Vehicle transportation is a fabulous idea to car shipping by itself if you are relocating, buying a car online, or even taking a long drive. But a car shipping that cost will escalate very fast, depending on many factors like distance, shipping mode, and season. Although you won’t be able to get rid of all the charges, there are multiple measures that you can take for the money to be lower and still your car to be transported safely and without any inconvenience.
In this write-up, we will present to you the leading measures to decrease car shipping costs thus making a vehicle transport as cheap as possible without sacrificing the quality of the service.
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Opt for Open Auto Transport
In the car shipping industry, the choice of transport is one of the main factors that set the price. Even though enclosed auto transport is safer, it is usually much more expensive than open auto transport.
Why Open Transport is More Affordable
Lower Cost: Open auto transport means using a multi-car carrier which is capable of several vehicles at once, thus lowering the cost that is shared among the cars. The price is reduced the more cars are shipped together.
Standard Option: Open transport is the most common and the most used method of shipping, which also means it is more accessible and cheaper than enclosed transport.
Perfect for Normal Cars: When shipping a standard car, open transport is generally the most suitable option. Your vehicle will be covered with a protective wrap but for most people, this is not a big issue.
Open transport is one of the easiest ways to reduce car shipping costs.
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Simply Plan Ahead and Be Flexible with Your Dates
One more method for lowering your car transport charges is the flexibility of your shipping dates alongside planning beforehand. More flexible you are with your time and more likely you are to get a better price.
How Flexibility Can Help You Save Money
Off-Peak Seasons: Car shipping firms see a drop and rise in the need for their services during the year. Aiming to carry out orders at peak times (for instance summer or Christmas) are usually more expensive, while off-peak periods (autumn and spring) present lower prices as a result of the lessened demand.
Extended Scheduling Window: In the case that you provide the shipping company a more extensive time frame for car pick up and delivery, they may be able to combine your shipment with other ones heading to the same destination, which will help lower your cost. Taking your shipment a few weeks or months ahead is an example of how you can get a lower rate.
By planning ahead and being flexible with pickup and delivery dates, you can enjoy a lesser price and better scheduling.
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Ship to and from Major Cities
The places where you pick up and deliver your goods can have a big impact on the cost of your shipment. In general, it is more economical to ship from one large metropolitan area to another than to ship from a rural area or a place that is located far away.
Why Shipping to Major Cities is More Affordable
More Availability of Carriers: In large cities, there are usually more carriers to choose from and the transportation routes are relatively easy to be reached, which facilitates the shipping company to take a carrier that matches your needs.
Shorter Distance: When vehicles are transported to and from major cities, the transport routes are shorter most of the time and this can bring down the overall cost.
Easier Access for Transport Trucks: Big cities have wide roads and the infrastructure that is built to help transport trucks access is great. Whereas, the countryside might take more time or require special tools to get there, which means that the cost will be higher.
If it is possible, you should make the pick-up and delivery at or from a large city so that you can save on the shipping costs. A small detour is feasible and at the same time, it could bring you a substantial lowering of the price.
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Consolidate Shipments
Let’s assume you have several automobiles that need to be transported elsewhere or you are going to send off some vehicles in different places, the good news is that shipment consolidation will help you save the expenses of every car.
Working of Shipments Consolidating
Group Shipments Together: One of the ways car shipping companies save money is by shipping several cars at a time. In such a situation, a carrier can transport on the same trip as many vehicles as possible. Consequently, they will be paying less for one vehicle, thus offering you lower prices.
Discounts for Multiple Vehicles: Carriers are sometimes very ready to offer you a discount if you are shipping more than one vehicle, holding at the same time. Especially, it can be very useful for businesses that are going to relocate their fleet or individuals that have several cars.
Are you planning to move your multiple cars? Then you need to check out the available volume discounts. By consolidating your shipment, you will be able to reduce your car shipping costs significantly.
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Use Terminal-to-Terminal Shipping
Though door-to-door shipping is the most comfortable way to handle your car, it is usually the most expensive as well. On the other hand, terminal-to-terminal shipping is an option that costs less, and you can leave your car at a terminal and pick it up at another one that is closer to your destination.
Why Terminal-to-Terminal Shipping is Cheaper
No Door Pickup or Delivery: When a shipping company is only involved in the loading and unloading of the vehicle at the terminal, they save time and resources. These savings can be passed on to the customer in the form of lower prices.
Shared Transport Routes: With terminal-to-terminal shipping, the carrier can choose direct and efficient routes as the vehicles are usually at the centralized terminals where they are picked up and dropped off.
One has to be very flexible and willing to make a short walk to the station, drop off the vehicle and pick it up to save a substantial amount of shipping cost.
Additional Tips for Bringing Down Car Shipping Costs
Though the above-stated ways are the most efficient, there are few other means that you can use to cut down car shipping costs further:
Remove Personal Items: Most car shipping companies impose an additional charge for the transportation of personal items inside a vehicle. In order to avoid the payment of this extra fee, take out – all the personal – stuff from your car before shipping.
Pick the Best Transport Type: There are cases when selecting a more straightforward transport type, for example, open transport instead of the enclosed, will assist in lowering your car shipping costs.
Compare Prices: The best thing to do is to ask for the price – the – service from more than one car shipping companies. By comparing rates, services, and customer reviews, you can find the best deal for your needs.
Conclusion
It is not necessary for car shipping to be costly. In fact, you can cut your vehicle transportation expenses considerably by employing the above-mentioned tactics – selecting open transport, shipping to big cities, planning in advance, coalescing shipments, and going for terminal-to-terminal shipping. Other than that, being open-minded about your shipping date and having a thorough understanding of the factors affecting the price will go a long way in helping you make the right choice at the lowest possible cost.
At 1st Car Shipping, we provide quality and affordable car shipping services that are customized to suit your requirements. The point is, whether it is only one vehicle or you have a fleet, we are ready to offer you the lowest price which is not at the expense of quality or safety. So, please, don’t delay and give us a call for a quote that is made just for you!
