How to Pick a Car Shipping Company

When shopping for car shipping companies, you should stick to one rule above all else: Do your research. Plain and simple. Find a company that’s reliable, affordable, communicative, and makes it easy on you throughout the entire car shipping process. 

Aside from any property you own, your vehicles are likely your significant investments. Whether you’re a hobbyist, a vehicle owner moving to a different state, or an internet car shopper, transporting vehicles is a big undertaking done by professionals who know what they’re doing. With so many auto transport companies selling themselves online today, it can be challenging to differentiate the good from the bad. 

Start your research here.

Tips for Selecting the Best Auto Transport Company

As you begin sifting through your list of potential car shipping companies, you should know a few good and bad signs to look for. Awareness of these signs will be instrumental in helping you dismiss the bad auto transport companies and move forward with the good ones.

Signs of Good Auto Transport Companies

Timeliness and professionalism.

Choose a company known for punctuality in their drop-offs and pick-ups. Read reviews to see what customers say about companies’ scheduling, keeping in mind that not every transportation assignment will be ideally on time with every order. Traffic doesn’t always cooperate, and freight trucks sometimes encounter complications like smaller vehicles. What separates good car shipping companies from bad ones is how they react when the schedule changes. A good company will contact you immediately when a schedule change occurs; a bad one will leave you frustrated and wondering where they are.

 Excellent customer service throughout the entire process.

A car transportation company with customer service representatives who are knowledgeable, friendly, and available to answer any of your questions at any stage of the transportation process is a valuable asset. Go with a company whose customer service representatives can contact their truckers so that you know what’s going on with the transportation of your precious cargo. Car transportation companies that give you the ability to speak with humans are always a better choice in terms of service.

 Comfortability working on short-term deadlines.

You don’t want to wait weeks or months to finally get your car after buying it from a dealer in a different state. You want that car getting loaded up that same day — the next day at the very latest — so choosing car shipping companies with large, high-functioning fleets is recommended for anyone who wants to ensure their car is getting on the road in a matter of hours instead of weeks.

Signs of a Bad Car Shipping Company

Upselling you on extras that you don’t need

If you’re looking to transport a standard car that’s not exotic or highly valuable, you don’t need to spend extra money on an enclosed trailer. Steer clear of auto

transportation companies that try to make you purchase additional insurance on top of the base charges to ensure that your vehicle is extra safe. Insurance coverage should always be included in the base price. Period. No questions asked.

 Inability to adapt to difficult circumstances.

If every single car shipping order were the same, then you probably wouldn’t need to do much research before shipping your car, because any of the scores of car transport companies out there could do the job decently. But that’s not the way auto transportation works. Much of car shipping involves changing circumstances. The best in the business know how to navigate small city streets and schedule changes, tight corners, and unique customers. Make sure the company you choose has a track record of success when shipping to and from your target areas, as well as a long list of solid reviews from past clients.

How to Choose a Car Shipping Company

Now that you know what a good and bad auto transporter looks like, it’s time to investigate what the best car shipping company looks like for you. Everyone has different needs. Some companies will be able to exceed your expectations, while others will leave you disappointed. Find the best car shipping company for any shipment (car, truck, van, SUV, or exotic) using these steps:

Know What You Need 

Start by defining what you need an auto shipping company to provide. The makes and models of vehicle(s) do you plan to ship? What are the ideal times for pick-up and drop-off, and the perfect locations? What kind of budget do you have to spend on car shipping? Is your car ok to ride on an open-air trailer (like the vast majority of vehicles), or would it be safer inside an enclosed trailer (where collector cars usually ride)? The best company for shipping a car is one that can meet all of your needs from start to finish. Therefore, you need to understand both your requirements and your preferences.

 Compare Your Options

The best company for shipping a car leaves it up to you to choose who takes your shipment. You have multiple choices in terms of budget and schedule. Then, you select whichever one works for you. Instead of trying to push you towards one choice or another, the outstanding companies lay all your options out in a straightforward format for easy comparison shopping. If you feel pressured to go with a specific carrier, that company doesn’t deserve your business. Insist on working with a company that gives you more information, not less.

 Take a Deeper Dive

As you narrow down your list of companies, you will notice something they all have in common: claiming to be the best. Every company makes bold promises – so how do you distinguish the actual best from the rest? One way is to look beyond the sales pitch. Please spend some time on each company’s website, and look at their resources. Do they offer tools to make scheduling vehicle shipping easier? Is there a blog full of content you can use to improve the shipping process? Will customer support reps answer your call or respond to your email promptly? The best car shipping companies don’t just claim to do things better; they prove it with every interaction.

Direct Express Auto Transport: The Right Choice for Your Vehicles

With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 94% 5-star review rating on Trustpilot, our direct Express Auto Transport team is among the country’s best car shipping companies. We’ve helped thousands nationwide successfully ship their vehicles safely, fast, straightforwardly, and affordable. 

Take the guessing and stress out of transporting your precious vehicle with our simple and easy-to-use Car Transport Quote Calculator to see how genuinely affordable shipping your vehicle with us can be. It would be best if you didn’t have to sacrifice reliability, professionalism, and expert service for a reasonable price tag on shipping. With our team here at Direct Express Auto Transport, you can get your car safely and efficiently from point A to B without breaking the bank.

No matter what type of car you’re shipping, our passionate and professional drivers are here to help deliver your vehicle quickly and painlessly. Compared with competing car shipping companies, our customer service is unrivaled, and we have one of the most intuitive, user-friendly interfaces. Follow our simple 5-step process, starting with an initial quote and finishing with your car safely showing up on your driveway. If you’re searching for auto transport companies, your search starts and ends here.