10 Key Benefits of Auto Transport Services

Harish Makam

04 Apr 2023 1 year ago


Hiring auto transport services can be one of the best decisions that you can make for shipping your car to other state.

Essentially, auto transport services are service-providing agencies that take responsibility for relocating your car or vehicle from the source to the destination.

Now you would say that why can we take our own car to the new place as we relocate. Of course, you can but that would cost a lot of money, and a complete idea of a reliable route, all of it creating a hectic drive for yourself. But when you hire an auto transport service for relocating your vehicle, they make it an easier and more cost-effective experience for you. 

Ten benefits of hiring auto transport services

  1. Convenience and Time-Saving

Relocating to a new place can be an overwhelming experience for you, so share some load of transporting your car. Get in touch with an auto transport service that can help you by transporting your car for you. It is definitely convenient and saves you time that might go into preparing for driving your car to the new place.

  1. Cost-Effective Shipping Options

When it comes to transporting your car via a car shipping service, you can always look for shipping options that do not burn a hole in your pocket. A shipping company will offer you a variety of shipping options depending on your budget. So, with the right choices, you can get your car relocated within your estimated cost because usually hiring a driver or driving car by yourself can be tedious and would require a lot of fuel and overall information about the route to not get delayed.

  1. Professional Handling and Care

The auto transport services are experts at car hauling from one place to another, so it is easier to trust professionals with your precious car. A reliable and reputable car shipping company will take care of your car just like their own car without disappointing you at any step of the car shipping process.

  1. Safety and Security

Car shipping agencies take a huge responsibility of relocating your car from source to destination so they ensure the safety and security of your car/ vehicle at all costs. Firstly, they hire only reliable and experienced carriers after a thorough background check to control the risk of any theft or vandalism during the transit. As these auto transport services deal with multiple carriers who drive over various routes, they tend to create a strong network of fellow carriers, making it easy for them to be updated on any diversions or closures on the designated route. If you drive your own car, you may not be able to navigate forthcoming issues on the road, which can cause fatigue and delay your journey to the new city/ state or country.

  1. Wide Range of Vehicle Types and Models

An experienced auto shipping service provider will have the knowledge and skill to handle different ranges and models of vehicles. They understand the special requirements of every type of vehicle that they need to relocate. Involving a vehicle hauling service provider is like hiring an expert to get the job done. You rest assured about the preparation, care, and overall management required by your vehicle during the transit.

  1. Flexible Shipping Options

An auto shipping company understands that you might have special needs for relocating your dearest vehicle. So, all top-rated vehicle hauling services offer you different options for shipping such as open shipping, enclosed shipping, or even type of delivery between door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal transport. You can pick the one that suits your vehicle the best, or if you are not able to make a choice then, reach out to the auto shipping team and they will surely assist you with it by weighing the pros and cons of various available options.

  1. Door-to-Door Shipping

If you are shipping your vehicle for the first time via a vehicle hauling service then you must go for the door-to-door shipping option. In this type of transport, you will experience hassle-free pickup and delivery of your vehicle as through this type, the carrier will pick up the vehicle from your doorstep and deliver it to the destination address, without you having to worry about picking up or delivering your vehicle for transport, saving your time and all the extra effort. All you need to do is coordinate with the carrier for the pickup and delivery of your vehicle.

  1. No Wear and Tear on Your Vehicle

Driving your vehicle over long distances can depreciate the value and overall finesse of your vehicle, so when you let an auto transport service relocate your vehicle, it keeps your vehicle’s value intact without causing any wear and tear. So, hiring an auto transport service can be one way to ensure the long life of your vehicle.

  1. Insurance Coverage

Humans are bound to make errors and while on road, there is always a risk of accidents but when you engage with a car shipping service they offer your large insurance coverage that can be claimed in case of any accident that causes loss or damage to your car’s parts during the transit from source to destination.

  1. Peace of Mind

When you hire a reliable and reputable car shipping company for relocating your vehicle, then half of your stress goes away. Whether you are moving across the city, state, or country, all the legalities and documentation are taken care of by the company representative, relieving you of all the hassle so that you can be at peace and prepare yourself to relocate to a new place.

Enclosed Auto Transport: The Ultimate Protection for Your Vehicle

Enclosed auto transport is one of the many shipping options that you can opt for your vehicle. It is a type of shipping in which the trailer truck is closed from all sides, ensuring maximum protection for your vehicle from external elements like harsh sunlight, dust, dirt, and debris. As it requires highly experienced carriers and is not readily available, so enclosed auto shipping can be an expensive choice that will offer the highest level of protection to your vehicle.

Open Auto Transport: Cost-Effective Shipping for Your Car

If you are looking for the cheapest and most commonly used shipping method for relocating your vehicle, then open auto shipping must be your choice. This type of shipping includes an open trailer truck that can load multiple (up to 10 cars) at once, depending on the size and weight of the vehicles. It is a very cost-effective shipping choice especially when you are planning to relocate multiple cars at once. However, you must remember that an open trailer exposes your vehicle to external elements.

Door-to-Door Car Shipping: The Most Convenient Option for Vehicle Transport

If you are shipping your car away for the first time, then door-to-door vehicle shipping is the most convenient and manageable choice. Under this type, the carrier will pick up your car from the given address and deliver it to the destination address without any hassle. If you always thought that car shipping is such a daunting and tiring process then, door-to-door vehicle shipping will wash this myth away. All you need to do is coordinate with your designated carrier to ensure that you are present during the pick-up and delivery of the car so that you can compare the state of your car from pickup to delivery.

Terminal-to-Terminal Car Shipping: The Affordable Alternative for Car Hauling

If you are a person who is well-versed with the routes and places at the source and the destination, then you can save some money by opting for terminal-to-terminal car shipping. In this type, you are required to drop off your car at the company’s terminal which is closest to your house, and then, pick up your car once it is delivered to the closest terminal at your given destination. This can be the right choice for people who live in gated and highly secured societies/ colonies because in such areas, getting permission for the entry of a trailer truck may not be possible. However, you must ensure that you have a ride to and back from the company terminals as these are often located on the outskirts of the city.

Expedited Car Shipping: Fast and Reliable Transport for Your Vehicle

We understand that there might be times when you would want your car’s delivery to be at the earliest. Urgency can be a major factor during the relocation of your car. So, for such times, you can pay an extra sum to opt for expedited car shipping. This type of shipping basically fast-tracks your car delivery as per the time constraints mentioned by you. So, in short, even if you want a quick delivery, you can still choose to approach a car shipping company to do the job for you.

Cross-Country Car Transport: Transporting Your Vehicle Across the USA

Shipping your car across the country calls for going through multiple stages of documentation and approvals that might overwhelm you. So we suggest you get in touch with a car shipping company to ease this process. Their team will assist you throughout the process by keeping a check on the documents you must submit and how to prepare your car for such a long cross-country transit.

Choosing the Right Auto Transport Company

Once you decide on approaching a car shipping service provider for your vehicle; you must look for the following things so that you pick the right and reliable company that protects your car at all costs.

  • Experience

Since you will be giving away your priced possession, you must always prefer car shipping agencies that have been in the industry for a considerable amount of time. Over the years, the company’s network gets larger and stronger making it easy for you to trust and rely on them.

  • Look for license/registration details

Every car shipping company is approved by the Department of Transportation(DOT) and they get a unique license number to term it as a legal entity. Since you are trusting a company with your precious car, it is necessary to verify its credibility so that there is no room for disappointment in the future.

If there is difficulty in finding the license details of the company, then such companies should not be trusted. 

  • Check online reviews and past customer testimonials

Once you verify the legitimacy of the company, then next is to look for its reviews and testimonials. This will give you an insight into their actual services and how they serve their customers that might have similar requirements to yours.

If you wish to go a little extra, you can also get in touch with some past customers to understand their experience in detail.

  • Types of shipping

Before finalizing a car shipping company, you must also have an idea of all kinds of shipping services that are offered by the company. This will help you in comparing multiple car shipping companies basis their offerings for your specific car.

  • Insurance coverage

Shipping your car through a third party requires you to trust the company. However, it is important to see that if in case of any incident during transit, how can you claim insurance for the damage/ probable loss? Thus, you must understand the extent of insurance coverage offered by the auto shipping company before taking your final decision.

  • Shipping cost breakdown

When you are getting price quotes from multiple car-hauling companies, try to get a detailed cost breakdown to avoid any surprise charges after finalizing the deal. There may be times that the company may add some extra charges upon confirmation and now since you are bound by the agreement, you are unable to decline the ask, thereby, going over budget with your car shipping.

International Car Shipping: How to Transport Your Car Overseas

International Car shipping requires a lot of paperwork as well as other laws that are to be followed in order to have a seamless car shipping experience. There are various aspects such as

  • Custom regulations

Every country has its own list of commodities that are not allowed during shipping, so before preparing your car for international shipping, you must look for all the current customs rules and regulations beforehand to avoid any last-minute chaos.

  • Documentation requirements

Shipping your car to a new country means crossing a national border which definitely requires your car to go through various levels of verification through documents. So, ensure that you keep all the documents handy with you, to share them with the carrier when he picks up your car from the source address.

If you are confused, it is always wise to ask the car shipping company for helping you with the documentation requirements so that there is no delay in the delivery of your car to the new country.

  • Understanding shipping timelines

The time of delivery of your car totally depends upon the distance between the source and destination, but when it comes to international shipping, you also need to consider the timelines as mentioned by the other country. As the verification may take a lot of time so the auto-shipping companies usually give a large delivery window, keeping a scope of probable delay in the process of delivering your car. Getting a fast-track international delivery may not be easy so it is advised to keep a scope for a delay while shipping your car internationally.

Car Transport Cost: Factors That Affect the Price of Auto Transport Services

The cost of shipping your car is never an absolute cost. It depends upon various factors as mentioned below.

  • Distance

The most important factor that decides the cost of shipping your car is the distance between the source and the destination. The more the distance, the more will be the cost of shipping.

  • Model and size of the car

The details of the car are essential while deciding the cost of shipping the car, as its size, model, and year of manufacture will give a sense of understanding as to what kind of care would be required by the car during transit.

  • Season for shipping

If you choose to ship your car during peak season or difficult conditions such as rainfall, snow or tornados, then it may be expensive but if you pick an off-season, then you might be able to ship your car at a reasonable cost.

  • Type of shipping – open vs enclosed

The choice of trailer truck will also alter the cost of shipping your car. Open car transport is the most cost-effective option whereas enclosed auto transport offers maximum protection and hence, is almost 25-30% more expensive than open car transport. So, the choice totally depends upon your budget and requirements.

  • Mode of delivery – door-to-door vs terminal-to-terminal

The mode of delivery can also affect your final cost of shipping. Door-to-door car shipping is convenient for you and hence, it is pricey as the company needs more fuel to reach the given address for pickup and delivery. Whereas with terminal-to-terminal delivery, the auto shipping company does not have to take an extra effort, hence, a lesser cost of shipping.

  • Car conditions – operable VS inoperable

If your car is in an operable state, i.e, it can be moved forward and reverse with its own engine and fuel, then it is easier to load and unload it from the trailer. But if your car is inoperable. I.e, it cannot be moved on its own, then the auto shipping company will have to use extra equipment to load and unload the car from the trailer, hence increasing the overall cost of shipping your car.

  • Delivery time flexibility

If you are flexible with delivery timings, then the auto shipping company might offer you some personalized discounts from their end however, if you are looking for fast-track car shipping then you need to pay more for catering to your need of urgent delivery of your car at the destination.

Car Transport Quote: How to Get an Accurate Quote for Auto Transport Services

At Sakaem Logistics, we have an instant cost-generating calculator that will give you a quick cost of shipping after you fill in details like source and destination address, type of shipping, and details about your car.

However, for a detailed cost breakdown, we suggest you to get in touch with us so that we can offer a customized quote by accommodating all the possible factors as mentioned by you while in discussion with our team that is committed to give you a seamless experience.

Most Common Questions People Also Ask (PAA):

How much does it cost to transport a car?

The cost to transport a car will vary depending on the distance and the type of service required. The cost of shipping a car within the same state will range from $500 – $1,500, while the cost of shipping a car across the country can range from $1,000 – $2,500.

How long does it take to ship a car?

It can vary from around 1-5 days for inter-state, 7 days to a month for cross-country, and more than a month for international shipping depending upon the distance between source and destination address and other factors such as choice of car shipping, season, type of vehicle, etc.

How do I prepare my car for transport?

Get your car washed, remove all personal belongings, deactivate all the alarms, and get a mechanical checkup done before shipping your car.

Is my car insured during transport?

Yes, the auto shipping company offers carrier insurance that protects your car against any loss or incident that may happen during the transit from source to destination.

How do I choose an auto transport company?

Look for the company’s license and registration under the Department of Transportation (DOT) and check for online customer reviews, insurance coverage, and types of shipping offered by the company to pick a reliable car shipping company.

Can I ship personal items in my car during transport?

It is recommended to not ship any personal items in the car as it can increase the weight of the car, thereby hiking the cost of shipping, and also poses the risk of theft during the transit.

What is the difference between open and enclosed car transport?

Open car transport is when the cars are loaded on to an open trailer truck to transport the car to the destination.

Enclosed car shipping is when the truck trailer is covered from all sides to ensure the ultimate protection of your car during transit from source to destination.

Do I need to be present when my car is picked up or delivered?

For a proper check of your car, it is recommended that you are available during the pickup and delivery of the car so that there is no room for confusion later and every issue or query can be sorted out in real-time.

Can I track my car during transport?

Thanks to advanced technology, now auto shipping companies give you a link/ tracking number that you can use to track your shipment at any given point in time. This removes all types of doubts that you might have about the protection of your car. For more accuracy, you can also get in touch with the carrier.

What are the payment options for auto transport services?

For shipping services, the payment is usually done in 2 parts. One is during finalizing the agreement and the next is when you receive your car safely at the destination. Usual modes of payment are credit/ debit card, Cash on Delivery(COD), or demand draft (DD).

Hiring a car shipping company to transport your car guarantees you a stress-free experience wherein you don’t have to worry about all the documentation, safety and security of your car. All you need to do is share all the required details with the car hauling company and let them deliver your car with utmost care and safety. It is definitely a convenient and time-saving option that will protect your car from any wear and tear during transit. If you are looking for an auto shipping service to relocate your vehicle, then get in touch with us today and say yes to a simplified and hassle-free shipping experience. 


Harish Makam