How to Find the Best Auto Transport Quote to Meet Your Needs

man holding auto transport quote form in front of a fleet of trucks

 

You can get a car shipping quote from many places, but not every service provider is equal

Setting up the cross-country shipment of a vehicle takes a surprising amount of work if you’re doing it on your own. The entire process starts when you begin gathering quotes and ends when you have a signed contract to ship your vehicle where it needs to go 

It’s important to go through your auto transport quotes carefully to find the ones that meet your needs and budget. Here’s a look at some ways you might collect those quotes, along with the steps you should take to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Key Takeaways

  • There are multiple places to request auto transport quotes
  • Provide accurate information to make sure you get accurate quotes
  • A broker is the fastest and easiest way to get accurate quotes from a variety of vetted carriers

 

Where to get your quotes

You’ll come across dozens, if not hundreds, of places to get a car shipping quote. However, there are generally four types of quote-delivery systems available.

First, there are automated online systems. These may be the simplest ways to receive a quote because you’ll enter your information, and the system will instantly and automatically generate it for you. However, these systems aren’t the most accurate, so they’re more valuable as a ballpark estimate than as a full quote.

You can also receive an email quote from an auto transport company through their website. This process is also simple for an individual vendor — just enter your information, provide your email address, and wait for the quote to arrive in your inbox. But you’ll have to do this separately for every vendor you’re considering, which takes a lot of time and energy. It’s also worth noting that you could end up receiving spam if you request a quote from a disreputable shipping company.

Similar to the email quote is an instant quote via telephone. The benefit of this method is that you don’t have to worry about receiving marketing emails. However, you have to put in the effort to call all of your prospective vendors and get the information, and you can only call during business hours. 

Using A Broker

Perhaps the most convenient way to compare quotes from multiple shipping providers is through a broker. Your auto transport broker will take your information and come up with quotes from various vehicle transportation companies, allowing you to select the best one to meet your needs. 

Using a broker ensures you’re getting the best price from a reputable shipper and that you won’t have to seek quotes from multiple vendors. A real human will contact you with this information, too, ensuring it’s accurate.

The direction you choose depends on how much time you have to spend on the process and your comfort level with automated systems. Brokers tend to offer outstanding results because they vet the carriers they present to you, as well.

Steps you can take to achieve ideal results

As you seek quotes from car shippers in your area, there are some things you can do to maximize their accuracy and minimize your expenses. The more uniform you keep the information you provide about your shipment, the easier it becomes to compare quotes.

For starters, you’ll want to provide accurate shipping information to every vendor. The transport company will probably ask you some basic questions, including the make and model of the vehicle you’re shipping and how far you’re shipping it. Give every shipping company clear, accurate information for the best results.

One way to secure lower rates is to look at the season you’ll be shipping. It might pay off to wait a few weeks for a slower time of year, if possible, because that can save you some money. Ask about different dates when receiving quotes to make a full comparison.

Price isn’t everything. The results these vehicle transport companies have achieved in the past matter, too. Ensure your shipping provider is fully insured and licensed with the Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration to avoid potential issues.

By taking these steps during quote selection, you can simplify the process and make the right decision.

Will the price change?

Once you have your auto transport quote in place, you might be wondering if that quote can change before the car is picked up.

In short, yes, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

A car shipping company will always take the highest-paying vehicles on its trucks. This idea makes sense because they’re in the business to earn money. 

The problem is that some shippers might present a rate that doesn’t meet real-time market demand. So, if the vehicle owner doesn’t pay an amount that is in line with the current market rate, the vendor might end up rejecting the shipment until a slower time of year.

Make sure your quote provider uses fair market rates when coming up with a quote, so you aren’t left with significant shipping delays and additional costs.

An all-in-one solution

There are multiple ways you can go about securing a car shipping quote, and the method you use is highly dependent on your personal preferences. Those who have been down this road before often go with a broker because they provide fast, accurate offers from reputable carriers, streamlining the entire process.

Mercury Auto Transport is a car shipping broker that works hard to provide accurate market-based quotes that meet your exact needs. Once we receive your request, we’ll develop a custom quote and one of our representatives will contact you with the relevant information. Take a few minutes to contact us to get started on your auto transport quote today.

Facebook
WhatsApp
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Get a quote.

Transport Vehicle FROM
Transport Vehicle TO
Vehicle Year
Vehicle Make
Vehicle Make
Vehicle Model
Vehicle Model
Vehicle Type
Destination
2
Vehicle
3
Date
Full Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Available Date
Additional Information
Location
Vehicle(s)
3
Contact & Date

Thank you!

Thanks for submitting the form. You will be receive an email shortly.

What Our Customrs Are Saying

FAQs

We feel it’s important for you to know how we determined your quote. Quotes are based on what the market demands for cars to be moved at a given time. Each quote is compared with the current rates on the National Load Board before being sent to our customers and will be reviewed periodically through the process.

Other companies might offer you a lower price to obtain your business. This method is ineffective because if the car does not pay the correct amount of money, it will run the probability of not getting loaded or transported on time. You will not get this information from our competitors. Truck drivers always take the loads that pay the most first, leaving the loads that are mispriced to be moved last or not at all. We try very hard to avoid this with our customers by quoting a fair but realistic quote up front. Visit our How we determine your quote page for more information.

Understanding auto transport insurance is important and we think it’s valuable to explain how it works. As part of providing a great car transport service, it is our job to guarantee that the carrier we assign to pickup your vehicle is licensed and insured. Click here to check out our license.

When you go with Mercury to ship your vehicle, you can rest assured that the carrier assigned to move your car is fully insured and licensed with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier and Saftey Administration).

Your vehicle is covered by the carrier’s insurance policy that is doing the shipping. Depending on the type and size of the truck/trailer that is shipping your car, the insurance policy can cover from $100,000 to $1,000,000 of damage.

We have also provided a checklist to explain what you need to do at both pickup and delivery in case there are any issues so, you can file a claim and know that everything will be taken care of.

It is rare but, time-to-time there may be accidental damage while in transit and it is good to know that your carrier’s insurance will protect your auto shipment in that event.

To view a sample BOL (Bill of Lading) and learn what to do in case of accidental damage, please check out our Condition Report and Procedure checklist.

When comparing auto transport companies, keep in mind that low-priced quotes often result in delays in getting your vehicle loaded. Choosing the right broker is vital to getting a reputable carrier for the lowest price possible.  

We feel it’s important for you to know how we determine your quote.

When you’re looking for a car shipping rate, you want to understand how auto transport works. Prices are based on seasonal market demands for cars to be moved at any given time. Each quote is prepared based on the season and the current national rates.

When comparing auto transport companies, keep in mind that low-priced quotes often result in delays in getting your vehicle loaded. Choosing the right broker is vital to getting a reputable carrier for the lowest price possible. Not all brokers are created equal in this talent.

Mercury does a thorough background check with each carrier for every shipment. We verify their ratings, references, and in addition, we obtain a certified copy of their insurance certificate, directly from the government agency that it is on file with.

You can have peace of mind knowing that the carrier shipping your vehicle is the very best and that there are no surprises guaranteed.

Mercury Auto Transport is licensed, Bonded and Insured. Our FMSCA Motor Carrier Number is MC647319.

While we do our best match your auto shipping needs with the most responsible carriers with the best track records, from time-to-time there may be accidental damage while in transit, it is good to know that the insurance of the carrier we locate for you will protect your auto shipment in that event.

Shipping a vehicle can be stressful if you don’t know what to do.  This is why we believe it is paramount to have our highly trained agents be your main point of contact from start to finish.

They will go over everything you need to know so you can relax.  In the meanwhile, we prepared this checklist.  This includes everything from pickup to delivery and how to make sure your car is ready for pickup.

When it comes to car moving, we want you to be ahead of the game!  For any questions and further assistance our agents are standing by, (800) 553-1828.  Please read our checklist to prepare your vehicle to learn more.

There are several ways you can ship a car.  The options include enclosed trailer, open carrier transport, flatbed truck, door-to-door shipping services, and to or from a terminal as well.  The most popular of the options is a 7 to 10 car open carrier.  These large trucks can accommodate almost any size vehicle including carsSUVstrucksjeeps, and vans.

Open car transport, door to door is also the best way to get the cheapest auto transport rate possible.  To learn more and see what transport method is best for you, please fill out our free quote form and one of our representatives will respond to you within minutes.  You can also call us at (800) 553-1828.

We present offers from FMCSA Licensed and Insured Carriers. When you accept an offer, we send your service agreement that guarantees the price, door-to-door service, and 100% bumper-to-bumper insurance. There are never any hidden fees or charges, guaranteed.