Frequently Asked Car Shipping and Automobile Transport Questions

What is car shipping?
Car shipping or automobile transportation is a process that involves a car owner or sender or client, a car shipping company or transporter, and the vehicle or shipment that is scheduled for transit or transport from the point of origination to point of destination, which can be from city to city, state to state, or country to country.

To where can I ship my car?
With modern facilities and technology, you can ship your car to practically anywhere in the world. Before the Internet, car manufacturers were the only ones hiring the services of car shipping companies. Regular car buyers purchased cars within the city or state so that they can just drive home their newly purchased automobiles. Today, however, anyone can make a purchase anywhere. Also, car collectors can scour the world over in search of rare and hard-to-find car models and have them shipped home. Cars are now being shipped to and from the United States to Australia, Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Auto transport services based in different countries team up so that international shipping is possible and convenient.

How much money is involved?
This question is more difficult to answer than it seems because there are so many factors that determine shipping rate. These factors are distance, vehicle weight and specification, shipping route, schedule, shipping method and the types of service. Generally, however, open shipping within the United States should not go beyond $1,000.

Enclosed car shipping is about 75% more expensive than open shipping because cars receive more attention and care as they are hauled exclusively inside a closed and locked cargo container.

Needless to say, car shipping overseas is more expensive than local shipping. Your car covers more distance and receives much more care and attention.

What are the different methods of car shipping?
The most common method is the open multi-car shipping where up to 10 automobiles are stacked on top a carrier truck. Several stops are made along the way, following a specific route.

Enclosed shipping, on the other hand, offers 100% protection as cars are placed inside a closed and locked metal container. Vehicles are tucked perfectly safe from harsh weather conditions and road debris. This method is usually reserved for expensive and rare automobiles such as a Lamborghini, Jaguar and Rolls Royce, as well as antiques and hard-to-find models. Cars arrive at their destination in perfect condition as they were before they were shipped. A variety of enclosed car shipping is rail shipping where cars are hauled inside a rail car.

How can I choose the best car shipping company?

This is a good question since there are so many car shipping companies in the Internet to choose from. There are three practical ways to choose the best transporter. One, ask for car shipping quotes and see which ones fit your budget; two, read on-line car shipping reviews to check a company’s quality of work; and three, check out a company’s authenticity and capacity through the Better Business Bureau or BBB website.

How can I ship my car overseas?

Overseas shipping requires more attention to details and incurs more cost. Most car shipping companies are capable of shipping overseas. All you need to do is ask about it.