Classic Car Transport

Whether your classic car has just suffered flood or weather-related damage and needs extensive repair, or you just need to move it to a new location, you will find yourself in need of finding a competent classic car transport carrier.

Finding an auto transport company is very easy to do nowadays with all the publications and listings online. However, it can be somewhat of a challenge in choosing a trustworthy company. The best place to start is to ask major auction companies, restorers, museums, or your local car club members along with other collectors who will have good recommendations for quality sources.

It is essential that you choose a company that is experienced with moving collector vehicles. This means that they will use nylon straps, or wheel nets to help to prevent damage to the classic chassis and they are also careful of very tall cars that may not clear the roof of upper decks as well as being aware of how low the ground clearance will be.

Never make a decision solely based on price. Most reputable classic car transport carriers have very similar cost structures. Carriers’ that seem to offer an unusually low price are usually a bad choice.

The simplest way to get a good feel for a transport company is to find out how long they have been hauling cars. You can also go to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations site and look up the safety record of a particular company as well as their insurance status.

You will need to decide how you want your car to travel. An open transport or an enclosed trailer would be your two options. Choosing to use an open transport will be less expensive, but unless your car is being hauled because it is in need of restoration, it is much safer using an enclosed transport to limit the risk of damaging your classic.

Also keep in mind that most open trailers are not equipped for winching vehicles that are not running. This means that the carrier may charge an exorbitant fee to load an inoperable car. No matter which option in carrier you choose, be sure that you understand and agree to all the fees up front first.

Be sure that you have proper insurance because a carrier will only be liable for its own acts of negligence. They are not responsible for any unforeseen “acts of nature”.

There are companies that specialize in collector car insurance, so make sure that you car is covered with agreed value coverage before you have it transported.

Once you have booked your carrier, you need to prepare your classic for pickup. Make sure everything is clean so the carrier will be able to do a proper inspection. This helps to avoid claim problems in the future.

Also be sure to provide written instructions regarding anything the person handling your vehicle will need to know such as fuel cut off switches, alarm instructions, hidden switches, and battery information.

Choosing a reputable carrier for your classic car transport will help to ensure that your classic travels from one place to another staying safe and sound and arrives within a reasonable amount of time.