How much thought do you put into your auto shipping?

Aren’t all auto shippers the same?

The short answer is NO. Auto shipping companies vary from very reputable to legalized scam artists. They may be any size from a 1 person operation to employing hundreds. 

Why should i pay more for the same service?

Auto shipping is much like anything else in this world, you will get what you pay for. I like to compare it to getting your oil changed. If you don’t mind waiting all day at a chain store you can get a low price, but they will always try to up sell you( wipers, transmission fluid change, air filters, etc.). You go with the new guy and you are not sure he will be there if something goes wrong. You go to the dealer it cost twice the price and you are there all day. I like to use the local guy. He has been there a while and is established. I feel confident that I am getting what I pay for. And he has a reputation to protect.

When you transfer this to car shipping it helps to know what you are getting for your money. Large companies that employ many, pay their sales staff on commission. The more they sell you the more they make. Not a lot of personal investment in your shipping. If something goes wrong or you are not satisfied  it is unlikely to affect their paycheck. And they may not be there when you need them, Turn over is high in sales jobs. 

The new guy maybe out to make himself a name or make himself a fast buck. It is a gamble. Many bad companies close their doors every year only to open anew with a new name and the same old scams.

A one man operation also falls into the gamble category. What happens if he gets sick? Exactly how many hours can 1 man work a week? Will you be able to reach him if needed?

Leaving you with the smaller company that may have a few employees, but is always watching out for their reputation. You will find them more responsive to your needs. Their employees are personally invested and they don’t have the high turnover rate.

Why do their prices differ so much?

After many years in business I am still amazed when I get the call from a customer saying they have a price quote a lot less than ours. We are all brokers. Even the largest company out there does not have enough trucks to cover all the routes in the US, not including the off route shipments. Your vehicle will be placed on the same load board but at a less than desirable rate. And the broker will still make his commission usually at the cost of your time and money.

  If their are 30 cars waiting to be moved and 25 of them are paying $100 – $200 more than yours whose vehicle will a reputable truck driver choose. This leaves you with the drivers who are consistently late or damage vehicles and can not get a load from reputable brokers. It is your car and your choice. Know how much the broker is making and know what is going to the truck. Ask what the average shipping price is on the load board and what other cars have shipped for on this route. It should only take a few extra minutes for him to look this info up on the load board. If need be you may call us and we would be happy to disclose this info for you as well as what price they posted your vehicle at. 

Why am I getting so many phone calls?

If you went on line and filled out a form to get multiple price quotes on your auto shipping they will sell this info to us brokers. Brokers pay anywhere from $0.75 to $8 a lead depending on how many other brokers are getting your info. The more quotes you are promised the more calls you will get the cheaper your info is.

How do I know who is telling me the truth and who is just trying to sell me?

Salesman are all about the sale. They push to close the deal as quickly as possible. Their contracts will always have a cancellation fee even if you try to cancel 20 minutes after signing. They always seem to use the lines of we have a truck that is or will be in your area at the same time you are looking to move. They will always refer to trucks in a possessive manner as if it was owned buy their company. Some will bad mouth other companies. Others will price match any quote as long as you pay their fee up front. Most will want to be paid before they do any work to get your vehicle moved.

How do i protect myself from being scammed?

Be willing to do your due diligence. Check the companies out on transportreviews.com  and BBB.org. Call the companies back and see how long it takes to get hold of some one during off hours. Remember that most carriers are picking up on your schedule, so they work more evenings than 9-5. READ YOUR CONTRACT!!! Reading your contract is one of the most important things you need to do. Know what their cancellation policy is. Know when they expect to be paid (on dispatch of a truck, On signing of contract, on loading of vehicle). Know who is getting paid what in how they expect payment( cash, cashiers check, credit card).

PDQ AUTO MOVERS
8887-737-3211

919-576-0737

Shipping Your Classic Car or Any Motorcycle-Enclosed Auto Transport

When shipping a classic car or motorcycle there will be a few things you may want to take in account when considering your shipping method. For most vehicles an open transport is fine. The vehicle will be fully covered by insurance and arrives for the most part only needing to be washed. A good detail job still comes to less money than the price difference of shipping enclosed. In the case of classics and motorcycles this is not always true.

When transporting a classic vehicle you need to have a good idea of the value of the vehicle.  When shipping on a open carrier insurance limits are set to blue book values. If your classic has a retail market price higher than that of the blue book value the insurance will always pay the lesser. This is not true for enclosed carriers. Their insurance will cover all vehicles and will pay out claims based on a fair market value. As a classic car owner myself I know the blue book value of my vehicle to be not much more than the scrap weight of the steel.  While my fair market price will cover what i can expect to get for the vehicle if I were to sell it. Unfortunately still less than i have into it but still much better than the scrap weight.When shipping a classic vehicle that you have just bought, this will get you your money back for your purchase.

When shipping a motorcycle you must take into account that open carriers are, for the most part designed for transporting cars and trucks. Vehicles with four wheels. They will have two runners the entire length of the trailer with a space in the middle. Balancing a motorcycle on one of these runners can be quite a challenge. Usually open carriers who do transport motorcycles will either bring some plywood to make a platform or have a trailer that has a full deck.But they will also run into problems with getting the bike secured for transport. Enclosed carriers on the other hand are much better suited for this transport.  They have a loading ramp. , allowing for easy loading of the bike as well as maximum securing of the motorcycle. Another great point to take into consideration will be that enclosed carriers blanket their vehicles to protect them from any scratches from tie downs or shifting during transport.

Though enclosed auto transport may cost as much as twice the open shipping price, in cases of classics and motorcycles it will be your best bet. These vehicles may not be our everyday drivers but do have more value to us than what any insurance company will say they are worth. Enclosed auto transporters are well aware of this and will spend that extra time to make sure the vehicles arrive in the same condition as they were picked up.  At PDQ Auto Movers these vehicles hold a special place in our hearts and we love talking with their owners.

Though I, myself am a big Mopar fan, I still have great respect for all who under take the challenge of keeping our past alive with these beautiful vehicles. I know that maintaining and restoring these vehicles takes  up a good part of our free time but it is also a labor of love. And as always feel free to call us with any questions you may have. We Are Not Sales People We Are Auto Shippers. We will answer all your questions without the sales hype, and in many cases have advised clients to work with there existing brokers.

888-737-3211

8am til 8pm est

Auto Transport for Snowbirds

It’s almost the season again.  Snowbirds start shipping North starting in March.  Time to return to the coop to plant the gardens!  Fun in the sun ends but the beautiful Spring begins!

When shipping your car, make sure to choose a professional company.  Make sure you can reach them by phone and email.  Check the ratings at the Better Business Bureau (we have an A rating at the BBB).  Also check Transport Review’s website (we have 5 stars there).

Price is all important.  Be leery of companies that will price lower than other quotes you receive.  Choose the middle ones.  Too low a price will not move your vehicle in a timely manner.  It will be stressful.  Here at PDQ Auto Movers, we make sure we get the price right.   Our service depends upon correct quotes, upfront, the first time.  Our prices are all inclusive, with no hidden fees.

Services provided on each and every trip are door to door, full insurance coverage bumper to bumper (liability and cargo), same truck the entire trip.  We will coordinate your desired dates and make sure your car does not arrive at the destination before you do!

Snowbirds should be paying the same price North as they did going South the previous trip.  Please practice due diligence when choosing a company to ship your auto!

Reach us 7 days a week from 8am till 8pm, though we will take calls until  11pm, Eastern Standard Time.  888-PDQ-3211  Now that’s customer service!

AutoTransport – What to expect when shipping your car.

Most people will go on the internet and place a inquiry to a third party site for multiple quotes. That company in turn sells your information to a broker. The broker will work up a price quote of what they feel it will cost to move the vehicle plus add a commission for their service. This process should bring you price quote with in $300 of each other, meaning the difference between the highest and lowest quote should be approximately $300. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Some brokers will add an outrageous broker fee to their quote while others will just try to get your business with a low price that does not leave enough money for the truck.

In the first instance they will try to be the first contact and get you to sign with them before you have a chance to speak with anyone else. You will here lines of “I have a truck in your area…” , “We will not be able to hold a spot for you if you don’t sign now..” and “Our trucks are filling fast..”.These are just some of the high pressure sales techniques used to get your business. 99% of all brokers do not own trucks and the other 1% has a broker’s license for a reason. Do not expect a company to send a truck they own, even if they do own trucks.

In the latter case they will sell you on a price that is unrealistic. Once you are signed on at the lower price you will be in for a unpleasant experience. Undoubtedly you will hear excuses as why they must raise your price. The number one line given for price raising is ” We have a truck that can pick up your vehicle but he is outside our usual network of carriers.” These practices are what gives brokers a bad name.

The person who went with the higher priced quote will surely get their vehicle moved in a timely manner,but will also spend more than necessary. The higher priced companies are usually named after a national firm that is well recognized. For the most part these companies are completely unaffiliated. They will use the recognizable name to add false value to their services.

The customer who went with the lowest price will be in for a stress filled experience, with missed deadlines and false promises. These brokers will try to make you feel trapped by their contract. The contract that was written in legalese with cancellation fees and unrealistic performance dates ie; 30 days from first availability to have vehicle picked up. DO NOT FEEL TRAPPED !! Your credit card company can be your biggest asset against such companies.

Your strongest tool can be the one you started with…the internet. Check the companies out prior to signing or agreeing to anything. Check their ratings on Transportreviews.com. Check their Better Business Bureau rating. Call them back to ask questions, if you can not get someone on the phone in a timely manner to ask questions, where will they be when you need them.

Those companies who are in the middle with their price are usually your safest bet. But still check them out. Look for companies who are responsive to your requests, courteous in your conversations, and give a direct line to your sales person. Feel comfortable with them. Be sure to express your expectations as well as your time line for your shipment. If you are having problems with a company or a salesperson ask to speak with an owner. Most reputable auto shipping brokers will have an owner who is responsive to your concerns.

In conclusion do not get sold. Make your broker earn your business. Sales people in this business are not unlike car salesman. Pay no deposit before your vehicle is picked up. Your boss does not pay you in advance of services so why should you pay your broker in advance. Remember they work for you. Ultimately it comes down to your due diligence in choosing a broker. If you do not do the footwork it will be you that suffers.

Last is our plug. If you need any assistance, whether you have already booked with another company and having problems, or just looking to get some factual information, please feel free to call us. We have helped many people in dealings with their broker free of charge. If your broker is doing the right thing we will tell you to stay with them and give advice as to how to expedite your move.
888-737-3211 8am til 8pm est

February Auto Shipping

This is the slowest month of the year and many trucks will use this opportunity to take a vacation. How does this affect your auto shipping? With many drivers out on vacation the wait time for pick up will increase on some routes, as well as the price. Auto shipping is very much a supply and demand business, The number of trucks on a route will effect the price in both directions, to many trucks doing the same route will lower the price as they attempt to fill as many empty spaces on their truck as possible. Unfortunately it also works in the opposite manner, not enough trucks on a route and they can be choosier about which vehicles they will ship, looking for the higher priced smaller vehicles. A 10 car hauler can only hold 10 midsize cars, if they add a truck, suv,or van to the mix they loose a spot and the price must reflect this. Usually two larger vehicles will take three spots. As we get closer to the end of the month more trucks will come back to work and prices will readjust. March will be the start of the migration to the north with early shippers getting the best prices. Those heading south this time of year will see much lower prices than the winter months. You must also be mindful of fuel prices, with diesel prices on the rise and large truck only averaging 5 miles to the gallon we can expect shipping costs to rise in accordance with the fuel. This can add as much as $200 dollars to a route, ie: California to New York.

If you have any questions regarding auto shipping we will be happy to answer them. Weather or not you ship with us, or one of our competitors we will give you honest upfront answers. We will check the load boards for you, giving you the information to make your own decisions. We will send you links to your brokers review pages as well as inform you of their Central Dispatch ratings. If you have chosen a reputable company and they have priced you right we will make suggestions to help you work with your existing broker at no charge. If you have chosen a company who was only after your deposit we will give you the information on how to get a refund, as well as work with you to get your vehicle moved in a timely manner. At PDQ we are available 7 days a week until 11pm est. We are family owned and operated and employ no high pressure sales tactics. We work for you!! Getting your vehicle shipped on a reliable truck in a timely manner not just the first truck at the cheapest price. As with any thing in life cheaper is not always better. 888-737-3211