What is Posted on the Budget Auto Shipping Twitter Page

Budget Auto Shipping posts frequent updates about services and auto transport information on Twitter. In addition, you can find fast links to each Blog post and Press Release that Budget Auto Shipping releases. Many of the posts have information designed to help you make an educated decision about the auto transport services that you need. In addition, they can also help you prepare for situations that might occur during the auto shipping process.

From the Budget Auto Shipping Twitter page, you can also access the main web site as well as find information about Budget Auto Shipping’s location and mission statement. The information roll on the Twitter page allows you to catch up on all previous Blog posts if necessary – as well as allows you to take a look at the most recent news updates.

One of the most important updates that you will find on the Budget Auto Shipping Twitter page is in the form of a press release. These articles often contain the most important current information about Budget Auto Shipping – especially news about how national and international events might effect auto transport services around the world. By following Budget Auto Shipping on Twitter, you can always receive updates before people that regularly read the Blog on the Budget Auto Shipping web site. Information is often posted on Twitter before it is posted on Facebook.

If you would like to also check out the Facebook Budget Auto Shipping page, you will find other information about the company not listed on Twitter – business hours, company contact information and a free quote submission form, for example. To visit the Budget Auto Shipping Facebook page, simply visit http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/autoshipping?v=wall&ref=ts.

From the United States, you can add the Budget Auto Shipping Twitter page to your SMS by texting “follow budgetautoship” to 40404. By doing this, all Twitter updates by Budget Auto Shipping will be sent to your mobile device

 Why Check a Vehicle Before it is Loaded on an Auto Carrier?

 There are several reasons that giving your vehicle a quick check before auto transport services is an important step. One of the reasons lies in the fact that there are multiple levels on a standard open carrier – the most popular trailer used for auto shipping services. If vehicles stored on the upper level are leaking any fluids at all, including gas, oil or other fluids, these fluids can not only cause damage to your vehicle if you drive it immediately after delivery, but also damage vehicles stored underneath it. This is one of the major reasons that Budget Auto Shipping recommends that you limit the amount of gas in your tank to about ¼. You may simply be wasting gas if it leaks out (some vehicles are transported on an angle) and it can cause cosmetic damage to your car and other vehicles on the auto carrier.

 Some problems that can occur during transit can make your car technically inoperable when it arrives. For example, if any of your tires are leaking air, special equipment may be required to unload the vehicle on delivery that could result in a delay in delivery in a small extra fee.

 Checking Your Vehicle Before it is Loaded on an Auto Carrier

 One of the first checks that you can perform on your vehicle prior to auto transport services is to have a fresh oil change and ask the technician to inform you of any possible leaks. You can also pay attention to the ground when you back out of a parking spot. If you see any fluids, you might have a leak that should be fixed before shipping. Next, be sure to check your vehicle’s tires for proper pressure. This is another check that can be performed during a simple oil change or at your local gas station. Finally, for the most efficient service, it might be wise to take your vehicle to a garage or dealership for a tune up. By doing this, you can receive a fresh vehicle on delivery that you can drive away with confidence.

 How Budget Auto Shipping Customers are Covered

 The drivers that Budget Auto Shipping uses to provide your services are completely professional and experienced in recognizing situations or factors that can result in damage to your vehicle. For example, such as driver can identify dangerous situations during your pre-shipment inspection. Some customers forget to remove all personal items from their car before shipping. These items can become loose during shipping and damage the vehicle interior – something that an insurance company will not cover. By looking carefully for such items, a Budget Auto Shipping car carrier driver can prevent any damage to the interior of your vehicle that would not be covered by insurance.

 Budget Auto Shipping also covers its customers using several different types of insurances. For example, any auto carrier must be covered by a minimum of $750,000 in insurance under federal law – a regulation that Budget Auto Shipping takes seriously. Budget Auto Shipping also uses additional insurance to protect customers using their service if any damage occurs. You can be sure that any damage or loss of a vehicle while it is being trusted to Budget Auto Shipping will be covered by an expansive auto shipping insurance policy – at no additional cost to you.

 How You Can Add Extra Coverage to Your Vehicle

 One of the easiest ways that you can take advantage of extended protection in covered auto transport services is identifying if you should upgrade to an enclosed car carrier. These trailers provide the maximum protection to your vehicle when an open car carrier would not be appropriate. For vehicles that may be difficult to replace, an enclosed auto carrier can prevent environmental concerns or road debris that might otherwise damage a vehicle traveling on an open hauler.

 Prepare Your Vehicle Prior to Pickup

 One of the most frequent reasons for a delay is the result of a customer forgetting to properly prepare their car before it is picked up. This problem can escalate if multiple customers on a route make the same mistakes – causing a long delay for the customer at the back of the line. One of the ways that you can prepare your car is by giving it a quick wash. Removing any dirt from the body of your car will make the pre-shipment inspection go much faster and smoother. You do not need to get a full car wash but simply giving a quick spray with your hose can go a long way.

 If you have a car alarm, be sure that it is turned off during shipment. An auto carrier driver is transporting a great deal of weight and trucks are loud. If your alarm is set off during shipment, it is very unlikely that the driver will be able to hear it. If the trip is long, your battery could die before the vehicle reaches its destination – resulting in a delivery headache and possible extra fees. You might also consider removing any added materials from your car such as the antennae or any spoilers/expensive rims, etc. Finally, pushing the side mirrors toward the vehicle can be helpful in preventing their damage during transport.

 Be Aware of the Shipment Schedule

 You can prevent delays in auto transport services by making sure that you adhere to the schedule and are present at both the pickup and delivery. Your driver will most likely call you as he approaches the delivery point to help you determine when you should be ready for delivery. This will give you enough time to travel to the terminal (if applicable) and prepare your payment if you chose a C.O.D. (cash on delivery) option. If you are late to a pick up or delivery, this can cause a serious delay in the entire auto shipping process for both you and other customers involved in the transport.

 Maintaining an Auto Shipping Blog

 Keeping an active Blog is an excellent way to keep auto transport customers informed on what is going on in the auto shipping industry so they are never caught off guard by policies or specific auto transport events. Regularly updating a Blog can be expensive for a business but it is an important expense in order to promote customer awareness and comfort. A regular reader might discover something about the auto shipping process that they did not know – something that can help them as they can use to obtain a more accurate and faster free quote. An auto shipping free quote is an estimate of how much a service will cost and the estimated time that it will take to complete the service – but it is not a guarantee. However, you can be sure that, by gathering information about filling out a free quote effectively, your free quote will be very close to the actual cost – with the actual cost often being lower.

 Next, by being better educated about the auto shipping process by reading the Budget Auto Shipping Blog, you can better understand the way in which cars are shipped and make better decisions about the services you choose and the schedule that you keep. In cooperation, these two factors can combine provide you with a faster service at a lower cost.

 Why Keep Reading the Budget Auto Shipping Blog?

 Budget Auto Shipping regularly releases updates and news using their Blog, among other things. By continuing to keep updated with the auto shipping Blog, you can make sure that you are well informed in the event that you need additional services or would like to schedule your first one. You can find out about special discounts and service updates that can save you a great deal of money on your auto transport service. In addition, you can learn everything you need to know about auto shipping in order to decide which option is best for you.

I can’t meet the driver to pick up my car at the scheduled delivery time. What can I do?

You still have options if it turns out that you will not be available at the time when your car is delivered. You can ask a trusted friend or relative to pick up your vehicle on your behalf as long as they are at least 18 years old. Simply inform your friend that it is very important that they participate in the delivery inspection before accepting the car. If you cannot find a friend or relative, your car can also be stored at a terminal until you have time to pick it up. In this situation, it is also important that you fully inspect the vehicle before signing the Bill of Lading and driving away.

I want to schedule services with Budget Auto Shipping. How much advance notice should I give to obtain services?

In most cases, Budget Auto Shipping can pick up your vehicle as early as 1 day after you schedule your services. However, during the busy season around April and October, it is very important that you schedule services in advance – at least 2 weeks before your desired pick up time. It doesn’t cost you anything to make a reservation early and can help to make sure that a car carrier driver is ready when you are. If you are planning on scheduling the trip during the busy season, consider making a reservation even earlier – perhaps several months in advance.

Can I put a few boxes in my vehicle before it is shipped? I would really like to take some pressure off the moving truck.

Budget Auto Shipping does allow its customers to include as much as 100 lbs. in the trunk of their car when shipping. However, be aware that your driver will not search your personal belongings but a government employee might. There are some items that you are not allowed to have in your vehicle when shipping including flammable materials like aerosol sprays, full gasoline containers and other fluids. You also are forbidden from including prescription drugs or perishables. If your vehicle is searched and such items are found, they can be confiscated. In addition, items in your trunk can come loose and damage your vehicle – something that insurance will not cover.

How Domestic Auto Shipping Works 

There are generally two types of domestic auto shipping services provided by Budget Auto Shipping. Local shipping means that a vehicle will travel on the same trailer for the duration of the trip. This type of shipping is usually performed when the origin and destination of a vehicle transport are within 200 miles of each other. Of course, as a vehicle only travels on one carrier and the distance is relatively short, it is a cheaper service than long distance domestic auto shipping. Local shipping is often performed on rare or expensive vehicles rather than normal cars and trucks. Most local shipping is also performed on either an open hauler or wedge trailer as the distance is often not large enough to justify an enclosed hauler. 

Long distance domestic services are usually performed by more than one trailer in order to keep the cost of the shipment and time down. If a single driver were to perform the entire shipment each time, the cost of auto shipping would be enormous. Instead, Budget Auto Shipping uses a network or terminals and drivers to ship your vehicle across the country. For example, your vehicle might depart from Dallas, Texas with one driver and arrive in Topeka, Kansas. Much like with normal freight, another driver would then pick up your vehicle based on a shipment schedule and continue the trip. Through this cooperation, your vehicle arrives at its destination quickly and easily. 

How Long Does Domestic Auto Shipping Take? 

For most shipments, domestic auto shipping takes from 7 to 10 days. When you obtain your free quote from Budget Auto Shipping, you will receive a much more accurate estimate of when your vehicle will be delivered based on their experience and the available network of drivers. Auto shipping networks are just as complex and intricately designed as those used by normal freight shippers like UPS and the United States Postal Service. Using your order information and the Vehicle Identification Number, Budget Auto Shipping can track your vehicle and make sure that it is picked up from each terminal on time.

 5. General Travel 

 Facing a journey over 1,000 miles can be a daunting task. Simply comprehending even a 500 mile trip will likely bring up visions of cheap hotel stays, freeway fast food and a seriously sore body. However, you have the option of simply shipping your vehicle and take a plane, drastically shortening the trip and often reducing the cost as gas prices continue to rise. While rising gas prices can be detrimental to individuals traveling by car across the country, auto transport companies can somewhat offset this cost by spreading it out over many vehicles traveling on the trailer. 

 4. Online Car Purchase 

 If you find a great car deal online or the car of your dreams, it can be very disheartening to find out that the seller is located across the country. The seller is not likely to drive the vehicle to your location and it can be costly and detrimental to the vehicle to travel yourself. This is one of the best situations to use auto transport services. You can buy a rare vehicle from Italy and have it shipped to your location, without ever having to leave your home. 

 3. Classic Cars 

 If you own a classic car and need to bring it to an auto show a long distance away, it is very unlikely that it will be able to make the trip. Even if it does, adding any significant amount of miles to a classic vehicle is not wise. Using auto transport services can prevent such miles from being added to your rare or classic car’s odometer – not reducing your vehicle’s value. 

2. Job Relocation 

One of the best reasons to use auto transport services from Budget Auto Shipping is for a new job or job relocation. Moving to take a new job can be stressful enough. You can greatly reduce the stress and arrive fresh for your new job by simply shipping your vehicle and taking a flight. Best of all, auto transport services for a job relocation are often tax deductible if they are not already covered by your employer. 

 1. Extended Vacation or Holiday 

 If you fall under the category of a snow bird (a resident of a northern state that travels South during the winter), auto transport services are essential. Owning two different vehicles in the two locations is not cost effective and leaving a vehicle open to the elements and not running for several months at a time can add up costly repairs when you are ready to use it again. A much cheaper option for snow birds or holiday travelers is to use Budget Auto Shipping to ship their vehicle and save them time and money over the long run.

Auto Shipping Insurance 

Although it generally depends on the vehicle and the type of service, auto shipping insurance is always very cheap compared to the rest of the service. Budget Auto Shipping offers insurance on all of the vehicles that they transport for up to $750,000 in coverage. This is more than enough to cover any damages to a vehicle or even the loss of that vehicle during international transport or due to theft. If you are considering shipping a vehicle that would be difficult to replace, such as a rare or vintage car, you might consider investing in a more expensive, but safer, service such as an enclosed hauler.  

Open haulers can leave vehicles open to environmental damage and theft. When you use an enclosed hauler, no one can tell that the shipment even contains a vehicle. With very rare cars, it is actually a very bad idea to use an open hauler (unless you are trying to show your vehicle off). 

Preparing for Shipping a Vehicle Covered by Insurance 

It is important to take pictures of your vehicle in addition to approving the pre-shipment inspection. If you need to file an insurance claim, it is very important to have specific and clear proof that your vehicle arrived in the exact same physical condition as it was shipped. Your Budget Auto Shipping driver will be more than happy to allow you to take pictures of the car as it appear on the trailer. Take a few pictures before it is loaded, after it is loaded and when you pick the vehicle up. This evidence can be very helpful in proving that damage was done during the shipping process – not before the shipment or after the vehicle was already back in your possession. 

Make sure that you do not leave any personal items in the actual vehicle or in the trunk. If items come loose in the car during shipping and damage the vehicle, insurance will not cover that damage. Although you are permitted to pack some items in the trunk during domestic auto shipping services with Budget Auto Shipping, it is not advised to pack loose items. To be safe, you might consider not packing any items in the trunk at all.

Auto Shipping and Cash for Clunkers

Auto dealerships are required to pour chemicals in the engine of any exchanged vehicle that essentially ruins the engine and makes it inoperable. This makes auto transport services for auto dealerships an important consideration – they need to transport the junk cars off of their lot and to a junk yard or other storage location. Budget Auto Shipping can assist both motorists and auto dealerships in the successful application of their cash for clunkers program by both delivering a single vehicle to a auto dealership lot or transporting traded cars away from an auto dealership.

How Cash for Clunkers Programs Help The Environment and Auto Shipping

The vast majority of clunker cars that are exchanged in such programs are gas guzzling vehicles that must use as much as twice the amount of gasoline than the new car for which they are being exchanged. In addition, many older vehicles leak harmful chemicals such as antifreeze or oil that can contaminate underground watersheds or damage grass along highways. Auto transport companies like Budget Auto Shipping support these programs because they promote a healthy environment and make driving safer along highways. Many traffic accidents are caused by complications due to older vehicles (malfunctioning vehicles, blown tires and debris). 

Auto transport companies support these programs for reasons beyond the obvious possibility for more business. Cash for clunkers programs help their customers by allowing them to access more automobile choices with their discount. Some local dealerships do not offer cash for clunkers programs but many dealerships in major cities do. If you would like to take advantage of such a program and have a vehicle that is not worth much money, consider doing the math as to whether it is cheaper to use an auto transport company to move your vehicle to an applicable dealership. With the discount, you will likely actually save money by taking advantage of auto transport services and cash for clunkers programs.