Know Your Auto Transport Options And The Qualities Of Each |
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Johan Stevenson
20 September 2012
Relocating to another place is an experience that is fraught with choices: Should you wrap your white plates in newspaper or use bubble wrap instead? Which furniture moving company should you hire, and should you get additional help with packing and unpacking? Should you drive your car to your new home or just simply hop on a plane and have it shipped instead?
For the last question, the best answer is to simply ship your car. However, this once again opens up a whole new host of choices: What kind of auto transport method should you choose? Open trucks, closed soft-side carriers or a closed hard-side transporter? To help you make a decision for this question, outlined below are descriptions of each type of carrier and the pros and cons that come with using them:
Open carriers - The open carrier transports cars without any covering to protect them, leaving your vehicle exposed to sun, sand, rain, hail, snow, and rocks. While this may sound like a massive disadvantage, this kind of auto transport carrier does come with the benefit of having the cheapest rates. Once you agree to this kind of carrier, you may be asked to sign an agreement waiving all liabilities from the car shipping company if ever your automobile does incur damage on the road. Because of the risks involved in shipping using open carriers, this kind of transport is best for mid-range cars and for short-distance shipping.
Closed soft-side carriers - car shipping carriers with a soft covering offer a little bit more protection for vehicles. This kind of protection comes in the form of a canvas covering, so your car will be given sufficient protection against rain, sun, or sand. However, the soft covering can be useless against harder elements, such as rocks or hail. Because of the protection that it offers, using a closed soft-side carrier may cost you more than opting for an open carrier. This kind of auto transport, however, is still significantly cheaper than renting a closed hard-side carrier. Soft-side trucks are best for mid-range to high-end vehicles going on short trips.
Closed hard-side carriers - Among all the three kinds of carriers you can use to ship your vehicle, this is the one that offers the most protection. Not only will your car be effectively shielded from minor elements like rain and sand, the hard exterior can also effectively deter hard materials like rocks and hail. Because of the cost of renting this kind of carrier and the high level of protection that it can deliver, it is usually the transport method of choice among car dealers and vintage car collectors.