How Can I Save Money on Car Shipping?

Why is Booking Open Car Shipping Instead of Closed Auto Transportation Essential?

When it comes to transporting a car, there are generally two options. You can choose an enclosed or an open car carrier. The differences between the two are pretty simple, but the key is the cost of transporting a car.

An enclosed carrier is typically between 30% and 40% more than an open car carrier. This is because the service offers additional protection for the vehicle. Regardless of the weather and road conditions, an enclosed car shipping service delivers your car in the same condition it was picked up in. Before deciding on “the shipping method,” you must know thoroughly how they work.

Open car Shipping:

In this method, your car will be loaded onto a multi-layered carrier alongside several other vehicles. The cars are positioned diagonally, exposing your car to all-natural elements, such as the road and weather conditions during transportation.

Enclosed car Shipping:

With enclosed car shipping, your car receives an extra layer of protection as it is placed inside a container. This container seals your car from the outside environment, ensuring that external problems like weather or road debris won’t affect your vehicle during shipping.

So, which one saves money on car shipping? Yes, you have guessed it right! Open shipping. Given that it distributes cost among all the five or ten vehicles it has on the carrier. These owners of cars pay a portion of the transport cost, making it a clear winner.

Choosing between open and enclosed shipping depends on your car type and priorities. Whether saving on transportation, spending even more on maintenance, or choosing enclosed shipping to avoid incurring additional expenses while you ship your luxury car.

Why Choose the Shipping Port or Terminal Option?

You might not be aware, but avoiding having your car picked up and dropped off at your address is possible. Door to door is the way most people choose to ship their vehicles, but there is another option that could save you quite a few bucks. Opting for port or terminal shipping can be a light on pocket choice on a busy moving day when trying to save money on car shipping.

Instead of door to door car transport, drop your car at the terminal and pay only for the extra gas used for those additional miles.  Use public transport or Seek a friend’s help to reach the terminal. With terminal to terminal shipping, you drive your car to the terminal nearest your home.

It is loaded onto a truck and taken to a terminal nearest your new address. This option is more straightforward for Get Auto Transportation and can reduce the miles for your trip. In turn, this saves you money. We should point out that this shipping option requires careful planning because you must transport your car to the terminal at both ends of the transport.

Get Auto Transportation often work faster with terminal to terminal shipping because the car is already at the terminal, reducing unloading time at the destination. To compensate for this speed and convenience, they may extra charge. This additional cost is the opportunity cost for sending your car directly to the terminal and saving time.

Can You Expect any Additional Fees?

Select a package from an auto transport broker when you request a car shipping service quote. It can be frustrating to discover later that you have been charged hundreds of dollars in various surcharges. Such as liftgate assistance, storage fees, loading and unloading charges,  vehicle dimensional charges, and some you may need help understanding.

Some companies include hidden fees you won’t find anywhere until you accept a quote online or over the phone. These charges might be to cover terminal handling fees or fuel surcharges. To avoid this, asking the broker about potential charges before finalizing your decision is essential.

You can also read reviews and ask for referrals to find a transparent and trustworthy broker. If you want to avoid surprises, ask upfront when you finalize your quote in person or over the phone. This is also advisable to get your quote written copy so there are no misunderstandings at a later date.  

Get Auto Transportation guarantees our prices are all-inclusive. There will be no surprises, we guarantee. Additionally, if you are presented with unexpected charges, you have the right to refuse to pay them and request a clear explanation from the transporter.

At Get Auto Transportation, we priorities transparency and strive to provide our clients with transparent and upfront pricing. You can trust us to provide a reliable, stress-free auto transport experience without hidden fees or surprises.

Why Choose Get Auto Transportation?

Another option to save money on car transport costs is to look for a fantastic company like Get Auto Transportation. We focus on both regional moves and national ones. 

Get Auto Transportation will likely have lower overhead costs, which they can pass on to our customers. We also offer specials and discounts on our services, making them even more competitive. 

Why is the Important to Check the Running Condition of Your Car?

A real money saver is to ship an operable car rather than one that’s not running. If an auto transport company has to load an inoperable car, you’ll likely have to pay additional charges. These will cover the cost of specialist equipment such as hydraulic lifts. 

We always recommend that a mechanic inspect your vehicle before shipping it. That way, you’ll ensure there are no issues with the car and save money should any repairs be needed. 

Why Choose Popular Pick-up and Delivery Locations?

This is an effective way to save money on shipping a car. In the auto transport world, carriers like to operate along popular routes. These routes are between big cities across the country. By big cities, we mean major metropolitan areas such as San Diego, Dallas, Miami, Austin, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and other similar cities. These areas are popular because there are many people and more loads for carriers to ship. 

If your preferred pick-up and delivery location is off the beaten track, shipping your car will be more expensive. Carriers that service customers in rural areas must spend more time getting to these out-of-the-way locations. Maintenance, time, and fuel are all a carrier's primary day to day expenses. The more the carrier spends to get your vehicle, the more it costs. 

Change your pick-up or delivery location out of the boonies and opt for a central metro area; you could save hundreds on your shipment. 

Standby shipping services

Standby auto transport services are an excellent way to save money, but it will only work if you’re not pressed for time. People move their vehicles generally as soon as they know they have to. It might be because of a move, or you’re selling the car to someone else. Whatever the reason, people tend to need car transport services immediately. 

However, some people might benefit from standby shipping. This is where you pay a low price because it’s better for the carrier to run without an empty slot on their trailer. Trailers with an empty spot will gladly take lower-paying loads because it is money on top.

Standby might be an option if you don’t need to ship your car immediately. This is especially true during the summer when prices are at their highest. If you don’t need to move your vehicle immediately, you can choose standby shipping and wait for the right opportunity.    

Be flexible with your pick-up window

If you’re flexible regarding the time frame for picking up your vehicle, it makes it easier to find cheaper rates because they can be influenced by supply and demand. 

In addition, it’s not just about the pick-up and delivery time. It’s also the dates. When you arrange your car shipping earlier, it opens the door to better prices and potential discounts. You could pay a higher price if you wait until the last minute.

Smaller is more economical

The number of places on car transport carriers is limited, and the journey depends on the cars. Big cars occupy more space, so they cost more money. 

Smaller cars are lighter and could save space on the trailer, providing more room for extra cargo and saving the transporter the trouble of moving a large, heavy shipment.