When it comes to moving, there are a lot of decisions that one has to make and the most important one is how to go about it, especially when it comes to moving your car. One of the easiest choices is to go to a U Haul Auto Transport company as you are sure to find a franchise close to your neighborhood as there are more than 13,000 dealerships all over the US, which means there are more trucks and tow dollies out there to choose from.
Typically you can pick up a moving vehicle ranging from 10’-26’, which includes vans, trucks, and trailers. At the same time a look in the yellow pages will also give you many car shipping companies that can give good offers and before you decide, it will be prudent to do a little research.
Why Do a Little Research?
Sometimes it is vital, especially for your pocket and peace of mind, to think about smaller and independent car shipping companies who do not have to follow the rule book strictly and hence, can bend the rules to suit your needs. Also, you will know that your final decision is the best one after you have considered the pros and cons of the various companies that are equipped to ship your car. Each company will have its own ways to charge for the following:
- Vehicles, wherein the bigger you hire the more it will cost you
- Services rendered
- Administrative charges
- Time slot where you can hire on a 6 hour, 12 hour and 24 hour basis
- Equipment available for the move such as ramps, tire straps, and security chains
The Known Deal
There are fixed rates with U Haul Auto Transport which are standardized throughout the country so that you do not have to worry about the fact that you may be taken for a ride. On a 24 hour hire, a 10’-14’ vehicle will cost $19.95 while you can expect to pay $29.95 for a 17’ one and $39.95 for 24’-26’ ones. Whereas, a car shipping company may allow for a little bargaining and sometimes, may even give you a discount particularly if the move is during slower business months. When you know you are in for a move, you can also start looking out for discount coupons. Also, there may be some car shipping companies which will be willing to match or even give lower rates just to beat the competition while giving the same professional level services.
The Truck for the Job
U Haul has made things easy by dividing its fleet into:
- “in-town” which can only be rented for in-town moving
- “one-way” which again is only for the moves that are for one way.
So even if you see many trucks sitting in the yard, you might not get a vehicle for one-way if they are all “in-town” ones and you will just have to wait for the truck for the job becomes available. Another small hitch that you can expect is that the pricing depends on the size of the vehicle available and so a small move can cost more as only the available trucks will be given for the move. So be sure to ask about the availability of right size of moving truck before you sign on the dotted line or else look around other car shipping companies when in case you cannot wait.
When Service Matters
For your most precious possession to arrive at the destination in the same condition that it was loaded, you need to be sure of the company that you hire. U Haul has made a name for itself as having good on-road assistance should any unforeseen mishaps take place. When you hire other companies, be sure to find out about their services and assistance available while on the move. You can also be sure of the condition of the fleet at U Haul as they take care to upgrade their vehicles constantly. You might not find such an updated fleet at other car shipping companies.
Time is Money
Find out whether you will have to pay for the whole pizza or just for the time that you need as most companies like U Haul Auto Transport charge for 24 hours even if the destination is only around 10 hours away. Smaller companies may be willing to charge you for smaller time slots which can benefit your pocket.
Consider every aspect before loading your car on that truck and inspect both your vehicle and the hired truck before you start your journey. Make sure that all the safety features are in working condition and that you start right on time as you may have to pay for another day in case you are late in returning the vehicle.