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The Finer Moments of Shipping a Non-Running Vehicle
The Finer Moments of Shipping a Non-Running Vehicle
Can you still ship a vehicle if it's not running? Patriot Auto Carriers explains.
Cumming,
GA,
United States of America
(prbd.net)
23/02/2012
Shipping a car that can move under its own power is fairly straightforward business – the car shipper drives it on, then drives it off, leaving it on your doorstep in mint condition and a full gas tank. But what if your car isn't in mint condition to begin with? What if the vehicle is, as a matter of fact, in condition so far from mint that it can't even move under its own power? Is it still possible to ship a non-running car, how should it be done, and what are the subtleties of such an endeavor?
First and foremost, there are degrees of decrepitude that the vehicle owner needs to keep in mind. A car that's falling apart on cinder blocks is beyond anything that regular vehicle shippers will be able to handle – for a carcass in such an advanced state of disrepair, your only option is to call in the boys with the crane and haul it off on a flatbed.
A car that won't start, but still has four wheels that roll, is an easier project, although it still requires some specialized equipment. Most auto shipping brokers can, with relatively little hassle, connect you to a shipper that has the ability to transport a non-functioning vehicle if it can roll and be steered. It helps if the car has functioning brakes, as well – this saves on a lot of labor and potential for damage, given that a “loose cannon” without a working parking brake will have to be tied down that much more securely.
Even in the best case, it takes special equipment to load a non-running car onto a truck. The least that is required is a truck with a cable winch (not to be confused with a “wench”), that can pull the car up onto the flat shipping bed. Typically, these winches are powered, although it's possible to use a hand-cranked one as well.
If you want to ship your car in an enclosed trailer, then your only realistic shot is to find a carrier that equips lift gates on its trucks. A lift gate is the device commonly seen on grocery delivery trucks that consists of a platform that lifts vertebra-busting loads up to the truck bed, saving the delivery personnel from having to haul the stuff up themselves. An auto transport lift gate is the vast and mighty cousin of these contraptions, one that can accommodate and lift an entire sedan into an 18-wheel truck trailer.
Given all of this special care that's required to move a non-running car, you should expect to pay more to have it shipped – typically, between 100 and 200 dollars. To save yourself the expense, Patriot Auto Carriers recommends at least looking into getting your car up and running again. If that's not possible, then by all means contact us about making the move – just be sure to select the “not running” option on the quote submission form, in order to get an accurate shipping estimate.
Contact Information:
Patriot Auto Carriers LLC
3724 Preston Pointe Way
Cumming, GA 30041
http://www.patriotautocarriers.com/
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