4 Mistakes to Avoid During Vehicle Transport

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Shipping Your Car Across the Country

It can be a stressful time when you’re preparing to relocate to a new city or state. If you’ve made the decision to use an auto transportation company to save yourself time, you may not know where to start. To help make the process easier, we’ve rounded up the most common mistakes to avoid when you’re shipping a car cross country for the first time. 

1. Choosing a Carrier Based on Cost Alone 

Choosing a carrier based on the lowest possible price is one of the common mistakes first-time shippers make. Your vehicle is your prized possession, and it’s crucial to make sure that you select a reliable and safe auto transport carrier. Carriers that display significantly lower costs often use this tactic to get a buyer to commit, and may end up increasing the cost at a later time.

At Metti International, our team only works with the top-rated carriers with a 95% on time service and safety rating on Central Dispatch, so you’ll be in excellent hands while securing a reasonable shipping price in the process.

2. Waiting Until the Last Minute to Book a Shipment 

Capacity fluctuates significantly during peak moving seasons, so make sure that you schedule your transport as soon as you have a trip or move confirmed. If you have flexible dates, you will have more options for cost and pickup times. The longer you wait, the more likely your costs will increase as well.

3. Packing Personal Items Into Your Car 

By law, you legally cannot leave more than 100 pounds of personal property packed inside your car during auto transport. We recommend that you remove all personal items in your vehicle during the move for safe keeping. Carriers and insurance companies will not be held responsible if your property is stolen while shipping a car cross country. 

4. Conducting Your Own Vehicle Inspections

Although the driver will do a pre and post-inspection of your vehicle, it’s essential that you do an inspection of your own. Take before and after photos that you can reference in case you notice any damage that occurred during the shipping process. If you do find damage, make sure to have the driver note the damage on the delivery receipt.

Let Us Make Your Move Easier

When you’re shipping a car cross country, avoid making these common mistakes to ensure smooth transport with minimal problems. 

At Metti International, we understand the importance of finding a reliable and safe option when scheduling vehicle transportation. As a licensed and bonded broker with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, we only work with carriers who have a 95% and above rating and will be there to walk you through the entire process. 

Give Metti International a call today to schedule your upcoming car transport at 866.620.1776 or request a quote online. We look forward to serving you!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Most major credit cards, postal money orders and cashiers checks are acceptable forms of payment.

As with most transport services, a deposit is generally required when placing an order. Deposits range from 10-25 % of the total shipping cost. The remaining balance will be due upon delivery.

Most auto transport companies accept cash, certified checks, and postal money orders.

Coast to coast trips usually takes between 10-14 days. Shorter trips ranges from 3-7 days, depending on the actual distance. Some factors may delay a trip, including traffic, weather, and truck breakdowns.

Yes, we request you, or a designated person, be present upon pick up of your vehicle. For your safety and your vehicle’s safety, an inspection is performed and a bill of lading must be signed that serves as proof of delivery.

The easiest way to ship an inoperable vehicle is to let us know when requesting a vehicle transport quote. There will be an additional charge, plus loading and unloading charges to your quote, if we are not informed of the vehicle’s condition prior to quoting.

Auto carriers are not licensed to carry house goods or personal items, these goods and items are not covered by the carriers insurance. Any damage to your vehicle due to household goods shifting or breaking is also not covered. Personal belongings left in the vehicle, are shipped strictly at the owners risk. Carriers will not inventory any belongings left in the vehicle and will assume no responsibility.

Your car is insured for the Blue Book value the entire time it is on the truck. Clearly listed on your Shipping Order, Agreement and Bill of Lading are occurrences not covered. At the time of pick up, a condition report is filled out and signed by both the person turning the car over and the truck driver and you are given a copy.

Upon delivery of your vehicle, this same report is presented. You should compare the condition of the vehicle to the report thoroughly at that time. If you feel damage has occurred to your vehicle during delivery, you must note it on the report before you sign it and the driver leaves. Damage done in transit does not relieve the shipper of paying for transport service performed. Claims will be handled by the vehicle carrier and insurance companies.

Metti International offers door-to-door auto transport service where possible. However, there are instances that we cannot collect/deliver directly to the door due to the size of our auto carrier’s trucks. The size of your street may prohibit direct delivery to your door. Also, some towns and cities do not allow trucks on their residential streets. If the carrier cannot get to your door, he will deliver your vehicle to the next most convenient accessible location, such as the nearest major crossing street, a shopping mall or supermarket.

Please have a no more than 1/4 tank of fuel, remove all personal items from your vehicle and have it washed and cleaned so that the ensuing inspection is easily performed. If it is a convertible, T-top, sunroof, etc. make sure all openings are closed and prepared for changing weather. You can find additional tips on how to prepare your car for transport here.