corsia logo

Moving a car across the country

Moving a car across the country

Auto shipping is a serious business in the US and it is expected to become even more important during the coming years.

According to a research report by IBIS World, entitled Vehicle Shipping Services in the US: Market Research Report, “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 […].”

I know that most of you probably think that moving a car across the country is pretty hard. Well, it can be sometimes, depends on who you are dealing with. If there are people who have managed to move their vehicle(s) across the ocean, there is no way of moving a car across the country can be harder.

With the right attitude, will, and the right auto transport company, anything can be accomplished. Of course, there will be some obstacles you will need to avoid, such as scams or lowball prices, but as long as you do your homework you can put your mind at ease.

 

Moving a car across the country guide

Research

I don’t know about you but in general, I personally prefer to look at the big picture before focusing on details; meaning that if I had to ship any vehicle across the country, the very first thing I would do is research a lot and get as much information about the process as possible.

Research does not mean only typing something in Google and go with the very first results, meaning the first few companies that show up on the first page. It means going deeper, looking further and not being superficial about it. We are talking about your vehicle here. You would not want anything bad to happen to it right? So there you go. Take the time to do the necessary research, you won’t regret it.  Your car we’ll be proud of its owner too, that’s for sure.

Compare

While researching maybe take notes or simply bookmark the websites of the companies you’ve decided to call. Once you finish doing that, and you are pretty sure you don’t need to research anymore, (though research can sometimes become a never-ending process) start comparing among the companies of your choice.

Read customer reviews online

The first thing people usually do is read reviews online to see what other customers say about the company. They want to know that they are dealing with a five-star auto transport company. This is the trickiest part of the whole research process.

The thing is that many big companies usually show up as five stars simply because of the large influx of five-star reviews drowns the bad reviews. Many big companies will never provide the personalized service a small company will and so you have to really dig for the dirt because they work hard to cover it. Thus, when a company seems like a five star, at a glance in Google, it is a good idea to really check the review sites and read more reviews.

Request a quote

The price is also an important factor. We can see the extremes when it comes to pricing – you can get either a really low price or a really high price. Unfortunately, this is often done by both small and big companies. That is why you have to get multiple auto transport quotes and compare. Avoid accepting the lowest price, or the highest for that matter. You need a realistic, current market price that will ship your car in a timely manner.

If you want to understand more about pricing you have to learn about car shipping quote calculator versus manual pricing. In order to find this realistic price, and hire a  responsible and trustworthy company, and in the same time avoid scams, you have to get in touch with the companies you have chosen. To call them and talk to a logistics expert is the best thing to do.

Choose

When you’re done researching and comparing, it is time to pick one company and book your auto transport service. To do that you have to know that they will take good care of your vehicle and you have piece of mind. If you would like some more details please check how to choose an auto transport company guide.

Now comes another tricky part. Just because you have gone so far, it does not mean your job is done and the company will now take care of everything. Yes, they will take care of shipping your vehicle, but it is your job to understand how the auto transport process works, which brings us to the next part.

 

Understand the car shipping process

Try to look at the car shipping process as an exam you need to take. You know you have to spend time understanding what you have to learn in order to pass that test satisfactorily. Moving a car across the country requires almost the same energy and state of mind as an exam. Create a checklist of the things that you must expect once you decide to go with a certain company.

Here are some steps that will help you.

  1. First, as mentioned, you should request a car shipping quote online or by phone.
  2. The second step is to disclose details about the vehicle – make, model and modifications.
  3. Third, a logistics expert will schedule your shipment based on your desired shipping dates.
  4. After the administrative part, a carrier picks up your car one to a few days from your first available date.
  5. Important to remember is that the carrier must inspect your car before loading it and fill out an inspection report.
  6. The transit time depends on the distance – your agent will inform you of the estimated delivery time.
  7. At delivery, the carrier must inspect the vehicle again and unload it at your door.

 

A little tip here – cross out things you’ve already taken care of on your checklist. It will help you continue forward with completing all of the tasks and save time in the long run by knowing what is left for you to do and remind yourself about what’s coming next.

 

Prepare your car for shipping

The process of preparing your car for shipping requires some upfront work as well.

If you need to transport your car, but it needs some fixing, you have to take care of any this before you look for an auto transport company. In case your car is not running for some reason this will raise your cost and also slow down the shipping process. If you can fix it that is what you should do before booking your auto transport service.

Even if you know your car is fine it is a good idea to have it checked by a mechanic. It is an important aspect when it comes to inspection. Now, more to add to your checklist.

Empty your car

Do not leave any personal items, especially expensive ones, and important documents inside the car. Transport insurance does not cover the interior of the car and anything left inside the car.  Actually very often you will have to pay extra if you want to load the car with personal items because this will add weight to the carrier.

Time for some cleaning

It is important to have your car washed before shipping and inspection so any existing dents and scratches are obvious and can be marked on the inspection report.

Don’t fill up your tank

It is a requirement, to leave just a quarter of a tank of gas in your vehicle. Full tank of gasoline during transport can be a hazard.

Inspect your car

At loading and unloading of your vehicle, an inspection is a must do. The company must fill in an inspection report, but you have to be present and work alongside the carrier. This is the best way to ensure existing damages are marked on the report and then at delivery if there are any new dents you can mark them on the report before signing.

Extra things

Disconnecting the car alarm systems and making a copy of your car keys are also advisable.

Also, keep in mind that different companies have different terms and conditions and you should read them. In this industry, the terms and conditions posted online and directed to from emails are your binding contract.

Share our experience:
Are you ready to ship a car?
Recent posts
car shipping quote

Truckers Can Fight Sex Trafficking

If You See Something, Say Something! This is the slogan of the nonprofit group Truckers Against Trafficking, the organization’s main goal is to have more

Shipping a Rivian

Shipping a Rivian

Shipping an electric vehicle like Rivian requires several considerations. Here we will share some key aspects to keep in mind when you need to ship

Read more

Corsia Logistics team works hard every day to ensure reliable expedited car shipping service. Our customer reviews prove that.

5-Star Rated Car Shipping Company

5/5
5/5
5/5

they trusted us

and here's what they say

Simon Moore
Great company
Read More
Looking for a logistics company, to ship my car, from California to Illinois,my first search, then Corsia showed up, skeptical. Call and a very friendly secretary: Elena. She guided me through, I scheduled and as she explained, all when smooth as scheduled Very happy I did the right choice. I'll recommend this great Company to anyone that is thinking to relocate a vehicle. Thanks Corsia logistics for your honesty and professionalism!
Elizabeth Woodward
High five's all around!
Read More
Corsia was highly recommended by a friend in the automobile industry. We needed to transport a cargo van from Seattle to Florida. We contacted Corsia who quickly arranged transport within just a few days. Communication was outstanding! Just a few email confirmations and we were all set. Mike was great and arrived right on time and delivered to Florida on schedule. Tip-avoid the hornets nest of auto brokers on line and just contact Corsia for a truly great experience!
Carrol Tiffany
Amazing
Read More
Corsia has been amazing. Their prices are really competitive but more importantly their customer service has been 5-Star. Elena followed up with me every step of the way, making sure there was no miscommunication between me & the driver. We are using them to ship a 2nd vehicle & would not hesitate to use them again!
Tony Boyd
Definitely recommend
Read More
I have recently used Corsia for long time family car with sentimental value that was moved I have recently used Corsia for shipment of my vehicle from Oregon to Arizona by recommendation from other family member who also used Corsia in the past. I am very pleased on the service and the communication throughout shipment. Ken was my direct contact and kept me informed along the move The car was picked up and delivered as communicated. I did use a enclosed mover and the driver was also clean cut professional and treated car as his own. I would definitely recommend Corsia again with the experience I have had. Thank you. T
JW
Top notch
Read More
Top notch Transport - Porsche 997 Top notch! As easy and efficient as one could possibly imagine. Great customer service.. thank you Luke. Great prices. Check. Timely communications. Check. Clean transport trailer. Check. Supremely careful driver. Check. Timely arrival. Check. Don't mess around elsewhere, just call Corsica and feel confident your transports needs are going to be exceeded. My Porsche 911 rode like a Queen in her enclosed chariot. I've never needed a transport company before, and I surely will use them every time. Do yourself a favor, seriously. Call now.
Geet Mp Haryana
Reliable, efficient
Read More
Corsia rep (Elena) was very proactive. Helped ship a car from CA to GA. She checked in with me via email quote and several phone calls to find me the best possible quote for the fastest available service. After several communications, Corsia was able to schedule a vehicle pickup the next day. The driver communicated well, and the vehicle arrived in final destination faster than we expected in perfect condition. I highly recommend using Corsia's reliable, efficient service.
Cay Liptak
Clean, efficient, wonderful
Read More
Thanks, Corsia! Pickup was so clean, efficient, and wonderful -- my only recommendation is to make sure you schedule it during the day so you can fully review the car in the daylight. Drop off was equally wonderful, and the whole trip went down without a hitch (pun intended!). Seriously, Corsia delivered my Jeep from CT to California with no issues or bumps in the road!
Csaba Kovesdy
Truly positive experience
Read More
Corsia Memphis to LA, mid-size SUV. I looked at 4 different companies amd Corsia was the most responsive of them. While being responsive, they were not unduly aggressive: when I indicated that I need to wait a month before making a decision they stopped contacting me and only came back with a reminder when I really needed it. Once I decided to engage Corsia they found me a transport within two days and the car was delivered (from Memphis to LA) in another two days. I had a truly positive experience.
Kelly Torres
Highly recommend
Read More
Working with Corsia Logistics was a great experience. Working with Corsia Logistics was wonderful. They were able to find a driver right away to transport our car. They were in constant communication as to when the car was getting picked up and dropped off. The driver also communicated with me as to when he would arrive. I would highly recommend Corsia Logistics.
Amy Nelson
Excellent Organization
Read More
Corsia was an excellent company to work with while I transferred my car across the US. A friend of mine suggested I use them as they had been very organized and trustworthy with her own car. I researched a few different place but decided to go with Corsia and I'm so glad I did! Any questions I had throughout the process they answered quickly and clearly. I would definitely use them again in the future and recommend them for others to use.
Previous
Next