How to Ship a Car
Moving to a new city comes with plenty of exciting opportunities—making new friends, exploring unfamiliar places, and establishing a fresh sense of community, to name a few. However, transporting all your belongings isn’t always part of the fun. One of the biggest challenges? Figuring out how to move your car. This can be especially tricky for those relocating across the country, as long-distance drives can be exhausting or even unfeasible in certain situations. That’s why hiring an auto transport company is often the best solution.
Auto transport services work just as you’d expect, where a carrier picks up your vehicle from your current location and delivers it directly to your new destination. This option offers several advantages over driving yourself, including saving time, minimizing wear and tear on your car, and reducing the stress of the moving process.
If this sounds like the right choice for you, Legendary Auto Transport has you covered. With a wide range of customizable options, we make vehicle transportation seamless and tailored to your needs.
3-Step Process for Moving Your Car
Step 1: Quote and Book Your Order
To ship your car, the first step is to request a quote from an auto transport company. To get started, simply contact us and provide them with the necessary information. This includes your car’s make and model, the locations your vehicle needs to be picked up from and dropped off at, and your preferred form of transportation (either enclosed or open car transport, and special services like door-to-door or guaranteed pick-up).
Legendary requires all this info to provide an accurate quote. You can receive a quote today by contacting us directly via phone or direct message.
Upon receiving a quote, you’ll then take a look at the details and choose if you’d like to move forward with us. Feel free to take your time and even shop around to other auto transport companies if you’d like. However, keep in mind that quotes are only valid for seven days. If you wait longer than seven days, you’ll need to request a new quote. This is due to the fluctuation of market prices within the auto transport industry.
If you do decide to book with us, you’ll need to confirm your booking with some more info. This includes contact information, vehicle specs (make and model, and whether it is running or non-operational), the preferred method in which you’d like to ship your car, and the date that it will be ready for pick up. This is known in the auto transport industry as “First Available Pick-up Date.” When your order is confirmed, our team will provide you with an estimated pick-up window.
To ship your car, the first step is to request a quote from an auto transport company. To get started, simply contact us and provide them with the necessary information. This includes your car’s make and model, the locations your vehicle needs to be picked up from and dropped off at, and your preferred form of transportation (either enclosed or open car transport, and special services like door-to-door or guaranteed pick-up).
Legendary requires all this info to provide an accurate quote. You can receive a quote today by contacting us directly via phone or direct message.
Upon receiving a quote, you’ll then take a look at the details and choose if you’d like to move forward with us. Feel free to take your time and even shop around to other auto transport companies if you’d like. However, keep in mind that quotes are only valid for seven days. If you wait longer than seven days, you’ll need to request a new quote. This is due to the fluctuation of market prices within the auto transport industry.
If you do decide to book with us, you’ll need to confirm your booking with some more info. This includes contact information, vehicle specs (make and model, and whether it is running or non-operational), the preferred method in which you’d like to ship your car, and the date that it will be ready for pick up. This is known in the auto transport industry as “First Available Pick-up Date.” When your order is confirmed, our team will provide you with an estimated pick-up window.
What’s the Difference Between Open and Enclosed Car Transport?
When booking your order with us, you’ll need to choose between two different shipping options: open and enclosed car transport. Open car transport is the most common, popular, and affordable method of car shipping. This involves transporting your vehicle in an open trailer, where it is exposed to the open road. No need to worry about this, however – this is a very safe method of transportation. It is the most popular shipping method and is the shipping choice of 80% of our customers.
Alternatively, enclosed auto transport involves transporting a vehicle in an enclosed trailer. While it is more expensive than open car transport, it also offers additional protection; it’s more popular among owners of luxury, vintage, or otherwise high-value vehicles, and is roughly 30-40% more expensive than open car transport.
Payment Options
The booking process is very simple, and can be done either via email, phone call, or through our website’s Live Chat feature. During this process, you’ll have to choose your payment option. We offer two different options:
- Discounted Payment: Upon booking your order, we just take a small deposit via credit or debit card. Your remaining balance will be due at the time of your vehicle’s drop-off. You will pay the carrier directly with either cash, money order, or a cashier’s check.
- Regular Payment: You will pay entirely upon booking your order. You can pay with card, cash, or PayPal. Paying this upfront secures your order with a driver, and no additional payment is required at your vehicle’s drop-off.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Car?
It’s difficult to say exactly how much it costs to ship a car without knowing some key pieces of information first. Things that factor into the overall price of shipping are:
- The route and length of delivery: The further your pickup and drop-off points are, the more expensive your shipment will be. Fueling costs, hours on the road, and even hours off the road (overnight sleep accommodations for the driver) all add up to the overall price of your shipment.
- Seasonality: Like all industries, the auto transport industry has a high and low season. Depending on the time of year you book, there may be a much higher or lower demand for auto transport services, which will raise or lower the price. For example, Summertime and the holiday seasons are more common times for moving, so prices will likely be higher around these periods. Therefore, booking outside of the high season can result in better prices.
- Type of Shipping Services: Your service of choice will affect your delivery’s cost. As already mentioned, enclosed auto transport costs more than open car transport, however, there are other optional services available for an additional cost. These include Guaranteed Pickup, Door-to-Door transport, Expedited Shipping, and White Glove transport.
- Vehicle Size and Weight: Vehicles larger or heavier than average sometimes require special equipment or handling, which can sometimes also raise shipping costs.
How Long is my quote valid for?
Quotes from Legendary are valid for seven days. If you don’t book an order within that period, it will expire, and you will have to request a new quote. New quotes may differ from the initial quote; this is due to the nature of the automotive industry in general, as prices of fuel, market demand, and other factors are constantly fluctuating. It’s important to keep this in mind when booking your order.
Can I receive a quote without knowing my exact address?
While we offer an estimate based on the general location of your delivery address, such as the zip code or city, it may not be the most accurate. If you want to know the precise cost of the delivery, we recommend giving us the exact pickup and drop-off addresses.
What should be done to prepare my vehicle for shipping?
Here are some things that you should do before your vehicle’s pickup date:
- Disable your vehicle’s alarm systems. This is to avoid your alarm systems from going off during the transportation process.
- Remove any fragile/loose accessories or parts. Removing any loose or fragile items avoids anything getting lost or broken during transit.
- Remove personal items from your vehicle. While your vehicle itself is insured during the transportation process, your personal belongings inside of it are not. Therefore, we highly advise removing personal items to avoid loss, damage, or theft. If you absolutely must leave them in your vehicle, we recommend placing them in the trunk.
- Thoroughly wash your vehicle. Cleaning your vehicle before pickup is necessary for you and the carrier to assess your car’s condition and fill out the BOL. If there are any scratches, scuffs, or dents, identifying them will be easier.
- Make sure your car is in operational condition. Unless you otherwise specify your car as non-operational, your vehicle will need to be in working condition. This is because the carrier will need to drive your vehicle to load it onto their trailer.
- Provide the car hauler with a pair of keys to your vehicle. The carrier will need your car’s keys to properly load it onto their trailer.
Step 2: Your Vehicle Gets Picked up
On the day that your vehicle is slated for pickup, you will receive a phone call from your assigned carrier a few hours ahead of pickup to give you a heads up regarding their arrival time.
Be sure to make sure the pickup zone is fully accessible for the carrier ahead of their phone call. This means making sure that there are no restrictions for larger vehicles, low hanging branches, road work, overhead power cables, or anything that may otherwise pose issues for the carrier. If there are any issues, just report it to the carrier and rearrange for a different pickup location – this may be as simple as moving the pickup a few blocks away to a wider street.
Once you meet with them, the carrier will first fill out the BOL (Bill of Lading) where they’ll conduct an inspection of your vehicle. Also known as a condition report, a BOL is done to document your vehicle’s condition, where photos are taken and a written report are made regarding your vehicle’s condition. This is for transparency of both parties regarding the status of your car’s condition prior to shipping, to avoid disputes if your vehicle is damaged during transit.
After this is finished, the carrier will load your vehicle into their trailer and begin the shipment process. You’ll be able to track your car during the entire transport process via Legendary’s tracking system or receive status updates from our team directly via phone or Live Chat messages.
On the day that your vehicle is slated for pickup, you will receive a phone call from your assigned carrier a few hours ahead of pickup to give you a heads up regarding their arrival time.
Be sure to make sure the pickup zone is fully accessible for the carrier ahead of their phone call. This means making sure that there are no restrictions for larger vehicles, low hanging branches, road work, overhead power cables, or anything that may otherwise pose issues for the carrier. If there are any issues, just report it to the carrier and rearrange for a different pickup location – this may be as simple as moving the pickup a few blocks away to a wider street.
Once you meet with them, the carrier will first fill out the BOL (Bill of Lading) where they’ll conduct an inspection of your vehicle. Also known as a condition report, a BOL is done to document your vehicle’s condition, where photos are taken and a written report are made regarding your vehicle’s condition. This is for transparency of both parties regarding the status of your car’s condition prior to shipping, to avoid disputes if your vehicle is damaged during transit.
After this is finished, the carrier will load your vehicle into their trailer and begin the shipment process. You’ll be able to track your car during the entire transport process via Legendary’s tracking system or receive status updates from our team directly via phone or Live Chat messages.
What is a Bill of Lading (BOL)?
A Bill of Lading (BOL) is a document that serves as your receipt for your vehicle’s freight service, also known as a condition report. The carrier will fill this out upon their arrival, where both you and the driver will thoroughly inspect your vehicle’s condition and make note of any visible damages. The BOL will also be used as a reference point at the drop-off point, to ensure that your vehicle was not damaged during its delivery.
Can you guarantee a pick-up date?
Yes, we offer a Guarantee Pick-up Date service. However, depending on the urgency of the order, it may increase the overall price of your shipment. Also, note that pickup dates are only guaranteed Monday through Friday. We recommend booking your order far in advance to secure your pick-up date.
What does First Available Pick-up Date mean?
The First Available Pick-up Date is the first day that your vehicle will be available to be picked up. This date is not necessarily the date that your vehicle will be picked up, but rather, the first possible day that it may be picked up. Once a carrier is assigned to your order, we will notify you of the date of your shipment.
How long does the shipment process take?
The short answer is that it depends. Shipping a vehicle can take anywhere from one day to over two weeks, with various factors impacting the length of transportation.
The biggest factor that affects shipment time is the overall distance of the delivery. If you need a vehicle shipped from Washington all the way to Florida, then expect it to take 10 to 15 days. On the other hand, shipping from Washington to just one state over in Oregon should only take 1-2 days.
Distance is what affects shipment time the most, though there are other factors that impact it as well. These include the weather and season (shipping across states during a blizzard or thunderstorm may slow down the transportation process, for example), traffic (shipping to and from areas with a higher level of traffic), or locations (delivering to or from rural areas farther from major cities or highways).
Can I change my First Available Pick-up Date?
Yes, you may change your First Available Pick-up Date at any time.
To change the First Available Pick-up Date prior to booking, you can simply request a new quote with the new pick-up date. If you’ve already booked your order, you must contact our team directly for the change to go into effect. To do so, simply contact us by phone, email, or Live Chat.
Please keep in mind that, if a carrier has already been assigned to your order and isn’t able to accommodate this change, your deposit will be considered non-refundable. Because of this, we advise contacting us as soon as possible regarding changes to your order.
Is my car insured during the delivery process?
Yes, all our carriers are required to have full coverage, meaning that all the vehicles they haul are insured in the event of an accident. As a result, your car is fully insured throughout the entire transportation process. Prior to shipping your vehicle, we’ll send you all the necessary info regarding specific coverage amounts, though you’re also welcome to request additional insurance if you’d like.
What is top load placement?
Standard auto transport trailers have two levels. Top load placement is when a vehicle is loaded onto the second level of a trailer, which can offer some additional protection and minimize the risk of rock chips and oil leaks. If you’d prefer your vehicle to be top loaded, please let us know before your scheduled pickup and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.