How to Choose an Auto Transport Company

Method 1 of 3:

Researching Trustworthy Companies

1. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 1 Make a list of the companies that offer the specific services you need. First make a list of the services you need from an auto transport company, then research local companies online to find the ones that perform these services. It would be a waste of time to try and contact a company that doesn't actually perform the service that you need from it.^{[1] X Research source}
   1. For example, you may require, or strongly desire, enclosed auto transport instead of open transport. In that case, you'd want to make sure you were only considering companies that specifically offered enclosed auto transport.
   2. Some other specific services you might need include terminal-to-terminal service, door-to-door service, or crossing international borders.
2. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 2 Check customer ratings and reviews for companies you're considering. Look at online reviews and ratings posted to business review websites by former customers and see what they have said about these companies. Ask your friends and family for their opinions of the companies as well, if they have prior experience with them. Take any companies that seem unreliable or low-quality off the list.^{[2] X Research source}
   1. Look for negative or critical reviews of each company and compare them to the positive reviews the company receives. This is a good way to gauge whether customers of the company tend to be satisfied with their services.
3. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 3 Refrain from choosing a company that asks for a wire transfer payment. Reliable, legitimate auto transport companies almost always ask for payment in the form of checks or credit cards. If a company prefers that you pay them in the form of a wire transfer, there's a higher chance that it's an untrustworthy business.^{[3] X Trustworthy Source Better Business Bureau Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting marketplace trustworthiness by educating consumers and reviewing businesses Go to source}
   1. Note that if a company accepts wire transfers but prefers that you pay with credit card or check, that company is probably legitimate. Your main concern should be those companies that prefer to receive wire transfers.
4. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 4 Look for spelling and grammar mistakes on the company's website. Genuine companies running reliable businesses tend to take more care in avoiding these types of mistakes on their sites. Lots of spelling and grammar mistakes often indicates that the website was put up quickly by a sham company.^{[4] X Trustworthy Source Better Business Bureau Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting marketplace trustworthiness by educating consumers and reviewing businesses Go to source}
5. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 5 Check for a valid Motor Carrier Number, if you're in the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates all auto transport companies operating in the United States and requires each company to have an MC Number. Any company that doesn't have this number is thus almost definitely a fraudulent company.^{[5] X Trustworthy Source Better Business Bureau Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting marketplace trustworthiness by educating consumers and reviewing businesses Go to source}
   1. If a company is legitimate, it will make this number available on its website or will provide it when asked. Sham companies will either hide this number or provide a fake one.
   2. To verify a company's MC Number, go to the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Electronic Records website.

Method 2 of 3:

Asking About Policies and Services

1. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 6 Find out what carrier options the company offers. A company can transport your car in 1 of 3 ways: using an open carrier, a multi carrier, or an enclosed carrier. Open and multi carriers are the cheapest, but they leave your car exposed to the elements. Enclosed carriers are best for luxury cars that you want to keep protected.^{[6] X Research source}
   1. Nearly every auto transport company will definitely offer open carrier transportation. However, you may need to look a little harder if you're set on using a company that offers enclosed transportation.
2. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 7 Ask if the company offers any insurance plans. Find out as well whether your own auto insurance plan will adequately cover your car while the company is transporting it. If not, you may need to purchase insurance from the company itself.^{[7] X Research source}
   1. Never do business with a company that can't insure your car while it's being transported. If anything happens to the car, you may not be able to receive any sort of reimbursement.
   2. If the company offers insurance for your car, be sure to ask for proof of this insurance to make sure it's not a scam. Legitimate companies are legally required to provide proof of insurance upon request.
3. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 8 Inquire about what payment arrangements you're able to make. Some companies require that you pay the full price of shipping your car upfront, whereas others will offer you the option of paying this price in installments. If you're not comfortable with or not willing to pay the full price in advance, be sure to ask if the company offers payment plans for their clients.^{[8] X Research source}
   1. A typical payment plan may have you submit regular payments to the company every month over a set period of time (e.g., 6 months).
   2. Note that some companies may charge you a fee for paying in installments rather than in 1 lump sum.
4. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 9 Look into what the company's cancellation policy is. Ask if they have a set deadline after which you'd have to pay a fee to cancel your reservation with the company. If you need to retain some flexibility in your schedule, communicate this to the company's customer service representative and ask what options they provide for canceling or rescheduling your reservation.^{[9] X Research source}
   1. For example, a company may penalize you for canceling a reservation but allow you to reschedule your reservation at no cost.
   2. If the company offers you a unique cancellation policy or any other special service, be sure to get the terms of this policy or service in writing.

Method 3 of 3:

Comparing Price Quotes

1. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 10 Call or visit the website of a transport company to get a quote. Most auto transport company websites will have a large button at the top of the home page that says 'Get Quote' or 'Request Quote.' Whichever vehicle you may want to ship, either a luxury car or a truck, you can always request a free luxury price quote or get a free truck transport quote, so don't worry about having to commit to the company just because you're requesting a quote.^{[10] X Research source}
   1. You can also call the company's customer service phone number to get a quote. This phone number is also located on the company's website and is almost definitely on any promotional material (e.g., flyers) that the company puts out.
2. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 11 Get quotes from several companies with good reviews. Contact each of the companies you've deemed to be trustworthy and ask how much it would cost for you to transport your car with them. Be sure to give them all of the specifics regarding your car and how you'd like them to transport it.^{[11] X Research source}
   1. You'll need to provide the make and model of your car, as well as the shipping locations and dates.
   2. Don't agree to any offers immediately; just get quotes from all of the companies you're considering so you can compare the offers to one another.
3. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 12 Avoid settling for the cheapest option. Although you may think the lowest-priced company will be giving you the best deal, these companies often surprise customers with hidden fees down the line. Plus, the lower quoted price, the lower quality service you can usually expect from auto transport companies.^{[12] X Research source}
   1. It's normal to see quotes within $100 of each other. Anything way lower could be a bait and switch or have hidden fees.
   2. Hidden fees may include the cost of insurance or a service fee.
4. How to Choose an Auto Transport Company Picture 13 Decide which company is best for your particular situation. Once you've gotten a sense of each company's services, reputation, and price, you're now in the best position possible to choose the right company for you. If you're still not sure which company you should go with, contact the companies again to ask any lingering questions you still have.^{[13] X Research source}

David Pac

Update 24 March 2020