When shipping a vehicle a long distance, unless you’re shipping it on a plane or boat, you can typically choose from two options: open car shipping or enclosed car shipping.
Each option has its pros and cons. There are instances when you might choose open car shipping, as it does tend to be less expensive than enclosed. This is because, as the name implies, enclosed car shipping involves protecting your vehicle with an enclosed trailer while open shipping involves sharing an open trailer with a number of other vehicles.
However, sometimes enclosed car shipping is definitely preferable. This is often the case when you’re shipping a luxury car. In this context, enclosed car shipping is ideal due to the following key benefits:
1. Professional care
Any car shipping company you choose to work with should be a reputable operation that hires qualified drivers. This is true whether you’re choosing open or enclosed shipping. Take the time to review your options to ensure you’re working with a company you can trust to deliver quality service. Click here to learn more about scheduling enclosed car shipping with qualified experts.
That said, drivers who handle enclosed car shipping jobs are often more experienced in protecting and handling luxury vehicles. Their expertise can give you the peace of mind you deserve when shipping an expensive car from Point A to Point B.
2. Preserving your vehicle
Naturally, your car is much less likely to be damaged when you choose enclosed car shipping over open. It’s not exposed to the elements, there’s less chance of road debris striking it, and it will typically sustain less damage than it would if an accident were to happen.
Enclosed trailers often tend to be smaller than open trailers as well. Vehicles in enclosed trailers may be clamped down more sturdily too. This further reduces the odds that a car will sustain damage by preventing it from moving around in the trailer to a greater degree than an open trailer might.
True, a reliable car shipping company will usually have some form of insurance to reimburse you for the various types of damage a vehicle may sustain when being shipped. However, it can sometimes be impossible to fully reimburse you if a rare luxury vehicle is damaged.
It’s not uncommon for luxury cars to feature parts (or even paint jobs) that are simply no longer available. If your car was damaged, you might be able to restore it to some degree, but you may have to opt for replacement parts that are not perfect matches for the originals.
Those unique original parts may contribute to your car’s value. If they’re damaged, that value can drop permanently. Guard against this by choosing enclosed shipping when transporting a rare vehicle.
3. Saving time
Even cars that are not damaged as a result of open car shipping may nevertheless be somewhat dirty when they reach their destinations. Dust and debris can accumulate during the trip when a car is exposed to the elements. Additionally, with open car shipping, other vehicles may be stacked at a trailer’s higher levels above your car. Fluids from those vehicles could potentially drip down and leave stains.
For various reasons, you might not want to have to wash your car immediately when it’s done being shipped. For example, perhaps you have plans to bring it to a car show soon after it arrives, and you want it to look as pristine as possible, but you won’t have the time to give it a thorough wash beforehand.
This is another reason to choose enclosed car shipping. The chances of your vehicle arriving dirty will be much lower.
4. Discretion
A rare car is a target for thieves. Even those who don’t plan on stealing the entire vehicle may assume the owner of such a vehicle is likely wealthy, and may thus have valuable items stored in the car. Some low-level wrongdoers even feel the impulse to vandalize a clearly expensive car out of jealousy. They may be angry to see someone owning a vehicle they can’t afford, and will thus deface it if given the chance.
You may understandably not want people seeing your car being transported a long distance without you around for this very reason. If the driver of a cargo truck transferring your vehicle needs to leave it unmonitored for even a few minutes, criminals may take the opportunity to rob you. Luckily, they won’t even know this opportunity exists if your car is hidden in an enclosed trailer.
5. Premium service
Car shipping companies often advertise enclosed car shipping as a white glove service. It’s the equivalent of booking a luxury hotel room, flying first class, or otherwise paying for a special premium service with features and amenities not included in standard options. As such, along with protecting your car to a greater degree, choosing enclosed car shipping may involve additional services you find appealing, such as extra attention from (and communication with) drivers, flexible scheduling options, and more.
Scheduling enclosed car shipping instead of open shipping can also be easier because, due to the cost, more customers tend to choose open car shipping. The fewer customers a company needs to serve, the better the odds they’ll be able to schedule their services at convenient times and dates that work for you. For trusted and the best service make sure to check out Breeze Customs, contact them here.
6. Reduced stress
In general, if you can afford the service, opting for enclosed car shipping is much less stressful than worrying about the potential risks involved in open car shipping. While those risks may not be as significant as you think, that might not stop you from fretting over them if your car is being shipped out in the open.
If you’re shipping a rare car a long distance, it may be because you’re already in the midst of a potentially stressful experience, such as moving to a new home. You can reduce at least some of your stress by choosing enclosed car shipping instead of open.
Again, this isn’t to say open car shipping is never the right choice. It’s simply not as ideal as enclosed car shipping when a luxury vehicle is involved. Keep these points in mind if you ever need to ship your luxury car.
