Car shipping is always stressful, as there are so many things that can go wrong when transporting your vehicle over long distances. That’s why many people choose to just drive their vehicles themselves when moving, as they prefer to at least feel in control of the whole process, even if that’s actually the riskier way to go about it, statistically.
What if you need to ship your car overseas, however? If so, using the services of a car shipping company is a must in this case. Finding the right car shipping company is obviously key, but there are quite a few other major factors to consider, especially if you not only want to ship your car overseas safely but do so without breaking the bank either. Here are our tips for how you should go about it.
What is the Average Price for Car Shipping Overseas?
First things first, how much does it actually cost to ship your car overseas? On average, the price you can expect will be somewhere between $1.00 and $3.50 per mile, depending on the way you choose to ship your vehicle, the distance to its final destination, the car’s size, and a few other factors.
In most cases, this means that the final cost will range somewhere between 1,000 and $5,000, but it can also end up being quite a bit higher for large and expensive vehicles shipped over long distances.
This is quite a bit of money to pay just for transit. Even if you don’t have any major budgetary constraints, it’s just a good idea to lower those costs if possible, as long as the whole shipping process still ends up being safe and convenient in the end.
How to Ship Your Car Overseas as Affordably as Possible?
There actually are quite a few ways to ship your car overseas. You can even do so by plane, if you choose to. In fact, that’s technically both the fastest and the most secure way to go about it. However, it’s also obviously the most expensive method, by far.
Instead, shipping your vehicle by sea is the more affordable and sensible way for most people, but that too can be done in various ways. So, if affordability is a priority, here are a few things to consider.
1. RORO
In car shipping, RORO stands for Roll-on/Roll-off shipping. This is both the most common and the most cost-effective way to ship a vehicle overseas. Simply put, RORO simply involves driving your vehicle onto the specialized shipping vessel and then securing it in place on the deck. After that, the ship takes off, and you (or someone else) can take your car when it arrives.
The main drawback of RORO shipping is that the car is not shipped in a container and is therefore exposed to the elements. Be it rain and storms or just the rays of the sun, this will have some effect on your car’s exterior, whereas shipping in a container offers much more protection.
However, if we’re not talking about an overly expensive or luxury vehicle, and if the weather during the voyage isn’t expected to be all that bad, there shouldn’t be any issues. After all, every car can survive a few days in the sun or in the rain. When it comes to actual safety, Roll-on/Roll-off shipping is as safe as container shipping, as the vehicles are indeed secured properly onto the shipping vessels.
On average, RORO shipping tends to cost somewhere between $900 and $2,500, depending on the destination, which is significantly more affordable than the alternatives or than the overall average.
2. Choose the Right Car Shipping Company
Obviously, a major factor for both affordability and safety is choosing the right car shipping company. Choosing the cheapest possible service may be tempting if you want to save as much money as possible, however, it is strongly advisable that you don’t compromise with the quality of the service too much.
Many car shipping companies out there aren’t properly licensed or insured, even if they usually claim they are, so doing proper background checks is important. Being offered a lower-than-average price-per-mile may seem cost-effective, but that’s only the case until an accident happens and you realize the company wasn’t properly insured.
So, any car shipping company you work with must comply with FMCSA, DOT, and maritime regulations. You should also make sure that they also comply with bonded status regulations and mandatory vehicle inspection protocols.
3. Ship off-seasons
Whether on land or on the waves, transporting a vehicle over long distances is much more affordable, faster, and safer when it is done off-season. Yes, shipping and moving companies have peak and off seasons too, just like many other industries. Peak season is typically in the summer, between May and September, although that can vary depending on the country. Most people simply prefer to move and ship things in the summer.
As a result of that, you can usually get lower rates-per-mile and even some tempting discounts from car shipping companies if you choose to transport your vehicle in the off-season. As an added benefit, delays are also less common in that period, as there is less traffic at ports and transit channels, such as Panama or the Suez Canal.
4. Consolidated Container Shipping
If you don’t want to ship your vehicle without a container over it, but you still want to avoid going over-budget, consolidated container shipping is the way to go. This basically means shipping your car together with other vehicles, but in a consolidated container, rather than an individual one. This offers the protection from the elements you’re looking for, but it still isn’t overly expensive.
5. Ship Terminal to Terminal
Another major cost-saving factor is whether you’re shipping door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal. If you (or someone you trust) can take your vehicle to and from the shipyard terminals, you can save a hefty sum of money. If, instead, you need the shipping company to take the vehicle from door to door, that may inflate the overall price quite a lot.
