AM General

How To Ship Your AM General.

Heavy AM General vehicles are a sight to behold, turning heads whenever they go. Buying or having them custom made takes quite the effort. With that magnificent car already in one’s possession, though, what remains is to look for a reputable shipping agent.

Considering the logistics involved in moving a heavy vehicle such as a hummer across country roads, it is important to do your homework before settling on the right shipping partner. There are many shipping options available whether one is shipping to or from an overseas location, moving interstate or just shipping locally.

For overseas international shipments, the options are between freight and air transport. If the vehicle is to be shipped via sea freight, then there are two options. It can either be shipped in a container, or driven into the ship and secured below deck. Securing the vehicle below deck is cheaper but the car runs risks or damage from humidity or accidents with other cars if/when they shift. Air transport is much faster but that much more expensive. It is, however, an exclusive way of shipping, with minimal risk.

For domestic shipments, options range from road, rail and air transportation. Road auto transport is the most common, with many vehicles transported in open carriers. Many open carriers have more than one level, and can carry up to 8 vehicles at a time. It is the shipping method preferred by many dealerships. On the other hand, enclosed shipping often involves just the one vehicle, completely covered and protected from the elements.

One can have their car picked up and delivered to them on a door to door basis, or terminal basis. Door to door is definitely more convenient, and there is no need to drive the car to the company terminal and pick it up again. However, sometimes logistics might force one into either option. For instance, if the vehicle is not in drivable condition, then the only option is a door to door delivery. On the other hand, if the access roads to one’s home cannot allow a large carrier to pick up or drop the car, then the only option would be to deliver it.

When listening to quotes from the various companies, make sure you ask about insurance. It is a US department of Transport law, to have all carriers insure their trucks to operate in the industry. Many companies meet the industry standard of about 50,000 dollars per vehicle, while others might go as high as 250,000. On the other hand, some carrier companies have much lower insurance rates. Before agreeing on the prices, confirm the specifics of the insurance and understand just how much the company will be willing to pay for in the event of damages. Still, the likelihood of damage to one’s vehicle is very low given the industry rates. However, it does not hurt to be careful and cover one’s bases.

When it comes to quotes, cheap is not necessarily the best. Be wary of those companies that look to win one’s business by offering unusually low rates.