When driving a car across the country isn’t possible or desirable, shipping a car can save time, as well as wear and tear on your vehicle.
Whether you’re relocating to a new job, a snowbird heading south for the winter or a student moving to campus, hiring a professional automobile hauler can get your car where it needs to go — sometimes, for less than you might think.
Shipping can also be an option if you buy a car that’s far from home — or, as I recently learned, if a road trip is cut short unexpectedly.
Here’s what to know about using an auto carrier to get your vehicle from Point A to Point B.
How do I find an automobile carrier?
The most common way to find a car hauler is to seek quotes from a broker, rather than directly contacting shippers, known in the industry as carriers, said Ryan Carrigan, a co-founder of moveBuddha, a moving services comparison website. When consumers move a household full of belongings, he said, customers typically call moving companies directly to get quotes because the pricing for such orders is complex. But pricing for a car is more straightforward, and there are thousands of automobile carriers, many of them sole operators that own one or two trucks and often lack websites, Mr. Carrigan said.
Using a broker, he said, can be a more efficient way to find an available hauler to service your route, and to compare pricing. Brokers post the job and take a fee — a flat amount, or a percentage of the shipping cost — for their service; carriers in their network bid on it, so consumers can benefit from competition.
How much does it cost to ship a car?
It’s typical to pay about 59 cents per mile, said Mark Scholl, executive vice president of operations and retail sales at Montway Auto Transport, an Illinois broker. But various factors affect the price you’ll pay for your specific car and route.
Smaller cars, like compact sedans, typically cost less because they weigh less — which means the carrier will burn less fuel — and take up less space on the transport rig. Large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks typically cost more. Fuel prices and tolls also affect the cost.
The origin and destination of your car’s route play a major role in pricing. If you’re in a major market, say, New York City, and the car is headed to another well-traveled area, you’ll probably get a lower price because more carriers will be available to bid for the job. If your destination is rural, expect to pay more.
“The most important factors are where is the truck now and where is it headed?” Mr. Carrigan said.
The time of year is also important, said Dan Hilton, executive director of the American Trucking Associations’ Moving and Storage Conference. “Summer is peak moving season,” he said.
If you can be flexible about your pickup and delivery dates, your price is likely to be better; if you need the car by a hard deadline, prepare to pay more.
Many brokers have online tools that can estimate your cost based on the ZIP codes at origin and destination. To get a firmer quote, you can enter details of your car, like its make and model.
Christopher Gillam, 39, a software developer, said he and his wife, Abby, had recently shipped two vehicles from Sacramento to Dallas, where she is starting a new job. They have three cars, a 2-year-old son and two dogs — and briefly considered shipping one car and driving the other two in a caravan, which would have drastically lengthened the time and expense of their trip.
Instead, they shipped two cars, and his wife flew ahead with their son. Mr. Gillam drove the third car with the dogs — an elderly black Lab/shar-pei mix and a Border collie mix — riding shotgun. It cost about $1,000 per car, he said, using a carrier arranged by Montway, and the vehicles arrived in about five days.
How can I tell if a broker is reputable?
Many auto brokers market themselves online. At a minimum, check broker websites for their Department of Transportation, or D.O.T., number, often posted discreetly in the lower right-hand corner. You can use the number to search the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website to confirm the broker is properly licensed and insured.
In addition, look for brokers that have a substantial track record and robust websites, and check customer reviews.
Mr. Hilton recommended getting multiple quotes and being cautious with bids that are much lower than the others. An outlier quote could mean a carrier is submitting a lowball bid, intending to add a fee later, he said.
Mr. Scholl at Montway echoed that sentiment. “If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is,” he said.
Is my car insured?
Carriers are required to have insurance that covers damage from accidents on the road, and brokers typically verify that the hauler’s coverage is active. Some brokers may also carry extra insurance to protect your car as well. Your personal auto policy may also cover damage in some situations; it’s best to check your policy ahead of time.
It’s also wise to take photographs of your car before it’s shipped, if the carrier doesn’t. Inspect it when it’s delivered, and document any damage promptly; some carriers require that you file a claim within 24 hours of delivery.
How long will it take for my car to arrive?
It could be a couple of days, or a couple of weeks. That depends on factors like carrier availability, the origin and drop-off points, and traffic and weather. In general, the longer the route, the more challenging it will be to pinpoint the delivery time, said Nels Larsen, head of government affairs at RunBuggy, an auto shipping broker based in Tempe, Ariz.
Some consumers like to put a digital tracker in their car so they can monitor its progress, said Jason Clark, director of sales at Realtor.com, where he oversees its moving services site, Moving.com. But brokers said that might lead to confusion because the rig might make stops along the way. Most carriers will text you updates on the estimated arrival time so you can plan to be available.
Can I use a shipper if my car has broken down?
Yes, but you may have to shop around, or pay extra, if the vehicle isn’t operable, because haulers have to use a winch to load and unload the vehicle, which takes more time. I learned about this over the summer when my car’s radiator failed halfway through a road trip that was expected to take about three days.
The damage happened on a Friday, and the garage we towed it to couldn’t repair it until the next week. After considering the cost of a hotel, and responsibilities waiting at home, we left the car to be fixed and finished the trip in a rental. Once home, we got quotes from a couple of brokers and arranged to have the car shipped when the repairs were completed. We paid $750, including the broker fee, for a distance of about 700 miles. The carrier picked it up at the service center, and it arrived at our house, in good shape, two days later (thanks to Ship a Car).
The post How to Ship Your Car (and Why It May Save You Time and Money) appeared first on New York Times.
