Archive for July, 2009

Things To Do to Prepare Your Vehicle for Shipping

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

If you have never shipped a vehicle before, you are undoubtedly apprehensive about the task at hand.  There are, however, some steps you can take to alleviate your fears and make the vehicle shipping experience run smoothly.

Start with a very clean car.  You, along with the shipping company, are going to make a careful inspection of the vehicle together so you can note any damage that exists pre-shipment.  Knowing the car’s exact condition at pick up makes the final inspection not only easier, but more accurate.

Make sure the vehicle is running in good order.  The trucker may need to drive your car from one place to another, even though they will likely have other means to this rather than drive it themselves.  The shipper will transport a car that is not in running condition, but make sure you notify them of this in advance.

Anything on it’s exterior that can be knocked off with little trouble or may damage another car in transit should be removed.  These items include such exterior attachments as luggage or bike racks, spare tire covers or a non-retracting antenna.  Do not ship your car with any of your personal belongings such as a GPS, CD holder, removable CD player or anything that can be reasonably taken from the car.  Shippers insurance will not usually cover anything but the vehicle it is transporting, so leaving personal belongings in the car is risky.

You do want any fluids to leak from your car onto another or even onto the truck that is carrying your vehicle.  Make sure all leaks are stopped to show respect for the carrier, the other vehicle owners and the environment.

You will, of course, disarm or even better, disconnect any alarm systems that may be on your car and make sure that the hauler has a full set of keys to your car.  This means ignition key, door key, trunk key, gas cap key, glove compartment key, etc.

Following these few simple, common sense tips before shipping your vehicle will definitely help you to be less apprehensive about the task that lies ahead.  Now, wasn’t that easy?

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Shipping, Car Transport, Trucks, Vehicle Shipping | No Comments »

Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipping

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Shipping your vehicle, for a first time auto shipper, can be a bit of a chore.  There are however some steps that you can take to make your auto sipping experience run much smoother.  Shipping a car or truck can be fast and easy if you follow these simple steps:

Make sure that your car is clean.  This will help you and the shipping company easily inspect the car together to note any existing damage on the car.  Knowing the exact condition of the car at pick up is important.  This will make the final inspection run much more smoothly.

Check to see that your car is running properly.  This means that the car is in working condition and that the battery has a charge.  There may be reason for your auto transporter to move your vehicle from one place to another.  While they will likely have a means other than the cars own power to do this, it is easiest if the car runs.  If your car does not run make sure to notify your shipper before pick up.

Remove all exterior attachments.  This includes bike racks, spare tire covers, and even your car antenna if it does not retract.  Anything that can easily be knocked off, or that can damage another car on the carrier should be removed.  You should also remove any personal belongings that may be inside the vehicle.  This includes global positioning systems, removable radios, and anything else that can be reasonably removed.  The shipping company’s insurance will not want to be responsible for anything other than your vehicle and chances are that they won’t be.

Make sure that your car does not leak fluid of any variety.  Your car may be on top of a car carrier and leaky fluids could drip onto lower cars.  Some fluids are vary harmful to the environment and other cars and you wouldn’t want to have your vehicle damaged by someone else’s leaky car.  Make sure that you show the other vehicle owners the same respect that you expect from them.

Have your keys ready.  If there is a separate key for the trunk or anything else on your vehicle make sure to turn over a complete set of keys when you drop off your car or truck or when it is picked up from you.  It is also important that you make sure that you disarm or, even better, disconnect your alarm system.

If you follow these quick tips before shipping your automobile you should save yourself some time and possible some unneeded headaches.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Shipping, Car Shipping, Cars | No Comments »

Auto Shipping – Okay, I’ve Packed My Bags, Now What To Do to Ship My Vehicle?

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

One of the first questions put forth probably thousands of times a day by auto dealers, wholesalers, collectors, and just plain folks who are relocating somewhere in the country is “What is the cost to ship my vehicle?  Cost is important of course when moving something as large and expensive as a motor vehicle of any type, but is it the MOST important item to consider?

Usually, a person will be dealing with brokers in the car transportation business.  These brokerage firms do not operate long-haul trucks of their own.  They act as agents of the trucking companies by taking an order to move a vehicle.  They make an estimate of what to charge a trucking company, withhold a percentage of this fee, which they will charge you for the task of arranging shipment.  They then broker out the job by posting on online load boards that are visible to car haulers that are in the business of operating trucks to move about the country.  If this posted quote is too low, it will not attract any of these car hauling truck companies and your vehicle will sit waiting to be relocated for a very long time.  Make sure that the price the broker is offering is reasonable enough in the industry to get your car from one place to another in a timely manner.  As with so many other costs, the lowest price is not always the way to go.

Insurance coverage on the vehicle and its contents is another very important cost item to consider.  Should some unforeseen accident occur that harms your vehicle while in-transit, you want it protected, just as you would any property that belongs to you.  The questions to ask of importance here are what coverage does the trucker’s insurance provide in case of damage or loss and also, the trucker may have brokered it out at least in part to another trucker and you will want to get a copy of that car hauler’s insurance certificate as well.  Always make sure, if at all possible, to have the carrier’s insurance certificate list you as the certificate holder.  Should some harm befall your vehicle and/or its contents, then you can file the claim yourself directly to the insurance company.

Since you are not in the daily business of transporting vehicles, you really don’t know much about the companies that do this for a living.  You must think about the quality of the business you choose to transport your vehicle and above all, the reputation of the company.  Do your homework.  Ask car dealers who regularly deal with auto transportation companies and find out who they use (and who they won’t).  The internet contains a world of information including reviews of auto transportation companies.  Look into them and while you are at it, look into a website called safersys.org operated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association.  This site can be an invaluable tool to assist you in finding the right vehicle mover for you.

Bottom line is you do not necessarily want the cheapest mode of transportation to bring your “baby” home to you.  You want a company that takes pride in the quality and timeliness of their transportation consignments.  So shop around and you won’t get burned.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Shipping, moving, relocating | No Comments »

Shipping One’s Auto – Now That My Bags Are Packed, What About Shipping My Vehicle?

Monday, July 13th, 2009

One burning question that dealers, wholesalers, collectors, as well as people relocating for whatever reason within the United States ask thousands of times a day is “What is the cost of shipping my vehicle?  When moving any important item, like a car or other means of transportation, cost is a premier consideration.  What if I told you, though, that it may not be the MOST important question to ask.

Often, when shipping a vehicle, one is apt to turn to a transportation broker, which is either a company or some type of group that do not actually ship the vehicle but arrange for its shipment.  They take a percentage of the cost of moving the vehicle as payment for arranging the shipment of your vehicle.  They broker the vehicle out by posting on online load boards that are visible to those car hauling companies that operate trucks that move around the country.  If the broker posts too low a price on these boards, it will not attract any takers and the vehicle may sit there in anticipation of a move for a very long, uneasy period of time.  Be sure that the price the broker is quoting to the vehicle movers is reasonable enough to entice them to relocate your car.   Too cheap a price may not be in your best interest.

Another expense item to consider is the cost of insurance coverage on the vehicle being transported and that of its contents.  You never know when an unforeseen circumstance may arise and you wind up with costly repairs or replacements.  Accidents do occur and you do not want to be unprotected if one of these unforeseen events involves your vehicle.  A couple of important questions to ask are what kind of coverage will the trucker’s insurance provide in case of loss or damage to your vehicle, and should it be farmed out to another carrier, what is their coverage and how can you obtain a copy of the policy.  You must try to get a copy of the carrier’s certificate of insurance naming you as the certificate holder, not the car hauler(s).  In this way, should some harm come to your vehicle, you can file a claim directly to the insurance company on your own.

The quality and reputation of the auto transportation outfit that is handling the transport of your vehicle is also another concern of yours.  You really have no idea about the company or companies that are moving your vehicle unless you are directly involved in the daily business of transporting vehicles yourself.  Do some research about these companies.  Talk to a car dealer who undoubtedly ships vehicles on a regular basis and find out who they use.  Go online and read reviews about various companies to get as much information as you can before you start collecting bids.  Go to safersys.org, a website operated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association, and take a look at a company’s safety profile.  This site can be of invaluable assistance to you in seeking a reputable transport company.

Looking to get your car some distance from A to Z involves several considerations.  Not just the least expensive, but the safest and sometimes the timeliest way to get your wheeled friend happily to its new home.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Transport, Cars, Trucks, Vehicle Transport, moving, relocating | No Comments »

Auto Shipping – My Bags Are Packed But How Do I Ship My Vehicle?

Monday, July 6th, 2009

“How much will it cost to ship my car”? That is a question that is asked thousands of times each day by dealers, wholesalers, collectors and people moving all around the United States. Cost is always a consideration when moving something as important as your transportation. However, it may not be the MOST important question a person might want to ask.

Many times, people deal with car transportation brokers, that is, companies or groups that operate no trucks of their own. These ‘vehicle transporters’ take an order to move a vehicle, hold on to a percentage of what they have charged and then broker the vehicle out on load boards that are posted online and visible to car haulers that have trucks operating and moving around the country. If the price has been quoted or negotiated too low, it becomes unattractive to auto transporters and the vehicle may sit awaiting transport for a long, uncomfortable time. So, an important question to ask yourself is, ‘what is a reasonable price to move this vehicle.’ Cheapest may certainly not be best.

Another thing to consider is insurance coverage on the vehicle and its contents should something unforeseen occur during transport. Accidents do happen and you don’t want to be on the unprotected side if one happens with your vehicle. Important questions to ask are ‘what kind of coverage is provided in case of damage or loss of the vehicle’ AND ‘if this vehicle is to be brokered out to another auto carrier, can I get a copy of their insurance certificate?’ Always try and get a copy of the carrier’s insurance certificate showing YOU as certificate holder. This way, if something unfortunate happens, you can file a claim on your own directly to the insurance company.

One more thing to think about is the quality and reputation of the auto transportation company. If you are not involved daily in the vehicle transportation business, you really have no idea about the companies that are. Ask around. Go to a car dealer that ships vehicles regularly and ask them who they use for car transport. Go online, look at reviews and get as much information as possible before you start calling for bids. There are places like safersys.org where you can look at a company’s safety profile. This website is operated Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association and can be a valuable resource when trying to find a company to transport your automobile.

So, when you are looking at trying to find someone to ‘ship my car,’ there are several things to consider other than who can do it the cheapest. Do your homework and find a transporter that will take pride in moving your ‘baby’ to its new home.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Shipping, Auto Transport, Automotive, Car Shipping, Car Transport, Vehicle Shipping, Vehicle Transport | No Comments »