Car Shipping in Merrick NY

Answers To Your Questions
Friendly straight forward advice

Do you have questions such as what size auto carrier do I need or how much does this cost? Call us now to get all of your questions answered.

Affordable Prices
Competitive pricing with no hidden fees

Unlike other vehicle shipping companies in Merrick, we never charge hidden fees. Our pricing includes everything that you will need to transport your vehicle from point A to point B – all at extremely competitive rates.

Dependable Service
On time delivery and pickup

Don’t settle for slow response or late deliveries. For over 10 years we have shipped vehicles on time, when and where our customers need them. Call today to see why we’re the best budget auto transport company in Merrick, NY.

The vehicle shipping market can seem overwhelming at first, but by doing a little bit of research you can make the most effective choice possible for transporting your car or truck. Transporting a car, truck, motorcycle, or any other type of vehicle is just a matter of discovering the right information and getting in touch with the appropriate people, which is this case is an auto transport company in Merrick. Sometimes, you’ll end up getting in touch with what’s called a broker rather than an actual auto carrier. They both provide the same solutions, which is to facilitate the moving of your vehicle, but a broker simply arranges the transport while a carrier essentially supplies the transportation. No matter where in the country you’re shipping your vehicle, the process is fundamentally the same. You’ll want to ensure you have your vehicle’s info handy, such as the make, model and year, as well as the exact location you wish to ship it to. It’s also important to have a general timeframe in mind if you’ll need your vehicle shipped by a certain date. Initially, as a client you should know the difference between an auto carrier broker and the actual shipping company that is the owner of the trucks.

How to Tell the Difference Between Merrick Auto Carriers and Brokers

Choosing an auto transport company requires some due diligence and knowing how the business works before making a decision. It may seem like a tricky procedure, but we’ll help make it less complicated for everyone. This article will cover the basics and the role that shippers, carriers, and brokers play in the process of hauling a vehicle.

How do Auto Transport Brokers Work?

An auto shipping broker is a service that will connect customers to the most useful auto shipper for their needs. For example, when you call a broker, you will be paying them the total cost for transporting your automobile from point A to point B. It’s significant to note, the broker does not actually own the trucks, but rather they have established a network of carriers to connect customers with. They will make contact with a variety of Merrick auto shippers and use one of those auto transport services to ship your car or other vehicle. After the job is passed on to the carrier, the broker will stay in contact with the consumer until the vehicle is delivered. Basically, an auto transport broker acts as an intermediary between the customer and the auto transporters that can make contact with many providers in order to find the best service for the shipper.

Auto Carriers and How They Work in Merrick

Going with a Merrick auto carrier implies the customer will be dealing directly with the person or firm that owns the truck that will be transporting your vehicle. However, most carriers only serve a minimal number of routes so that their services are cost effective. Usually, they don’t stray too far from these routes because of added fuel costs and the travel time frame it would take, which would slow down other deliveries. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be paying less when working directly with a Merrick auto carrier either. All services cost money, specifically with auto shipping due to changing fuel fees, so there isn’t a whole lot of wiggle room often times. Dealing with an auto carrier directly may not change the price you pay over going with a broker, since the broker has a wide range of carriers that they can get in touch with for the ideal rates and routes. Auto carriers aren’t generally easy to locate and contact, since a lot of times they rely on brokers to connect them with customers.

Car Shipping Advice

Secure your personal items outside your car.

All Merrick auto haulers are prohibited from transporting what would be deemed “household goods” by the Department of Transportation. You really should do a quick check of your vehicle and remove these items prior to shipping. For example, car seats, umbrellas and clothing should be taken out of your vehicle before it’s loaded onto the truck.

Do not overfill your gas tank.

When using a Merrick auto transport company you should keep an eye on your fuel gauge prior to the time of shipping. Just to be safe, make sure your gas level isn’t too low and keep only about a quarter of a tank in your automobile. Your car may be driven briefly just to load it onto and off of the vehicle trailer and you don’t want to leave your gas level way too low. On the other hand, you don’t want to fill your gas tank an excessive amount either. A car with a full tank of gas will weigh considerably more than one with only a quarter tank full, which could present difficulties with the auto transport process.

Examine your vehicle for signs of damage before and after shipping.

In order to record the condition of your vehicle before turning it over to a Merrick auto carrier, it’s a good idea to take photos of any scratches, dents, dings or other damage present before to shipping. Washing your vehicle first will make it much easier to identify any dents or dings. Then, take photos using your phone or camera to record the condition of your vehicle, even if its body doesn’t have any damage. Using this method you have records of its condition in the event any incidents arise during the vehicle transport process.

Knowing your Bill of Lading.

You will be given what’s called a Bill of Lading once your Merrick car carrier arrives to obtain your vehicle for transport. This Bill of Lading contains the details of your vehicle transport agreement and will validate that it is being placed in the temporary care of the auto transport company. At this time, both the customer and driver of the auto carrier should do an assessment of the vehicle in order to document any existing damages. This way both the customer and driver are in agreement on the vehicle’s condition at the time of pickup. One more Bill of Lading will be given to the customer once the car arrives at its destination, which will verify the condition of the vehicle matches what it was when it was picked up. If any new damages occur, they can be resolved at this time.

Understand your insurance coverage.

You should check with your auto insurance company to find out if they provide any coverage for your vehicle in case it is damaged during the hauling process. However, any auto transport Merrick service should already have liability coverage already built into their prices, which usually covers anywhere between ,000 and 0,000 worth of damages. The client won’t have to pay extra for this insurance, since it should already be built into the auto hauler’s fees. Generally, this is enough to cover any problems that could occur during the transportation process, but it’s a good idea to verify with your insurance company as well.

Choosing the Best Auto Transport Carrier in Merrick

In order to guarantee you’re receiving the best service from your Merrick car carrier you can always do a bit of research on their history first. First, only do business with an auto hauler who is licensed, bonded and insured. You can find out more about the company by getting their MC number or USDOT number. You can use these numbers to look up reviews on their services with the BBB. You can also review the company’s terms and conditions to get a far better idea of the type of service you’re receiving. This way you’ll be able to make the most knowledgeable decision possible.

Open Auto Carriers vs. Enclosed Transports in Merrick

A possible misconception about open transport is that it’s some sort of bargain basement solution. You could compare this option to flying economy class on an airplane compared to first class. It’s the way most people travel. This same concept can apply to selecting an open transport. Over 4,000 open auto carriers ship cars throughout the country. Even car dealerships contract a transport firm to send a car the most inexpensive way possible. Open carriers will be more inexpensive than just moving one vehicle by itself using flatbed shipping, for example.

Researching Auto Transport Companies in Merrick

Always think about how much safety and security your vehicle or vehicles will need throughout the transport process. Using an open transport is suitable, and almost always cheaper, if you’re shipping a standard vehicle that would generally be exposed to the outdoors on a daily basis anyways. If you have a collector’s car or antique vehicle, then an enclosed shipping option might be better for your vehicle. As a customer, it’s a good idea to get various quotes from Merrick auto transporters. This way you’ll know the general rates, but the cheapest is not always the ideal choice. By performing some study on the auto transport industry and the companies you’re planning on working with, you can make sure you’re getting the best deal. When you finally make your decision, you’ll be confident that your vehicle is being transported safely and securely to its final location.