1. Choosing Between Open or Enclosed Auto Transport
Most nationwide auto shipping companies offer two options to vehicle transportation. Car owners may
choose to ship their vehicles through open carriers or enclosed carriers. Both of these options have their
own fair share of advantages and disadvantages. However, your decision can greatly depend on your car
type and its needs.
Open Auto Transport
From the term itself, open auto transport refers to services that make use of open car carriers. This
means your vehicle is exposed to dust and soil debris as well as natural elements like weather (snow,
rain, sun, hail, etc.) and even insects and bird wastes. This is probably the biggest disadvantage of this
type of carrier. So if you’re planning to move your car with an open auto transport, expect that it will be
prone to damages as well as minor scratches.
In an open auto transport, companies hire trucks with the capacity to haul ten cars or more at a time.
These are double-decker carriers, which you normally see on highways loaded with several vehicles.
Perhaps, the best advantage of this type of auto shipping is that it’s much cheaper compared to
enclosed auto transport. If you’re a little tight on the budget, this makes a great choice.
Enclosed Auto Transport
Obviously, enclosed auto transport refers to services using covered car carriers in shipping. Enclosed car
carriers can be soft-sided or hard-sided and carries only a few cars at a time. Some companies even
prefer to carry only two cars at a time for this type of carrier. And since the carrier is covered, it
eliminates the risk to damage caused by natural elements unlike open auto transport.
For luxury car owners and well as those who own vehicles with special needs, this is probably the best
way to go. However, you should expect higher price quotes and rates for enclosed auto transport.
By learning the difference between enclosed and open carriers, you can easily make the right choice of
nationwide auto shipping services to avail.