The process for auto moving is very confusing for people and often causes
concerns. It is important to know that most auto movers are the same, but
there are some differences that are important to know when you are making your
decision of what company to use. Here is a breakdown of the main steps you will
go through when you are making your choice:
Reservation:
This is the one point where most companies
will vary on HOW they setup your booking for vehicle moving. Some companies
will require a deposit when you make your initial reservation with them. This is
something we do not advise you to do as historically companies charging deposits
do not have the best reputation on keeping their word. Of course, this does not
apply to everyone, but it is always best to look up the company, prior to
scheduling a booking, on a reputable website like the Better Business Bureau. It
is important to see how many complaints they have had in the last several years
and how long they have been in business. Often this is a part of the process
most people overlook because they are given a "great price" by a companies sales
dept.
Loading and BOL:
The BOL is a Bill of Lading which is a
sheet that the driver will have with him when he arrives to pickup your car. On
the BOL will be a picture of a car and he will use that to do an inspection of
your vehicle. He will mark any pre-existing scratches and dings in your car, so
it is best to have it clean when the driver arrives so they can properly inspect
the vehicle. After the inspection the driver of car shipper will have you sign
the BOL which confirms the condition of your vehicle and authorizes them to take
your shipment to its new destination.
Unloading and Payment:
When the driver arrives to deliver
you car, the driver will require you to pay the COD amount before unloading your
vehicle. If it was already prearranged that it was not going to be a COD
shipment and you had already prepaid or was arranged then this step will not
matter. However, a major detail that most people fail to do is to inspect their
vehicle on delivery. Most damage that is created by a vehicle shippers are
obvious. A minor scratch or ding are typically pre-existing but you never really
looked over the car well and most likely will be on the BOL inspection. But it
is important to give your car a good look over for anything new. After you sign
the BOL that you received your car you will not have any legal right for
recourse if you later discover damage as that could easily have been something
created after you received your vehicle. Good luck with your shipment and if you
have any other questions feel free to give us a call.
7 Tips to Ship a Car
Get 3 quotes
Just like in any industry price is going to
be part of the determining factor when you are choosing the company who is going
to help you ship a car. Getting at least 3 quotes will help you put things in
perspective and see if something seems abnormally cheap or overly priced.
Check out the BBB
This is a step all too often forgotten
by people who are considering shipping vehicles. The importance of this tip can
not be overlooked. What can occur in some cases after you get your quotes is you
feel comfortable because the person on the phone gave you a cheap quote and
seemed nice and polite. However, some companies will quote very low prices but
then when it comes time to have your car loaded and on the way, they aren't able
to hold to their word. Therefore it is important to factor in the reputation of
the company you are considering by looking them up on the Better Business
Bureau. This will give you an idea of how many complaints they have had in the
last 3 years and the number of years they have been in business.
Avoid prepaying deposit
This is a method used by some
companies to trap customers. This is of course not ALWAYS the case, but it is
important to consider. Typically what happens is when you are thinking about
shipping a vehicle you will call a few places to get quotes. Some companies will
quote you very low rates and tell you they need a deposit to secure a spot on
their truck. If they do not load your car after a week or so and you get angry
you will be less inclined to cancel with them in fear of losing that deposit. It
is important to be clear about exactly what they are asking for prior to giving
any money before they load your car. Now, after they load your car charging a
deposit is okay, because now it is on the truck and by law they have to deliver
it. However until it is loaded it is best to avoid paying a deposit.
Be aware of "review sites" reliability
There are
numerous review sites on the internet with regards to various companies that
deal with vehicle shipping. It is important to know that in a lot of cases
companies can write reviews about themselves in a positive manner and their
competitors in a negative manner, and there is no governing body verifying these
statements. From experience, some of the companies with the worst reputation and
the greatest complaints on the Better Business Bureau, have some of the most
glowing "statements" from customers. So if you are considering shipping a car,
be sure you do appropriate amount of research and keep in mind some of the
review sites aren't all they seem.
Get your quote close to the shipping date
Some customers
think that auto transport is similar to booking an airline ticket in that if you
schedule 4 months in advance it will be cheaper. Unfortunately this is not the
case. Car shipping companies have to factor in the fuel, demand and possible
weather delays when they are factoring in a price. When customers call several
months in advance it is impossible to predict some of these variables and
sometimes customers get over quoted or quoted with a high price to cover
possible swings in fuel costs.
Inspect car before signing Bill of Lading
A common
mistake people make is when they receive their car they are so happy to get it
they don't do a proper walk around. This is a big mistake people make when they
ship a vehicle. The problem is that after you sign the Bill of Lading that you
received the car you have no recourse to come back and say something was damaged
during transport. It is important if you do notice damage that it is noted on
the paperwork on your copy and the driver's copy. It would smart to ask the
driver to take photos of it and do so yourself.
Open or Enclosed Car Shipping
The rule of thumb American
Auto Movers uses when determining if to ship a car open or on an enclosed
trailer is "if there was a minor damage would it depreciate the value of the car
even if repaired." For example, if you scratch the hood of a Ferrari and you
replace the hood, the car will be devalued even though everything looks good. If
you are uncertain how what would be best for your situation, feel free to ask
one of our representatives and we can help you make a determination. Often
people ask for enclosed shipment when it is unnecessary so feel free to ask our
representatives questions.
