c/auto-shipping

Got back from a trip to Miami and noticed how they load cars on those huge container ships

I was down in Miami last month visiting family and we ended up walking along the port area. Hadn't really thought about auto shipping much before that but man, watching them load cars onto those giant container ships was something else. They had these drivers zipping around pulling cars from a big lot and lining them up at the dock. The whole operation looked super efficient but I also noticed a couple cars getting scratched up when they squeezed them into the containers. Made me wonder how often that happens and if the companies just eat the cost or what. Now I'm looking into shipping my old truck from Florida to California for a move and I keep thinking about that trip. Has anyone here shipped a vehicle from a port like that and had issues with damage? I'm trying to figure out if container shipping is really worth the extra money over open carrier.

0 comments

jamiekim•19h ago

Serious question, did my enclosed carrier actually wreck my paint?

I paid for enclosed shipping for my 1969 Mustang from Austin to Denver. $1,800 for the premium service. Everyone in the forums swears enclosed is the only way to go for classics. But when it arrived last Tuesday, I found micro-scratches all over the hood and roof. The guy said it was from road vibration inside the trailer, which I thought enclosed was supposed to prevent. I learned that enclosed trailers can still trap dirt and debris if they aren't cleaned between loads. So now I'm wondering if open transport with a good cover might have been just as safe. Has anyone else seen paint damage from an enclosed carrier or am I just unlucky?

1 comments

andrewh95•3d ago

Was dead set on enclosed transport until I saw the price difference

I was 100% sure I needed enclosed shipping for my 2019 Mustang from Atlanta to Denver. Got a quote from Montway that was $1,850 for enclosed and my buddy laughed, said just do open. I went with open for $1,200 and the car arrived with zero damage, not even a rock chip. Has anyone else saved big by going open and regretted it or am I just lucky?

2 comments

emma_smith•4d ago

Talked to a broker about the summer rate spike and it clicked

I was on the phone with a broker named Mike from Texas last week and he said the reason rates jump every June is because everyone tries to move their cars at once. He showed me a chart where prices in Dallas went from $800 to $1,200 in just two weeks last July. I always thought it was just gas prices doing it, but he said it's mostly demand. Has anyone else noticed how much cheaper it is to ship in like February or March?

2 comments

ryand26•6d ago

Unpopular opinion: closed car carriers aren't worth the extra money

Paid $1,500 extra for enclosed shipping for my 2019 Mustang from Dallas to Denver last month. Car arrived with a scratch anyway from the tie-downs. Buddy shipped his truck open for half the price. Zero damage. Insurance covered my scratch but still took 3 weeks for the check. Anyone else have better luck with open carriers?

2 comments

mason.margaret•6d ago

That time a shipment to Phoenix took 9 days longer than quoted

I booked a car hauler through a broker for a Mustang going from Seattle to Phoenix, and they quoted 5-7 days. Showed up day 16 with a cracked windshield and no explanation. Anyone else stop trusting brokers after something like that?

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richard110•8d ago

I finally stopped wrapping my car hauler straps the way my dad showed me

After snapping a ratchet strap on I-95 near Richmond last month, I tried a different knot from a trucker forum and now my load hasn't budged even on bumpy back roads - has anyone else found old ways just don't hold up anymore?

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brian_kelly91•9d ago

Took me 2 years to realize I was loading cars backwards on the trailer

I been hauling cars for a living since 2022. Always loaded them facing forward onto my open trailer because it just felt right. Last month a customer watched me strap down his Mustang and said 'you know the weight distribution is gonna shift on you at highway speed right'. I nodded like I knew but looked it up that night. Sure enough heavy end of the car should be up front near the truck. Now I have to unlearn 2 years of bad habits. Anyone else have a basic loading rule they got backwards?

2 comments

christopher594•11d ago

Back in 2019 I used to just trust any auto shipper with a website

Man, I look back at how I used to ship cars before I learned better. Back then I would just pick the first company that popped up on Google and hoped for the best (which was dumb, I know). Now I always check their FMCSA authority number and look up their complaint history on the DOT site. The change happened for me after I shipped a 2005 Mustang from Dallas to Phoenix and it showed up with a dented fender and nobody would take responsibility. That one mistake cost me $400 in repairs and 3 weeks of angry phone calls. Has anyone else gotten burned by a broker who looked fine online but turned out to be a mess? I'm curious how you screen companies before booking.

1 comments

oliver_torres4•12d ago

Had to choose between open and enclosed shipping for my Mustang last month

I went with open transport to save $400 on the move from Dallas to Phoenix, but now I'm stressing about rock chips. How bad is the damage usually on a 600 mile trip?

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finleyfox•13d ago

Just spent $400 on enclosed transport and now I get why people pay extra

I was always the guy saying open transport is fine for any car. Then I shipped my 1992 Miata from Atlanta to Denver last month and went with enclosed after reading horror stories. It cost $400 more but the driver showed me how he straps everything and checks it twice. No rock chips, no dirt inside the car. Would I do it again for a daily driver? Probably not. But for anything you care about, I get it now. Has anyone else switched their mind after trying enclosed once?

1 comments

blairg91•13d ago

Need a solid car shipping company for an upcoming move. Any suggestions?

Moving from Texas to Ohio in a few weeks and I don't want to add 1000+ miles to my car. Can anyone suggest a car transport service that won't give me a headache? I've read horror stories about bait-and-switch pricing.

1 comments