If you are considering a vehicle transport service, you might be unclear what to actually expect on the day and how this service will benefit you. There are many reasons to hire a vehicle transport service, things you should look for when getting quotes and the variable costs associated with moving a car around the country. We’ll break it down in this 7-minute read.
A vehicle transport service allows you to move a car, motorbike or van from one location to another without driving it. There are two main ways to do this. You can transport a vehicle on a towed trailer or on/inside another vehicle. For most people, transport on an open flatbed is all that’s required. For this, using a built-for-purpose Ford Transit Transporter is probably the gold standard. Since the vehicle is loaded right onto the bed, there’s no chance of jackknifing or losing the load like is possible with a hitched trailer. And the tyres don’t touch the road as they do with wheel lift towing, so you’re not adding any wear and tear to the vehicle during transport.
There are many reasons why you need a vehicle transport service. If your car has broken down, you’ll need transport to get it to the local garage. Maybe you’re selling your car and want it delivered to the buyer so you don’t put extra miles on the clock. Maybe you’ve not taxed your car so it’s not road legal yet but you need to move it. Or maybe you’ve been in an accident and need roadside recovery. Finally, if you’re going to a car show or race and don’t want to put any wear on the car before the day, car transport is ideal. Whatever your reason, trust our transport techs to deliver your vehicle safe and sound.
When hiring a vehicle transport service, go with an enclosed or bed-based transport solution. There is a lot that can go wrong if you’re towing a hitched trailer. The trailer hitch can refuse to interlock, it can loosen during the ride, it can break and you can jackknife the trailer when reversing. It’s not much better with wheel lift towing, since this still puts wear on your tyres (unevenly at that since the front is not touching the road). That’s a lot of added headaches you don’t need. So look for a white-glove service where you and your vehicle get seamlessly collected and taken to your destination without any fuss or wear. Make sure the firm is insured and uses an appropriate transportation vehicle for the type of car, truck, van or bike you’re moving.
When you arrange for a vehicle transport service, the driver will arrive at your starting location. It only takes a few minutes to load your car, bike, truck or van onto a Ford Transit Transporter and secure it. Then, the driver will deliver your vehicle securely to its destination. You may be riding with the driver or it might simply be a drop-off service. You’ll get confirmation of delivery when it has arrived.
The standard cost for transported car delivery is between £1-£3 per mile within 60 miles. If you go further than 60 miles, the price will be lower. Also, you may pay extra fees for special care instructions, remote drop-offs, overweight or oversize vehicles and guaranteed delivery slots. Click Trans explains, “Want to transport your Vauxhall from Gloucestershire to Bristol? A van from Tipton to Botley? The average price for the route length up to 200 miles is [£93] and it decreases with every mile. The estimated average cost per mile is [£.89].”
The short answer is no. According to gov.uk, “You’re responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive (‘roadworthy’). It can be unsafe even if you have a current MOT certificate. You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.” Generally, for most vehicles to be legal, it needs to be safe to drive, have an MOT, be taxed and be registered with DVLA. And you need to be old enough to drive, have good eyesight and possess a valid licence for the vehicle type you want to drive (or if you’re learning, be with a qualified driver and have “L” plates on). You can however drive a car to the MOT shop to get an MOT even if it is already expired.
It’s actually by train. But that’s hardly an on-demand service. According to Auto Star, “A train is the cheapest way to ship a car cross country compared to a car trailer since several cars need to be shipped and a train uses much less fuel per car than a trailer. Apart from being cheaper than shipping a car by truck, auto shipping by rail allows you to load up your car with boxes before it is loaded.” However, you’ll be restricted to certain pickup and drop off locations and you’ll likely need to arrange for a private vehicle transport service to get you the last mile on both legs of your journey. So you may find it’s just not worth the added hassle just to save a few quid.
There are many reasons why you may need to hire a vehicle transport service. And the method, service level and requirements you have may vary. If you’re within 60 miles of our Hassocks, Sussex garage, we hope you’ll choose us. Our great-value car transport service can accommodate nearly any requirement via our fleet of Ford Transit Transporters. Contact us on 01273933633 to arrange your pick up and drop off.
