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There are tons of choices when it comes to shipping your car. You need to decide what auto transport company you want to pick, the dates to ship, and where you want to ship your car. There are some options that you may not be familiar with. There are some you may not. If you plan on shipping your car, you’ll need to know about them. The most important thing and the first question your shipping company will ask is if you want open or enclosed transport. They are essentially asking you what kind of trailer you want to ship your car on. There are pros and cons to each option, but what exactly is the best option for your car?

Open Transport

Open transport is the most common way to ship a car. This is the double-decker trailer with six to ten vehicles on a trailer open to the elements. This option will more than likely be the best option for most people. Over 90% of the auto shipping trailers on the road today are open transport trailers. This means that you are more likely to get a delivery truck faster. Additionally, open transport is always the cheapest option.

However, since the cars are open to the elements, there are some risks involved. Firstly, when your car arrives, there is a very good chance your car will arrive with a healthy layer of dirt. Since your car will be open to the elements, it is in danger of the random rogue pebble that may fly off the street. This could ding a panel or crack a windshield. However, any car shipping company worth its salt will have good enough insurance to not worry about something like that. In fact, even new car dealers ship their cars via an open transport company.

Enclosed Transport

The other option is enclosed transport. This means the transport trailer will have a canvas or hard shell covering that helps protect your car from the elements. This means that you don’t have to worry about dirt and debris that may harm your vehicle. Many people with exotic or classic cars choose this option. However, since there are fewer enclosed transport options available, it could take longer to secure a shipper. It will also surely be more expensive, depending on the trailer you need.

For some cars, the ground clearance is so low that you will need a hydraulic lift to get your car onto the trailer. These enclosed transport trucks are often much smaller. When you transport a car, you are splitting the cost of gas and fees with the other cars on the trailer. When you’re the only car on the trailer, all of that comes out of your pocket. However, enclosed transport is much safer and offers better peace of mind for those who have vehicles that are harder to repair if there are any issues.

What’s Best For Your Car

When you want to ship your car, it all comes down to what is best for your personal vehicle. For most, an open transport trailer is great. Just make sure that your shipping carrier has adequate insurance to cover your vehicle in case something does go wrong. If you have a classic or exotic car that needs a little more attention, then you should go with an enclosed transport.

If you need to find a shipping company that offers industry-leading insurance right in their quote, call Atlanta Car Transport today. They can give you an instant quote on both enclosed and open transport. Their friendly customer service representatives can walk you through your options and help you decide what is best for your car.