When it comes to something specialized like car shipping, a lot of consumers are left with question marks as far as how the process works and how they can get started with it. Today, we’re here to explain just that. No matter where you live, it works pretty much the same, but in New Jersey, there are a few extra things to keep in mind.
Luckily for us, there isn’t anything too complicated to delve into here today. We have a lot of ground to cover, but the process of transporting a vehicle isn’t difficult once you begin. Just find some car shipping companies in New Jersey to compare, and you should be all set to go, even if you weren’t entirely sure what to do beforehand.
How it Works
When you do opt to transport a car, there are several things that you’ll need to keep in mind along the way. Ideally, the company you’re working with will guide you through them. However, before that can happen, you will have to choose one.
Thankfully, more often than not, these sites will offer you a chance to compare shipping rates between them. Just have your car’s make, model, year, and weight on hand so that you can get accurate price estimates. Compare them to see what the best option will be for you.
From there, your next step will be to think about what type of shipping container you want. There are closed options which will protect your car from the elements.
However, they are a bit more expensive.
Open containers are certainly more affordable.
They do come with the added risk of damage or the vehicle getting dirty. You’ll have to decide for yourself what sounds better to you there and if the pros outweigh the cons for either option.
Once you’ve sorted that out, you can turn your attention to other matters, like scheduling out the time and dates of transit.
Blogs like this one: https://www.the-sun.com/motors/5655967/how-domestic-transport-your-vehicle/, might be able to offer some tips and tricks. Interestingly enough, if you schedule these services in the fall or winter, you might save some money since this is considered the “off-season” here in New Jersey.
What Else Should We Keep in Mind?
Perhaps the nicest part of car shipping services is that they usually offer door-to-door shipping. You won’t have to drive your automobile to the depot or pick it up. Rather, they’ll send a driver to retrieve it and to drop it off. This saves you a whole lot of hassle and frees up your schedule to an extent as well.
With that said it does mean that you have to have the vehicle prepared for when the driver arrives. This entails a few things, from having the necessary documentation ready to have the car cleaned. As you can see in this article, the latter half of that might be a bit of a chore, so be prepared for that.
As far as the documentation goes, you’ll want to have the registration information for the car, as well as proof of purchase, photo identification, and insurance details. The driver will probably ask for all of that and could want more. It really depends on the company.
For cleaning, this might take you a while, based on the current state of the car. The exterior should be washed so that any damage can be documented prior to transit. If there’s dirt and grime, this becomes a lot more difficult, so it’s in your best interest to stop by your local car wash first.
The interior should also be cleared out so that nothing gets lost during the trip and so you aren’t adding unnecessary weight to the automobile. Any extra weight results in further charges since transit companies base the cost on said weight.
Is Car Shipping Worth the Money?
If you’ve been debating between auto transport and taking a road trip, you may be surprised to learn that the transport services may actually be less expensive these days. When you take the cost of gasoline into account, a road trip quickly skyrockets in price.
That’s without even mentioning the price of hotels (if you’re traveling a sizeable distance) and rest stops. We still have to eat and drink while we travel, and all of it can add up pretty quickly. Anyone looking to transport a vehicle across a large distance may want to consider shipping services.
This definitely goes for people who are looking to sell their automobile to a buyer who’s far away. You can even factor the transport costs into the cost of the car if you don’t want to eat that expense. All in all, given how many uses there are for these services, it’s easy to say they’re worth it if you need them.
