There are about 235 million licensed drivers in the United States. Given the volume of drivers, vehicles are naturally delivered across states and regions. Though this is a quite normal procedure, many people find the cost of the process unknown.
These days, it’s very easy to get an estimate cost thanks to certain tools. For instance, the car shipping cost calculator by Road Runner Auto Transport allows you to figure out how much you’ll spend on shipping your car. However, these calculators do not usually reveal how those cost figures are arrived at. Therefore, this piece will discuss the factors that determine the final cost and everything else you need to know.
Factors Affecting Vehicle Shipping Cost
The cost of vehicle transportation is influenced by several factors, including:
- Distance: The transportation cost will be higher if the distance is far.
- Shipping Method: Open and enclosed transportation are the two main ways to ship a car. While your automobile will be exposed to weather elements, the former is less expensive. The latter is more expensive, but the elements won’t touch your vehicle.
- Shipping Firm: The shipping cost will be greatly influenced by the firm you choose. In what sense you might ask? Every organization has different pricing rules; therefore, you should expect variations in costs.
- Type of Vehicle: The type of vehicle you are moving will largely determine the shipping costs. Delivery of a premium car, for example, will cost more than a regular one. Prepare to pay more, then, if your car is vintage, classic, or antique.
- Season: Some times of the year make it challenging to get from one location to the other. This causes individuals to move when the weather is nice, particularly in summer. In turn, the demand is higher during the summer than winter. You should anticipate a cost increase during such high-demand seasons.
- Additional Services: Some of these transportation companies offer additional services, such as vehicle detailing or roadside assistance. If you choose these services, be advised that shipping costs may be increased.
Hidden Fees You Should Check for When You Ship Your Car
You have to be careful to identify hidden fees when you plan to ship your vehicle. Ignoring them could result in paying far more than is reasonable. Check for:
- Costs related to pick-up and delivery: While it’s a normal fee, some businesses could overstate the real cost.
- Storage fees: Should you neglect to have your car ready for shipment as when required, you will pay this penalty.
- Insurance: Although rare, insurance will enable you to get paid should your automobile go missing or destroyed. Make sure the company is not deceiving you on their coverage’s real cost.
- Fuel surcharge: Auto transport companies set this in place to help cover rising gasoline prices.
- Extra services: A few auto transportation companies offer vehicle detailing or roadside assistance. You can read this article to learn more about vehicle detailing. Once a client employs these services, the shipping costs might be higher.
These tips will help you avoid the above-mentioned hidden fees:
- Carefully review the agreement deal: As you are getting estimates, closely review the agreement deal. If you are thorough enough, you might discover these hidden fees within the agreement.
- Find out about all the likely costs: Ask an auto transport company about all the related costs of their services. This is only one approach a reliable auto shipping company may set itself apart from a dubious business. Fees such as storage costs, insurance, fuel surcharges might be part of these costs.
- Prepare to negotiate: Make sure you negotiate if you come across a price a firm quote to be unacceptable. Many companies will work with you to identify a price you would be reasonable with.
Following these rules will allow you to avoid hidden vehicle shipping costs.
Getting the Right Car Shipping Quote
Though it can be challenging, it is not impossible to get an accurate projection for the movement of your car. We highly advise you to do thorough research and also evaluate the quotes you will receive from various companies. Use these tips to simplify the process:
- Get quotes from several companies: The best approach to get the right estimate is to collect pricing quotes from at least three different companies. This can help you to identify which company offers the best bargain.
- Never hide relevant details from the company: Many people make the mistake of not being open while transporting their car. You shouldn’t behave like this. If the company asks for specifics about your location or car, tell them. By doing this, the quotation will match the service they will provide.
- Be flexible with your shipment dates: If you are flexible with your moving dates, you may be able to negotiate better rates.
- Consider off-season shipping: This is a great way to reduce shipping costs. You can visit https://homebay.com/ to find out the best moving period according to experts. Usually, this is the case when demand is low and prices are also low.
Conclusion
Shipping your car might be somewhat difficult, especially considering the costs. Once you understand the factors the determine cost, it becomes less challenging. We’ve revealed all the information you need to know about car shipping costs in this article.
