There are two options for whenever the need to move vehicles across long distances arises. It is either the vehicles are driven to the eventual destination or auto-shipped. Well, it turns out that the latter is better for several reasons, including the following:
- Stress Reduction
- Time Efficiency
- Possibility of Shipping Multiple Vehicles at Once
- Possibility of Transporting Non-Operational Vehicles
- Better Protection from Road Hazards
- Eco-Friendliness
- Safety
- Reduced Vehicle Wear & Tear
The list goes on but they all point to the benefits of auto-shipping vehicles instead of driving long distances. For more on this subject, you can visit: https://www.factmonster.com/.
However, the decisions to use auto shipping services still need to be well informed to avoid negative experiences. In the spirit of ensuring this, some key mistakes to steer clear of will be discussed here.
Critical Errors to Avoid When Shipping Your Car
Having a hitch-free auto transportation experience is not only down to companies in this line of work. Consumers also have a part to play, which is why some mistakes to avoid for a hitch-free experience are discussed below:
Not Verifying Credentials
Steering clear of companies that do not have any licensing information to present is a huge step toward finding the right company. For one, this is to establish that your choice is accountable to a regulatory authority.
However, it is not enough to get such information as verification also needs to happen. Experiences showing how some licensing credentials are false, forged, or outdated are the major reasons for this.
For example, you should contact the Department of Transportation to be certain that any USDOT number provided checks out. By the way, insurance is another important thing to verify.
Not Disabling Toll Tags & Parking Passes
There would be cost implications when your vehicle passes through toll booths and restricted zones even if it is on the auto transport company’s carrier. This is as long as toll tags and parking passes are not disabled. Seeing how this defeats the purpose of cost-effectiveness, which is a major reason many people use auto transport services, do not leave your vehicle’s toll tags and parking passes intact.
Overlooking Cost Breakdown
You should not only be concerned about the overall cost of shipping your vehicle. Whenever you get a quote to ship your car, ensure that you go through the breakdown of the cost. One of the major reasons for this advice is for the detection of hidden charges, which some companies have been known to include.
Neglecting Weather Conditions
Auto vehicle shipping is more stressful, dangerous, and expensive during extreme weather conditions. This includes snowstorms, heavy rains, hurricanes, and the like. So, you are advised to check in with weather reports before having your vehicle shipped.
By the way, this should be more of a concern for people who use open auto transport, as opposed to enclosed auto transport services. The level of exposure to nature’s elements that the open transport option entails is the reason for this.
Not Inquiring about Shipping Routes to be Taken
Just as with airlines, not all trips involve going through direct routes with some of these companies. The plan might be to make several stops even in indirect routes. Delays are the major concern with this arrangement, which is why you should inquire and only opt for options that take direct routes if timely delivery is a major concern for you.
Filling Up Your Vehicle with Fuel
More often than not, a vehicle filled with fuel is great news. However, this is one of the few exceptions as it leads to increased weight, which increases auto transport service costs.
This is because the vehicle’s weight is a cost-influencing factor. There are also safety concerns associated with filling your vehicle’s tank to the brim before auto shipping.
Filling it up to one-quarter of your vehicle’s fuel tank will be fine as it ensures that there is enough to make it operable. By the way, it costs more to ship an operable vehicle, especially because more resources will be required for loading and unloading.
Not Removing Non-Factory Modifications
The failure to remove non-factory modifications like the use of oversized tires, roof racks, and spoilers can complicate the auto-shipping process. At the very least, it usually leads to increased service costs because of the additional weight and extra care required for shipping the vehicle with them.
By the way, there is the possibility of these non-factory modifications getting damaged. So, it is better if they are removed and then reinstalled after delivery.
Not Informing the Carrier about Mechanical Issues
Consumers are supposed to document the state and shape of their vehicle before being completely handed over to the carrier. However, the truth is that some mechanical issues simply have to be verbally reported.
This ensures that the auto transport company does not make uninformed decisions when handling your vehicle. For example, it is not ideal to leave out information about a faulty brake. You can check here for more on mechanical issues with automobiles that should be reported.
Wrap Up
Avoiding these 8 key mistakes discussed here will go a long way in ensuring that you do not have regrets about using auto transport services. So, bear this in mind whenever the need to use these services arises.
