How it works
When you fill up the auto shipping form, and click send, the information will be received by competing auto shippers that will calculate a rate quote that will take in consideration the variables you have provided regarding your vehicle : its year make and model will be taken in consideration as such information gives the auto shipper an idea about its length and total weight which is needed to determine how much space the carrier will need to reserver for your vehicle and how much weight your vehicle will add to the total allowed weight of the cargo that will be transported.
The origin and destination of car being shipped is a major factor that goes into the rate calculation, obviously the longer the traveled distance, the pricier it becomes. However, if the vehicle is being shipped from a big city to another big city the price will be relatively lower than if the vehicle was being shipped and delivered to non urban cities, and that is due to the high amount of vehicles being shipped from and to big cities versus the slower car shipping traffic in smaller cities.
After receiving your rate quotes, comparing and choosing a company to do the job for you, payment is next step to get started.
Payment
Most auto shippers will require a deposit to be paid with a debit or a credit card when placing your auto transport order and the balance is usually paid via cash, cashier’s check or a money order to the carrier when he delivers your vehicle.
Transit Times
Transit times communicated to you by auto shippers are usually estimates and not guaranteed, if a company guaranties auto shipping transit times, make sure you get it in writing.
As a rule of thumb, auto shipping routes are divided into the following regions, and according to industry standards, below is an average of auto shipping transit times :
From the Northeast To the Southeast and vise versa : 3 to 5 days
From the Northeast To the Southwest and vise versa : 7 to 10 days
From the Northeast To the West and vise versa : 7 to 10 days
From the Northeast To the Midwest and vise versa : 2 to 5 days
From the Southwest To Southeast and vise versa : 3 to 5 days
From the Southwest To the West and vise versa : 2 to 5 days
From the Southwest To the Midwest and vise versa : 5 to 7 days
From the Midwest To the Southeast and vise versa : 2 to 5 days
From the Midwest To the West and vise versa : 5 to 10 days
From the Midwest To the South and vise versa : 1 to 2 days
From the West To the Southeast and vise versa : 7 to 10 days
From the West to Midwest and vise versa : 2 to 5 days
North East States : New York, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts or New Jersey
South East States : Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, west Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Washington DC, Maryland and North Carolina
Midwestern States : Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
South West States : Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.
Western States : California, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and Colorado.
Please keep in mind that delays on transit times may occur when weather conditions are not idle especially in the winter season.