Vehicle Transport in Harbor City CA

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Unlike other vehicle shipping companies in Harbor City, 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.

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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 Harbor City, CA.

Are you trying to figure out the practice of moving a vehicle from one location to another utilizing an auto transporter in Harbor City? To put it simply, it’s the act of transporting a car from one state to another by means of some type of car transport method. Clients have the choice to choose between an open carrier, which is the most well-known, or an enclosed carrier that better guards your vehicle. An open carrier is the most common, which also means it’s the most reasonably priced for standard vehicle transport needs. However, first you should learn the distinction between an auto transport broker and an auto carrier. Brokers don’t in fact ship the vehicle, but they behave as an intermediary between the customer and the service that provides the shipping of the vehicles. In this article, we’ll review the distinctions between brokers and carriers, as well as some guidelines to help make your auto transport experience easier.

Auto Brokers vs. Auto Carriers in Harbor City

You’ll essentially have two options when looking for an auto carrier in Harbor City. The main distinction is that a broker does not own their trucks that will be used to transport your vehicle from one point to another. A broker will find trucking companies in your area to pick up and deliver your vehicle. A carrier, on the other hand, actually owns their trucks and they send one of their trucks to pick-up your vehicle.

Auto Transport Brokers and How They Interact With Customers

An automotive transport broker is simply the professional chosen by you, the shipper, who assists in the process of acquiring an auto transport company in Harbor City. This means the customer, or shipper, does not actually deal directly with the auto carrier who will be in charge of picking up and delivering your motor vehicle. The auto transport broker acts as a liaison between the shipper and carrier, which means they can shop around to find the most reliable shipping solution for their customers. They’ll find an auto carrier who journeys the route and is within realistic distance to your location, so it can end up making the entire shipping process quicker. The broker will be in contact with you, the client, throughout the entire shipping progression until your vehicle is delivered at its final location.

Finding the Best Auto Hauler

Going with a Harbor City auto carrier means the customer will be dealing directly with the person or company that owns the truck which will be hauling your vehicle. With a few conditions, most auto transport carriers only serve a limited number of routes. They do not divert too far from their chosen routes because this would mean slower service to all customers and even higher rates. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be spending less when working directly with a Harbor City auto carrier either. A service costs what it costs. Whether that is time, equipment and effort to drive or to find and deal with customers, it all costs money. An auto transport broker will already be set up to get in touch with multiple transporters in order to find the perfect rate and most efficient performance for the customer, so dealing directly with an auto carrier may not make a tremendous difference for the better in price or service. In reality, carriers often times aren’t effortless to find, as brokers handle that side of their business for them.

Steps to Take Before Shipping Your Vehicle

Ensure all personal items are removed from your vehicle.

Auto shippers in Harbor City are not allowed by the Department of Transportation to transport anything that would be considered a “household good”. This consists of things like personal GPS devices, external DVD players, DVDs, CDs or any typical household item that you’ve stashed in your vehicle. It’s well-advised to remove these items from your vehicle prior to pickup to reduce any delays.

Leave your gas tank a quarter of the ways full.

Be sure to keep around a quarter tank of gas in your vehicle prior to shipping it. Your Harbor City auto carrier will likely have to drive the vehicle on and off the trailer during the shipping process, and since it will be at a steep angle it’s a good idea to keep at least a quarter tank of gas in it. But, you don’t want to overfill your tank or leave your vehicle with a full tank of fuel during shipping. If your gas tank is full, it will end up placing a significant amount of weight to your vehicle, which could cause difficulties.

Perform an exam on your vehicle’s condition prior to shipping.

To ensure you have evidence of the condition of your vehicle prior to using a Harbor City auto carrier it’s a good idea to search for any dents, scratches or other damage that may already exist. Washing your car first will make it a lot easier to identify any dents or dings. Then, take photos using your phone or camera to document the condition of your vehicle, even if its body doesn’t have any damage. This way you have records of its condition in the event any problems arise during the vehicle transport process.

What is a Bill of Lading?

Once the auto carrier in Harbor City arrives to obtain your vehicle for transport you should be provided with what’s called a Bill of Lading. This is basically a document that acknowledges the company is picking up your vehicle for shipping and will also show any existing damages to your vehicle prior to picking it up. It’s a good idea to inspect the vehicle with the driver to make sure you are both conscious of any existing damages. After the inspection is complete, current damages will be recorded and the Bill of Lading will be signed by both the customer and the driver. Once your automobile is delivered, you’ll be provided with a Bill of Lading that you can use to check for any new damages to your vehicle that may have occurred during shipping.

Understanding insurance liabilities when transporting your car.

Although the Harbor City auto hauler should have liability insurance built into their services, it’s a good plan to check with your own insurance company as well to see if they would include any damage that occurs as a result of moving your vehicle. Your chosen auto transport service should already have liability insurance built into their services and their costs. The average liability coverage ranges between ,000 and 0,000 in coverage, which would be sufficient for the vast majority of problems that could arise. These auto carriers normally have their coverage through a third-party and is already built into the price you’re paying for shipping.

Getting the Best Auto Transport Service in Harbor City

In order to guarantee you’re receiving the best service from your Harbor City 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 business by getting their MC number or USDOT number. You can use these numbers to look up reports on their solutions with the BBB. You can also review the company’s terms and conditions to get a much better idea of the type of service you’re receiving. A little bit of investigation as to overall auto transport process goes a long way as well.

Knowing the Difference Between Enclosed Transport and Open Transport Options in Harbor City

An open auto transport carrier is open to the weather and elements, just as your vehicle would be if you were driving it down the road yourself. If using an open carrier then you could expect exposure to the elements and weather conditions throughout the areas it’s moving through. An enclosed auto transport carrier is a great car shipping option you can use especially if you will transport a classic or custom vehicle. It is the reverse of an open car carrier shipping service. In an enclosed car carrier, the vehicles are housed in a covered truck. Enclosed carriers generally can only carry a few vehicles at the same. In the majority of cases up to five cars.

You Can Get Excellent Auto Transport Deals in Harbor City

In order to choose the right auto transport method for your vehicle, consider how much protection your car will require. The most common cars shipped using an enclosed shipping option are antique or classic vehicles. However, if you’re simply transporting an average motor vehicle that you use every day for common driving needs, then an open trailer would probably be a good fit for you. As usually, try to get at least three or four quotes for car shipping services so you can be sure you’re being billed an adequate rate. Merely put a little time towards studying the auto shipping process and the car carrier in Harbor City that you’re preparing to do business with, that way you know all your bases are covered.