Is Car Shipping Better than a Driving Service?
If you and your family are relocating across the country, you may be wondering about the most effective way to transport your car. There are a lot of options for moving your vehicle a long distance. You can decide to make a family road trip out of it, ask a friend to drive for you, or hire a professional driving service. You may not even know that shipping your car across the country, and even overseas, is an option.
Transporting your car with an auto shipping company is a quick and effective way to get your vehicle where it needs to go. However, with all of these options available, you may find yourself asking, “is car shipping better than a driving service?” We’ll dive into the pros and cons of all your car transportation options and help you find the method that’s right for you!
Driving the Car Yourself
The first option you will probably consider when moving a long distance is merely driving the car yourself. Depending on the length of the drive, this may be a viable option. However, there are many reasons that this option may be more expensive and inconvenient than you think.
Immediate Transfers
If your job is transferring you to a new location and wants you to start immediately, you may not have time for a four-or-five-day road trip to your new home. Instead, you would need to load up your car and drive straight through with as few stops as possible. Not only is this a dangerous option because of fatigue, but you’d arrive already drained from the trip. The strain of driving yourself the whole way will make it difficult to unload your things and get started at your new job.
Road Trips and Kids
Traveling with children only amplifies the difficulties of moving your vehicle. Even if you have plenty of time to coordinate your move, the hours upon hours in the car will be a strain on you and your kids. Additionally, you may have to rent a secondary moving vehicle to transport all your furniture and belongings if your family vehicle can’t fit everyone and all their things. Not only will this add to your expense, but it limits your ability to rest or switch out drivers.
Gas, Hotels, and Other Stops
If you’re planning to drive yourself and your family to your new location, you’ll need to factor in the gas expense on your vehicle and a moving vehicle. You may even need to stay at a hotel one night or multiple nights, which can get pricey very quickly! Another expense to consider is all of the stops you’ll make for food, drinks, and refreshments along the way. All of these stops have a price tag on them, which will add to your total expense for driving your car across the country.
Asking a Friend
Another option, especially for individuals, is to ask a friend to drive with you. This way, you have someone to keep you up for overnight drives or switch out with you when you get tired. Additionally, you can opt for driving a moving van while your friend follows in your vehicle.
Asking a friend may help you save on the cost of hiring a professional driver or shipping your car, but all the same expenses apply to this option as driving the car yourself. Ultimately, your friend will need to get home, too, which means paying for a flight back as an added expense.
Hiring a Driving Service
Many people who cannot drive their vehicles long distances will hire a professional driving service instead. These companies often employ college students and retirees looking for a little extra income and who don’t mind taking long road trips. When you apply for a driver, the company will match you with someone in your area.
Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of using a professional driving service.
Pros:
Option to Ride Along
If you tend to worry about all the potential problems that might come from someone else transporting your vehicle, then this may be the best option available for you. Many professional driving companies will allow you to ride along in your car with your driver. This means you’ll be able to keep an eye on the safety of your vehicle without having to drive it yourself.
Haul Luggage
Many car driving services will allow you to pack your things in the vehicle, unlike a car shipping service. This feature will help you to save money on shipping your belongings. In some cases, you may not need to transport or ship anything else because you can just load what you need to move into the vehicle before it leaves.
Specialized Insurance
Drivers for professional driving companies are equipped with special insurance, which is often enough to compensate you for any issue they encounter along the way. If you have any questions about your vehicle or luggage safety, just ask the company about their coverage.
May Be Faster Than Shipping
Even though shipping your car and hiring a driver will encounter delays or traffic similarly, a professional driver is only responsible for your vehicle. They may be available immediately, and will be more able to take detours or set more direct routes because they do not need to reach multiple drop-off points. This flexibility means you may get your vehicle faster than with a shipping service.
Cons:
Adding Mileage to Your Vehicle
The most apparent downside to transporting your vehicle through driving, whether through a company, a friend, or yourself, is that you will be adding mileage to your car. Your tires will also see some wear and tear, thanks to the extra driving. Additionally, your vehicle will be at a greater risk for damage to other types while on the open road.
Expensive
Hiring a professional driver is expensive for the same reasons that it is costly to drive yourself. Not only are you paying for the driver’s service, but their fees will include lodging and gas. This option is typically the most expensive vehicle transportation option.
Reliability of the Driver
Depending on where you live, it may be challenging to find a reliable driver that you feel comfortable hiring. You’ll have to spend time and effort checking your driver’s records to feel at ease with allowing them to handle your vehicle. Since no special license is required for cross country driving, you never know who might be paired with you.
Rejection of Your Vehicle
Some professional driving companies have very strict standards on the vehicle’s age or the allowable mileage on the odometer. They do this for the safety of their drivers, but it may mean that your beloved fixer-upper gets rejected.
Using a Car Shipping Service
After weighing the pros and cons of hiring a driver, you may be wondering if auto shipping is the right choice for you. We’ll show you why more people are choosing to ship their cars when they move across the states.
Pros:
Less Expensive
Because auto transport companies like PreOwned Auto Logistics are transporting numerous cars at once, they can charge a much lower fee than driving companies. Additionally, you won’t be directly responsible for the food and lodging expenses of your driver.
Qualified Drivers
Choosing a reliable auto shipping company like PreOwned Auto Logistics will give you the confidence to know that your driver is highly trained and knowledgeable about how to transport hundreds of different types of vehicles safely.
Guaranteed Safety
Not only will your auto transport service provide knowledgeable drivers, but they also maintain insurance plans that will cover the costs of any issues that may arise. Additionally, all drivers will be trained to avoid potential problems on the road.
No Mileage Added
Because your car will be loaded onto a truck for transportation, no additional wear and tear will be seen on your engine or tires. You won’t have to worry about lowering your vehicle’s value by adding mileage because the car will be on the truck the whole time.
Easy-to-Use Option
Auto transportation companies deal with moving hundreds of vehicles across the country, so they are incredibly efficient at getting your vehicle loaded and unloaded. This car transportation option is quick and easy to use so that you won’t have to spend a lot of time and effort getting your vehicle to your next location.
Cons:
Less Flexible
One of the downsides to auto shipping is that you may not have as much flexibility with pick-up and drop-off dates as you would with other options.
Cannot Pack Luggage in Your Vehicle
Auto-shipping companies will not allow you to pack your vehicle with luggage. This option is not available because of the strict weight limits for the trucks. It can also increase the risk of theft while the cars are in transit, or cause damage to the car from shifting belongings.
Longer Delivery Times Than Some Driving Services
Due to the stops for multiple car deliveries, it may take a little longer for your car to arrive than it would with a driving service. However, most auto transport drivers can load and unload quickly because of their training, so you should not have to wait long.
Why Choose PreOwned Auto Logistics?
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get your vehicle moved across the country without adding mileage, get a quote for having your car shipped from state to state today! At PreOwned Auto Logistics, we’ll help you get your car shipped quickly and efficiently for less! Contact us today for more information.
