This is a very good question and not a simple one to answer. When you place your information on transport websites that send the information to 5-10 auto transport companies you will notice a price differentiation of anywhere from $100-$500. Why?
There are many reasons why this happens. I'll try to hit on a few.
- If you get a quote from a car shipping company that is $200 or more higher than most of the competition it is likely that company has a larger overhead and must profit more in order to cover their expenses. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but why should you pay for a company to have nicer offices and have catered lunches when all auto shipping companies use the same load boards and carrier network?
- Sometimes you will get a quote from a car transport company that is $100 or more lower than the majority of the competition. There are a lot of reasons for this. The main reason you get crazy low quotes from transport companies is so they can hook your business. What do I mean by that? Basically what will happen is Company A will quote you $500 then Company B calls you and quotes you $300 and uses the same sales pitch. So you go with Company B because the economy is tough right now. But, what WILL happen is Company B will want an upfront deposit to move your car and it will be non-refundable. And according to their terms and conditions they will have 60 days to refund your money. Most of the time these lower quotes will never move your car. Does that lower price sound good now?
- Another common reason for getting very low quotes is due to the fact that most auto transport brokers will use an automated system to quote your inquiry. This does not put a human element to your transport request and does not take into consideration that your are located 150 miles from civilization or that you need to move an Escalade not an Escort. If you hit "Submit" on one of the lead company's websites and you get 6 quotes in about 30 seconds this is what has occurred. While some transport companies do quote accurately with an automated system, most don't.
- There are also instances where a company simply misquotes you and under estimates what a carrier will require to move your car. Everyone is human and makes mistakes from time to time.
- Lastly a common reason why you were quoted incorrectly is that you mis-entered your information about your shipment on the website. Maybe you meant Fayetteville, Arkansas but you put in Fayettville, North Carolina. This will greatly affect your quote.
So how can you determine what the best price is and sift through all of this mess? Call on a car transport company that does the following:
- Puts human eyes onto your quote before sending it. A phone call is usually the best way to get an accurate quote.
- Has experience in the auto shipping business.
- Has minimum criteria when selecting a carrier to move your car. Most companies quoting low will take whoever will move the load the cheapest regardless if the carrier has a bad track record. Cheapest isn't always best.
- Can be reached via the phone or email. Nothing is worse than to never get a response from an agent. Talk to the transport company before booking an order with them. You have to feel comfortable with them before giving them your car.
- Is honest, dependable and has integrity. Above all choose a transport company that will answer your questions honestly and not just give you a "yes" answer to get your business. Another thing to keep in mind is if a transport agent says the word "guarantee" HANG UP. He/she can only guarantee the sun will rise and set in this business. There are too many variables in auto transporting to guarantee a pickup or delivery time. If they are saying this they are lying to you 99% of the time.
For more information about Shipping Your Car contact Scott
