Shipping a car is often a new experience for many customers. Probably around 90 percent of the orders are booked by first-time shippers. Most of them are people who are moving across the state lines and need to ship their automobiles to their new homes.
If you are looking to ship your car to another state, you will find this information helpful. You have four main options:
- hire an auto transport company like Corsia Logistics
- have someone drive your car
- use drive-away services
- drive the vehicle yourself
If you are moving to another state and will be traveling more than 300 miles, it is recommended to ship your car. This will spare wear and tear on your vehicle and will save you time. Moreover, not all of us are suited to drive long distances. It is always better to leave this to the professionals.
Hire a car shipping company
The most convenient method to ship a car to another state is to use a company specializing in vehicle hauling. Nowadays, you can find tons of information online. Once you start searching for vehicle transport companies, you will be amazed at how many companies are active in the US.
If you need to ship a classic car, or a luxury automobile we will explain the best option. In most cases, we recommend enclosed auto carrier transport, but an open trailer is also a safe and efficient option.
Open auto transport is the most popular method and it is suited for all vehicles. This makes it also the most available type of auto transport. Open-air carriers make up nearly 85 percent of all carriers on US roads.
Corsia Logistics provides safe and affordable auto transport. Our prices are manual – competitive and affordable to the customer and acceptable by the carrier. We offer manual pricing because this is the most reliable way to provide a realistic market price quote that will ship any vehicle in a timely manner.
The supply/demand situation in the auto transport industry changes daily, and we have to track the current market prices on the national dispatch boards manually, before quoting a price to a customer. Automated quotes provided by calculators are often not as accurate. Call us now to discuss your options and budget, and to learn more about how shipping a car works.
This is how auto transport works:
- Request a shipping quote online or by phone.
- Disclose details about the car – make, model, modifications.
- Corsia agent contacts one of our carriers and schedules your shipment.
- A carrier picks up your car one to few days from your first available date.
- The carrier completes an inspection report before loading your car.
- Car transport delivery time, after pick-up, depends on distance mainly.
- At delivery, the carrier inspects the vehicle, unloads it and you pay any remaining balance.
Have someone drive your car
The main question that comes to mind would be: Would you trust your car in the hands of someone else to drive it hundreds or thousands of miles?
If you know someone you trust this could be a cheaper option, and it could even be faster. That person could be a friend or a family member willing to drive. You can also probably find someone online, such as a college student trying to make some extra cash or a retiree.
If you don’t have someone close to do this, you can post an ad on Craigslist. However, if you don’t have someone you can trust, this is by no means the perfect method to ship a car to another state.
Keep in mind that if you do go with this option you should draft a written contract detailing each party’s responsibilities and liabilities. This is completely normal and if the would-be driver of your car is not willing to sign such a document then do not give them your car. Make sure the contract describes who is responsible for mechanical failure costs or any other delays or damages. Moreover, you should ask for references and check to make sure you are dealing with a trustworthy person.
Hire a drive-away company
This could be a better option than trying to convince a friend or a family member to drive your car across the country. You can find companies that specialize in finding a driver following strict criteria. If you want to do that, you can probably request a professional driver, but this is rarely an option.
The bare minimum these companies follow is to screen drivers for clean driving records and adhere to a minimum age requirement. You will still want to read reviews and check references to make sure the driver has done that kind of job before.
Drive the car yourself
To transport a car from state to state you may have to fly over and drive the car back. However, this is not the most efficient option because you have to pay for your plane ticket and then on the way back for fuel, accommodations, and food. Moreover, this will take quite a bit of your time.
If it is only the neighboring state then it could be easier and definitely cheaper. If the distance is more than 300 miles, that means embarking on a long-distance trip. This type of trip is not for everybody, so, if you don’t have experience it may prove a difficult task.
Calculate your costs, time, and wear and tear on the vehicle. If you are only shipping across the neighboring state, 200 to 300 miles, then it is probably best to go and get the vehicle on your own, or if you are moving just drive there. Yet, you may find it cheaper to use a car shipping company if the distance is more than 300 miles – for instance, if you are moving from New Hampshire to Florida.
You never know what is cheaper until you check. That is why we always advise customers to do their research and ask questions. The best way to compare and choose is to make some phone calls and discuss your situation. The cost to ship a car with an auto transport company depends on a few factors, learn about them before deciding.
For more information on moving a vehicle across multiple state lines, check out our tips for shipping a car across the country or simply browse our website. Visit our Shipping a car section to learn all about how auto transport works. Read about the different types of auto transport services and finally call us to discuss your shipment. We are here to help you ship your car to another state with peace of mind. Thank you.
