Saving money is always preferred whenever possible, but most people do not think about saving money when shipping a car. You can, though, and you don’t need to sacrifice quality to make it happen.
1. Consider the Location
To begin saving on money, you need to know the pick-up and drop-off location for your vehicle. Mileage and where the car is going to or coming from will make a difference. Smaller towns may be cheaper to ship to as opposed to larger cities, or vice versa. You will need to call to find out which one will cost less for your shipment. Closer distances are also less expensive than longer distances.
Seasons also play into the pricing you will see for shipping your car. Summer months are more expensive, while the rest of the year, fees are much less. If you have a flexible delivery schedule, you can book your car to be shipped at a time of the year where you will not have to pay as much.
2. Plan and Be Flexible
Shipping companies look for carriers, and giving a company more lead time to find a carrier will lower the rate. Working with the shipping company means that the company will provide you with better rates, too.
Expect to be flexible with dates when it comes to pick-up and drop-off to get lower rates as date-specific drop-off or pick-up are more expensive. Selecting standby shipping is another option to save some cash, but it may take a more extended amount of time to find a carrier. Ask about the cost difference between open and enclosed transport, too, because open transport is also cheaper and a great option if your car is not a luxury or high-priced collectible, if your car is of this style and you do not want it to take risks by the sun or salt of the atmosphere, it could be better to look for the best enclosed car transport.
3. Running Vehicles Cost Less
Make sure your car runs before shipping it. While you can ship vehicles that are not running, your car shipping cost will be less if it is a running car. While you might not realize it, if your car has been sitting for a while, it may not run.
Quick and inexpensive fixes can save you from having to pay non-operational fees charged by shipping companies. Spark plugs or replacing a battery can often cost less than paying fees, so it is a good idea to make sure your car runs before you ship it.
4. Shop Around for Quotes
There is such a thing as too low when it comes to the quotes you get from shipping companies. It is easy to think that you might be getting a great deal when the reality is that you are being taken advantage of by a scam of a company.
Prices that are significantly lower than competitors are probably not the way to go. Carriers want to make money, and brokers want to pay as little as possible to make a profit. Low prices will not move cars as effectively as fair prices. While getting multiple quotes is important, so is keeping a reasonable expectation. Reading reviews can also help you figure out where you should look.
5. Shipping Multiple Cars Together
If you have multiple cars to ship, you are going to get a lower rate if you send them all at the same time through the same company. Having them all at a single pick-up location also helps keep prices down because the carrier will not need to go to different places to pick up the cars.
A single drop-off location further reduces rates because there is no need to go to more than one place to deliver the vehicles. You can go one step further and choose terminal-to-terminal delivery, where you take your vehicle to a predetermined pick-up location. You would then retrieve your cars from a predefined destination to pay the most inexpensive rates available.
A Few Final Thoughts on Saving Money While Shipping Your Car
Shipping your car does not have to be expensive if you are willing to do some planning. Think ahead about the location for drop-off and pick-up. Be ready to be flexible to get the lowest rates. Do not forget to make sure your car is operable because it costs more to ship one that doesn’t run. If you have more than one car to send, send them together if you can because you will save even more that way.
