Archive for October, 2009

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Dependable Auto Shipping

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Shipping the car across large distances is in most cases the most sensible and economic solution, saving effort, time, and car wear. There is shipment across roads by several types of carrier trucks, shipment by sea, and shipment by air of any type of car or motorcycle, whether modern, prestige, vintage, veteran, classic or sports.

The term “auto shipping” naturally implies that your car will be delivered to the specified destination whole and on time (rather than gradually and in parts). And surprisingly large numbers of people regularly commit the mistake of taking a company’s dependability for granted. It would certainly be strange for a company slogan to read: “We deliver (most of the time)!” Yet one must just the same realize that it is a trick of language to imply reliability while in fact the company may not be deserving of its name, to say the least. Company names and official titles are platonic ideals: language suggests what function the establishment is supposed to represent in principle, but it does not attest to its actual performance in the field down on Earth. Hence, it is inadvisable to go with just any company or to rely on the company to perform impeccably no matter what.

As in almost any industry, most auto shipping companies are relatively small independent organizations spread in the thousands all over most large countries, owing a handful of trucks.

To ensure dependable shipping consider first the most basic factors of time and money. A flexible timeframe for the company to operate in often means reasonable prices, and most companies will then perform well, whatever the destination. Prices rise when you are pressed for time and the risk of delay rises.

An actual deal is set up via a broker or with a specific carrier. But smart dynamic carrier companies often act as brokers themselves. That’s why, when dealing with a carrier, you must always make sure that they are the ones who will make the transportation and not broker the job to another company you have no idea about.

Do not sign contracts without having seen a valid MC license and always ask to see a copy of their Insurance Certificate and contact their insurance company to find out the exact terms of their insurance. Reputable companies will be glad to oblige a vigilant client, demonstrating their reliability, and will always be comfortably ensured several years ahead. You don’t want to trust the car you worked so hard for to a company whose insurance policy ends next moth without a guarantee that they will be insured or even in existence as an official firm at the time of transportation.

Looking companies up is always a good idea. Better not to be involved with companies which are not listed anywhere or unwillingly offer basic info about themselves. Check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to verify they are indeed a carrier and not a covert broker-carrier.

Doing the same via a professional broker may be even a better idea: it is the broker’s job to dig up any vital background information on even the most reticent carriers; and once you have that information your suspicions will be either justified or officially disproved, so that you may proceed more safely.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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

Avoid the Stress Associated with Shipping Your Car

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

It’s amazing how simple it used to be to relocate.  As a college student, you probably put all your stuff in the trunk of the family car, drove to your destination and unpacked in a jiffy.  A family member then drove the car back to its home and all was right with the world.  You graduated, found a job, a cheap apartment, put all your stuff into a duffle bag, and did it all over again.

Aah, but now you have established yourself with a family and a house and a houseful of furniture, a couple of cars and you or your spouse’s job requires you to relocate to a place a considerable distance away.  Your furniture, kids, big screen TV and appliances will no longer fit in the trunk of your car.  As a matter of fact, what are you going to do with that car(s)?  The cost of driving and maintaining the cars yourself while hauling a rent-a-trailer to move your stuff is heavy on both time and money, not to mention the stress of driving the overburdened car that will probably breakdown sometime during the trip.  The cost of doing so is probably greater than hiring an auto shipper to get your car to your destination.

Many people are unaware that they can hire a shipper to move their cars without going through the hassle of the self-transport themselves.  There are actually quite a few companies that offer vehicle shipping vehicle services, not a glamorous business, perhaps, but a very convenient one.  The auto shipper may also cost less to move your car than if you drove, fueled, and maintained it yourself.  No matter how attached you are to that sleek, racy car of yours, it is far less stressful to let the pros worry about moving it.

While your car is being transported, you and your family can be taking some form of public transportation while your worldly goods are on a moving van.  Once at your destination, you have the time and energy to unpack and set up your new home before getting on with your new job.  The time saved here could be translated into more money just due to the fact that you can start work earlier than if you did all the driving yourself.  Another savings of hiring an auto shipper.

The larger your family and the longer the distance to your new home, the more you will save.  Not to mention the benefits to your emotional and physical health of not undergoing the added stress of driving those cars yourself.  Come on now,  isn’t moving stressful enough already?

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Vehicle Transport, moving, relocating, vehicles | No Comments »

Saving Yourself Money and Stress While Having Your Vehicle Shipped

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Now that you have graduated from college, got married and moved to your first place, you are all settled for a while.  You probably made that move to your small apartment from college by packing all your belongings into a borrowed car and driving it to your new digs.  Life was simple then.

But now, you have a family, a bunch of furniture, big screen TV, and two cars.  And, you or your spouse just got a promotion and you need to relocate all of this to your new city, which may be a considerable distance.  Your first thought, is to do what you have always done; pack up your car(s) and drive off to your destination.  This will require you to drive probably two cars with a U-Haul some distance with all the associated fuel costs, maintenance costs, screaming children and all the stress and strain, let alone the cost this type of moving plan entails.

You have certainly heard of moving vans, but It is quite possible that you have never heard of the fact that you can save time, labor, and money by shipping rather than driving that car(s).  There are many companies that will perform this service for you.  You may not be aware of them simply because auto shipping is not a glamorous business, albeit, a most convenient one.  You probably turn first to your sense of self-reliance to get any job done, but this is a good situation to rethink that concept.  You also may think that hiring any service is more expensive than doing the job yourself.  Again, think this one over too.  Auto shipping is likely to cost you less than the cost of fueling and maintaining that car(s) for long distances.  It will certainly cost you less aggravation, energy and effort.

While the auto shipping carrier is getting your car to its new home, you and your family could be leisurely taking advantage of public transportation to get you to your new neighborhood.  Once at your destination, you have the time and energy to do your unpacking and start settling into your brand new home. This will have saved you time by hiring the auto shipping out and also saved you money in at least one way – you can start your new job earlier and be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed from your very first day.

Just the health benefits of avoiding the emotional and physical stress caused by moving everything yourself can be worth the cost of the auto transport service.  The likelihood however is that it really did cost you significantly less than if you had paid for the fuel and maintenance to drive yourself to your destination.  The larger the family and the longer the distance, the more savings you will see.  Should a relocation ever occur to you and your family, do not forget that there are companies that perform this very valuable service.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Car Transport, logistics, moving | No Comments »

Auto Shipping: Save Yourself Money and the Trouble

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

When you are a college or university (under)graduate, just learning to live with your young spouse in that inauspicious space which is the fate of many independent and hardworking students to call their home until they get that big break moving to another place may be a fairly easy task. You will be surprised how many bundles and collapsible furniture can fit into your parents’ car: very likely you will require no more than a single trip.

But once you are a well established family with children and a big screen TV, and the move is to another city or state, the change of place is a daunting and sometimes impossible challenge, especially so if now you have a car of your own. Not only that most of your belongings won’t fit into the trunk and the back seat anymore, you have to move the car itself a considerable distance. Not only that this requires time and effort, it costs miles of expensive fuel, with the car overloaded and liable to break down on an interstate. Most cars’ performance is unpredictable on long distances even when not heavily loaded. If the family owns more than one vehicle the cost of driving them yourselves across the country may add up to more than the cost of transporting your household stuff. It is likely you will fail to find either the time or the money to move to that better apartment closer to that other, career-defining working place.

Sometimes, however, people are simply unaware that they can save time, trouble, and money by shipping, rather than driving, their cars. The service of auto-shipping is widespread enough, but perhaps because it is not yet the most commercially glamorous of services, because it is natural for many persons to rely on themselves rather than think of requiring professional help (many illnesses are diagnosed and treated late and even too late simply because people tend to “wait and see” before consulting a physician), and because hiring services is naturally associated with additional and perhaps avoidable costs, perhaps because of all these people may find it hard to imagine that Auto Shipping is likely to cost less than doing your own driving and maintenance.

With auto shipping your car is transported on a carrier, saving you fuel, food, lodging, and maintenance costs while you save time and energy by taking a bus, plane, or a train to your destination. This means more time for unpacking at the new place, more time for the family, and more profitable time for work. Even if auto shipping does cost more than doing your own driving, in many cases it will not cost significantly more and it will always conserve vital time and energy.

While the benefits to your emotional and physical health alone may be worth every penny of the price that any reasonable, reliable auto shipping company may require, the likelihood that shipping may even cost less, perhaps significantly less, is high, especially for the larger families moving across long distances, and should make that option imminently desirable.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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

Shipping Your Vehicle and 1000 Splendid Quotes

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

A very wise Englishman, Benjamin Disraeli, once said something like “the wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated by good quotes.”  This is ever so true with the search for an auto shipper.  You can research companies on the net, give them a call, hire the services of a broker to help select the most competent and reasonable company, but what it all really means is which one has the price quote that best fits your needs.

Realizing that this is true, many companies will publish their terrific quotes on deals right on their home page.  The really good companies, though will want to talk to you before they proffer a quotation on the work involved in your particular case.  So be aware of this.

A bit off the subject, but if you are required to make an advance payment, it is an iron-clad prerequisite that you obtain a contract that ensures a complete money-back guarantee if the services are not up to the specifications agreed upon between you and the shipper.  Some companies will actually take the advance money, hem and haw around, never fulfill the contract expectations, your wonderful car will never reach its destination, you lost your advance money, and you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle (or a car).

There may be some special circumstances you encounter that require a little white lie to further your interests.  Obtaining a quote from an auto shipping company is definitely not one of those times.

You must have an accurate weight and shape of your car to give the prospective shipper.  This is crucial as not every carrier is equipped to accommodate vehicles such as SUVs, off-roaders, pick-up trucks, vans, or even minivans.  Customized changes such as chassis lowering or exotic add-ons should also be related to the shipper as these may interfere with loading your car onto the ramp that takes it up to the truck.  Most carriers will accommodate a non-operating vehicle for an additional fee but you must let them know of this circumstance before they venture a quote.  This also may require special equipment to load.

Pay attention not only to the actual quote but how it was given to you.  Observe the presentation of the quote.  Was it done in a professional, courteous, and customer-friendly manner?  Is this quote compared to the services they are offering abnormally low?  If the quote seems too good to be true, it is.  Obviously you are obtaining quotes from many companies within the industry in order to compare the quotes.  Do obtain quotes from the leaders in the industry.  Even if you don’t choose them, at least you know what the big guys are charging for similar services and this can be enlightening when selecting a company.

By doing all this legwork, you will be much more able to discern the honest operators from the fly-by-nights.  And don’t fail to negotiate a price whether with a big company or small.  Any honest company will not be put off by this and may actually have not quoted you their rock bottom price at first.  So let them know you are shopping around and they may meet the lowest price you found elsewhere in order to get your business.  If not, you still haven’t lost a thing.  You can go with the lowest bidder or not.  It is always a good idea to go with the company with which you are the most comfortable.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Automotive, Car Shipping, auto shipping quotes | No Comments »

Shipping Your Vehicle: A 1000 Terrific Quotes

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

To paraphrase Benjamin Disraeli, the wisdom of the wise and the experience of ages are perpetuated by good quotes.  You can conduct your research online, by phone or both, then find a broker to pore over their qualifications and choose the most responsible one with the best historical track record.  Just like the good student you are, you will prepare for your auto shipment and take every precaution while doing so.  Having done all that, in the end it comes down to getting quotes from those companies deemed reliable and deciding on the quote with which you are the most comfortable.

Shipping companies aren’t dumb.  They know you are doing this and will offer TERRIFIC QUOTES as undoubtedly listed on their website.  Watch out for this as a good company will prefer you to ask for a quote so they can knock you off your socks with their generosity and you will pick them as your shipper.

Note:  If the company you are interested in asks for an advance, this is probably okay, just make it abundantly clear that you require them to issue you a contract offering a total refund in case they do not fulfill their side of the bargain.  It is not uncommon for some companies to promise you the moon, demand an advance on your shipment, do not ship the car, take your money and run, and you are stuck.

You can lie on your resume, although it is not a good practice and you know it.  You can make yourself appear to be a CEO when in reality you are the sole attendant in a parking lot.  Requesting a quote is not the time to embellish facts.  You want to submit accurate, very detailed and intimate technical information regarding your beloved vehicle that you are turning over to a complete stranger.

You must provide a thoroughly accurate description of your auto’s weight and shape.  Not every carrier can handle every type of vehicle.  If yours is an SUV, off-road vehicle, some kind of small truck, or a heavy van or station wagon you may have to opt for a special carrier.  If there are any exotic features or customized alterations to your vehicle that may keep it from driving up a truck ramp effectively if at all, this will require special consideration.  Most carriers, for a supplemental charge, will ship non-operating vehicles.  You must, however, inform them of this before the loading day arrives as it may require a truck with specialized equipment to deal with a car that can’t be just driven onto it.

The way the company presents the quote, whatever it may be, is very important for you to get some insight into the quality of the shipper.  Was the quote presented to you in a professional, courteous, and helpful manner?  Does the quote given the services they provide seem too good to be true?  It probably is.  Compare quotes of all companies offering similar services.  Start with the most well known companies in the industry to begin getting quotes and estimating quality and prices even if you do not choose them for your business.  At least you will know what the prominent companies offer and at what price so you can compare this more easily with the lesser known companies.

After conducting your thorough research, you can determine if the company you wish to go with, whether a big guy or not, is honest about prices and services.  Then start negotiating for a better deal.  Tell them you got a better price somewhere else and let them know that you really like that.  A good company will not necessarily offer their minimum price for their services right off the top.  So, even with large, well known companies there may be a chance you can get them to lower their price to the one you quoted them.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Shipping, auto shipping quotes, vehicles | No Comments »

1,000 Great Quotes: Auto Shipping

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Benjamin Disraeli once said that, I’m paraphrasing, the wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated by good quotes. You can look up companies on the net, contact them, hire a broker to sift through them and select the most competent ones with the best records, make every preparation and take every precaution, but in the end it all comes down to asking companies for a quote and making the final decision according to the quote which best suits you.

Companies realize this and many offer GREAT QUOTES already on the home page of their sites. This is something to keep an eye out for: good companies want you to ask for a quote so that they can impress you and win you over.

As a quick aside, if a company requires an advance, make absolutely sure that you are issued a contract which covers a complete refund in case the service is not carried out. A favorite fraudulent technique by not so successful companies is to receive an advance, buy some time, fail to ship the car, and refuse to refund: an easy way to make at least some money with a minimum of expenditure.

Yes, it is better not to lie in your Resume, but in many cases you can use rhetoric to formulate your experience so that you sound as an ideal presidency candidate even if you are just a parking lot attendant. But when requesting a quote it is better to submit accurate, detailed, and even the most intimate technical information about your one and only.

An accurate description of your car’s weight and shape is crucial, since carrier trucks do not accommodate all cars. Heavy SUVs, minivans, station wagons, pick-up trucks, and of-road vehicles must be considered for special carrier trucks. Any exotic features and customized changes (such as lowering the car or otherwise making driving up a truck ramp difficult) will require special service. For a small supplement to the general fee, most carriers are able to ship non-operable vehicles, but it is bets to inform them before hand, because it may take a truck with a specialized ramp to lift a car which cannot be driven.

Besides the actual content of the quoted, consider the way in which the quote is presented to you: try to see how professional, courteous, and willing they are. Compare this insight with the actual service they offer: is too good to be true? Compare their quotes with those of other companies for similar services. Even if you do not choose any of the most prominent companies in the field, it is still better to begin estimating prices and quality with the best, most well known companies.

Once you have conducted this field research, you will be able to tell whether the company that you seem to prefer – perhaps not the biggest name – is sincere about their price and service. And even with a sensible, sincere carrier you can haggle for a better deal. A standard trick is to convincingly suggest that may get a better deal for the same service elsewhere. For the most part, good companies do not offer the minimal price out right, which means that with good companies there is always a chance they might lower their price just enough for you to prefer them over a similar company.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Auto Shipping, Vehicle Shipping, Vehicle Transport, auto shipping quotes | No Comments »

Shipping Your Car Safely

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Hastily trusting your car to the first trucking company you come across is the last thing you want, sign a contract on faith, have your car picked up already that day, and then in Pompeii or Paris have the shipment delayed. Your vehicle is finally but with damage and you can’t prove it wasn’t there before.

Submitting your property for transportation themselves is something that good companies may inform you on. Being self- informed is best, so save time by preparing your car beforehand, and make sure the clerk doesn’t leave anything out. It is the client’s responsibility for any overlooked issues.

It is better to be fastidious than a careless slacker where your car is concerned. It is not uncommon for occurrences of scandalous customer service involving expensive cargo. Inspect you car minutely before admitting it to a company clerk, pay particular attention to the motor. So that later you will not have to wrack your brains about a bunch of wires you never before noticed it is better to be fully aware of the motor’s condition before shipment.

Removing any removable customized accessories such as radios, alarms, mirrors, etc. is better. Be sure to make sure there aren’t any personal valuable or belongings inside the car that can be seen by anyone. The tires should be checked for wear and air. In the agreement to be signed by both parties there should be written record of any damage. In your presence the car will most likely be checked by a company official, but don’t be afraid to nag him with small details. Obliging their customers is something good carriers companies will be glad to do, and a display of negligence might deter bad companies from carelessly handling your property.

Any reasonable person would be insane to pay all of the insurance policies insistently offered over the phone and by mail. While buying insurance against damage and theft from the company is a good idea.

Inquire beforehand if the company offers the insurance you prefer whether it’s primary or excess. The primary insurance policy will cover damages independently covered by your regular auto insurance. What your regular coverage insurance doesn’t cover your excess policy will. Be sure you know exactly what is and isn’t currently covered.

For exotic vehicles, antiques or classic cars there are companies specializing in the shipping of these. Handling your precious cargo is what their specially designed carriers are designed for, but it is still advisable to an insurance contract.

Inspect your car with the truck driver, it is also a good idea to take digitally-dated photos of your car prior to shipping. In the presence of the driver/official inspect immediately for damage this will help in filing a claim if new objectionable damage is found.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Automotive, Cars, logistics, vehicles | No Comments »

Ensure Peace of Mind by Shipping Your Car in One Piece

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Signing a contract on faith, having your car picked up already that day, then in Paris or Pompeii having the shipment delayed and finally the vehicle is delivered with damage you have no proof of being there before, is the last thing you want after hastily trusting to the first trucking company you come across.

Informing you on how best to submit your property for transportation themselves is something good companies may do. Save time by preparing your car beforehand and it is best to be self-informed. The responsibility for any overlooked issues rest wholly with the client so make sure the busy clerk doesn’t forget a point or two.

Rather than being a careless slacker, where your car is concerned it is better to be fastidious. It is not uncommon for occurrences of scandalous customer service involving expensive cargo. With particular attention to the motor inspect your car minutely before admitting a company clerk. It is better to be fully aware of the motor’s condition, so that later you don’t have to wrack your brains about never seen before wires and suspect conspiracy unnecessarily.

Any removable customized accessories such as radios, alarms, mirrors, etc. should be removed beforehand. It’s also a good idea to keep personal belongings out of sight inside the car in case of a break-in. The tires should be checked fro air and wear. Any  damage not repaired should be listed in the agreement and signed by both parties. The car will be checked by a company official in your presence. Don’t be afraid to nag about small detail good carrier companies will only be glad to oblige their customers and bad companies may be deterred from carelessly handling your property.

Over the phone and by mail there are too many insurance policies offered and a reasonable person would be insane to pay for all of them. It is better to buy insurance from them against damage and theft no matter how trustworthy they seem.

Choose whether you prefer primary or excess insurance and make sure the company offers the one you choose. The primary insurance policy will cover damages independently of what is covered by your regular auto insurance. The excess policy will cover what your regular insurance doesn’t, but be sure you are familiar with what is and isn’t covered.

There are companies that specialize in shipping exotic vehicles. Their carriers are specially designed to handle antiques or classic cars. It is advisable to have an insurance contract which will cover everything that is dear to you about the unit.

Taking digitally-dated photos of your car prior to shipping is a good idea. Inspect the car with the truck driver and inspect the car for apparent damage immediately. This should be done in the presence of the driver or official at the destination. If any new objectionable damage is found a claim should be filed immediately.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Automotive, International, Vehicle Transport | No Comments »

Ship Your Car in One Piece and Ensure Peace of Mind

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

The last thing you want is to hastily trust your car to the first trucking company you come across, sign a contract on faith, have your car picked up already that day, and then, in Paris or Pompei, have the shipment delayed and finally the vehicle delivered with damage you can never prove wasn’t there in the first place.

Good companies might inform you on how best to submit your property for transportation themselves, but it is best to be self-informed, save time by preparing your car beforehand, and make sure the busy clerk doesn’t forget a point or two: the responsibility for any overlooked issues will rest wholly with the client.

When your car is concerned, it is better to be fastidious than a careless slacker: occurrences of scandalous customer service involving expensive cargo are not uncommon. Before admitting a company clerk to you car, inspect it yourself minutely, with particular attention to the motor: it is better to be fully aware of the motor’s condition before shipment, so that later you will not have to wrack you brains about a bunch of wires you never before noticed and suspect conspiracy unnecessarily.

It is better to remove any removable customized accessories, radios, alarms, mirrors, etc. Make sure not to leave in plain sight inside the car any precious or even not so precious objects which might invite a break-in (some people think nothing of breaking into a car to steal a false Zippo). Check the tires for air and wear. Any damage that remains unrepaired upon submission should be listed in the agreement and signed by both parties. A company official will likely want to check the car himself in your presence, but don’t be afraid to nag them with a host of small detail – good carrier companies will only be glad to oblige their customers and a display of vigilance might deter bad companies from carelessly handling your property.

There are too many insurance policies insistently offered over the phone and by mail for a reasonable person to pay for all of them and you would be perfectly sane – despite what the agents would have you to think – not to insure your every body part and organ. But no matter how trustworthy the company is or seems to be, it is better to buy insurance from them against damage and theft.

Decide whether you want primary or excess insurance and inquire beforehand if the company offers the one you prefer. The primary insurance policy will cover damages independently of what is covered by your regular auto insurance. The excess policy covers only what your regular insurance doesn’t: make sure you know precisely what you are and aren’t currently covered against.

There are companies which specialize in shipping exotic vehicles, antiques or classic cars. Their carriers are specially designed to handle such precious property, but an insurance contract which will cover everything that is dear to you about the unit is still advisable.

It is good to take digitally-dated photos of your car prior to shipping, inspect the car with the truck driver no matter in how a shipshape shape the ship is, and to inspect the car for apparent damage immediately and it the presence of the driver/official at the destination, filing a claim immediately, if politely, in case you find any new objectionable damage.

Visit MetroGistics for all of your Vehicle Shipping needs.

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Posted in Cars, International, Vehicle Transport, vehicles | No Comments »

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