Shipping your car without the knowledge of the common possible mistakes may cost you much. It helps to know the facts about everything from pickup to delivery.
Once you know what to expect before time, you can save yourself from the frustrations that come with automotive shipping mistakes.
The best way to ship your car is with professional car transporters with a credible track record for shipping cars. You can be confident that they will deliver your car to the designated dropoff point in the best condition possible.
You also benefit from insurance coverages and transparent vehicle transportation quotes, hence the security of your vehicle shipping.
The process of scheduling the freighting of a car may take time. A transport management company may have to reach out to the carriers available in their network to find those that meet your needs.
The entire shipment process might take even longer during peak seasons due to the increased demand for auto transport services.
So, let no one deceive you that you will receive your cross-country shipped vehicle within two or three days.
To ensure that you have a positive experience, you need to be aware of the most common shipping mistakes.
Take a detailed look below:
1. Not Knowing Your Shipping Company Well
Most people fall into the hands of car shipping scammers because they do not know how to identify a trustworthy auto transport company. It mainly happens to those people using the auto shipping transport services for the first time.
Unfortunately, if you don’t do your research appropriately, you may not know important things like:
- The shipping company you choose should be registered with the transport department.
- The transport organizations offer the shipping company unique registration numbers.
- The shipping company you work with is then required to give you the number.
So, never ship your car with any auto transportation company that’s not registered. Also, avoid the ones that don’t provide you with their Motor Carrier (MC) or DoT number.
Furthermore, you shouldn’t rely on verbal agreements only. Ensure every agreement with the company is done in writing.
You can also check their online reviews to know what the previous customers say about the shipping company.
More so, you should confirm the organization’s website to be sure of its authorization. Some of the things that are likely to signal a company’s illegitimacy include:
- The auto shipper’s website is poorly designed.
- The company’s site is not detailed, with only a little information and a contact form.
- Their website has only one page.
- The website’s texts contain several typos.
- There’s only one contact address.
- The shipment company’s site does not include a Motor Carrier Number.
Ultimately, to save yourself from car shipping scammers, it’s essential to trust your instincts. Despite how good the deal offered by the car moving company sounds, do not fall into the trap quickly.
Try calling the company and speak directly to a team representative. Ensure you ask some important questions like:
- What kind of insurance do you give?
- How long have you been in operation?
- Approximately how many cars do you transport in a month?
- How many trucks do you have in the process?
- How many personnel do you have?
If you’re planning to ship your car, you want to do everything you can to have a positive experience. That’s why it’s necessary to find a reliable company.
You’ll realize that the best vehicle shipping company operates in accessible, safe, and convenient ways when shipping cars. They also work in transparent ways. Within a few verifications, you’re able to book your vehicle transportation.
Such excellent transporters will transport your vehicle to the exact place you have indicated in the documents. Furthermore, the reliable vehicle transportation company will always notify you of your vehicle collection at least a day before.
That way, you can adequately prepare how to collect your vehicle. So, with such reliable companies, you get to enjoy faster and secure professional car transportation.
2. Failing to Plan Your Car Shipment Early
Failure to plan your car shipment process far in advance is one big mistake you can make.
If you’re sure to ship a car any time soon, you need to start researching at least two months before the date. You should also book your car shipping at least one month in advance.
You may be tempted to think that if your auto shipping is state-to-state and not across the country, there’s no need to prepare in advance.
However, even the state-to-state shipment needs early planning. Otherwise, you may find yourself in unexpected pitfalls.
For example, you may not know the regulations if you’re shipping cars across state lines without early research. The shipped vehicle must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
So, scheduling your shipment in advance means increasing the chances of getting the exact shipping dates that you want.
Also, note that you need to establish who will confirm when your car is picked up. You should also identify who will be there to confirm car delivery.
Generally, there are some estimates for car shipping durations as follows:
- 0 to 200 miles- take up to six days.
- 200 to 600 miles- take up to seven days.
- 600 to 1000 miles- take up to eight days.
- 1000 to 1500 miles- take up to nine days
- 1500-2000 miles- take up to ten days
- 2000 to 2400 miles- take up to eleven days
- 2400+ miles- take up to twelve days
However, early scheduling is important because the above estimates can vary based on factors like:
- Seasonal changes
- Traffic
- Carrier availability
- Road conditions
3. Lack of Confirming Sufficient Insurance Coverage
You must confirm that the shipping company you’re working with has the appropriate insurance. Failure to do this may cost you more than you ever imagined.
Insurance coverage is critical to cover for any damage to the car the company is transporting.
Most car owners fail to ask for a copy of the insurance certificate. This is necessary to ensure that you understand your car’s coverage during transportation.
If the company’s insurance coverage is insufficient, you may have to pay some fee to cover the pending balance. If this isn’t workable, you may be forced to obtain additional coverage from your insurance company.
More Shipping Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving personal belongings in your car
- Paying unusually high costs
- Missing some documents, or giving wrong ones
- Choosing the wrong shipping type
- Failure to record any damage incurred as soon as your car is delivered
Key Takeaways
Most car shippers, especially first-timers, may go into the auto shipping transport process wholly unprepared.
Taking the initiative to research and know what to expect can save you from incurring extra costs. Furthermore, understanding the mistakes to avoid when shipping a car will help you save time and energy.
Take note that the auto shipping process can be straightforward and relieving, or complicated and frustrating. It all depends on your level of knowledge and preparedness. It’s essential to have correct information about everything concerning your vehicle’s transportation and delivery.
This is the only way to keep off the shipping mistakes that will make you frustrated. Our article above should guide you to keep off mistakes in your entire car shipping process.
Right from researching the best shipping company to the time of your car’s safe delivery, we’ve got you covered.
Good luck in Military Car Shipping website process!
