Choosing the Best Car Shipping Company for You
There are lots of reasons why people might need a car transported. Maybe you’re selling the car to another person. You could be moving houses and need the car taken there for you.
But how do you choose the best car shipping company for the job? If you get this wrong, you could end up having your car stolen or damaged beyond repair. These are only the worst-case scenarios, but how do you avoid them?
Whether you’re a car salesman, a homeowner, or a business owner needing to transport company vehicles to a new office, there’s a lot to think about when shopping for vehicle shipping.
You need good advice that will help you find the right company for the job. For starters, you need a company that specializes in shipping vehicles across the United States.
But there’s a lot of these companies and they all have different standards and services. All of the conflicting information makes it difficult to determine the right company for the job.
But reviews don’t lie, so read on to learn what to look for when looking at reviews for auto transport companies.
Prices
The first thing you should look into when you’re shopping for car shipping companies is their prices. This is the cornerstone of a good company.
A higher price doesn’t necessarily equal better quality service. And you don’t want to overpay for services either.
It also gives you a chance to look at what sort of discounts are being offered. Nobody wants to pay full price for services, especially when you’re needing to move across the country. A good discount means that you don’t have to pay nearly as much.
Pricing should also be transparent. This means that you’ll know exactly how much you’ll pay and why when you go to make your purchase. They should be letting you know exactly what your money is going to get you.
Car shipping quotes should be easy to read. They should be in a legible print and the total cost should be obvious. This allows you to compare these prices easily and make a decision.
So when looking at different auto transport company reviews, be on the lookout for complaints about the prices. If there seems to be a pattern of the company overcharging for services, then they aren’t the mover for you. But reviews talking about fair pricing and good discounts are a positive sign.
Services Offered
Another thing that you need to be looking at is exactly what services the company offers. Not every auto moving company is going to offer the same exact services. A good car shipping company will offer short distance, long-distance, cross-country, and even corporate vehicle transport.
All three of these services ensure that your car can get from point A to point B with their company. If the company can’t do that for you, then they aren’t the right car transport for you.
The best car transport in the United States should be able to take your car to and from anywhere in the country. So matter where you’re moving to, you can trust that you can take your car with you.
They might also have the ability to transport other vehicles too. For those who own boats, a good transport company should be able to bring it to your new home as well.
The same should be true of all vehicles. RVs and golf carts, for example often also need to be transported when you move. A good transport company should be able to handle these vehicles for you as well.
Guarantees
You want to be sure that when your vehicles get to their destination, that they are still in good condition. A car moving company should take measures to ensure that your vehicle gets there without a scratch on it.
But that doesn’t mean that an accident won’t happen. Moving companies should have guarantees that your belongings won’t get damaged during the journey. Specifically, they should have guarantees that ensure that you will be protected should any damage be done to your car.
Otherwise, you could easily end up with a car that’s completely ruined by the time it gets to your destination. If your moving company leaves you with a vehicle that you can no longer use, then this isn’t a good moving company.
So when you’re shopping around for car shipping quotes, you should be looking at the fine print for guarantees for your vehicle’s safety. This should be the top priority of any good car moving company.
So be searching reviews for issues with warranties and false promises. No company should hide details in the fine print. Reviews about the company not responding well to a damaged vehicle are a major red flag.
Reliability
Guarantees mean nothing if the company won’t keep them. That’s why you also need a company with high reliability.
This ensures that the company will do everything they promise on time. This is important because if your shipment gets lost or damaged in the process, they should have a system in place for compensation.
This also serves as motivation for the company to ensure that your shipment gets to you safely and on time. No company wants to provide refunds. If it’s a consistent problem, then there’s clearly an issue with one of their workers.
And good car shipping companies should genuinely want their customers to be satisfied! They can’t accomplish this if they’re losing or damaging customer property. This is why reliability is one of the hallmarks of any good service provider.
While you’re shopping for car shipping, make sure that there don’t seem to be any contradictions or confusing jargon in the paperwork. This is a sign that the company doesn’t handle its business well.
Positive reviews will talk about the company doing everything it said it was going to do. They will say that their vehicle was delivered unharmed and on time. If the vehicle was damaged, the reviews will say that the company kept its word and made things right.
Negative reviews will talk about rude or unhelpful customer service workers. There might be complaints about lack of response to damaged vehicles. These are the companies you should stay away from.
Tracking
In shipping, it’s not unusual for shipments to come a little earlier or later than expected. It’s not exactly a problem, but when you’re shipping a vehicle you want someone to be there to receive it. So you should be able to get a general idea of where your vehicles are when you finally decide to ship them.
This gives you a good idea of when your delivery will arrive at its destination. That way you can be sure that you’re home to receive it and inspect it for any damage.
Tracking can also let you know of any delays along the way too. These things happen, but it can be scary when you don’t know when it’ll get there or why it’s delayed. Tracking allows you to ease these fears by alerting you to where your vehicle is and why it’s taking so long.
It also allows the company to take responsibility when something gets damaged or lost in transit. If a company doesn’t have tracking capabilities, then they have no records of where your vehicle went or why it’s delayed.
Reviews should say that their tracking was accurate. That they felt secure knowing that their vehicle was on the way to its destination and would arrive on time. Negative reviews will talk about lost vehicles or unreliable tracking.
Professionalism
Finally, you should expect professionalism from your car shipping company. Employees are the backbone of any company. In the case of car shipping, they are also the face of the company.
Their employees should arrive on time and be able to answer any questions or concerns you might have. They should be clean and dressed in uniform. They should be polite and treat your vehicles the way they’d treat their own.
It’s best if they already have at least some of a route planned to get to your destination as well. They should not appear inebriated in any way.
This is a sign that the company’s employees take their jobs seriously. It means that the company is respectable and hires good workers.
Their employees understand that the work they do reflects on the company. If they don’t do their jobs right, then this looks bad for the whole business. And an inebriated employee is also dangerous to have on the roads.
Reviews should say that the company’s staff was highly professional and helpful. They should say that everyone they worked with was clean and organized. If reviews talk about intoxicated or rude drivers and unhelpful office staff, then this is not the company for you.
Hire the Best Car Shipping Company Today
A car shipping company needs all of these qualities to be considered the best. It doesn’t matter how far you need your vehicle taken. If a car shipping company is missing one of these qualities, then they aren’t the best car shipping company that you can get.
That’s why you should trust AmeriFreight. We’ve been moving vehicles across the United States since 2004, and our experts are ready to help you get your vehicle moved right now. And best of all, our customers will tell you so if you look at our reviews.
Get a free quote and see how we can help you today.