Month: December 2016

What You Need to Know About International Auto Shipping

Auto Transport Canada - International Auto Shipping

The thought of international auto shipping to or from Canada may appear to be a daunting task the first time, but with a bit of research and learning about how the international car shipping industry operates, everything becomes clear with time. In this piece, we highlight some of the important things you need to have in mind if you are considering shipping cars to or from Canada to international destinations.

The cost of oversea car shipping

There is a very large disparity with regards to the cost international auto shipping. Some of the factors that affect the rates of international car shipping include but are not limited to-: the port of origin and port of destination, the type of car being shipped, the method of shipment, and the shipping company amongst others. Small compact cars may cost hundreds or a few thousand dollars compared to large vehicles or SUVs whose costs might run into several thousand dollars.

RoRo Car shipping

There is a variety of shipping methods offered by the overseas car shipping companies. The first one is Roll on Roll off services, also known RoRo. With this option, the cars are driven onto a roll on roll off ship where they will be secured to limit movement during the voyage. At the port of destination, the cars will then be simply driven off the ship to a secure parking area

Compared to other methods of international auto shipping, this is the most affordable option, only that it would not be ideal if you wanted to ship a classic or an expensive car. The other drawback you may encounter with this option is the fact that not all ports have the facilities to accommodate RoRo ships because of their sheer sizes. In effect, you might find that you will need additional expenses in transporting the car to ports which have facilities to handle RoRo ships.

Container car shipping

The other option for international auto shipping is the use of shipping containers. With this method, the car is placed inside an ocean shipping container and strapped securely to prevent it from moving inside the container during the journey. One of the great benefits of using this method is that only your car will be shipped in that container and so you are free to include other items such as personal goods inside the container. This is usually the most preferred option for people shipping classic cars or very expensive sports cars.

Documents needed for International Auto Shipping

If you are planning for international auto shipping, it is important to know all the necessary documents and ensure that you have all of them so as not to delay the shipping process. For the very specific documents needed, consult with the customs officials at the port of origin as well as the port of destination. Otherwise, these are some of the general documents you are likely to need-: vehicle’s original title, a letter of release from the lien holder if you don’t have the title, a copy of license from the owner and notarized export power of attorney.

How to Handle Unexpected Problems When Shipping Your Car

Auto Transport Canada: Handling unexpected problems when shipping problems.

When you are approaching a Canada car shipping company to help you move your vehicle, you expect that everything will run smoothly. However, this may not always be the case and there might be instances when you encounter unexpected problems when shipping your car which you were not prepared to deal with.

During such times, it pays to know how to resolve the issue amicably so that both parties can go home satisfied. Based on our immense experience in the industry and dealing with both clients and auto shipping companies, we recommend you follow these strategies to handle unexpected problems which may arise during your car shipping:

Reduce your chances of having such problems

Prevention is better than cure, so the adage goes. You should try and prevent auto shipping problems before they even occur. The best way to do this is to research auto shipping companies thoroughly and choose a reputable business that has positive reviews by customers. Such companies have demonstrated that they have what it takes to deliver satisfactory auto shipping services and when working with them, you can expect little or no problems at all.

Keep calm

In case a problem occurs, both parties must remember to stay calm and avoid any verbal exchanges. Don’t raise your voice or get upset when addressing the situation as it will only agitate the individuals involved and extend the problem further. If both sides address the problem calmly, a solution will be found sooner.
Be willing to cooperate with the business

Reputable Canadian auto transport companies are interested in doing business with you. If problems occur, they will be more than willing to engage with you to get to the root cause of the problem. You should therefore cooperate with them, knowing that they are on your side and desire to help you in every which way possible.

Always double check the insurance coverage

One of the common Canadian auto shipping problems is damages occurring to the vehicle during the shipping process. Although, one may believe that the moving company’s insurance would cover such, this is not true. Some companies do not cover damages such as marks caused by rocks on the road, compelling you to dig into your own pocket for the repair costs.
Double check with your insurance company to confirm what kind of damages are covered by your insurance plan. This will help avoid any future disagreements between you and the auto shipping company.

How to Prepare Your Car for Shipping the Right Way

Auto Transport Canada Car Transporter

Preparing your car for shipping is a necessary step whenever you think about car shipping in Canada. Instead of sending your car to the shipping company as is, there are a few things you should do to the car to ensure damage free and hassle free shipping. The following are some of the stuff recommended you do to the car in preparation for safe auto shipping:

Clean the car

Give the car a good wash before you release it for shipping. Clean both the interior and the exterior and while doing so, take note of any existing scratches or dents as well as any paint chips or discoloring which might be noticeable on the surface. In very rare occasions, dings and scratches might occur during shipping, so you want to know the existing ones before the shipping so that you can tell the difference once the car is shipped. This will only be possible if you clean the car well before it is moved.

Take photos of any existing damages

Take photos with date stamps of the dents, scratches, chips, paint etc. The photos should be very clear and you will use them for your own records should there be a dispute between you and the auto shipping company in case of additional damages or dents to the car after the shipping.

Remove all the valuable items from the car

To enhance the safety of all the valuable items and reduce the chances of theft, don’t ship the car with any valuable product inside. It is recommended you remove all the custom accessories such as the stereo system, GPS system, DVD Players etc. You should also remove all the toll tags as well as the parking passes. If you leave the toll tags, they are likely to pick up the fees of each toll where the vehicle will pass through and this will attract unnecessary charges.

Also remember to remove or disable a custom alarm system because should it go off during shipping, the shipping company has the right to remove or disable it through any means possible, so be sure it’s off before you release the car.

Conduct maintenance check before shipment

If the car is in operable condition, let this be indicated at the time of booking. Be sure that there are no mechanical issues or leaks before the car is picked and also check on the fluid levels, the tire pressures, the battery, and the mileage and note everything down before pick up.

Have extra set of keys

When you vehicle is picked, keys will be needed to drive it on and off the truck. Don’t give the trucker the only set of keys you have. Anything can happen during the shipping and should the only set of keys get lost, you might find it difficult and you may spend extra money to get a new set.

Empty the gas tank

A lot of gas is not needed during auto shipping. Leave the gas tank a quarter full since the only gas needed is to drive the car on and off the transportation truck.

There is more to Consider in Canada Car Shipping than Just the Cost

Auto Transport Canada Car Transporter

For the majority considering auto shipping service in Canada, it is like their whole world and the success of the shipping relies on the cost. In as much as the cost of the shipping is a major factor of consideration, it is not the only one and if you decide to get blinded by it, you are bound to have a very nasty car shipping experience. In addition to your cost concerns, you should also include the following:

The ability of the company to be careful with your car

The last thing you desire is to have your car damaged during the shipping due to mishandling or negligence by the auto shipping company. It is true that you can pay the agreed amount, but if the company won’t deliver your car in one piece, then you will be a very disturbed person. It is thus imperative to check on the company’s ability to deliver you without any damages. To best way to find this information is to check the kind of facilities they have as well as online reviews to see if past clients complained about their cars getting damaged during shipping.

Does the company honor delivery schedules?

Time is of essence and just like other clients you don’t want delays on the deliveries. Whenever you hire a Canada car shipping service, be sure that it is a company which will respect your time and make the delivery according to the agreed schedule. In case of any deviations from the original plan, they should be in a position to compensate accordingly and take responsibility for the delays, even if it means delivering the car to your door if they delivered it late to the terminal so that you didn’t manage to pick it as planned.

The ratings of the company

You may be lucky to get good rates from a Canada car shipping company, but if they don’t have good ratings on their services, it will be a complete waste of your time. You won’t be guaranteed of great services and eventually, you will simply be getting the cheap services which you paid. Therefore, make it a habit to check the ratings of the company from the relevant sources such as the Better Business Bureau and other similar sites where you can find comprehensive reviews and ratings of the company.

The quality of customer care

Before engaging any Canada car shipping company to take care of your auto shipping needs, you should also consider the levels of their customer care services. Your vehicle is a valuable possession and you would like it to be handled by kind and nice guys. The customer care should be available at all times to give real time updates on the progress of your shipment. The last thing you want is for your calls or emails to go unanswered during the shipping process, thus putting you in total darkness on what is happening to your vehicle.

Therefore, before you think about the cost as the sole greatest factor in car shipping, thing about these other things for an overall great shipping experience.

Common Myths You Will Hear About Car Shipping In Canada

Auto Transport Canada Car Transporter

Common Myths You Will Hear About Car Shipping In Canada

So you are planning to ship a car in Canada and you are advancing well with your research on the best car shipping companies to use. You are also talking to friends and family members who have done it in the past so that you can borrow an idea or two from them. Just to warn you as you go on with the due diligence, you will encounter certain myths, which might get you scared or confuse you more about Canada vehicle shipping.

However, all you have to remember is that these are nothing but myths and with the right information and the right auto shipping company, you can demystify all of them and have a smooth car shipping experience. Some of the myths include the following-:

Door to door services are more expensive than terminal to terminal services

It may be easy to think that since door to door deliveries will take more effort from the company, they are likely cost you more. However, this is not always the case and terminal to terminal deliveries in car shipping may be equally expensive due to the sheltering costs you may have to take care of. It is true that the cost of door to door delivery will vary depending on your location from the terminal, but you should not take their word for it. Do your analysis and see which suits your situation the best.

It is proper to deal directly with carriers instead of brokers who will charge you more

When it comes to Canada car transport, you always have the option to deal with either the carriers or the brokers. Each option comes with a set of merits and demerits and you can’t expressly claim that one is better than the other. Of course there are cost disparities, but depending on your particular circumstances or your unique situation, you need to rethink these options a lot.

It is cheaper to ship your car with the hubcaps removed

This is one of the myths strongly believed in auto transport Canada industry, but it has no ounce of truth in it. The origin of this myth can be traced back in the days when people were encouraged to remove all the removable parts of the car and these included hubcaps, wipers, antennas, mirrors etc and lock them up in the trunk for more security. While it might have worked back then, it can no longer be used to reduce the cost of shipping, and if anything, it might make the shipping more hectic if you consider overseas shipping using RoRo ships.

The auto shipping cost relies exclusively on the distance

Don’t be misled to believe that the quote of auto shipping in Canada is dependent on the distance to be covered alone. There are other factors which comes to play when working the total cost of shipping and these include but not limited to the value of the car being moved and the type of auto transportation, whether you will want it shipped in an enclosed container or on the open auto transport trucks.

Auto Transport Broker Vs Auto Transport Carrier

Car Transporter Auto Transport Canada

Auto Transport Broker Vs Auto Transport Carrier: What You Need to Know

If you are considering car shipping in Canada, you have probably come across the terms “Auto transport broker” and “Auto transport carrier.” Both are options available at your disposal whenever you need to ship your car, and the choice of either will depend on a number of factors. The fundamental thing is to understand the different between the two and know how they operate so that you will be better placed to make an informed decision when making your choice.

The Difference

Irrespective of whether you use an auto transport broker or an auto transport carrier, the basics will remain the same, in the sense that your vehicle will be shipped from destination A to B and you will have to pay for the car transport Canada services. But that’s generally where all the similarities end.

In the Canada car shipping service industry, an auto transport broker is a company that resells the services you outsource to them. For instance, the brokers will charge you a fee for shipping your car even though they are not the people who will do the actual shipping. They will in turn call several car shipping companies to sell your car shipping job to and when they find the right company, they will be out of the picture.

An auto transport carrier, on the other hand, will be tasked with the actual moving of your car from destination A to destination B. It is like going straight to a wholesaler and bypassing all the retailers when you need to buy your jewelry or furniture. You thus don’t have to deal with the middlemen in between.

Merits and demerits of using either brokers or carriers to take care of your auto shipping needs

Below is a brief look into the merits and demerits of using either carriers or brokers for your car shipping needs-:

Selection – brokers present the widest selection for car shipping. In most cases, they have a preapproved list of carriers they can give your job to or they will post your job online for a carrier to select. When working with a carrier directly, you will be responsible for all the arrangements and communications and this might take some time.

Fees and cancellation – Brokers search for carries at rates below what they charged you so that the markup becomes their profit. With brokers, you will pay a non-refundable deposit. Carriers on the other hand will collect their balance upon delivery of the vehicle and they will allow you to cancel the agreement anytime before pick up. Brokers don’t entertain cancellation and once you pay the deposit, you are bounded to them, unless you decide to forfeit the payment and work with another auto shipping company.

Guaranteed pick up – brokers don’t guarantee any pick up because they are not in direct control of the actual shipping. Auto transport carriers on the other hand can offer guaranteed pickups.

Door to door deliveries – carriers can arrange for door to door deliveries or you can arrange to meet the driver in a nearby landmark or shopping center for delivery. Brokers may not be able to arrange for door to door delivery because once they pass over your vehicle to the carrier, they get out of the picture and you hope that the vehicle arrives safely to the collection point.