How to Choose the Best Company to Transport Cars for Dealerships

Customers looking to buy a new car are looking for convenience. They are also extending their search farther than ever before. Before the internet came along, prospective car buyers tended to visit their local car lot to see what was available. However, thanks to the internet, shoppers can now look across the country for their perfect car. 

For dealerships looking to attract new clients, being able to offer them the best possible service is important in the competitive world of auto sales. Being able to deliver cars to the customer or another dealership could mean the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity. 

There are many benefits to providing a car delivery service and having a reliable car transport company on your contacts list. Before we look at how to find and choose the best company to transport cars for dealerships, let’s take a quick look at the benefits of offering such a service.   

The benefits of a car delivery service for dealerships

There are many benefits for a dealership that’s able to provide a car delivery service. They include:

• Cost savings: Being able to provide a car delivery service from dealerships will save money on what would traditionally be a costly move. Access to a reputable auto transport provider means you can minimize the impact on employees and your inventory. Rather than stressing about overtime costs that often accompany other forms of delivery a dealership owner can focus more on the bottom line. With car shipping, wear and tear on the vehicles is minimal.  
• Convenience: The challenge of getting a car from one location to another takes a huge amount of planning, time, and resources. With a dedicated car dealership transporter on your contact list, you can focus on selling cars and let the transportation provider take care of the deliveries. 
• Encourages customer loyalty: The modern consumer wants more than just good value nowadays. Equally important is a dealership they can count on. If you can deliver what they want when they want it, you’ve got yourself a happy customer who will come back time and again and recommend your dealership to others. Being able to deliver as part of your service means customers are more likely to find the make and model car they’re looking for. 
• Keeps vehicles in tip-top condition: One of the most important things for a customer buying a car is the condition of the vehicle when it arrives. If something doesn’t look good or match what they were promised, a customer is going to be very disappointed and you could lose their business. Being able to ship a car from your dealership ensures that each vehicle is treated with the best care and when a car arrives it looks as good as when it left the dealership.  

Now you appreciate the benefits of getting a car shipped from a dealer, let’s share some tips on how to choose the best company to transport cars for dealerships.  

A quick guide to choosing the best car shipping company

If you’re a dealership and you want to be able to ship cars for customers, it’s important to work with an auto transport company you can trust. If you can find a company that will do the best job at a reasonable price it takes a lot of the stress out of the task. 

When it comes to choosing the right car shipping company, the following steps should help your search.

Research and explore

Thanks to the internet, finding the best car shipping company is not so challenging, if you’re prepared to do the research. Using your favorite search engine, type in the words “car delivery to dealership” or some variation and see what comes up. 

Once you’ve got the names of some companies you can start delving a little deeper into what these companies are offering. A good place to start is to look at customer reviews and these provide a good insight into the operation of the business and how well they treat their customers. 

Don’t immediately dismiss companies with negative reviews. What’s important is how the company responded to the customer. There’s not a company on the planet that’s perfect. The way they treat customers tells you a lot about the type of business they’re running. 

For additional information, check out your local Better Business Bureau. There may be some significant complaints about a particular company. Should you find some complaints, look at whether the company followed up on the complaints and how they resolved any issues.

Factors to consider when looking for a dealership car shipping company

There are so many dealership auto transport providers to choose from that narrowing down your list of options from hundreds to just a few can be difficult. If you’ve got the time, you could research each one individually, however, you recommend choosing up to five before digging deeper into their track record. 

To help your hunt, consider the following factors:

Focus on quality not quantity

The majority of auto transport companies ship hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles every day. It’s not uncommon to find companies bragging about how many vehicles it ships. However, how the company does business and treats customers and their cars is far more important. 

Getting from point A to point B is important, but more important is how the car arrives and that it’s in the same shape it left in. 

When it comes to price, a really low one looks very attractive but does the company provide a quality service for that price? 

Make your choice based on services and track record

If you’re a luxury car dealer, you’re wasting your time contacting or getting quotes from companies that ship standard cars. Similarly, if you want to ship a Toyota Camry, there’s little point in contacting luxury dealership car transportation companies. 

Choose companies that have experience shipping the type of vehicle you sell at your dealership. They’ll be able to offer the best price and provide the best service. 

You also need to make sure the services meet your needs. If you require door-to-door services or enclosed auto transport it’s important you only work with companies that offer these services. 

Check for proper registration

All car shipping companies in the US must register with the US Department of Transportation. Check that each company you’re considering has MC and USDOT numbers. It’s quite easy to do a quick Google search using the company name to retrieve this information if you can’t find it on their website. 

Look for credibility

You can gauge an auto shipping company’s trustworthiness and credibility by looking at its website. Does it make you feel good about the company? Do you feel it’s a company you can trust? 

Ask for quotes

Request a quote online from a few different companies. Often, auto transport companies specialize in certain types of car shipping services, such as shipping luxury cars to dealerships. Others might focus on individuals and shipping private cars across the United States. 

Make sure you understand what services are being offered before you ask for a quote. There’s little point in requesting a quote from companies that don’t normally ship luxury cars if you’re a Porsche or Lamborghini dealership. 

SGT Auto Transport is a company that specializes in providing auto transport for dealerships. You can use our online quote calculator for an up-to-date price. 

Get a Free Instant Quote 

Make contact

With a few quotes in hand, now is a good time to contact the individual companies you’re interested in. Picking up the phone and speaking with a representative is much better than sending an email.

Direct communication allows you to understand the company’s customer service and have all your questions answered in one phone call. 

A crucial question to ask is whether the carrier has all of the licenses and bond information required. You can research the safety record of specific car shipping companies via the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website using a company’s USDOT number.  

Ask questions

There are a few more questions you need to ask, for example:

• How does the car shipping process work?
• How do you make sure nothing happens to my cars?
• What services do you offer?
• How long does it take?
• What type of insurance does the car shipping company have?
• What are the delivery options?
• What is the payment process?

Put the service to the test

Now you’ve had all your questions answered, it’s time to put the service to the test. Schedule a pickup for a vehicle you want shipping and see how the provider performs in real time. 

What can SGT Auto Transport offer you?

If you’re still a little overwhelmed with all the options, let’s help by putting all the reasons for choosing SGT Auto Transport in one place.

We’re a trustworthy auto transport company that offers a top-rate dealership car shipping service along with the following features:

• Nationwide service: We can ship cars within your state and also across the country. 
• Free instant quotes available: Use our instant quote calculator for your free quote. 
• 25k reliable carriers: We have thousands of reliable carriers in our arsenal and there is bound to be one that fits your needs.  
• Range of services available: As well as open and enclosed auto transport, we also offer guaranteed pick-up and express car shipping services.  
• 24/7 customer service: You can speak with our experienced car shipping advisors any time of the night and day. 
• All vehicles catered for: Vehicles come in all shapes and sizes. We’re happy to ship classic, luxury, antique, custom, and standard vehicles as well as motorcycles. 
• Door-to-door services as standard: Our drivers will do their very best to deliver your cars to a specified location. If there are problems because of parking restrictions, narrow streets, or overhead power lines, the driver will make the necessary arrangements with you.

If you’re ready to make the necessary arrangements, pick up the phone and dial (864) 546-5038 to speak with our shipping advisers. We also offer a Live Chat option. 

FAQs

What is it called when you deliver cars from a dealership?

A dealer trade driver is a name given to a person who delivers cars from a dealership either to another dealership or to a customer. 

What is the best auto transport company to use?

The best auto transport company to use is the one that provides a reliable service of the highest quality at a cost-effective price. 

What is the most cost-effective way to transport a car?

The most cost-effective way to transport a car is using door-to-door shipping via an open car shipping company. 

How do I know if a transport company is legit?

A good way to check the legitimacy of a transport company is to ask for its USDOT number and then check the company’s standing with the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Administration. 

How do I choose a transportation company?

Things to look for when choosing a transportation company include:

• Cost: Costs vary depending on the type of auto transport company and service. 
• Reliability: How quickly can the company deliver your cars?
• Safety record: You want a car shipping company with an excellent safety record. 
• Flexibility: The best transportation companies stay up-to-date with the newest rules and regulations and keep abreast of the latest technology. 
• Customer service: Your first contact with a company is important and you’ll quickly be able to gauge how committed the company is. 
• Customer reviews: Look for customer reviews and feedback online. Reviews give you a good idea of how committed to its customers a company is. 
• Trustworthiness: A trustworthy auto transport company will be open and honest about its business practices. They won’t make promises or commitments they can’t deliver.