Many people feel safer when they opt to go with a service that is done nearby to them because they know the area and feel like they know the type of people they will be dealing with. This can be said for the auto transport industry. However, choosing a local auto transport company may not always be the best idea because an auto transport is a delicate and timely service. When someone is dealing with your vehicle, you want them to be professional and you want the reassurance that your vehicle is in good hands. Your local auto transport may not offer that if you plan to transport outside of your state or even a long distance within your state.
Cost
The cost of a smaller and local auto transport company will definitely be on the cheaper side because they simply need business or because they will not transport long distances. With a bigger auto transport company that is not local, they will not necessarily give you the cheapest rate, but what they offer to make up for that are a bunch of safety features in which ever sub- service (Open Car Transport, Enclosed Car Transport, etc.). With a larger company, you are paying into “feeling ensured” that your vehicle is in good hands because generally, the more you pay, the less of a chance your vehicle is to get damaged during transport. A larger auto transport company also allows you to transport to and from anywhere within the country at a reasonable price. This is because larger auto transport companies know the most popular routes and will charge accordingly based on where your vehicle is going (some popular routes do cost more such as New York to California, but California to New York usually is not as expensive).
Communication
In many cases, a smaller company will communicate better because they are not dealing with as many people and want to standout with communication as a highlight. This is true in the auto shipping industry, but it also depends on which large auto transport company you research as well. A larger auto transport company should have more people in their customer service branch and their job is to update you on the condition of your vehicle during transport and let you know its location. Some auto transport companies would rather have a larger fleet of carriers, so they can transport more, which is fine, but it is best to have a balance between the two. There are several larger auto transport companies that do give you ease because of their great communication, but a smaller auto transport company will almost always do this for you.
Services
A smaller auto transport company will do the job if you are transporting locally. However, a larger auto transport company will give you a diversity of services that come equipped with more safety features to keep your car in the same condition it came in. The quality of service is almost always better with a larger auto transport company because they have they can afford more safety features and better trucks to transport your vehicle without a hitch. A larger auto transport company will also have the right expertise for your vehicle because they have so many services to cover any larger cars, trucks, or other modified vehicles. A larger auto transport company knows to tell you that you are going to need a different service than the one you wanted because the size of your vehicle or any modifications would make a transport more difficult. This is what larger auto transport companies have access to and why many people choose to opt for a more well-known auto transport company.
Time
This category is tricky because it depends on a lot of factors. If you want a smaller and local company to transport your vehicle within the state or to a state next to you, they may reach you faster than a larger auto transport company depending on who you call. However, if a smaller auto transport company has almost all its spaces booked, or all their carriers are out of the area, you can be delayed more than you wanted to. A larger auto transport company has more carriers and should get to your pick-up spot at a faster time if this happens. After pick-up time, delivery time becomes a concern. This again, is dependent on availability. Larger auto transport companies have services such as expedite service that will get to you and drop-off faster because they carry less vehicles, but this will cost more. We say that if you want consistency in timing, you should go with a larger auto transport company because they have more availability at the end of the day.
Peace of Mind
Like we said in the beginning, a local service will make you feel more comfortable. However, a larger auto transport company gives people the most peace of mind. A larger auto transport company typically has more insurance (or they promote it more) to cover your vehicle in the event that something does happen to your vehicle during transport. If a larger auto transport company has great communication, then you will feel even more at ease because that company is covering all their bases. A larger auto transport company simply has more to offer than a smaller one. A small auto transport company is convenient for certain situations, but a larger auto transport company gives you more range to do more with transporting your vehicle.
