As with any service, shipping your vehicle requires a quote. It is the first step in the process and needs to be completed before any shipment is arranged. Looking deeper into the issue of car shipping quotes, we’ve received questions such as: ‘For how long is this quote relevant?’Answers can also assist in how you plan moving your vehicle and helps assess other important underlying decisions. In this post, we attempt to clarify car shipping quotes, the validity periods attached to them, and how best you can jolt your plans for smooth vehicle shipment.
What is a Car Shipping Quote?
As noted before, a car shipping quote is bound to differ from one shipping company to another. A shipping company will always provide an estimate that captures the cost of moving your vehicle from one designated place to another. Most of the time, the quote will show the following – the base price, possible surcharges, and extra costs that may be incurred alongside the distance involved. In addition, the method used to ship the vehicle, whether open or enclosed, and its current state will also determine the price. When you are getting a quote, you will usually have to submit:
– Information on the vehicle (make, model and year)
– Pickup and drop-off locations
– Preferred dates for shipping
– Method of shipping of choice
Once the information has been analyzed by the ordering system, the vehicle shipping company will provide you with a quote for services offered. But, how long can you trust that quote?
Duration of the Quote Validity?
In general, vehicle shipping quotes are valid for limited duration of a few days up to couple of weeks or more. It depends on a number of reasons, such as:
1. Cost of Fuel
The validity of a quote is mostly dependent on cost of fuel as one of the biggest drivers of change. Because of the changing fuel costs, car shipping companies tend to issue quotes that are meant to be valid for a short period, in most cases 5 to 7 days. Should the fuel price spike significantly during this window, then the shipping company will certainly need to make revisions to the quote.
2. Market Conditions and Availability
Car shipping rates can also be set based on market factors such as demand, availability of shipping carriers, and the specific route sought. For example, during summer months and around the holidays, the demand for transport services increases, and prices can go up. In these cases, quotes may only remain viable for a few days.
3. Changes in Logistics or Delivery Schedules
Specialized shipping routes with specific logistics, such as sending a car to a secluded location, may have quotes that depend on carrier availability and timing. In some instances, the shipping company will only guarantee a set price for a limited time to account for obtaining the proper transport.
4. Discounts or Promotions
Some shipping companies have been known to provide promotional rates. If the quote provided to you is based on a promotional rate, it is important to act within the designated time window to secure said rate. Otherwise, if you take too long, the quota could expire.
Why Do Car Shipping Quotes Have an Expiration Date?
The expiration date of a car shipping quote stems from the fact that the industry has a lot of moving parts. Here’s the reason why:
1. Fuel Costs
Shipping vehicles includes a variety of expenses, with fuel being one of the most costly. In addition, it is one of the costs that has the potential to change often. If fuel costs increase after a quote has been issued, the expenses associated with relocating your vehicle will increase as well. To mitigate this risk, companies employ strategies to shield themselves from these types of issues by placing expiration dates on their quotes.
2. Capacity and Demand
The availability of carriers does tend to change rapidly with demand, especially during peak periods such as holidays. If indeed you are quoted during the busy shipping season, then you stand to benefit from the rates as the quote may only be valid for a limited period in order to guarantee placement of your shipment to their systems.
3. Altering Logistics
Changes in any detail regarding your shipment like the vehicle type and delivery location may shift the shipping process. Any changes on your end after a quote is provided may affect the pricing structure. In order to maintain customer satisfaction, companies must determine a precise timeframe for quote validity.
How can you maintain the validity of your quote?
The following tips can be useful in ensuring that you do not incur unexpected surprises along the way to validate your car shipping quote:
1. Confirm the Expiration Date
As always, when receiving a quote, request specific details around quote expiration, including a concrete date. This allows for flexible or precise time bound decision making, planning, negotiation, and execution before the quote changes without restriction.
2. Book as Early as You Can
Once the quote seems reasonable, it is advisable to make a payment immediately so that a shipment is booked at that desired price. Booking at this stage guarantees pricing on a set amount and minimizes risk for increased costs as a result of market fluctuations.
3. If Necessary, Request a New Quote
As long as you have not been provided with a current quote, refrain from worrying. Simply ask the company for a fresh quote, and they will adjust their estimate according to the prevailing conditions. Even in the instance of being offered a quote, it is prudent to check if there is room for price variation based on the initial inquiry.
4. Confirm All Information Before Booking
Cross-verify everything with the car shipping company before making any bookings. All set to book, ensure that the dates of shipping, specifications of the vehicle, and all other relevant details such as delivery regions conform to your provided quote services.
Does Booking a Quote Lock in the Price
It should be noted that the quote does not always guarantee fixing the price from the onset when block booking due to unforeseen circumstances. Say that you have booked a quote for shipping your automobile to a specific location, but a change in one’s timetable forces one to delay the booking, thus the quote can get invalid due to lack of funds.
To mitigate being caught off guard on the day of the booking, it is always prudent to check whether the quote remains valid, and if so, what are the conditions regarding it. For instance, if a contractor issues a quote in condition of the availability of fuel, they are guaranteed to provide a price or offer a lock based on the quote, available carriers, and the price of fuel at that point.
Final Thoughts: Anticipate and Remain Updated
It is pertinent to remember that when getting a car shipping quote, it is usually only valid for a certain period. This can be attributed to fuel prices, demand in the market, or changes in logistics. Ensure you check the timeline of your quote in order to make the right choice within the validity period. If for some reason you do miss the given window, feel free to obtain a new quote.
