If you ever need to ship a car across the country, there will be things you need to consider. Ideally, you want an auto transport service that’s flexible, easy to arrange, and affordable. But what about convenience? If you want a car shipping service that’s super-convenient then look no further – door-to-door transport ticks that box and more.
What is Door-To-Door Transportation?
A door to door transport service is when a car shipping company picks your vehicle up from a location of your choice and delivers it to a place that you’ve specified.
The location could be right outside your home, your place of business, a private garage, dealership, race track, or custom car show. Heck, it could even be on a deserted island and they’ll still find a way to get to it!
When the car carrier arrives at the pick-up location, they safely load your vehicle onto the trailer, transport it, and deliver it to a place of your choosing. As simple as that.
Door-To-Door Car Shipping VS Terminal-To-Terminal Shipping
So It’s a common misconception that terminal to terminal shipping is the way to go if you ever want to ship a vehicle. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Door-to-door car transport services are far more convenient, flexible, and quicker than terminal to terminal deliveries.
Choose to book terminal to terminal auto transport services, and your vehicle could be sitting in a terminal for WEEKS before a car carrier transports it to the terminal destination! The reason for this huge delay is that the carrier has to wait for a full load before heading out on the journey.
If you go for door-to-door delivery services with CarShip Guru, your shipment will leave on the EXACT prearranged date and be delivered to a location of your choosing quickly and safely.
Main Benefits of Door-To-Door Transportation
There are many benefits to choosing door-to-door auto transport, for example:
- It’s As Easy As 1-2-3: Once you’ve made your booking, you only need to make sure you’re available when your vehicle is delivered.
- You’re in Control, Flexible: You get to choose the pick-up and delivery locations.
- It Saves Time: Door-to-door transport is much quicker than driving the distance yourself.
- Full Insurance Coverage: A reliable door-to-door car carrier makes sure your vehicle is fully insured throughout the transportation.
- It’s Cost-Effective: Cheaper than driving or using terminal to terminal shipping.
- Oversee The Loading and Unloading Process: You get to be involved first-hand in the pick-up and drop off your vehicle and inspect it when it’s delivered.
How much does Door-To-Door Auto Transport cost?
The cost of door-to-door shipping depends on several things:
- Distance between pick-up and delivery: Shorter distances cost less.
- Condition of the vehicle: It’s cheaper to transport an operable car.
- Type of service (open vs. enclosed): Enclosed auto transport costs typically 30%-40% more than open auto transport.
- Dimensions of your vehicle: If your vehicle is anything other than standard, the shipping rate will be higher.
- Seasonality: It is cheaper to transport a vehicle between May and September.
- Location: Shipping a car between metropolitan areas costs less than more remote locations.
- Value of your vehicle: If your car is high value, you’ll be offered upgraded insurance protection which increases the overall price.
To know the exact price speak with our customer service agents and ask for a shipping quote.
How long does Door-To-Door Auto Transport take?
The overall time it takes to ship a car from one location to another varies. Several factors can affect the auto transport timeline. They include:
- Distance: It’s going to take much longer to ship a car from Philadelphia to San Francisco than from Philadelphia to Houston.
- Location of pick-up and delivery: If your pick-up and delivery locations are more remote it’ll take longer for the driver to reach them.
- Weather: Hail, snow, ice, hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornados, and other adverse weather conditions impact the time it takes to transport your vehicle.
- Driver’s hours: The Department of Transportation restricts drivers’ hours to no more than 70 hours per week.
How to prepare your car for Auto Shipping
There are a few simple steps you must take to prepare your vehicle for our door-to-door service:
- Clean your vehicle and remove all personal items such as GPS units, custom car stereos, parking permits, and garage door openers.
- Remove any loose items, fold in mirrors, remove non-retractable antennas, luggage racks, spoilers, and other accessories.
- Disable the alarm.
- Check your battery, fluid levels, and tire pressures.
- Empty your gas tank to no more than one-quarter full.
- Document and photograph any existing damage
When Door-To-Door Car Delivery is NOT a good option
Door-to-door auto transportation is a service that delivers your car as close to your chosen destination as possible. There are instances when it’s impossible to pick-up or deliver a vehicle exactly where you require it.
In some cities, for example, there are restrictions on large trucks driving into specific residential areas. Access might also be restricted by narrow streets, speed bumps, low-hanging trees or power lines, or tight turns.
Auto transport companies will ask that you meet the truck driver at a large parking lot closeby in such situations. Other suitable places where you could get your vehicle driver would be a city park, shopping plaza, or department store lot.
Why choose CarShip Guru for your Door-To-Door Transportation quote?
CarShip Guru provides a nationwide auto transport door-to-door service for all types of vehicles. We completely understand how stressful shipping a car can be, and we aim to make your experience with us as seamless and as stress-free as possible. With our help, you’ll get your car delivered right to your doorstep.
CarShip Guru customer service agents are on hand throughout the auto shipping process, not only to provide an instant quote but to answer any questions and keep you fully informed from pick-up to final destination.
Get in touch today to get an instant quote for your vehicle transport service.