Monday, February 20, 2012

Auto Transport Saving Tips

Auto Transport Saving Tips:

1. Terminal service – The first myth is that terminals cause vehicles to be handled more often which creates a greater risk of damage to the car. This myth is totally false as it has been shown that an auto transported within a terminal network will be moved less than one single truck from start to finish.
This is because at the terminal your vehicle would be consolidated with other vehicles going to the same location. Once the trailer is loaded, it goes non-stop to the destination terminal. A single truck would have to stop multiple times to load and unload vehicles along the way which therefore increases the risk of damage.
2. Increase transit delay – Another myth is that terminals can create additional transit delays. This is also a false assumption since the time that a vehicle spends at a terminal can easily be controlled by the customer rather than dictated by the carrier.
3. Lower costs using terminal service – One myth which is true is that the use of terminals can lower the overall cost to transport your vehicle. This is so because of the consolidation benefits at the terminal whereby a truck moves more vehicles at one time and goes directly from point A to point B with that loaded trailer. This is much more efficient process and saves money which ultimately translates to savings for the consumer.
4. Avoiding a broker - Here’s a myth which indicates that you are better off dealing directly with the auto transport carrier and avoid the auto transport broker in order to save money. This is normally not true.
The auto transport broker deals with many different car transporters and often negotiates significant discounts off their standard auto transport rates because of the volume of business they can bring to the carrier. If you deal directly with a carrier, you don’t have that kind of negotiating power and would find it very difficult to obtain those kinds of discounts.
In addition the broker is well trained to choose a specific carrier which is best suited for your particular move. For example some carriers are very efficient at long range moves versus local moves, etc.
5. Remove objects to reduce costs - Myth #5 is that you can save a lot of money if you remove the hubcaps and other potentially lose objects from your car prior to shipment. This is a misconception and simply not true. Whether your hubcaps are on the tires or not has nothing to do with the price you will pay.
And here is another myth which indicates that the auto transport prices are only dependent upon the distance your vehicle needs to be transported. While distance is an important factor it is certainly not the only issue involved.
Other things like enclosed trailer versus open trailer, door to door service versus terminal drop off/pick up, and even the time of year has an impact on the overall cost you can expect to pay to transport your auto.
If you deal with reliable and reputable auto shipping companies, you can avoid a lot of this inaccurate and erroneous information and get your vehicle moved quickly, cost effectively, and reliably.