Car Carriers Info for the 1st time auto shipping customer!

by | Transport Tips

car carriers

Car Carriers Transport Vehicles for the General Public

You want to make the best choice the first time when you’re in the market to ship a car.

Your car is one of your most expensive and important assets. When you have to ship it, you want it done right. And with the same level of care, you would give to your baby.

The number of vehicle haulers has increased as the auto transport industry grew over the past few years. Since the Internet became part of people’s everyday lives, you’re now able to purchase cars from dealerships and individuals anywhere in the world.

You can even have them shipped to your door. Technology changes everything – yes, for car carriers too.

Find the Right Car Carriers For You

These days it’s becoming common practice for people to use an auto shipper to ship a car they bought online. But what can you do to help make the transport of your car easy and stress-free?

Unless you transport vehicles regularly, you probably don’t have a lot of experience working with auto transport companies.

That’s okay. We’re here to help you learn.

How can you find a reputable vehicle transport service on the first try? We’ve created a brief guide to help you find a trustworthy auto shipper and let you know what to expect when you use a car carrier service.

There are no guarantees, but if you follow these steps you’ll have a much higher chance of success.

  • Get quotes from as many auto shippers as you want. Reputable companies will offer free auto transport quotes with no obligation on your end.
  • Research the companies you’re most interested in using to ship your car. Customer review sites like transportreviews.com and mymovingreviews.com are good resources to explore.
  • Look into the company’s history. How long have they been around? If it’s been a while, odds are they have a good record.
  • Check them out on ratings sites like the Better Business Bureau. or even Yelp!
Car Carriers Car Carriers like J&S Transportation ship cars across the US for customers just like you!

Door-to-Door Service or Terminal-to-Terminal

More often than not, car carriers offer door to door car transport.

On the other hand, auto transport brokers primarily provide terminal to terminal service. Which service is best for you depends on your auto transport needs.

How quickly you need your vehicle shipped? How much you want to pay? Where does the car need to be picked up from and delivered to?

These are the factors in your decision to use an auto hauler or a broker. When you book your auto transport order, don’t base your decision solely on the car shipping quote.

If you’ve gotten a number of quotes from different companies, you’ll see there is a range of prices but they’re all usually in the same ballpark. If a quote is so low it seems too good to be true, it probably is. (Think red flag)

Getting Your Vehicle Ready for the Car Delivery Service

Once you’ve placed your auto hauling order, you need to take some steps to help ensure an easy and stress-free transport.

Doing these things will make it easier for you and the car transporter:

    • Wash your car!

Making sure your car is clean means it’s easier for you and the carrier to do a proper vehicle inspection when your car is picked up.

    • Make sure your vehicle is emptied of personal items.

Auto transport companies do insure your vehicle during transport, but they DO NOT insure personal items left in the car or cover “acts of God” like floods, hail, and similar events. It’s best not to include any personal items in your vehicle. This ain’t UPS.

    • Leave only 1/8 of a tank of fuel in the vehicle.
    • Make sure the tires are inflated and the brakes are working.

If the brakes aren’t working, or if the vehicle is inoperable, there is an extra charge due to the added work and planning that goes into shipping an inoperable vehicle.

    • Make sure someone is there to give the keys to the auto transport truck driver.

Make sure either you or a trusted representative are at the pickup and delivery of your vehicle to go over the condition report.

When the vehicle is dropped off, you (or your representative) will go over the condition report to make sure no damage has occurred during transport. If there is damage, now is the time to contact the transport company to file a claim per their damage policy.

car carriers A fully loaded J&S car transport truck gets ready to hit the road.

What to Expect from Our Car Carrier Service

J&S is primarily a transporter, but we are also a licensed broker.

This means we have the flexibility to meet your auto transport needs with ease. We’ve been in business for over 15 years and have shipped over 235,000 vehicles for our satisfied customers, many on our own fleet of trucks.

However, if we can get your vehicle shipped safely and quicker by brokering your order to a partner business, we’ll do it, but not before informing you of this option first.

At J&S, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and communication.

If you place your auto transport order with us, you can expect personal contact throughout the transport of your vehicle, regardless if we ship it on our own trucks or broker it.

J&S Transportation offers door-to-door auto shipment service as often as possible, however, our trucks are not allowed in some residential areas. If that is the case with your transport, our drivers will arrange a convenient and safe location with you for pickup of your vehicle.

Our primary focus is to provide phenomenal customer service, safe and quick delivery, and open and honest communication at a fair price to everybody. Once you’ve shipped a car with J&S, we hope to gain your repeat business.