Kevin Keith Transportation

Archive for the ‘Shipping’ Category

There are several things that you need to remove from your car should you need to transport to another country. Since most auto shippers price based on weight, you need to remove as much weight as you can before the car ships.

You should not empty your fuel tank rather you should have ¼ tank of fuel in your car and this is the maximum quantity of fuel that should remain in your fuel tank for safety reasons.

Remember to remove your license plates when you deliver your car at the port of loading. Definitely, you will not use the plate in a foreign country. So, you can include the license plate in your baggage.

Spare parts other than spare tire should be removed from the car. You should not also include any of your personal belonging in a car that you are shipping. What should be in your car are the spare tire, floor mats, car owner’s manuals, factory equipped kit, lug wrench and jack. Any other thing outside these ones mentioned here is not allowed.

There is a special insurance for vehicle being transported across the high ocean called marine insurance. It will be nice if you can obtain the insurance. Though it is not obligatory that you get the marine insurance but it will be of help to you if there are any damages in the high ocean because of turbulence and storm. This is because of the fact that the local auto insurance does not provide coverage for any damage that may be sustain in the high ocean. It does not even cover loss of any parts of your car in the ocean.

If you are an American tourist travelling to Europe, the green card insurance will be required from you when you want to pick up your car from the port.

The above are some of the rules that are observed when you are shipping your car across the ocean using the roll on/roll off vessels.

Another auto shipping option is the container shipment option. As the name suggests, your car will be put in an enclosed container. The container will be hoisted into the ship. This option is very safe. The car will be protected from every damages and scratches. Some of the containers are properly prepared so that the car inside it will not be affected by shock resulting from turbulence, rough movement of the ship in the high ocean, storm and the likes. So if you have expensive or luxury car that you want shipped across the high ocean, this is the best option for you. Everything in your car will be intact for you since the container will be locked and keep properly.

Understanding the different options available to you and what each option entails will help you make a more educated decision. Weigh your options carefully and decide what is most important to you (and your budget). Once you decide which type of auto shipment you want to use, call the company and start your move.

A disadvantage of this open carrier is that the vehicles are not protected from leakage from the other vehicles being transported at the same time. This is because no tarpaulin is used in protecting cars from leakage from the other vehicles. The movement of the open carrier is very slow. The big trailer that is used here does not move at great speed compared to the enclosed trailers. In open carriers, the drivers do stop at many terminals before they reach their final destination. This is because many cars going to the same direction are transported at the same time. Owing to this, there is interruption in the movement and this causes delay in the delivery time. Consequently, open trailer is not the best option for people that need their vehicles urgently.

Enclosed carrier is the direct opposite of open carrier both in features, advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage of this type of carrier is that the vehicles are protected from the element of weather. As it has been said before, vehicles are carried in an enclosed container. Some enclosed trailers can only carry one vehicle at a time. There are some that can carry up to three cars but the cars are protected from dust and vandalism. If the driver stops at a place or sleeps over at a place before continuing the journey, there is no fear that hoodlums will temper with the cars because the vessel is properly locked.

The possibility of damages occurring in enclosed carrier is very rare. This is because the carrier is more flexible than open carrier and the manoeuvrability of the enclosed carrier is higher than that of open carrier. They do not carry much load like the open carrier and the car can easily turn without falling.

Enclosed carrier moves faster than open carrier because of the reasons given above. The trailer moves at a higher speed. Secondly, the enclosed carrier is not carrying many cars at the same time. So, there will be little or no interruption in the trip. The movement is almost straight and continuous until the trailer gets to the terminal. So, this option is good for people that need their cars urgently.

If the carrier is transporting more than a car, each of the cars is protected from leakage from the other car because the cars are covered with tarpaulin.

If you have exotic and luxury cars, enclosed trailer is the best option for you. This is because it provides maximum protection to the car that is being conveyed in it.

Disadvantage of Enclosed Vessel

The major disadvantage of the enclosed carrier is that it is very expensive. There are only a few individuals that will be able to afford the cost of using enclosed carrier. This is one of the reasons why it is not popular like open carrier.

Now that you have known the two types of trailers that are used by the auto carriers and their benefits and drawbacks, you can now decide on which option that suits your need.

Shipping an automobile is an event that most of us will only do once or twice in our lives, if at all. Since this service is rarely needed, it can be a source of worry and cause concern. The largest purchase many will make in their lifetime is a home; the second largest purchase for many Americans is an automobile. Everyone knows the importance of finding reliable and trustworthy service people to work in your home; how do you go about doing the same for your cars? The best way to find a reliable company to move your vehicle is in many ways similar to hiring a plumber or electrician.

A key source of information on a company’s dependability is word of mouth. The issue here is how do you find people who have experience with an automobile moving company when the service is used so rarely by the average American? You could look at testimonials on a company website, but these sources can easily be controlled by the company. A better place to look may be an independent company rating website. These agencies are independent and usually very accurate in their reporting. You may go to the website and, for a small fee, see how many companies in any area stack up against each other. Individual testimonials are also available to peruse. While it is important to look for a good score and positive feedback, you should also keep your eye out for special distinctions a company may have such as being complaint free for a year. This should be seen as a small investment in both the security of your automobile and your own peace of mind.

Another important item to confirm with any company you may be considering in moving your car is that of insurance. Looking into a company’s reputation and ratings will help minimize the chance of your vehicle being damaged, but it does not negate the possibility. Many things can happen even to careful, competent workers on a cross country move. Is the company you are considering insured? If the company is not insured, you trust them with too much.

Any company not carrying insurance will, of course, have to pay for damages out of their own pockets. People will always spend their own money more frugally than someone else’s, just look at Congress. If the company is spending their own money, they have tremendous financial incentive to find a good reason to not pay for your claim. That is not the case when a company has insurance writing the check. Make sure that the company will pay for damages without a deductible being passed on to you. Always confirm insurance.

A final point to highlight is longevity. How long has this company been in business? The longer they have been around, the better chance they are in treating customers the right way. Many companies fail in the first year or two because they don’t have the system in place to take care of customer concerns. Looking for time in service is possibly the best way to insure the company has been satisfying the majority of their clients.

So look around, do your research, and find out beforehand all you can about a company you are trusting with your automobile. Do all this and you should be driving your car in your new neighborhood in no time.

Car shipping and transportation of cars has become a major business nowadays due to the advent of Internet. Car shipping is defined as the transportation or shipping of a vehicle from a seller at one place, to the buyer at another place. This includes both national and international transportations. This business was previously carried out by only a few dealer consultants, manufacturers and brokers, and was limited to a few places. But with the advent of internet, the business has reached every part of the world. It is no longer a big hassle to move your cars from one place to another.

You may have to transport your vehicle from one state to another or from one country to another for a variety of reasons. You may have to transfer because of your job has shifted to a new destination or you may even buy a car from another state and then you may need to transfer your car to your present resident state. This is exactly where the car shipping companies come into the picture.

Before you hand over your car to the automobile shipping company, you must be aware of certain things. There are several questions that you must ask the organization before you hand over your car to them for transportation. First, you must be aware of the time that they are going to take to transport to the desired destination. You must also inquire about the transportation costs and the advance to be paid to the company before your car can be transferred. Apart from this you must inquire about where and when your car will be picked up and the delivery destination and whether your presence is necessary during accepting or dropping off your car. Other things must also be inquired, like whether you will be insured while transporting and how can you check on the progress of the shipment. After clarifying all the above questions, then you can begin the process of preparing your car for transporting.

To prepare your car, you must follow a checklist:

1 – The vehicle must be washed properly before handing over to the logistics company for transportation. This helps them to have a quick inspection of the car. All the alarms in the car must be deactivated.

2 – The fuel level should be kept at a quarter level of the tank.

3 – All the non permanent racks and attachments must be removed before handing over the car and antennas must be removed or lowered.

4 – You must be well aware of all the legal formalities required to move your car from one place to another.

There are certain taxes to be paid and permissions to be taken depending upon the origin and destination places. This must be taken well care of beforehand so as to avoid any legal problems later on.

Thus only after confirming all the above issues, you must hand over your car.

When it comes to shipping your car, there are several ways to go about it. Of course, some methods of transportation are much more expensive than others. You must first consider your budget. However, if you don’t have a strict budget, there are ways to transport your car quickly and safely.

Airplanes being faster, you will be assured that you will receive your car intact and quick. The only thing that you might be afraid of will be if the plane will crash or something goes wrong during the journey but the last time that all of us checked traveling by air is by far the safest way to travel. Yes, there might be some minor setbacks at time but you can’t always live in the negative side of life and expect everything to go well for you security is an important matter when you are dealing with high valued goods such as cars. You should consider this too, before you choose the method that you will be comfortable with.

With every good deal, there must be something left to be unsure about or skeptical about. A golden goose will land at your doorstep and lay you a golden egg. You will be happy initially but as time goes by, you’ll start wondering where it came from and why did it have to choose you and whether it can lay more eggs in a single day. The same thing happens with shipping via air.

The advantages of using airplanes are many but you will also have to put up with some of the disadvantages that you are bound to come across. Among them, you will have to face the high costs first before you have to think of anything else and while you are awed by the costs, you can start decreasing the number of cars that you were planning to ship since it will become way too costly for you. With a ship, the costs are low and you can be able to ship more than one car very comfortably since your pocket won’t be pinched further yet you had already used most of the money to buy the cars that you are trying to ship. Despite this you can still go for what you want if you really feel it is necessary.

Now you have your own personal opinion about the benefits and disadvantages of shipping cars overseas by planes. Whether it seems too expensive for you or it seems fair enough for you, you are the one to make the final decision on how you should spend your money. If you aren’t the type that has to think of “savings” like most of us then no one can really stop you. The advantages are many and they outweigh the disadvantages but when it comes to costs, most people prefer the old method of shipping goods. It may be old but still useful.

When you are moving cross country and you have a luxury car that you want to move also, it is probably better if you choose for enclosed transport. Enclosed transport is about $400 more expensive than the open option. Both will ensure a safe delivery but it will protect your luxury car from harsh (weather) conditions. So you may way pros and cons for both options against your needs and the value of your car. Most cross country auto transport services offer both open and enclosed shipping.

If you are the proud owner of a valuable luxury car and worried how to get it at the destination point safely, you still may feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.

Here is a check list to make it more easy and clear.

1. When are you moving; weather conditions are an important factor in making you decision on type of transport. If you are not driving yourself or letting a professional driver deliver your car, you will have to decide on the issue of enclosed/open transportation.
2. Shop around and ask a number of transportation companies for quotes and advice. Ask them also if they can provide references. Furthermore you can ask friends and family for advice and about their experience with shipping companies.
3. Ask about insurance and make arrangements if needed. Needless to say to carefully read the policy and to make sure that you receive a copy.
4. When you deliver the vehicle for transport, make sure that the mover fills out the loading bill, including a condition report on your car. If mover doesn’t make photos before loading it might be a good idea if you do. Don’t sign the condition report if you don’t agree with it.
5. Make sure that any agreements with the shipping company and promises, including what the mover will do to make it up if the promises are broken, are provided in writing. Keep in mind that verbal quotes/promises are nothing more than hot air!
6. Check your vehicle at delivery and make sure that any damage is noted on the delivery report. Once signed for, it’s hard to make a claim for damage which you’ve not noticed at delivery.

If you keep the above in mind, it is really not a big deal to transport your luxury car across the country. When you’ve informed yourself adequately and made good arrangements you can sleep without worries during your flight, while in the same time your car is being brought to your new home. A little research and knowledge will help you make more informed decisions about transporting your car.