Enclosed Car Transport: The Perfect Way to Ship Your Precious Car

Shipping a car can take the headache out of a cross country move, and most people don’t realize that they have the option to ship a car using open or enclosed auto transport.

Enclosed vs. Open Car Shipping

Open car shipping does not protect cars from the elements as much as enclosed auto transport, and that’s probably the only disadvantage of this option. However, enclosed auto transport trailer drivers go out of their way to ensure your vehicle is delivered in perfect condition. Experienced truck drivers understand the value of the vehicles they are carrying.

For that reason, enclosed car shipping is also always the preferred method for exotic car owners.

Open car shipping is usually faster than the enclosed transport. Since open car transporters tend to carry a minimum of four cars at a time, maximum to 10, one might think that this would make them slower. However, because there are more open car shippers, scheduling is easier, which makes open shipping a much quicker option.

Shipping cars with enclosed car transporters are the preferred option among people who own classic or custom cars. With this method, carriers can only carry up to about 4-5 vehicles simultaneously.

People chose enclosed car shipping when a flatbed truck simply won’t provide their precious possessions with the support and protection they desire. Also, enclosed car shipping is a particularly popular option, due to extreme weather or a route near the ocean, which tends to cause corrosion.

Most car collectors of expensive luxury cars opt to ship a precious car across long distances to preserve mileage and prevent excessive wear and tear that comes up with driving that far.

Car owners have high expectations when it comes to choosing a car shipping company to transport their luxury cars. They want experienced companies that will treat their cars with the utmost care and attention, and understand how to handle any issue that might arise in the shipping process. Since luxury vehicles are often shipped across thousands of miles, owners want to know their car is in the safest hands possible.

Enclosed Car Transport – Preferred by the Pros

Luxury car dealers and classic car auctioneers, as well as veteran owners of classic and custom cars frequently hire car shipping companies to transport cars from auctions to dealerships, or races and car shows. They typically have a preferred enclosed car shipping company on which they rely on for safe car transport.

Enclosed trailers provide that added layer of protection against the elements and rock chips that splatter up from the road either by driving the car or in an open-air transport Reinforced with soft or hard side panels, enclosed trailers provide that added bit of protection for your investment.

Enclosed car transport is also ideal for classic cars that are no longer in driving condition. Enclosed trailers have specialized equipment for easy loading and unloading. Your car’s condition will determine whether it can be shipped door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal.

Enclosed car carriers only carry up to five cars at a time, and some might argue that their lighter load makes this a faster option, but that’s not necessarily true. There are fewer enclosed car trailers on the road, which can make it harder to schedule. Booking an enclosed car transport usually takes seven to ten days in advance, and depends on which car shipping company you hire.

Enclosed Car Shipping Cost

  • Vehicle Size – Enclosed car shipping cost is based on size. Because bigger cars take up more space on trucks, and there will be less space for other cars.
  • Vehicle Type – Vintage and luxury cars require extra special care, and that tends to cause the enclosed car shipping rates to be higher. In most cases, in addition to enclosed shipping, these vintage cars require lift-gate elevators, which pose almost no risk of damage compared to ramps.
  • Distance – There’s a regular price, which can be around $1 per mile for the 1-to a 500-mile. That means that the base price of a trip of 300 miles would cost $300. Typically, the enclosed car shipping cost per mile will become lower for longer trips over 1,000 miles in the $0.40-50 range.
  • Fuel Price – The fuel price varies and will also have an impact on the car shipping cost per mile. So, if the fuel price is low, when you require the services you will benefit from lower enclosed auto transport rates.
  • Date – Depending on the time of the year the price will differ. Usually, it’s more expensive to ship your car in the summer because trucks fill up faster with vacationers visiting the popular spots around the country. Enclosed car shipping prices can be up to $200 more during summer than in winter.
  • Insurance – If your car is rare or valuable, additional insurance may be required, and this will incur additional costs.
  • Same Day Car Shipping – If you need your auto shipment to be collected on the same day, an additional fee will be incurred. Also, depending on the distance your car needs to be shipped, the company may need to procure a truck with two fully qualified drivers. With expedited shipping, one driver will rest while the other one drives, unlike traditional car shipping whereby the driver will park at a secure rest-stop overnight to enjoy a well-deserved sleep. As such, expedited shipping can cost between $300-$500 extra.

Also, you can find a car shipping calculator on most shipping companies websites to calculate your enclosed auto transport and get an instant quote, based on various factors.

Zoki Naumoski is a writer for auto and logistics industry also head of content at Nation Wide Auto Transportation, which is a leading auto shipping company in the USA. Check them out on Facebook

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