Using Enclosed Car Transport To Ship A Car In The USA
Enclosed auto transport is one of the safest and most efficient ways to ship a car anywhere in the United States. While there are other options available, such as open air transport carriers, there is simply no substitute for enclosed transport if you need a car safely and securely transport from one location to another within the U.S. In this article, we’ll review some of the many benefits of shipping a car using an enclosed carrier, as well as how to prepare your car for transport before it’s picked up by the transport company.
Why Use An Enclosed Carrier?
Standard auto transport is typically carried out using an open carrier, mainly because it’s both affordable and a perfectly suitable way to transport vehicles. The reason it’s affordable is because several vehicles are shipped at the same time—sometimes up to 12 cars at once—and still allows for stops at terminals and delivery points anywhere across the U.S. So what, then, are the benefits of using enclosed car shipping? The answer is that there are several reasons why someone would ship a car enclosed, including the following:
- The vehicle is completely covered throughout the course of shipping, providing more privacy, as well as more safety during the delivery route.
- Enclosed carriers typically move fewer vehicles at once—usually two to four at most—which allows for faster delivery times and makes it easier to accommodate door to door delivery due to the trucks being smaller and easier to navigate on city streets.
- No chance of damages due to weather conditions, road debris, or other hazards that can occur during open air transport over long shipment routes.
- While slightly more expensive, the cost of enclosed transport is not so much more as to make the price prohibitive for those that want an extra layer of protection during transport.
Preparing Your Car For Long Distance Enclosed Transport
Before your car is picked up by the carrier for delivery, there are a few minor preparations you’ll need to make, both for the safety of the vehicle, as well as to minimize the cost. Here are the basic steps you’ll need to take (please note that some companies may have different requirements than others).
- Clean the car, both inside and out. Car shipping companies will ask that the vehicle be empty on the inside, and it’s easier for them to assess existing damages if the exterior is clean as well.
- Run the gas tank down until there it is no more than one quarter (1/4) full. Since the car won’t be driven during shipping, gas is not needed, and reducing the fuel amount keeps the overall weight of the shipment down when hauling several cars at once.
- Make sure fluids are topped off and tires are properly inflated so that it will be in good driving condition when it’s dropped off. This step can be especially helpful when using terminal to terminal shipping since you’ll need to drive it from the delivery point to its final destination.
- Remove any nonstandard external components on the vehicle, including luggage racks, specialized antennas, bike racks, spoilers, or anything else that could be problematic when loading and shipping a car long distance.