How to Find Cheap Car Transport For Your Vehicle

April 20, 2010

Finding cheap car transport is not easy. But there are ways by which you can find transport companies that will move your car form one locality to another. You can start by short listing car moving companies and getting in touch with them for more details.

Step No 1- Short Listing Car Moving Companies

You can find several car moving companies listed on the Internet, in the Yellow Pages and even in the local craigslist ads of a community. Make sure you check the telephone numbers of every company you have chosen to move your car. Call each to make sure they transport cars to your destination city. Some carriers also have limitation on the size of the vehicle that can be transported and the weight of the car. This is especially applicable if you are moving your car internationally.

Step No 2- Cheap Auto Transport Quotes

Once you have a complete list of the companies you like, get in touch with them for quotes. Nearly every company will have a free quote policy where you are offered a reasonable discount for signing on with the company. Car transport online quotes should be used only as a guide though. This is because the websites may have automatic calculators that have not been updated for a long time. You may have to pay additional fees when the cheap car vehicle shipping company actually weighs your car for transport. Make sure you check what the quote involves before you sign in. Please ask for quotes from at least three companies and then make a decision.

Step No 3- Licensing of the Company

Make sure the company is licensed to move your car through large distances. The company should be registered with the local state Department of Transportation. The number should also be printed on the trucks that carry out the transportation. The company that is offering you really great discounts might not be registered with the State Department and you could lose your vehicle if the company is a scam.

Step No 4- Check for Hidden Costs

If the car shipping company offers really cheap transportation, find out whether there are any hidden charges you will have to pay on the eventual transportation. Check to see whether the company has hidden costs included in the online quote like insurance fees, one time upfront fees, hold back check fees, administration costs, and length of trip and storage costs. Negotiate these fees beforehand and then sign the contract.

Step No 5- Type of Car Shipping Involved

A few car companies will move cars in the form of double-tiered road transports. Other companies may move cars in the form of shipping from one destination to another and then transporting them by road to your eventual destination city. Please check to find out which route is employed by the car transport company you have chosen. Terminal to terminal shipping is always the best and the cheapest. Most car companies will also offer you a terminal window. This means you may get the car a few days before or after the set date. For example, if the carrier company said fourteen days, that means you will get your car either seven days before the final date or seven days after. This ensures you get your car within a set date. But please be warned that the cheaper the car shipping company, the longer the terminal set date. That means you might have to wait five to seven weeks for your car.

Before you sign any kind of contract, make sure you check with the company completely. You will easily find a cheap car transport company, but make sure you do not get cheated in the process.

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