What Is Enclosed Auto Transport?
Enclosed auto transport is a shipping service that adds extra protection to your vehicle. It's recommended for expensive or rare automobiles such as exotic cars, collectibles, luxury cars, custom cars, and classics.
So if you're worried about theft, weather changes, or your car getting exposed to debris or dust from the road, you can consider enclosed auto transport. Your car will be placed inside a safe, weather-resistant trailer that can carry a few vehicles, normally between 2 to 7.
It's more expensive compared to open transportation and could cost between 25% to 50% more. These prices, however, depend on your vehicle's make and model and the distance of transportation.
5 Best Enclosed Car Shipping Companies
When identifying the best car shipping companies for your vehicle, you can choose to work directly with carrier companies or brokers. With carrier companies, you'll need to conduct background research yourself to ascertain the company's competence, driver safety, and insurance policies.
Conversely, auto transport broker companies do the background research for you and connect you to verified carriers. Either way, here are some qualities you need to look out for.
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- Their expertise and specialization
- Affordable pricing
- Customer reviews
- Years of experience in the industry
- Liability insurance
Based on all the mentioned considerations, we came up with a list of the top 5 enclosed car shipping companies in the market.
1. Montway Auto Transport
Montway Auto Transport is known for reliability when it comes to enclosed vehicle transportation. With 15 years in the industry, the company has adequate databases for safe and experienced drivers and carriers. They rigorously vet all their transporters, ensuring their trailers are safe and properly insured, drivers are law-abiding, and their vehicles can move across states.
They have excellent customer reviews, with a rating of 4.7 out of five from over five thousand reviews. Montway also works with the best car brands in the market, including Porsche, Volkswagen, and Chrysler.
2. uShip
Unlike Montway, uShip functions as an online marketplace where car owners get to choose their preferred transporter. Here you have full control over who ships your vehicle.
All you need to do is initiate a shipment request and fill in your details, including the vehicle make, model, pickup point, and destination. uShip provides carrier profiles with full details, such as ratings, price, shipments completed, shipments canceled, years with Uship, e.t.c.
You can safely make payments on uShip, and they also provide partial insurance of up to $1500 in case of any damages to your vehicle. Going through their terms will give you a better view of how to be eligible for their insurance.
3. Easy Auto Ship
Formerly DIY Transport, Easy Auto Ship has only traded using its current name for close to two years. However, the company has over 25 years of experience with auto transport.
They provide affordable enclosed auto transportation, and you can save up to 10% in costs compared to other players in the market. Easy Auto Ship vets its drivers and carriers for safety and to ensure compliance with insurance. They also provide extra insurance in addition to that of the transporter.
Their services span all 50 states in the US. According to most customer reviews, Easy Auto Ship is known for its great customer service. On Google, they have a rating of 4.6 out of five for close to three thousand reviews.
4. Reliable Carriers
Reliable Carriers have been transporting vehicles across America for 50 years. Unlike other mentioned companies, they're not a broker and transport everything with their trucks.
They started with a single tractor and have since grown their fleet to 350 with a carrying capacity of 7 vehicles and over 300 drivers.
They provide insurance worth up to $5 million for each load. This is the kind of assurance most auto transport brokers would not guarantee.
Reliable Carriers are FMCSA compliant to ensure the safety of every vehicle they transport. They move cars across 48 US states and parts of Canada. Their vehicles have GPS tracking, letting you know the progress of your shipment at every stage.
5. AmeriFreight
They're auto transport brokers who ship vehicles across 50 US states. AmeriFreight has amazing discounts for Veterans, senior citizens, and their return customers. They also offer refunds for canceled or changed bookings.
They source carriers and vet them, ensuring they're highly rated and have proper insurance. Besides carrier insurance, AmeriFreight offers gap protection of up to $2,000 for freight damages. You'll, however, need to buy the insurance (AFta Plan) and comply with set regulations.
AmeriFreight does not require any deposit upfront until they find you a carrier. Once you've made payment for your shipping, you're assigned to a customer care representative to specifically track your order and offer support where needed.
Ready to Choose Your Enclosed Car Shipping Company?
Each of the mentioned companies is great for your shipping needs. Your choice, however, will depend on your budget and transportation terms, and location. You also want a company you can trust and one you feel comfortable working with.
If you'd rather choose a transporter yourself, uShip would be ideal. Reliable Carriers is best if you prefer working directly with the carrier company.
Montway has numerous reputable reviews for its reliability and customer support. Easy Auto Ship has affordable rates and is dedicated to vetting drivers to ensure safety. AmeriFreight offers affordable discounts and up to $2,000 in extra insurance.
As for your budget, all the above companies offer free quotations you can utilize to gauge if their prices are suitable for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why should I choose enclosed auto shipping instead of open transportation?
Enclosed auto shipping ensures your vehicle is loaded into an enclosed truck with a few other vehicles, providing the extra protection you wouldn't get with open transportation. Your vehicle will be safe from theft, bad weather, and exposure to dust, debris, sunlight, e.t.c.
Therefore, if you have a rare antique car model, a custom-made car, or an exotic or luxurious vehicle, you should choose enclosed auto shipping. Your precious automobile will need to reach you unscathed, and enclosed auto shipping is how you ensure that.
2. How much does it cost to ship a car with enclosed car carriers?
The price of shipping a car with an enclosed car carrier depends on several factors. These include transportation distance, vehicle make, model, year of manufacture, and the number of cars you're shipping.
Enclosed car shipments cost between 25% to 50% higher than open transportation. That could range from $500 to more than $3,000. For instance, a standard car being transported over 500-1500 miles could cost roughly $950 on average.
3. What can I benefit from enclosed auto transport?
Here are the benefits of using enclosed auto transport.
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- You give your antique, custom, or expensive items an extra level of protection.
- Enclosed vehicles can only pick up and drop off fewer vehicles, which normally takes up to seven only. This makes them faster compared to open carriers.
- You'll protect your investment from unexpected damage that comes with open transportation.
- Most enclosed trailers have lift gates or low-profile ramps, enabling them to handle vehicles with low clearance.
4. Can I ship a car that is still on a lien?
Having a lien on your vehicle doesn't normally stop you from shipping. However, depending on where you're shipping to, some banks may deny permission to ship. For instance, for states such as Alaska and Hawaii, you may need your bank's permission.
Technically, if your car is still on a lien, your bank owns it. They, therefore, reserve the right to deny you permission to ship on their terms. While this may not be common, it's always safe to consult them first before making any shipment.