When it comes to something like transporting a vehicle, at first glance, it can seem like a complicated process. After all, with such a big item to move, how could it be simple? Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be the case.
There are plenty of options available for anyone looking for methods of shipping, as you can see on this page. Today, though, we’ll be covering the top five things you need to be aware of if you’re transporting a vehicle in or out of Illinois.
One: There are Different Types of Car Shipping
To start, one of the most important things to be aware of is that there are different types available to us when we decide this is how we want to move a car from A to B. Let’s take a loko at a few of them.
Open Car Transport: This is the most common method, where your car is shipped on an open trailer with other vehicles – that’s why it’s less expensive.
Enclosed Car Transport: With this option, your car is shipped in a fully enclosed trailer for added protection and security, but it does cost more money.
Two: The Costs Can Change
Whether you’re going with RoadRunner Illinois Auto Transport or anything else, it’s important to note that the costs of transporting a vehicle are variable. That’s because there are several determining factors.
Distance: As you can probably guess, the further distance you have to send the car, the more it will cost.
Type of Car: Larger or heavier vehicles, like SUVs or trucks, may cost more to ship.
Seasons: Depending on when you decide to ship your car (such as off season or prime season), then you may have to pay more or less. Try to pay attention to trends, and keep in mind that summer tends to be the peak of prices.
Type of Shipping: We mentioned this above, but opting for an enclosed shipping container will likely cost more than an open one. That’s because it offers extra protection from the elements and reduces risks of damage on the car.
Three: Do Your Research
There are a lot of shipping companies out there, so it’s important that you do your research to find the one that suits you best. Resources like this one: https://www.fmc.gov/about/bureaus-offices/consumer-affairs-dispute-resolution-services/shipping-your-vehicle-overseas/ may be of assistance with that, along with the other ones that we’ve shared today. What sorts of things should we keep an eye out for, though?
Reviews: Do your best to read reviews for whatever carrier you’re going with. See what other customers have had to say about their service as well as their speed and efficiency – this should give you an idea of what you can expect.
Insurance Policies: Although these tend to cost extra, it never hurts to ask about or look into the types of insurance or liability policies that the carrier has to offer.
Four: Prepare Your Car for Shipping
Something that a lot of folks tend to forget is that you should do a few things to prepare for shipping. While it’s not complicated, you can save yourself money and time by doing a few simple things.
Washing and Detailing: Prior to dropping off the car (or having it picked up), you’ll want to wash it and detail it. This will make it easier to spot any pre-existing damage for liability and insurance purposes.
Personal Items: It’s important to remove any and all personal items from the car before they get shipped. This is for a few reasons, of course – you don’t want to lose any of them, obviously. Additionally, though, you’ll want to do this because it can help reduce the weight of your car for price calculation purposes. Even the tiniest objects can make a difference.
Gas Tank: You’ll want to fill your gas tank to about a quarter full to avoid any damage to the fuel lines.
Alarms: Do your best to remember to disable alarm systems for the transit process, as those can be a hassle for the employees handling your vehicle.
Five: Remember Insurance and Liability Policies
Although we’ve mentioned this a few times, we would like to emphasize this point on its own as well. Most of the time, car shipping companies typically provide insurance coverage for your vehicle during transit. However, there are sometimes upgrades available.
Beyond that, though, don’t forget that you should read over the policy several times. Get a proper understanding of it so that you don’t end up with any nasty surprises along the way. After all, if your vehicle does end up damaged somehow, you probably will want to get that sorted out as quickly as possible.
Overall, car shipping isn’t something that needs to be intimidating or frustrating, whether you’re transporting into or out of Illinois!
