The value of having your car with you on an extended vacation
When you go on an extended vacation of a month or more, odds are you will not just be staying at your resort or vacation home the entire time.
It is very likely that you will want to go out and explore attractions and popular sites that are several miles or more away. If the area that you are staying at is more spread out like the countryside, you may even need to travel several miles for things like food and groceries.
For a shorter vacation of just a week or two, constantly taking taxis and ride-shares is an expense that you can likely handle because it will not add up to be that much. But, over the course of a month or more, it will become an unnecessary expense.
You might have the option of renting a car, but that will add up as well. The cost of renting a car per day can easily run $50 or more depending on which car you select, where you are and the demand for rental cars at that time.
That is why your best option for getting around during your extended vacation could likely be having your car shipped to your vacation destination.
In addition to saving money in the long-run, there are several other benefits that having your car with you will provide. You will have the ability to go wherever you want with your car, including off-roading.
You obviously cannot do this with a taxi or Uber ride, but you also cannot do this with rental cars. Rental car agreements will prohibit you from driving the car in certain areas and will not permit you to drive off-road.
Obviously, you can choose to ignore these stipulations and still drive the rental car wherever, but if there is damage to the car as a result or there is evidence that you broke the agreement such as mud on the car, you will be subject to high penalty fees as well as the full cost of the damage repairs.
When you have your own vehicle with you during a longer vacation, you will also have the comfort and convenience that comes with it. You will not need to get used to a new car’s seat adjustments, climate settings and overall handling.
You will also be able to have food and drink in the car or even smoke in the car if you wish, you can do whatever you want – it’s your car. Finally, you will be able to get around at your own pace rather than relying on the speed of a taxi driver or Uber driver.
How to ship your car to your vacation destination stress-free
Shipping your car is actually quite easy. You just need to plan what your exact needs are, get in touch with an auto transport company to book your shipment, and then you just need to do some simple preparation before the shipment begins.
As far as planning, you need to figure out the dates that you want your car picked up and delivered and the exact address that you will be allowed to have it delivered to.
You will want to do this at least five weeks ahead of the date that you want your car picked up because car shipping availability decreases and price increases when you ship with less than a month’s notice.
After that, choose a car shipping company and schedule your shipment. Be sure to ask them any questions that you might have too.
At this point, your car shipper may have to arrange an alternate place to deliver your car to because some resorts may not allow car carriers on their grounds and/or your vacation destination could be on a road that is not large enough or suitable for a car carrier truck to drive on.
If this is the case, it will not be an issue. Your car shipping representative will simply find a very close-by place to have you meet your auto transport driver for the delivery of your car such as a nearby mall parking lot.
Once your car shipment has been booked and scheduled, you will just have to prepare for your shipment during the day or two prior to your pickup date. In order to have a car ready to be shipped you must wash the outside of the car and you also have to take all your personal stuff out of the car.
Washing the exterior of the car is a requirement prior to pickup because the driver of the car carrier is required by the shipping company’s insurance to check out your car for scratches, dents and other damage that was already there before shipping started.
If there is preexisting damage, they will make a note of it on the bill of lading. If your car’s exterior is dirty, this inspection can take two or three times longer because it will be harder to see things like scratches.
Removing all of your personal stuff from the car like handbags, glasses, gloves, and phone chargers is necessary because these items will never get coverage from the car shipping insurance if they are lost or damaged while the car gets shipped. You can choose to leave your personal items in the car as it ships, but you do so at your own risk.
How to save money on your car shipment
If keeping the cost of your car shipment to your vacation destination as low as possible is one of your top concerns, know that it is quite simple to do so.
You should just ensure that you do not select any premium shipping options like enclosed car shipping, that your car is running correctly, that you give enough notice of your shipment and that you do not ship during a busier time of the year.
Premium shipping options will obviously cost more than regular shipping options and the difference can be a few hundred dollars. If your car is not running correctly, it will need to be shipped using a special type of car carrier which will definitely increase the cost of your shipment.
If you only book your shipment a week or two ahead of your desired pickup date, it will cost a bit more than if you booked four or more weeks ahead.
Finally, if you can, try to ship during less busy months of the year for auto transport companies such as October or February. If you ship during busier times, such as over the summer, the price to do so will be higher.