Choosing an Auto Transport Service

Auto transportation service is the primary source of transporting your car or automobile from one place to another, especially while moving house. It is somewhat akin to hiring a packing and moving service to transport your household goods from one place to another. The only difference is that the auto transport service will shift your car or vehicle from one place to another.

Therefore it pays to ensure, as in any service you opt for, that you get a good deal while receiving great service from the service provider. Here are some tips which will guide you through the process of choosing an auto transport service and getting the most value for money from the deal:

• First, ask around for recommendations from friends. The advantage of this is that you get free advice and a glimpse at how different people have different experiences with different companies.
• Second, shop around for quotes. Ask as many questions you want about all the different aspects of auto transport. Look at the company websites and ask for a quote. You may have to provide all the necessary details to get an accurate quote.
• Then do your own research to see if these companies have the necessary licenses and registrations. This is very important.
• Another aspect to research is the number of unresolved complaints in comparison with the volume of cars transported by the auto transport service. This should give you some idea of their effectiveness.
• Ask the company how they are going to transport the car: whether it will be in an open trailer, or an enclosed trailer. The pricing may vary but then so will the safety and security of your car.
• Ask about the various options for insurance: will the company be insuring your car for the duration of the transportation?
• Check your car insurance. Does it cover all these aspects such as theft and damage during transportation?
• The quotes you receive should include all the pertinent information (apart from the pricing options) such as pick up dates for your vehicle, the time that they need for the transportation of your car, the methods of payment and the insurance options.
• Once you have finalized which auto transport company to hire, make sure that you receive a copy of the contract. Read all the terms and conditions properly before you sign the contract.
• To make your car transport ready, wash it properly (inside and outside) and remove all your personal belongings from the car. The items which normally remain in the car, such as the spare tire etc need to be tied down properly so that they don’t move around during transportation.
• While picking up your car, the driver should inspect the car for scratches and dents and make a note of these points in the bill of lading document which he will then give you.
• When you receive the car from the auto transport service, check the car against this bill of lading document.
• Also check the roof and under the car to see if you notice anything strange.
• Keep all the documents that you receive in the course of these transactions. They may come in handy later in case of any disputes arising.

Another problem which may arise and cause delays is related to the auto transport service itself. Often, the auto transportation service transports about 8 to 10 cars in one direction or general location. So you may have to wait till the number of cars adds up for them. Make sure that you schedule for these delays. In such a case, you may want to look into authorizing a family member or neighbor to hand over and accept the car, especially for those times when you may not be home when the service comes to pick up your car.

While all these factors are important, do keep in mind that there are other factors which are out of control, even for the owners of the auto transport service. These factors are natural weather conditions, mechanical problems with the truck used to transport the car, road restrictions etc.

Ideally, if all these things are managed well, transporting your car should not be so much of a problem.