The decision to use a carrier or a broker is a heated one and both sided present compelling cases. IF you make the decision to go with a carrier over a broker, here are some great questions to ask before you book with them.
If you believe that your vehicle has not been taken care of as you were told upfront or if you believe that your car shipper has not treated you fairly, first contact the company directly. Ask to speak to someone in charge that will actually hear you out, maybe the general manager or even the owner. Explain what happened and give them a chance to hear what you said. Make sure you give them a chance to let it soak in! There is a good chance that the person on the other end of the phone has not heard the issue you are bringing up to them; above all things, make sure you are being far and unbiased!
Typically, auto transport companies are more likely to cooperate with you if they believe you are trying to work with them and not scam them! Be reasonable, but firm. If all else fails, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in the city in which the car transport company is listed. Other thoughts to consider are transport review sites. There you can share your story and rate the company. If enough people have similar issues, this may effect future business. The U.S. Department of Transportation is another thought. You can find them at dot.gov. Their job is to regulate transport companies, but you need to know that they usually don’t get involved until after the court system has ruled a judgment against the transporter.
There are a couple other possible options…Pursue legal action in small claims court or get an attorney and pursue serious legal action. Keep in mind; unless you are talking about a considerable amount of money involved, this may not be worth it and will probably cost you WAY more than your transport cost you because there will be legal fees, court costs and time.
At the time of delivery, inspect your vehicle SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY. Be sure to compare the condition and mileage to your Bill Of Lading or “Original Inspection Report” provided by your car transport company at origination. Be sure to inspect the roof and under the front and rear bumpers. These tend to be areas where damage can regularly occur. If there are inconsistencies, note them as exceptions on the Bill of Lading and be sure the driver signs it. Some people make it a policy to NEVER ACCEPT YOUR VEHICLE AT NIGHT IF YOU CANNOT VERIFY ITS CONDITION – without being viewed and signed by the driver, you have little recourse if damage occurred during transit.
Obviously, if there is damage to your vehicle, it was an accident; make sure to treat the driver with respect and don’t get angry. If you did you homework, you know that they have insurance and all will be well. You do need to know one thing, in some cases, damage to your vehicle will be a surprise to the auto carrier as much as it is to you.
You can be assured that a majority of car transport experiences are worry-free and damage-free! On occasion, a vehicle may be damaged in transit. If this should happen, the car transport company should then work with you to reimburse you for verifiable damage done to your car.
Making sure your auto transport is done properly should always be a concern of yours AND the car shipping company you use. To that end, there are some standard paper work that should be seen and exchanged!
Obviously, auto transport companies have different policies in place when they move cars, so make sure you ask your auto transport driver if there is anything else you need before your car drives away!
Before you move your car, there are typically some things you need to do in preparation, so your car gets there safe and fast! Here is a partial list! It is important to check with you auto shipping carrier for a similar list of specifics (their recommendations) BEFORE you move your car because each car transport company has different guidelines:
These things are just a start, but make sure take every precaution to have a safe and easy transport of your vehicle.
Before you move your car, there are typically some things you need to think about…
As you are making that decision as to which auto transport company to go with, you need to understand that this industry is not that much different than any other industry! There good great auto transport companies, there are bad auto transport companies and there are ugly auto transport companies.
The decision of who will get to transport one of your most prized possessions should not be taken lightly.
A company can have some or all those things and still not be the right company for you. Just because they are a large company or a small does not mean they are a healthy company!
The reality is that a lot of these guys are really good at sales! They know which buttons to push and ehsn to push them! They are smooth.
There is never a guarantee that you will have a quality auto transport experience every time you mover your car. Remember these companies are run by people like you and me and no one is exempt from bad days! SO…we recommend that you do your homework! Do some research, check up on them, ask a lot of questions and ask for reference, Google them. You might be surprised what you find!
In the auto transport world, it is assumed that people understand there are no guaranteed timelines. When you ask for estimated pick-up and delivery times from your car transport company, they can never give you an exact date and time until closer to your move. Without a doubt, you should be able to get a 3-day window for pick-up, but delivery is a little more challenging. The reasons for this are many; unforeseen weather and construction delays, accidents (involving them and others), tolls, potential weight issues at scales and breakdowns to name a few. All of these things can throw a wrench in your “timeline” at any point in the move; even a few miles away from the delivery of your vehicle.
If this is your first car transport, you need to understand that car shippers are typically more busy during certain seasons. Obviously late spring and summer things are quite busy and they drop off in the fall and winter. Additionally, there is what we can “snow bird” season. This is the time when retired families leave there “northern” home and go south for the winter. This season means a lot of repeat business for auto transporters that have been doing this for years and it also means they are extremely busy. During these times, the window may be larger, but the car transport company should warn you of possible delays ahead of time.
If you are promised exact dates, get it in writing and add to the contract a discount of services or a rental car (that they cover 100%) if those time lines are not satisfied. Again, GET IT IN WRITING!!! And remember, everything is negotiable! Some companies will also have a hefty cancellation fee into the contract if you decide to go with someone else, this is something else that you can possible amend up front.
Once the pick-up is made, your car transport company should provide you with a fairly precise delivery date. If the time line you are given does not fit into you schedule, there is always an option to pick-up your car and hold it at a terminal for an additional charge.
Just because you have driven and mapped out the best possible route and you know it takes 13 hours does not mean your car will be there in 13 hours. Typical transporters have more than 1 vehicle on their auto transport trailer and will have to drop those off and maybe even pick up others along the way. Some may have to stop at dealerships to drop off a number of cars and these things take time! They also have paperwork to do on the road (invoices/billing) and are required to follow strict laws that dictate to them how long they have to “rest” and how long they can be behind the wheel. All these things mean getting moved safely and efficiently.
One final thought, here are some “rule of thumb” timelines for when you have your car moved. Again, these are a guideline and not a hard and fast guarantee. You can always get expedited service, but it will cost you!