Moving always requires careful planning and organizing. You have to pack your entire home, balance relocation costs, find a new home, and uproot your entire family. This can be particularly taxing if you are moving across the country and need to do this in a short period of time. While you could make the long trek out to your new location and drive for hours with your family, it might be easier get car shipping quotes from dependable auto shipping companies that will transport your car or cars out to meet you there.
Auto transport companies specialize in all kinds of vehicle transport from traditional passenger cars, to RV shipping, to motorcycle shipping, and much more. They are equipped to load several vehicles in their trucks and deliver them to various locations around the country. They often utilize two different methods to do this, called open and closed auto transport. As the names suggest, one refers to vehicles that are transported out in the open, and the other encloses vehicles within a larger truck.
Open car transport often results is less pricey car shipping quotes, but it can be much more dangerous for your car. Even though closed car transport can be expensive, there are several advantages to this type of shipping, such as safety and protection.
In 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that more than 500,000 trucks carried interstate freight, and that there were roughly 3,000 fatal crashes involved large trucks in 2011. With so many large vehicles on the road, there is a higher chance of accidental damage to your car, especially if it is not enclosed. Encasing your car in a truck also means that your car is less likely to be stolen if the transport truck is left unattended while the driver takes a break. In addition, enclosed transport typically limits a truck’s capacity to only a few cars. This means your car will not be one among dozens of others, and is less likely to sustain damages from cars that may shift during shipping.
Leaving your car out in the open also subjects the surface and windows to the elements. Rain, snow, and extremely hot weather can all warp the paint on your car, and dust, rocks and other debris that are an inevitable part of the road can scratch your paint coat or even nick your windshield. When a car in enclosed, it is protected from these potentially harmful elements.
Depending on how far you need to transport your car and the type of transport you want, car shipping quotes will vary. But if you do decide to ship your car, it might be best to choose enclosed auto shipping for the safety of your car. You may have to spend a few extra hundred dollars, but the extra protection for your car will be worth it.