Auto Shipping in Santa Monica CA

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Unlike other vehicle shipping companies in Santa Monica, 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 Santa Monica, CA.

Are you searching for the absolute best Santa Monica auto transport? Then you’ve come to the perfect place and we’ll help you fully understand the transport procedure every step of the way. In order to be sure you get the finest auto shipping rates and the very best service, it’s a good idea to do a little bit of research first. Almost all shippers will offer you “door-to-door” service, meaning they pick your car up from one place and deliver it to another place of your choosing. Prior to jumping into the Santa Monica auto shipping companies, you should first know the difference between a broker and a carrier. The primary distinction is that brokers simply arrange for transport, while carriers are the ones actually handling the physical delivery. Some businesses act as both a broker and a carrier, but we’ll discuss the two distinctions further in this article.

Auto Brokers vs. Auto Carriers in Santa Monica

First of all, every customer should know what it means to be an auto transport broker versus a carrier. Before getting into the process of choosing an auto transport service in Santa Monica you should first know the distinction between an auto shipping broker and a carrier. If you’ve never used an auto transport service before, the procedure might seem complicated, but in this article we’ll give you all the information you need to make an educated decision.

What Is An Auto Transport Broker?

In the car shipping business, a broker is a firm that resells your shipping job. When you get in touch with a broker, they will manage the process of finding a carrier for your motor vehicle and getting it from one location to another. It’s significant to note, the broker does not actually own the trucks, but rather they have set up a network of carriers to hook up customers with. They will get in touch with a variety of Santa Monica 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 customer until the vehicle is delivered. The auto transport broker will act as a channel between the customer and carriers in order to discover the best rates and most reliable service for them.

Locating the Best Auto Hauler

An auto carrier, as opposed to a broker, is the person or business that owns the moving trucks and will be responsible for shipping your motor vehicle. Interacting directly with a car carrier will not require a broker, but it may be challenging to find the best carrier since many of them depend on brokers to connect them with customers. The client will be accountable for selecting a company that handles auto transport in Santa Monica, either a single one or several if you are shopping around for the very best price. In this case, the customer assumes the role of the broker and deals with the auto transport directly. Not every auto shipper will automatically be able to handle your auto transport needs, as they require licensing to travel through each state and may not be able to achieve your destination depending on the states they must go through. Auto carriers can range anywhere from a one person operation to a company with numerous drivers and a fleet of auto shipping trucks.

Preparing Your Vehicle to be Shipped

Secure your personal items outside your car.

No auto shipper is allowed to transfer any item that would be classified as “household goods”, as per Department of Transportation Code. This means auto transport in Santa Monica will not be allowed to deliver vehicles with your personal goods inside of them. This consists of things like GPS systems, DVD players, CDs or other third-party goods that you have placed in your vehicle.

Do not overfill your gas tank.

Be certain to keep around a quarter tank of gas in your vehicle prior to shipping it. Your Santa Monica auto carrier will most 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 gas during shipping. A full tank would add a great deal of weight to your car, which could result in problems during the transporting process.

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

When using a Santa Monica car hauler you should always perform a swift inspection of your vehicle’s condition before it gets loaded on the trailer. A simple way to do this is by washing your car off and making sure there’s no dirt left on it so that way it’s much easier to recognize dents and dings. This will ensure you are conscious of any existing problems and can correctly determine if any new damage occurred during the shipping process. It’s best to record the condition of your car by simply taking pictures of it on your cell phone as proof, just in case there are any problems during transporting it.

Learning about your Bill of Lading.

As soon as the auto carrier in Santa Monica arrives to retrieve your vehicle for transport you should be provided with what’s called a Bill of Lading. This document will confirm that the auto shipping is hauling your vehicle and will also validate its condition prior to shipping. First, inspect your vehicle with the driver of the auto trailer so that you both are in understanding on its condition. Any current damages will be reported in the Bill of Lading, which is then signed by both the driver and customer. Once your vehicle is delivered, you’ll be presented with a Bill of Lading that you can use to check for any new damages to your vehicle that may have occurred during shipping.

Confirm your insurance coverage.

Your insurance company may have protection built into your policy that provides for damages that may happen in the auto hauling process. Even so, any auto transport Santa Monica service should already have liability coverage already built into their prices, which typically covers anywhere between ,000 and 0,000 worth of damages. The customer won’t have to pay extra for this insurance, since it should already be built into the auto hauler’s charges. This should be enough to cover anything that could happen to the standard vehicle, unless you’re transporting a top end or collector’s car.

Choosing the Best Auto Transport Carrier in Santa Monica

There are several ways you can make sure that you’re getting the best service from the auto carrier in Santa Monica that you’ve chosen. Every experienced auto hauler should be licensed, bonded and insured. You can also get their MC number or USDOT number to check their reports with the BBB (Better Business Bureau). Be sure to look over the terms and conditions of the shipping agreement and take some time to educate yourself on the overall auto transport process. Lastly, you can check out third-party reviews online and find out what past clients are expressing about the auto haulers services.

Distinction Between Santa Monica Auto Transports and Enclosed Car Carriers

Shipping your vehicle by utilizing an open carrier option is often the most cost-effective and common. There are more carriers of this type than an enclosed version, and you’ve most likely seen them numerous times on the highway. These auto carriers are around in abundance, so it helps keep down the fees involved in shipping. So, in general, this is the least expensive way to ship a car. An auto carrier that is going from your area and journeying through to your destination will take that vehicle and add it to a group of up to 10 others heading in that same direction. This decreases the cost of shipping as it is divided by the all the vehicles onboard.

Get the Most Out of Your Auto Transport Provider

In order to choose the right auto transport method for your vehicle, consider how much security your vehicle will require. If it is an antique or collector’s car, you’ll probably want to err on the side of caution and use a fully-enclosed trailer to move your vehicle. On the other hand, if you have an ordinary or older model vehicle, then an open-air trailer should suit your needs just fine. A good game plan is to get many quotes from car shipping carriers or brokers, that way you know you’re receiving the most equitable rates. By putting in a bit of time to research the Santa Monica auto transport company, the process being auto transporting and the rates included in your service you can make sure you’re not only getting the best deal, but also the very best service.