1. Always, keep your car well tuned up. Poorly running and maintained cars use more gasoline than the money you spend to keep your car in proper running condition.

2. Take the time to pre-plan trips to find the best driving routes and times to avoid unnecessary traffic.

3. Your air conditioner is blowing cool air, but sucking gas mileage. Use it sparingly. If you need to use it, try a lower setting. Just get the car cool, then turn it off and let the fan circulate the cool air.

4. When traveling at high speeds, keep your windows closed. Open windows cause additional drag and lower gas mileage.

5. Check your tire pressure. Over-inflated tires can actually reduce fuel efficiency, so don’t overfill. Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of bad MPG. Tires lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop); under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your car moving.

6. If possible, change your work start time to avoid traffic. Stop and go traffic hurts gas mileage big-time. Another way to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially.

7. Take unneeded items out of the car. You don’t need to carry snow chains in the summer. Periodically go through your car and see what can be tossed into the garage or put in the house. It doesn’t take much to acquire an extra 30 or 40 lbs. of stuff, and the more weight your car tows around, the more gas it burns.

8. Try not to idle your engine for long periods. If you are stuck in traffic and you don’t think you are going to go anywhere in the next five minutes, turn your car off.

9. You no longer need to warm your car up for long periods of time, especially new cars. New cars are made to run when cold.

10. Drive the speed limit. What a concept! Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? Constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum — important to those who have to wrestle with ten-speed truck transmissions — but it also aids economy. Remember, it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel.

If you drive your car at least once a month for a minimum of a half hour, then you should not pursue a car storage solution. But if you have a car that is of sentimental value but is not seeing much action, or you live in an area that seasonally gets harsh winter weather, then storage is a viable option. If you are still going to store, please check out the following pre-storage list to check off before hitting the lights.

Drive the car (duh). When you get back, add (save 4-6 tablespoons for later) carburetor and valve cleaner to the gas tank, then fill the tank with fuel. This process will ensure  upper cylinder lubricant.

Change the engine oil and filter. If you own a Spica-injected car, the injection pump oil filter too.

Drain/flush the cooling system. Leave the heater valve is open. Refill cooling system with a 50/50 mixture of fresh antifreeze and distilled water.

Top up the trans/differential/steering box. Transmission and differential oil should be changed every 30,000 miles. If your car is due for a change, take care of it before storage.

Top off the brake fluid. Your car’s braking system should be flushed and bled with new fluid every 2 years.

Wash and wax the paint and bright-work. Thoroughly vacuum and clean the car’s interior.

Remove the battery, then clean the battery and battery case with a solution of baking soda and water to neutralize acid. Take battery inside and place on an automatic trickle charger.

Push (or temporarily reinstall the battery and drive) the car into the (hopefully indoor) storage area. If you are storing the car in an area with an earth or gravel floor, lay a big piece of plastic down first, then drive the car onto that. The plastic sheet will provide a vapor barrier and help keep the car from rusting.

Raise the car on jack-stands. Place the jack-stands under the various suspension components so that the suspension is compressed and at normal ride height. Fully extended shocks tend to get stuck in that position, hence the last instruction. If space is tight in your garage, you can rest the car on a set of Auto Dollies, so you can move it easily into a corner.

Slip a plastic baggie over the exhaust tip(s) and snap a rubber band around it to keep it in place. Do the same to the air cleaner inlet. This will help keep moisture out of the engine.

Place a couple of mothballs in the trunk, the interior, and the engine compartment. Hopefully this will dissuade little furry creatures from building nests. A quality car cover will also help keep the animal kingdom out of your car. An even better solution is to cocoon the car and cover in a Car Pocket. If the car is being stored indoors, crack the windows about 3/8″.

Finally, if possible, rotate the drive axles a few turns once a month. This will help to keep the differential gears and transmission main shaft and counter shaft coated with oil.

All these tips should keep your car in tip-top shape while it’s in storage.

(phone) ring… ring…

Arthur: “Good Afternoon, Auto Transporters Online”

Customer: “Uh, Hi, I saw your Website. I was wondering.. (pause) can you ship my car today? Or tomorrow? This Week?”

Arthur: “Hi. Wait a sec, let’s back up second. Why? What’s wrong?”

Customer 1: “Well, because last month I chose the cheapest rate (I could find) with a different broker and well, my car is still parked in my driveway. ”

Customer 2: “I paid a deposit upfront, my car didn’t move, they won’t answer the phone, return my calls and I start a new job in Chicago next week.”

Customer 3: “A broker said I had to pay the full amount up front, (which I did), and my car is still staring back at me from my own driveway. And yes, the broker won’t return my calls.”

Customer 4: “I can’t get my deposit back because they don’t respond to my messages.”

Customer 5: “I tried to cancel my order with them but they won’t respond to me by phone or email.”

Customer 6: “I chose the cheapest rate – and subsequently my car hasn’t moved; and now I am paying storage fees.”

People, beware! A large proportion of people choose brokers offering the cheapest rates without worrying about track records and reputations, BBB ratings, testimonials.

Do your homework or suffer the consequences. Better yet, let me save you some study time. Go with Auto Transporters Online. We have a great track record, impeccable customer service, and a great selection of car shipping services to serve your budget. Get it there on time and under budget.

Best,

Arthur

Criminal gangs are duping car buyers out of millions of pounds each year by using adverts on reputable trade websites. The “virtual vehicle” scam also involves fake shipping websites that promise to safeguard the buyer’s money. The Metropolitan Police say 21,000 advertisments were shut down in the UK last year.The Vehicle Safe Trading Advisory Group said leading used car advertisers were working hard to combat such crime. BBC correspondent Fiona Trott said criminals were placing adverts on reputable websites, such as Auto Trader or E-Bay, for vehicles that did not belong to them.

See the whole story

For example, I recently had a customer who previously bought a mint 56 Thunderbird and then waited helplessly as the car sat in a driveway for two weeks before the trucker picked it up. Remember, to make a living wage, truckers need to fill their trailers fully before hitting the open road. This means cars may wait in driveways. This does not bode well for those who want to receive their car as soon as possible. Sometimes cars are purchased from sellers who provide a few days to move it or they will have it towed.  I’ve had two customers tell me that they chose a cheap rate with another shipper, then paid storage fees because the trucker was days late to pick up.

Make it simple for yourself. If you really want to get your car shipped right and avoid storage fees,  spend a little extra and go with an expedited or enclosed service.

corvette

For some reason, many customers ask if they can ship their car with a car cover on. Well, not usually. Most truckers are not interested in the responsibility and effort to put it on and take it off. Also, you need to think about what a cover can do to a car’s paint job while in transit. It could flap, rub, or scrape the paint. It could also tear, rip, and fly-off (possibly causing an accident). It could get stolen. Moreover, people are always interested in cars under cover. If you are that concerned about your car’s pain job, I would suggest enclosed shipping.

Remember, the only thing your car is going to suffer (upon arrival) is a dirty look. Simply wash and polish her, and she’ll look just as beautiful as she did when you saw her loaded on the trailer.  Besides not covering your car, I would also suggest not to shipping any expensive items inside the car. Wait! Do yourself a favor; leave the car empty. It will save you a lot of worry and headache.

USA

A significant percentage of Auto Transporters Online business comes from customers who previously contracted with other companies/brokers, were guaranteed a short pickup window, were charged a deposit upfront, and still didn’t get their car shipped. The horror stories are endless. “They charged my credit card and disappeared”, or “they keep promising that they are going to pick the car up but nothing happens” or we can’t get them to respond to our calls.”

The vast majority of incidents revolve around the old bait-and-switch. You know, sweet talk, provide a low quote, and then they secretly tack on hidden costs and have you wait until “2012” to get your car. Yes, some do get their money back, but many don’t. Sometimes I hear myself sounding like a parrot, repeating the same tips (over the phone to customers) of what to look for when receiving a phone quote or one online.

So, in the interest of saving you headache, misery, time, and money, I submit for your consideration the top 7 things to look for and demand when receiving a car shipping quote.

• Is it a basic quote that includes everything? Fuel costs, insurance, etc? Or does it lack the proper information, therefore designed to hook you then add extras. Many times the extras become payable at the delivery point. Be alert!
• Does the price look too good to be true (e.g. very low)? If so, it probably will never be dispatched for pickup
• Know this. Brokers list your car for pick up on trucker boards. Truckers pick the best paying deals. Does you price feel low to other quotes? Trust us – no reputable trucker will transport a vehicle for a cheap payment.
• If you are required to pay a deposit upfront? Run, bad idea, don’t do it.
• If you do/did pay a deposit and paid upfront, is your deposit refundable if they can’t get the vehicle shipped in the quoted time window?
• Before seeking a quote, determine this. Do you want a quote (really, anyone can give one), or do you want to have your vehicle shipped in a timely affordable manner? Anyone can give you a quote – many can’t deliver!
• Does the quote provide you shipping options? Like expedited, enclosed, express, or economy? Having options greatly allows you to compare price to packages to suit your shipping time frame.

If you at least keep the above in mind, chances are you will sniff out the good shippers from the bad. So until next time, keep smiling, drive carefully, and make it home safe.

Car Transport Carrier

When it comes to shipping a car, a common oversight by customers is the failure to consider service and needs responsiveness. Think about it for a minute, you are entrusting your second most valuable asset (after home ownership) to a total stranger. Many customers are so obsessed with getting the cheapest quote that they fail to ask the most basic background questions. Like many auto related businesses the auto shipping industry has its fair share of con artists and dead beats. Take the time to perform a background check on any car shipping service provider:

• Are they reputable?
• What do people saying about them?
• Do you read online reviews about them?
• Can you get someone on the phone?
• Do they even pick up the phone?
• Do you ask for references?
• Are they courteous?
• Do they answer billing questions correctly?
• Do they call you back in a timely manner?
• What is their deposit policy?
• Do they charge before or after they dispatch your car for pick up?

Before you supply a car shipper your credit and personal info (possibly to have them charge you and disappear with your identity), research them. Learn to recognize a car shipping operation that has your best interest at heart. Your best interest should be:

• Affordability
• Reliability
• Safety
• Customer Service

Check the BBB Web site; search the community boards (Yelp.com, Angieslist.com, etc.). Before you pull the trigger on a shipment order, learn your chosen car shippers reputation. Typically, there is more than meets the eye.

1. Remember always. You are statistic.
   To a car insurer, you’re not Ricky Jones, 27 years old from Bethesda Maryland, you’re statistical risk profile, a policy number coded A067YY56. Put simply, a car insurer bases its premium (or its decision to insure you at all) on your “risk factors,” including some things that may seem unrelated to driving a car, including your occupation, who you are and how you live.
2. Car insurers differ.
   As with anything else you purchase, what appears to be the same product will have different prices, depending on the company. Be smart, shop around.
3. Don’t just look at price.
   Like car shipping, a low car insurance price is no bargain if an insurer takes forever to service your claim or worse, denies you. Research the insurer’s record for claims service, as well as its financial stability.
4. Go beyond the basics.
   Most states require only a minimum of auto-insurance liability coverage, but you should look for more coverage than that.
5. Ask for a discount.
   Insurers provide discounts to reward behavior that reduces risk. However, Americans waste some $300 billion a year because they forget to ask for them!
6. Ask for the real thing.
   Insurers cut costs by paying only for car parts made by companies other than the car’s manufacturer. These parts can be inferior. Demand parts by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
7. At claims time, your insurer isn’t necessarily your friend.
   Your idea of fair compensation may not match your insurer’s. Your insurer’s job is to restore you financially. Your job is to prove your losses so you get what you need.
8. Before you file a claim, be prepared.
   Keep your policy current, and re-read it before you file a claim so there are no surprises.
9. Always carry car insurance
   Duh
10. If you own a home, see if you can bundle (umbrella) your home and car insurance with one carrier.
    Many offer sizable discounts to those who combine home, auto and health.

Compare the trucks used:

Truckers base their pickups and deliveries by customer location, fuel economy and other economic factors. Open-air auto shipping is essentially 9 auto shipping customers sharing a trailer, each hoping that they are the last to have their car picked up and the first to have it dropped off. Oh, If it were only that easy.

Though enclosed auto shipping costs more than open-air the cost benefits depend on the value of the vehicle, or perhaps more importantly, how you value your car. In our opinion, enclosed shipping is a must for expensive autos, collectable/exotic autos, sentimental autos, or time sensitive delivery needs. If you go with enclosed shipping, your car is completely enclosed within a locked-down trailer, usually sharing space with no more than 3 other vehicles. Moreover, the trailer is equipped with an automatic loading gate, thus reducing the risk of damage to your car when it is loaded and unloaded. Other considerations are the minimization of weather and road conditions damage and the expediency of pickup and delivery.

Before you make a shipping decision, feel free to contact us. Auto Transporters Online is here to help you make the right choice for vehicle shipping needs.