The time has come. Your kids are off to college. And there you are, going through a gamut of emotions: excitement, sadness, pride, worry, – all at once. Most parents just can’t avoid these feelings, whether they are sending a kid to college for the first or tenth time.
In this post, you will learn about the options you have, how to decide whether your kids need their car with them, and, if your kids can’t part with the vehicle, we’ll explain how college student car shipping works.
Kids in college: what to do with their car?
Does your kid need a car? First thing first! Decide whether your kid even needs a car on campus. This decision should be well-considered and taken together with the new student.
As kids grow up they become more independent. Getting a driver’s license means a great deal to them, and driving their first car even more so. But when it is time to send them to college, trying to convince them that they might not need their car can be quite hard.
For some young people, their car means the world to them. It has become a part of their personality, their life. Let’s be real. What youngster does not love to flaunt his or her car at a first given chance? And who wouldn’t love to show up on their first day of college driving their own car? But as a parent, you may be hesitant to let your offspring take the car when they go to college out of state. A car is a big responsibility, and your child has yet a lot to learn about being responsible. Besides, a car may pose a risk to your child’s safety because driving is a big responsibility.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, teenagers are 3 times as likely to have fatal crashes and accidents as drivers that are 20 years old or older. According to TeenDriverSource.com, “young drivers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents than more experienced ones, car-related safety issues top the list of concerns.” Add here the fact that drinking and driving are quite common among youngsters, and the idea of sending your kids off to college with the car will seem even more terrifying.
What to do if your kid doesn’t need the car?
So you put a lot of thought into it, and together you’ve decided that your child does not need the car. Now what? What can you do with their vehicle now that they won’t be driving it?
Sell it
One option is to sell it. If your kid plans to buy a new car after they graduate college and you already have a family car, there is no reason to keep it in your garage. In the meantime, you can make a profit and invest in your child’s college tuition.
Use it
Depending on how many cars you already have and whether you have other kids that might need a car, you can ditch the selling option and decide to use it.
Store it
If neither of the above options seems appealing, and your child does want the car whenever they come back from college, you can simply store it. Just be careful. You have to prepare your car for long-term storage. Here is how.
One thing you should not forget is to not drop your insurance. There are plenty of reasons why you still need your car insurance even when you opt to store the vehicle. The good news is that you can get a good discount for not driving your kid’s car. You can find more info about it here.
What to do if your kid is taking the car to college?
Once again, you’ve put a lot of thought into it and came to the conclusion that you need to send the car with your kid(s). Navigating public transportation may not always be the best option for your child. Getting around by bus, train, or subway can be quite difficult sometimes, especially if your kid(s) live off campus and far away from college.
How do you send the car?
We hope you haven’t been considering to let your offspring drive across the country. It is too dangerous for a good number of reasons. Driving a car across the country is dangerous even for adults, let alone college students who are way too inexperienced and often irresponsible to drive across the town.
If you have settled on the idea of sending the car with your kid(s), consider hiring an auto transport company. Auto shipping is a serious business in the US. Within the next few years, this industry is expected to become even more important.
According to a research report by IBISWorld, “the Vehicle Shipping Services industry’s strong performance largely reflects a rebound from a very low recessionary base in 2009. Over the five years to 2014, as pent-up demand was satisfied and interest rates began to increase, car sales slowed and vehicle freight volume growth declined. However, demand for industry services has begun to normalize, and industry revenue is expected to increase over the five years to 2019 […].”
How to ship a car across the country?
Just the idea that you have to ship your car across the country may seem pretty overwhelming. But don’t get discouraged. If auto shipping industry has been doing so well, it means there are a lot of people that just like you have managed to successfully transport their child’s vehicle across the country. Why can’t you?
With the right attitude, good organization and communication, anything can be achieved. As long as you plan in advance, wisely plan your moving process, and find a reliable and trustworthy auto transport company, you have nothing to worry about.
How to find an auto shipping company?
Don’t expect to have the right shipping company call you the second you are in need of one. In order to find an auto transport company, not just one but the right one, there is a lot of homework you need to do.
Research as much as you can. Don stop at the first or second page of Google. Go even further if you want to find a reliable and trustworthy company that will make your auto shipping journey as easy as possible. Steer clear from car shipping scams. Read online reviews, check company’s reputation with Better Business Bureau. Also, request multiple quotes before making your final choice.
How does auto transport work?
From hiring the right company and shipping your vehicle, there is a lot to be done. In the meantime, understand how auto transport process works. It can become a great help, especially if you are a first-time shipper.
Here is how college student car shipping works:
- The car shipping process starts with a quote. You can request a free no obligation estimate online. And if you prefer a more personalized service, call to speak with a logistics specialist.
- Disclose details about the vehicle – make, model, and modifications.
- A logistics expert will schedule your shipment based on your desired shipping dates. Keep in mind that dates are never guaranteed. If you are looking for a specific date delivery, discuss your options with a car shipping agent.
- After you and the car transporter agree on the details of service, a carrier will pick up your car one to a few days from your first available date.
- It’s important to remember that the carrier must inspect your vehicle before loading it and fill out an inspection report.
- Transit time depends mainly on the distance – your agent will inform you of the estimated delivery time. More on transit times here.
- At delivery, the carrier must inspect the vehicle again and then you sign the Bill of Lading, the document that releases the auto transporter from any further responsibility.
After you’ve completed all the steps, it is time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. Here is a more detailed guide on how to transport your car across the country.
How much does it cost to ship a car to another state?
The cost of shipping a vehicle to another state varies from $200 to as much as $2000. The final cost of shipping a car depends on these main factors:
- The distance and location
- Vehicle make and model
- Vehicle condition: operable or non-operable
- Transport type: open or enclosed
- Supply and demand
How you prefer your car to be picked up and delivered (door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal) or whether you need an expedited service or not can also affect the final shipping cost.
To get a better idea of the economics of car shipping price, read this post. One thing you should always remember is to not choose an auto transport company based on car shipping price. Here is why.
Being a parent is hard. Being a parent that needs to send their kids to college in another state is even harder. Stay positive and think how much this experience is going to help your child grow academically and as a person. You will miss them dearly, but we know you can ‘survive’ without having them around.
Are you a parent looking to transport your kid’s vehicle? Are you a student who is taking a car to college? Get in touch with Corsia Logistics for a free, no obligation car shipping quote. You can request a quote online or, for more personalized service, call (818) 850-5258 and speak with one of our relocation specialists. And don’t worry about the price too much. We offer a discount to all students moving to college anywhere in the country. Thank you.
