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Accurate Car Shipping Quotes
Posted on 05/23/2018
How does a car shipping company determine a quote?
How accurate is an auto transport quote?
Tips for spotting an accurate quote
Final word
How does a car shipping company determine a quote?
Car shipping quotes are often something that people who ship their vehicles wonder about. They are also sometimes a point of contention. That is because there is not a lot of transparency in the auto transport industry when it comes to how exactly quotes are determined by each individual company.
There are actually several things that most auto transport companies use to determine an accurate quote for a potential customer. Some are obvious, some are not:
- Vehicle size – You won’t be asked directly for your car’s size because the vast majority of people do not know that information off the top of their heads and also do not have any idea how to determine that. Instead an auto transport company will ask you for the make and model of your car. This will give the car shipping company all the information they need in order to determine the size of your car.
- Shipping date – The time of year that you ship your vehicle will play a pretty important role in the price that you receive for your quote. That is because certain times of the year are busier than others thus, based on supply and demand as well as overall operating costs, shipping during a busier time will cost slightly more.
- Additional shipping options – If you choose to get any upgraded shipping options for your car shipment such as enclosed transport or top loading, it will cost an additional fee because there are a limited number of spots available for these options and it also entails more work from the carrier.
- Distance – This might be the most obvious of these factors but it is also the most important. How far you ship your car is the primary variable in the price that you get for your quote. This is because it determines the overall amount of labor that you carrier will be responsible for during your transport.
- Estimated carrier cost – The cost of a carrier matters because it involves several factors including the cost of fuel.
How accurate is an auto transport quote?
Auto transport quotes are as accurate as they possibly can be. Car shipping companies know that if they supply customers with quotes that are completely inaccurate or at all misleading, they will lose customers. However, with that said, it is important to understand that it is impossible to have a 100% accurate quote prior to the actual shipment date. There are far too many variables that change constantly in order to be able to give a 100% accurate quote.
In fact, this is also why you should be on the look out for any companies that claim that their quote prices are “guaranteed.” It is likely they are going to give you some excuse later into the transport why they need more money than they had originally asked for. Reputable auto transport companies will let you know that quotes are data driven estimates.
Tips for spotting an accurate quote
If you want to be completely certain that you are getting an accurate quote you should use the following tips to weigh whether or not the quote is legitimate:
- Delivery window – Any accurate or reputable quote will give you a delivery window or date range for your car to be delivered. It is impossible to give you an exact date of delivery, so, if you get a quote with an exact delivery date, it is not accurate.
- Price – If the price of one quote you receive greatly undercuts the others, it is likely a bait and switch price. With one of these scams a dishonest car shipping company will ask you for more money once they already have your car under threat of holding the car until you pay.
- Online reviews – Use online reviews on websites like Google to see what other customers are saying about how accurate an auto transport companies’ quotes are.
- Ability to add additional options – If the quote that you are getting does not offer the option to add additional options such as enclosed transport or top loading, yet they offer those services, it is likely the quote cannot be too accurate.
Final word
Unless you choose one of the few shady and dishonest car shipping companies out there, the car shipping quotes that you receive will be as accurate as possible. Remember, the price you actually pay and the price that you are initially quoted could end up being slightly different due to factors that are beyond the control and prediction of an auto transport company.
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Accurate Car Shipping Quotes
Posted on 05/23/2018
How does a car shipping company determine a quote?
How accurate is an auto transport quote?
Tips for spotting an accurate quote
Final word
How does a car shipping company determine a quote?
Car shipping quotes are often something that people who ship their vehicles wonder about. They are also sometimes a point of contention. That is because there is not a lot of transparency in the auto transport industry when it comes to how exactly quotes are determined by each individual company.
There are actually several things that most auto transport companies use to determine an accurate quote for a potential customer. Some are obvious, some are not:
- Vehicle size – You won’t be asked directly for your car’s size because the vast majority of people do not know that information off the top of their heads and also do not have any idea how to determine that. Instead an auto transport company will ask you for the make and model of your car. This will give the car shipping company all the information they need in order to determine the size of your car.
- Shipping date – The time of year that you ship your vehicle will play a pretty important role in the price that you receive for your quote. That is because certain times of the year are busier than others thus, based on supply and demand as well as overall operating costs, shipping during a busier time will cost slightly more.
- Additional shipping options – If you choose to get any upgraded shipping options for your car shipment such as enclosed transport or top loading, it will cost an additional fee because there are a limited number of spots available for these options and it also entails more work from the carrier.
- Distance – This might be the most obvious of these factors but it is also the most important. How far you ship your car is the primary variable in the price that you get for your quote. This is because it determines the overall amount of labor that you carrier will be responsible for during your transport.
- Estimated carrier cost – The cost of a carrier matters because it involves several factors including the cost of fuel.
How accurate is an auto transport quote?
Auto transport quotes are as accurate as they possibly can be. Car shipping companies know that if they supply customers with quotes that are completely inaccurate or at all misleading, they will lose customers. However, with that said, it is important to understand that it is impossible to have a 100% accurate quote prior to the actual shipment date. There are far too many variables that change constantly in order to be able to give a 100% accurate quote.
In fact, this is also why you should be on the look out for any companies that claim that their quote prices are “guaranteed.” It is likely they are going to give you some excuse later into the transport why they need more money than they had originally asked for. Reputable auto transport companies will let you know that quotes are data driven estimates.
Tips for spotting an accurate quote
If you want to be completely certain that you are getting an accurate quote you should use the following tips to weigh whether or not the quote is legitimate:
- Delivery window – Any accurate or reputable quote will give you a delivery window or date range for your car to be delivered. It is impossible to give you an exact date of delivery, so, if you get a quote with an exact delivery date, it is not accurate.
- Price – If the price of one quote you receive greatly undercuts the others, it is likely a bait and switch price. With one of these scams a dishonest car shipping company will ask you for more money once they already have your car under threat of holding the car until you pay.
- Online reviews – Use online reviews on websites like Google to see what other customers are saying about how accurate an auto transport companies’ quotes are.
- Ability to add additional options – If the quote that you are getting does not offer the option to add additional options such as enclosed transport or top loading, yet they offer those services, it is likely the quote cannot be too accurate.
Final word
Unless you choose one of the few shady and dishonest car shipping companies out there, the car shipping quotes that you receive will be as accurate as possible. Remember, the price you actually pay and the price that you are initially quoted could end up being slightly different due to factors that are beyond the control and prediction of an auto transport company.
RoadRunner Auto Transport Reviews
“RoadRunner Auto Transport did an excellent job shipping a car that I bought online. I spoke with multiple car shipping companies, but the folks at RoadRunner were the most helpful.”
Henry DNew Orleans, LA
“RoadRunner is the best auto transport company that we've used so far. The agent that we spoke with was very friendly and helpful. Our car was delivered on time and in perfect condition.”
Bruce YKansas City, KS
“When I needed to ship my car, I wanted to find the most reliable auto transport company possible. After calling around, I chose RoadRunner and couldn't be happier with the service they provided.”
Daniel AWhittier, CA
“I'm very happy with the service I received from RoadRunner Auto Transport. They picked up my car right from my home and I was able to track my automobile transport online very easily.”
Luis CSyracuse, NY
“I was looking for cheap car shipping quotes and RoadRunner provided me with a very fair price. The driver was friendly and my car delivery was on time with no issues. 5 star auto shipping service!”
Tara KPhiladelphia, PA
"I would definitely use RoadRunner Auto Transport again without a doubt. Excellent overall service from start to finish."
Trish A.
Miami, FL
"This is our 3rd time shipping with RoadRunner and we've had nothing but good experiences - Thank you RoadRunner!"
Charles K.
San Antonio, TX
"Out of all the car shipping companies we spoke with, RoadRunner was the most professional and knowledgable."
Corey L.
Boston, MA
"My car arrived in mint condition. The service was great and the personnel very courteous. Great job guys!"
Victor B.
Fresno, CA
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the vehicle transportation process.
