounts available. However, they’ll normally try harder to accommodate changes in schedule requests.
In addition, they will almost always give you good estimates upfront about how much time it will take to deliver your car. Be sure to factor all of this into your decision. Finally, motor carriers are able to make deliveries outside normal business hours whereas trucking companies cannot unless specifically requested by customers.
Freight Forwarders
Freight forwarding companies act between shippers/receivers and brokers who arrange shipments through multiple carriers. It can sometimes be difficult to determine exactly what kind of carrier you’re dealing with until after payment has been made.
Typically, freight forwards will require full details of shipment including date, destination, type of cargo, etc. Once paid for, they will contact the appropriate carrier based on your instructions and negotiate to price. A lot depends upon the needs, size & weight of your shipment, location, distance travelled, etc. Again, it pays to shop around prior to paying anything. Some reputable firms will even allow you to track your package online throughout the process.
Know the different types of shipping methods :
1) Air Freight – When the airfreight method is used, your goods will travel via plane without being loaded onto a trailer or container. You should pay extra attention to ensure that items are packed correctly to avoid damage during transit. Most importantly, pack items securely using bubble wrap and packing tape. Items must remain intact while traveling; otherwise, the airline may refuse to accept the item.
2) Ocean Freight – Similar to air freight, ocean freight uses ships instead of planes to ship products. Packages arrive by sea containers. Containers are stacked one on top of another inside a warehouse. Shipment procedures vary depending on the product and the company handling the shipment. For example, packages containing fragile glassware could be broken down into several separate pieces for safe storage within the container.
3) Road Freight – Goods transported by road freights are carried in closed trailers pulled behind larger tractor units. These trailers hold only enough space to fit one palletized load. Often, they carry heavy loads over long distances such as across oceans. An advantage of road freight is that the cargo does not need to go through customs clearance processes. Customs checks are generally performed once the goods reach the final destination port.
4) Rail Freight – Railway freight moves goods by train. Sometimes called “containerization”, rail freight operates similarly to ocean freight in that goods are placed in sealed railway wagons. The main difference is that the goods do not leave the country when shipped by rail. Instead, cargo is taken from the station where it was unloaded at its origin point, reloaded onto trains bound for other destinations, then delivered again back home.
Choose the Right Car Shipping Company
The first step towards saving money on shipping is choosing a reliable freight forwarder. This is often done before any work is started. Make sure that the firm you choose offers good customer service and quality services.
They should also provide quotations that include all necessary information about the shipment, like the delivery address, time frame, estimated charges, insurance coverage, tracking numbers, etc. If possible, you might want to have them send you samples of various quotes so that you can compare rates offered by different providers. By doing so, you’ll get an idea of whether there’s room for savings.
Insurance Options for Car Shipping
Car shipping insurance is available if you wish to cover yourself against the damage. However, these policies usually don’t offer much protection unless the value of the vehicle exceeds $50,000. There are some exceptions, however, such as when transporting high-end luxury vehicles. In addition to covering damages caused by natural causes, the policy would also protect against theft and loss due to fire or collision.
In order to make sure you receive maximum benefits from your auto transport provider, look for companies offering comprehensive insurance covers. They will typically give you more peace of mind knowing that all risks associated with moving your automobile are covered.
Make sure you know how Much it will Cost to Ship a Car
There are two major factors that affect the overall cost to ship a car – the number of miles traveled and the total weight of the shipment. While both of these elements play important roles in determining the actual rate charged, they shouldn’t be considered separately. Rather, they should be analyzed together to generate accurate estimates of shipping expenses.
If you already know how far each leg of the journey will take, you can use that figure in conjunction with the weight of the shipment to calculate approximate shipping costs. Then, simply multiply the number of miles times the average per-mile rate to obtain a rough estimate of the total expense involved. If you still aren’t sure how much it will cost, ask your car transport company for a quote.
Ask for Discounts
While getting cheap prices may seem appealing, remember that bargain hunting could end up costing you big bucks down the road. To avoid paying too much, check out what your preferred carrier has to say about special deals and incentives. For example, sometimes carriers offer discounted rates based on volume orders. And since the majority of shippers charge flat fees regardless of the size of shipments, it stands to reason that larger loads tend to result in lower bills.
