A Few More Common Car Shipping Misconceptions
A while we back we talked about some common auto transport misconceptions that customers have when they first ship a vehicle. We spoke a bit about how prices are calculated and how transit times work, but there is more that customers tend to misunderstand or underestimate when it comes to shipping a vehicle, and that’s why we’re writing these blog posts – to make sure that you have the information you need to have a proper car transportation experience. In this post, we’re going to discuss the common misconception that the industry is an on-demand one – because it really, truly isn’t.
What we mean by on-demand is this: in something like a supermarket, you browse the available goods, make a selection, and purchase said goods for an agreed-upon price. It’s there, it’s tangible, you can pick up an apple, buy it, and eat it as soon as you leave. With auto transportation services, the whole thing is a bit more abstract. You can still shop for services – there are lots of different companies out there that provide similar-yet-different auto transportation services. But when it comes to actually shipping your vehicle, you’re going to have to go by what your shipper is telling you – there’s little you can do to influence your shipment.
That’s not to say there’s nothing you can do – it just means that, more often than not, you’re going to have to wait longer than you may like for pickup or transit because of the way the industry works. If you’re worried about getting your vehicle shipped by a certain date, it’s up to you to book your shipment with plenty of time to spare, so that your shipper can find a carrier and get it scheduled to be picked up. The further out you book the better your shipper can find a carrier to fit your timeline. This tops out after a few weeks, because few companies book shipments so far out, but you get the idea. The fact is, you’re going to have to work with your shipper if you have certain things that need to happen, and while they can do their best to help you no services are guaranteed. This is part of the reason why it’s important to book early and find a company that won’t charge you until your order is either dispatched and awaiting pickup, or until it is actually picked up.
It’s not all that bad, though – the process generally takes anywhere from a few days to a week or two, depending on the route, and most orders are booked, shipped and closed within ten days of the date of booking. If you’re interested in shipping a vehicle and need to find a reputable, reliable company to ship it, you can fill out our free online quote request form to get multiple free quotes emailed to you from companies that we make sure are five-star rated and in good standing with the BBB, Transport Reviews, and other legitimate review sites. Your quotes will be emailed to you within about an hour, giving you time to compare prices and services and find the right shipper for your needs. If you have questions about our services, give us a call any time at 800-930-7417 to speak to one of our live agents.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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