How to Ship a Car Cross the Country – A Guide to Essentials

For long-distance moving, cars can be transported basically in three ways. You can choose to ship your car across the country by yourself (drive it, more simply,) hire someone else to drive the car to the new destination, or hire professional cross-country moving services. There are many factors to consider when choosing what is the best option to ship a car across the country, and we’ll look here at the most important ones.

How to Ship a Car Cross-Country? You Can Always Drive to the New Destination When Moving Cross-Country

There are many reasons to move your vehicle when you’re going to a new state, and it is absolutely viable to drive to your new home address. However, this method has many disadvantages that can severely affect your relocation budget and the overall efficiency of your move. Let us see what are the main disadvantages of shipping a car across the country by driving yourself:

• First of all, imagine that you are moving to LA from the other side of the US. You’ll have to subject yourself to an exhausting drive that can last for a long time. Don’t forget that you’ll have to unpack after moving, and such a long drive will take up a lot of your energy and make the arrangement of your new home and the overall adjustment period much harder.
• If you are moving during winter or, generally, during poor weather conditions for driving, shipping a car cross country by yourself will be all the more exhausting.
• For such long drives, you’ll have to spend a lot of money on gas. Also, you’ll have to spend at least one night at a hotel in order to rest, which will increase the cost of moving significantly. And, don’t forget that you are moving during the coronavirus, and staying at hotels can be uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, if you choose to do it this way, here is a useful video on what you can do to make a long drive more comfortable.

Still, There Are Some Advantages to Deciding to Ship a Vehicle by Yourself Instead of Hiring Cross-Country Movers

If you are moving to a new home that is not that far from your current location, shipping your car across the country by yourself can be the right thing to do. You’ll not have to worry about finding legitimate long-distance movers, and a nice drive can really calm you down and alleviate the anxiety about relocation. But, there are other advantages as well:

• This is a great choice if you are moving with pets. Relocation can be extremely stressful for pets, especially when they have to be separated from their owners on a moving day. If you think that the drive won’t take a lot of time and be too tiring, prepare the vehicle adequately and move out together. There are many benefits of moving together with your pets.
• If you have to transport some valuable items, let’s say, some pieces of jewelry, it is best to do it by packing it into your own vehicle and driving to the new destination. Although it is possible to hire a service that will transport your valuables, professionals will always advise you to pack prized possessions and carry them with you when relocating to a new home.
• When relocating to a place that is not far with just a bag of essentials, there might be no need to search for cross-country movers. If everything fits in the trunk and you deem that driving is a perfectly viable option for relocating, there is no need to add anything more on your moving-out list that will create additional expenses and take up additional time.

You Can Pay Someone to Drive Your Vehicle to the New Destination Instead of Shipping a Car Cross-Country

If you don’t want to drive yourself but also don’t want to hire auto shipping services, this can be a great alternative way to move your car. However, you need to be absolutely sure that the person who will drive is reliable. People often “hire” their family members for this task, but when hiring a driver, you need to be sure that the person in question has a legitimate driver’s license and is overall a trustworthy person. The smartest thing is to search for recommendations if you want to make sure that the move will be safe.

Nonetheless, if you go for this option, you have to be certain about two things regarding insurance. Firstly, the driver has to have insurance. Secondly, you have to be sure that your insurance policy covers other drivers in case something bad happens. Some policies do, and some don’t, so the smartest thing to do is to check that with the insurance provider.

Shipping a Car Across the Country With a Company Does Cost, but It’s Probably the Best Way to Approach This Issue

Is it worth it to ship a car across the country? You’ll probably be asking yourself this question once the long-distance moving services that include packing service have been booked. It is safe to say that there are many benefits of auto shipping service and that it is well worth it, especially if you need to cross a long distance.

An Auto Transport Company Will Give You an Exact Quote Once It Is Decided What Kind of Service Is Needed

How much does it cost to ship a car? The quote for shipping your car cross-country will depend on what kind of service you choose. A good auto transport business will offer you different kinds of delivery and carriers. But, some companies take into consideration other factors as well. Here is what will affect the cost of shipment:

• Type of auto transport (a carrier with an open or enclosed trailer)
• Type of delivery (terminal-to-terminal, door-to-door)
• Distance,
• Type of vehicle (size is the most important element)
• A company may take weather conditions into account. Moving in the rainy season (or snowy) can increase the cost of auto transport.

There Are Different Kinds of Transportation Depending on the Type of the Carrier

How are cars shipped across country? This is a question most people ask when moving out for the first time. A good auto transport company will usually offer you two options for vehicle relocation:

• You can choose a carrier with an open trailer, which is the most usual choice for people who are using auto transport services. The quote for the open trailer is lower, and generally, the procedure is much more time-efficient. However, during transportation in an open trailer, your vehicle will be exposed to weather and other external factors.
• You can choose a carrier with an enclosed trailer. With this type of transportation, you will not have to worry about bad weather conditions and other external factors. But, the quote is higher. An enclosed trailer is usually recommended if you have to move some expensive, luxury cars.

There Are Also Two Types of Delivery Available When You Ship a Car Across Country

What methods of car shipping services are the best? When it comes to delivery, companies also usually offer two types:

• Terminal-to-terminal delivery is the less expensive option, and it entails leaving a car at a terminal of the moving company (their parking space) in your hometown. From there, the movers will take it, load it onto a carrier that you have chosen and take it to the terminal in the city that you are moving to.
• Door-to-door delivery is more convenient but also more expensive than the previous option. The movers will arrive at your house, take the car and transport it directly to your new home address.

You Have to Prepare Before You Ship Your Car Across Country

You might have heard that there are certain items that movers won’t load onto their trucks during relocations, namely ones that are dirty. Well, for cars, there are a few other things that have to be in order:

• First of all, you will need to make certain that your car is in drivable condition. This basically means that you have to check the engine, fluids, and tires. If there are some slight malfunctions, it is best to notify the movers about them.
• Out of all parts, the emergency brake is the most important when it comes to car transportation. If it doesn’t work, the movers will refuse to load the car onto their trucks.
• Any external parts like racks on top of the roof or antennas should be removed. They can easily get damaged during relocation, and insurance does not cover such things.
• Washing and emptying your car is important. If you wash it after the transportation and notice a dent on the chassis, the car transportation service can claim that the dent existed before relocation and was not visible due to the car’s condition. You should check with the movers whether you’re permitted to leave some items in the car. Some allow it, but generally, the wisest thing to do is empty the car completely.
• If you have an electronic toll pass, don’t forget to turn it off. Even though the car is being transported, the devices on motorway tolls will register the device in your car and charge you.

The Smartest Thing to Do Is Get Cross-Country Moving Coverage Before Shipping Your Car Across Country

The good news is that good vehicle shipping companies will offer you car insurance as well. Usually, there are two types depending on the type of trailer (when relocating with an enclosed trailer, the coverage is higher). However, bear in mind that you’ll only receive money in case the outer parts of your car are damaged (chassis, for example). Internal malfunctions are not taken into account.

Consider All the Options, and Choose the One That Suits You Best for Shipping Car Cross Country

All in all, if you are, for example, moving from the East Coast to West Coast, we would say that it isn’t worth driving the car by yourself. Simply put, the time, energy, and money that you’ll have to spend will be too much, especially when you consider that further obligations await you in your new place. Hence, in this situation, we would recommend searching for a car transport company. The price will be worth it. But, we understand that there are passionate drivers out there, and if you’re one of them, there is no reason to go against yourself.