Moving an automobile across country or locally is a task that takes some time to organize. Shipping your car is easy when you know what to do and when. Transporting a vehicle is a service that lots of Americans use today – whether you are moving and want to ship your auto with you, you are importing a car that is a unique make or you bought your automobile online and want to have it delivered to you, getting the automobile relocation services that you need is the answer. But how do you do it – by hiring a broker or by booking an auto moving company? What is the difference and what are the risks that these two carry? Let’s find out now!
Choose a Broker or a Carrier to Move an Automobile?
Depending on your moving deadline a few weeks before the desired moving date is a good time to begin the organization process. You need time to select a company and the company needs time to coordinate with you your automobile move. And before you sign with it, remember to check its USDOT number, its rating at the BBB and its insurance policy. If you can also gather positive reviews from people you know who have recently moved their automobile – this would be even a better option. In the end, it all comes down to knowing well what broker or mover you have hired to make sure that your auto relocation will be timely and safe, and that you will get your car in the condition you gave it away.
In order to have a smooth and happy automobile relocation, check the broker or carrier before hiring it!
Hiring a Broker
A moving company and a broker – make a difference between these two. When booking a broker instead of hiring an auto hauling company, there are a number of things that you should know.
Getting quotes and comparing estimates is very important. Get at least several quotes to compare the cost for moving your automobile. You can do it here. Once you get a few quotes you may be tempted to hire the cheapest local or state to state moving form but cost shouldn’t be your only criteria when selecting an interstate vehicle shipper. Finding a trustworthy automobile relocation company means more than the price for its services – after all, both brokers and car movers work for money so quotes that are considerably lower than the others should ring a bell. And besides, there is a risk of extra hidden charges that may come up if you select a broker. This is unfortunately an uncontrollable detail for all customers in the automobile relocation sector. In order to minimize this risk, if you decide to use a broker, you should be aware of what automobile relocation services are included in it like insurance, open or closed trailer, terminal-to-terminal or door-to-door service, etc. All these details matter a lot because door-to-door service and closed trailers are usually more expensive. Your automobile will be waiting at the terminal to be picked up and it will cost you time. Also, terminals have charges and they could also have daily storage fees. Knowing what your quote includes is a good advice also if you have chosen to hire a moving company directly.
Check out the pros and cons of hiring a car broker vs. an automobile carrier!
Once you choose a broker, it will collect the deposit that is due and then it will forward your details to carriers it works with in search of the lowest quote. After that a car moving company – or a third side in the process, will deal with your automobile relocation. So, you pay the broker, and you pay the carrier as well.
Hiring a Carrier
The same advice goes here as well – just like when searching for a broker, your search for an automobile mover shouldn’t be based solely on price. Rather look for an average quote than the cheapest one. A very low quote by a broker or a mover carries risks like shipping your automobile for a very long time (weeks or months) if it gets shipped at all. The worst case scenario is when nobody shows up to pick your automobile. The broker or carrier has collected your deposit which is non-refundable and the company has no problem, but you do now. So, don’t risk getting scammed or getting very poor service by going for a very low ball estimate. Sometimes what seems to cost the least comes out to be the most expensive thing.
Using moving companies for automobiles is a bit different, on the other hand. Hiring a carrier for the move of your automobile gives you a wide election of moving companies for your automobile relocation, while brokers work with a limited list of them. You can read reviews and check ratings of the moving companies before hiring them and make a better choice. If the quotes you get from moving companies differ largely, ask them questions what they include.
Do you know more differences between hiring brokers or moving companies for automobiles’ relocation? You can make a comment and share what you think. After your car relocation is over, you could also send us your moving story to let us know if your relocation was successful.
Pamela, you have definitely shared some great advice here on broker vs. carrier in the auto transport industry.
I just would like to mention a few things. Working with a broker is better for the customer in most cases, and here is why. A broker has access to thousands of verified carrier and a good broker will only work with high ranked carrier. From this point the broker can work on the price and on the timing of shipping a car. The price often determines the time it will take to ship a car. The price often change due to supply and demand and seasonal fluctuations, therefore it is much better to work with a broker. A carrier can also help you as a customer, but only if you have contacted a carrier who travels the route you are shipping. And even in this case it can take longer for the carrier to ship the car if he is fully booked. That’s why it is always better to work with a carrier / broker company that can handle any request and find a carrier faster.
Thanks!
Corsia Logistics
So how do we know if certain carrier is a scam? What markers should we look for? Low price? Small deposit amount? Also, if something like this happens to me, is there any way I can get my deposit back?
We decided to hire Ace Car Shipping based on the quote and a recommendation we got from a friend and all worked out well.