Auto Shippers are the best option to ship a car bought online

Thanks to the growing popularity of sites like Auto Trader and eBay people are now able to buy cars anywhere in the country — or the world for that matter. According to a recent survey nearly 75% of cars sold on eBay were interstate transactions.

One of the drawbacks to buying vehicles online has been how to get the newly purchased vehicle from the dealership to the new owner. Arranging interstate car transport can be a tad difficult. A vehicle is a huge investment of cash and trying to find a company to move your newly-purchased car quickly and safely can be a daunting undertaking.

Some dealerships will arrange transport of the customers’ vehicle to their address, but most leave making the transport arrangements to the purchaser of the car. Thankfully, a growing number of customer service minded auto shippers are available to help online car buyers transport the car they bought from a dealership in a distant city.

While using the internet to find a car transport service to transport a car you bought online is convenient, it is only the first step. The following is a list of things all car transport customers need to consider when they need to ship their vehicle. Follow these suggestions and save money and increase your peace of mind when you need transport your auto:

A J&S truck heads into the sunset as it cruises down a highway.

How to ship a car bought online

• Compare companies:Make sure that you compare different shipping companies. There are a lot of auto delivery companies out there and it may be difficult to tell the good from the bad. Use online resources like third party review sites, customer testimonials or organizations like the Better Business Bureau to help you determine the best choice of an auto transporter for you.
• Get multiple car shipping cost quotes: There can be a big disparity between auto transport quotes from company to company. Do some research. Some quotes don’t disclose all the fees associated with auto transport, such as whether the quote is for door-to-door service or just terminal-to-terminal. And remember, the cheapest quote is not always the best way to go.
• Ask Uncle Sam: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Association is part of the Department of Transportation that allows consumers to find information about a shipping company’s information and accident history. The FMCSA maintains a hotline (888) 368-7238 for consumers to check on a shipper’s license and insurance record as well as whether any complaints have been made about the company.
• Size matters: Bigger cars take up more space in the carrier and heavier cars add more cargo weight, making them more expensive to ship.
• Broker or Transport Company: When looking to ship a car you bought online decide if you want to use an auto transport broker or an auto transport company. There are pros and cons to each. The qualities you are looking for in a company will help determine which will work best for your needs.
• Door-To-Door or Terminal-To-Terminal: Make sure when you get a quote from a car transport service you determine if the price is for door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal transport. Door-to-door means your vehicle will be delivered from the dealership to your address if at all possible, but sometimes residential zoning laws prohibit big trucks from entering neighborhoods in which case the delivery will take place at a mutually-agreed upon nearby location. Terminal-to-terminal may mean you will have to travel (in some cases hundreds of miles if you live in a rural location) to the nearest terminal storage yard used by the auto transporter.

Follow these tips to help save time and money, as well as helping to improve your auto shipping experience.