Enclosed auto transport services are an ideal option for transporting high-value, antique and luxury vehicles from one location to another. Enclosed carriers offer considerably more protection for your vehicle during transit compared to open carriers. In many cases, the companies offering enclosed transport services are very experienced with handling high-value vehicles, and they have the equipment and the trucks needed to ensure safe handling and transportation of expensive automobiles.
Enclosed vs. Open Carrier Shipping
Enclosed carrier transportation is one of the two available auto-shipping options offered by most car shipping companies. The other option is called open carrier transportation. The main difference between the two options is that with open carrier shipping your car will be shipped in an unenclosed trailer while with enclosed carrier shipping your car will be transported in a fully covered truck. Open carriers are designed to carry between 10 and 12 cars in one load while enclosed carriers typically are equipped to carry a maximum of four cars per load. Some companies offer enclosed trailers that are designed to transport a single automobile. Open carrier shipping is almost always substantially cheaper than enclosed auto transport. In some cases, enclosed carriers can cost between 75 percent and 100 percent more than an open carrier for the same distance.
What to Expect
When you sign up with an enclosed carrier transport service, the company will either send its truck out to your location to pick up the vehicle or have you bring the vehicle over to its terminal facility. Unlike open carriers, enclosed trucks usually do not have loading ramps. Instead, vehicles are loaded and unloaded using a hydraulic lift gate. The process ensures that the vehicle’s undercarriage does not get damaged while being loaded or unloaded from a truck. You vehicle will then be secured in place using tie-down straps. Many enclosed auto transport companies offer blanket wraps to cover the vehicle to further prevent it from any damage while the car is being transported.
Compare Auto Shipping Quotes
Make sure to compare auto shipping quotes from multiple companies when choosing an enclosed car transporter. Almost all open car transport companies offer enclosed car transportation services as an option. Sometimes though, you may be better off going with a company that specializes in enclosed transportation services. Often, such specialists are better equipped to handle expensive automobiles and have more experience transporting them to different locations. Before entrusting your car to an enclosed carrier transport company, make sure the firm is fully licensed, bonded and insured to transport high-end vehicles.
To see what other methods of transportation are available, please visit the car transport services page.