Your Guide to Pennsylvania Car Shipping

Lately, we’ve seen a lot of trendy articles online about selling cars, and how we can make a business of it for ourselves.  It certainly seems appealing, even if we’re not someone who’s looking to properly start flipping them on the market.  Being able to sell off a used vehicle without a ton of stress sounds appealing, right?

Normally, whether we’re here in PA or elsewhere, we tend to want to sell locally.  It’s easier, right?  As you can see on this page, there are a lot of challenges that we have to contend with when selling.  Adding more stress just really doesn’t seem like the best idea.

At first glance, it would definitely seem like trying to sell across the country (or even to nearby states) would throw a significant wrench on things.  However, thanks to something known as car shipping, this doesn’t have to be the case anymore.  Instead, we can use these services to transport a vehicle easily and quickly over long distances!

Of course, there are other applications for it as well, such as when we’re moving.  We’ll focus on how it works here in Pennsylvania, but just know that you can have a car shipped pretty much anywhere in the United States for similar costs.

How the Process Works

Before we cover anything else, let’s discuss the process involved in transporting a vehicle.  Often, the first thing to do is figure out which shipping company you want to work with.  Thankfully, there are a ton of examples of auto transport in PA, so once you sort that out, you can begin to think about the next part of the process.

You’ll want to gather up any important paperwork such as your photo identification (a driver’s license or passport are two examples), the insurance information for the vehicle itself, and if you’re selling the car, any relevant details about the customer.  These are things the shipper will probably ask for, so it’s nice to have them ready and on hand for when the driver arrives to pick up the vehicle.

Additionally, make sure the vehicle itself is ready for the trip.  Don’t leave any personal belongings behind since they could get lost along the way.  Remove any external storage such as bicycle racks or kayak holders.  They could also end up lost, but they’d add to the weight of the car as well.

Most companies charge by calculating the weight of a vehicle.  Reducing weight by taking out any items like chargers or by only filling up a quarter tank of gas can make a surprisingly large difference, so keep that in mind if you’re considering this option.

If you sold the car, then you won’t really have to worry about it once the driver has retrieved it from you.  Of course, you’ll want to check in with the customer and ensure they received it, but otherwise it’s a hands-off way of making a sale.  In fact, it’s quite convenient even when compared to selling locally.

Is Car Shipping Worth it?

The other question that most folks have before running to sign up is this: is it worth it to ship a car, or should we just bite the bullet and drive ourselves?  While this might sound surprising, even though transport isn’t exactly cheap, neither is taking a road trip.

Articles like this one: https://wichitastory.com/is-an-electric-vehicle-the-solution-to-your-summer-road-trip-gas-price-blues/, demonstrate that even if you’re driving an electric vehicle, there will still be a ton of costs to contend with.  Trying to drive across PA can take several hours, and a lot of folks prefer to spend a night in Harrisburg or other cities in the middle of the state rather than drive through in one day.

That means hotel costs, which are pretty pricey these days.  Food and drinks also aren’t cheap, and there will probably be plenty of rest stops needed along the way.  All of this is to say that unless you’re really itching to take a road trip, you’ll likely find that transport services are worth it.

As far as selling automobiles goes, there’s no denying that it opens us up to a much wider market of customers.  While that might not be the biggest deal if you’re just selling one that’s sitting in your backyard or something, if you’re trying to really get into the business, it’s definitely an option to consider.

Overall, though, it’s up to each of us to decide whether or not we think it’s worth it.  There are plenty of arguments to be made either way, certainly.  Hopefully, this article has helped you to see some of the benefits of using car shipping.  Here in PA, we have a ton of choices as far as the shipping options are concerned, so don’t be afraid to inquire with companies about that as well.