CAR TRANSPORT, HOW TO CHOOSE AND AT WHAT PRICE?

There are plenty of occasions in life in which the transport of a car is necessary. Here we need to evaluate a series of opportunities.

Of course, those who own a car have the right, if not the privilege, of being able to carry out an infinite series of personal and professional activities in full autonomy. That is why it is difficult, for anyone who uses a car to go to work, or to reach the nearest supermarket or, even only to spend a few hours with a friend who lives far away, to imagine having to give up to such convenience.

It is much simpler, and more realistic, to think, in the event of having to move elsewhere to the need to take your car with you.

To obviate the impossibility of sending a car by train in Italy, today there are two main road transport solutions, and therefore relatively to medium-distance journeys. And these are:

• Autonomous transport with trolley: this choice requires the use of an appendage trolley. It is necessary that the total weight of the trolley, tractor and vehicle transported together does not exceed 3500 kilograms, and that the transported weight does not exceed the maximum towable value defined on the towing vehicle by code 01. In general, car transport with trolley is regulated by a very strict legislation. It is possible to consult the complete regulation.
• Transport by car transporter: this is the fastest and cheapest way to ship cars and vans. In the case of shipments destined abroad or to islands, it can be integrated with transport by sea and / or air. In this case we are talking about intermodal transport which is carried out only by specialized companies.

In order to evaluate the actual cost-opportunity of one or the other solution, it will be appropriate to consider, in detail, the organizational and economic aspects, so as to have a complete view of the cost-benefit ratio.

Let’s analyze the two options.

THE MYTH OF AUTONOMOUS TRANSPORT WITH TROLLEY APPENDAGE

Although, apparently, the choice to personally take care of the transport of your car may seem advantageous both from an organizational and an economic point of view, in practice it is necessary to consider some aspects.

Organizational difficulties due to regulatory limitations

In general, the appendage trolley is considered a constituent part of the vehicle, which is why it does not have its own license plate and documents, nor does its presence entail changes in the maximum speed limits for the towing vehicle.

Nevertheless, for its use it is necessary, as anticipated, to take into account the limits imposed by current legislation, which could be a source of problems for those in possession of only the simple B license: given, in fact, that the weight of the trolley alone is around usually around 750 kg, there is a risk that the total mass exceeds the limit set by law.

It is also necessary to have the tow hook on the tractor, approved for safe transport. Specifically, it must be approved through testing by the Motorization, an operation immediately followed by the updating of the vehicle booklet. The latter takes place through the application of an adhesive label, on which usually various information relating to the cart is indicated. Information including chassis number, dimensions, body type, gross mass and braking type. It follows, therefore, that the truck will subsequently be subjected to overhaul together with the vehicle.

Moreover, since there are different types of light trailers, it is necessary to know the characteristics of each of them and the related regulatory requirements, in order to avoid sanctions being applied. Last but not least, when choosing to make use of car transport with trolley, it is essential to have some experience in loading / unloading and, more generally, in driving this specific category of vehicles.

From an organizational point of view, therefore, the use of an appendage trolley for car transport is presented as a solution that requires:

• a careful preliminary study of the current legislation on the matter;
• a knowledge of the different types of trolley;
• a well-established experience in all the activities involved in the choice to take care of the transport independently.

Economic sanctions due to costs not obvious to non-experts

Both the combination of the appendix trolley with the towing vehicle and its subsequent removal have very specific costs. The first provides for a payment of 25 euros, to which must be added the payment of a stamp duty of 32 euros. The second takes place exclusively following the payment of an amount equal to 10,20 euros, to which the amount of stamp duty must also be added.

The payment of the latter is also required at the time of enrollment, in addition to the 25 euros already provided.

In general, those who are convinced that entrusting the transport of their car to a specialized company always has higher costs than personal organization is making the mistake of not taking into account a series of costs that must necessarily be incurred.

In addition to those already mentioned, the autonomous management of car transport necessarily implies:

• a series of refueling expenses;
• payment of tolls;
• the purchase of the trolley, which can cost from 3.000 to 6.000 euros.

An alternative to the latter cost could be the rental of a trolley for car transport, which would certainly bring advantages from an economic point of view. There are portals specifically dedicated to this service, which offer different types of trolleys and guide the customer in choosing the most suitable one for the vehicle to be transported.

In any case, the rental of the structure necessary for the move would help to alleviate only one of the various costs involved in the choice of autonomously managing car transport, which in general is therefore a rather inconvenient and expensive solution.

On the contrary, car transport with car transporters has numerous advantages, even if, in this case, it is necessary that those who request the service put into practice some precautions.

ADVANTAGES AND COSTS OF USING THE CAR TRANSPORTER

The companies that provide the car transport service with car transporters, provide customers with a team of specialized consultants and a specific type of truck called car transporter (or stork), equipped with a system suitable for loading and unloading operations (a lowerable rear ramp and a downward tilting loading surface). The car transporter is capable of carrying loads of up to 40 tons, which in terms of the number of transportable vehicles corresponds to 8-10 cars.

The companies that deal with the transfer of motor vehicles are obliged by law to make use of highly performing approved equipment. This clearly constitutes a guarantee of reliability and safety. The benefit is evident, especially to those who need to transport the car but do not have great driving experience, nor are they familiar with the handling of the transported vehicle.

Document management in car transport

In this case, the company is responsible for managing all the authorizations and insurance necessary to travel national and international routes, which certainly constitutes the main advantage from an organizational point of view.

Those who request the service are therefore exempted from all obligations relating to document management. Naturally, this must be recognized as having a value when quantifying the cost of the service. Even if the cost of car transport varies based on a combination of factors and, only to a residual extent, is conditioned by administrative management.

These include:

• the distance to be covered
• place's location of the pick-up and delivery
• conditions and type of vehicle to be transported.

The cost of a shipment from Rome to Milan, for example, will certainly be different from the rate for a car transport from Milan to Palermo. Since there is a certain difference in the amount of kilometers to be traveled and, in the second case, the addition of the cost of the ferry to Sicily.

However, greater distance is not always synonymous with greater cost. The proximity of the city where the pick-up or delivery location is established in addition to the consideration of the type of routes, i.e., the need to be able to use main communication routes (such as motorways) can certainly affect the final price of the service. It will be lower if the transporter does not have to make large deviations from the predetermined route to collect or deliver the car.

The final price of the service can also be affected by the request to ship a non-functioning vehicle, usually more expensive than the others.

Route management for international carriers

Even in the case of car transport abroad, the final cost depends on a series of variables which, in addition to those already mentioned, include, for example, the type of carrier selected, the level of urgency of the delivery and any request by the customer, of additional services.

It should also be considered that in the main European countries (such as Germany, France, Spain) costs vary according to international regulations on freight transport.

In general, the free transit of goods and people is envisaged throughout the territory of the European Community, while in the case of Switzerland, or a non-European state, it is also necessary to take into account customs clearance costs, which will naturally affect the entire expenses related to international car transport.

CAR TRANSPORT WITH CAR TRANSPORTER: PRACTICAL ADVICE

Here below is a series of suggestions relating to the various criteria to be taken into consideration to benefit from a car transport service in total serenity and safety, which certainly include the price-quality ratio.

First of all, it is important to choose the company to rely on very carefully. To understand which of the numerous companies on the market is the most appropriate to meet certain needs, it is advisable to request a personalized quote providing all the details relating to transport. This will help the company to offer a tailor-made service and to better evaluate its ideal conditions.

Some tricks to get a tailor-made quote

These are the steps to get a tailor-made quote:

• Set a list of all conditions relating to car transport (model and conditions of the vehicle, places and times of delivery). This information will determine the final price of the quote
• Propose a flexible date. If you do not have the urgency to have your car arrive at your destination on a specific date and, instead, you are able to book the service well in advance, it is advisable to provide a list of preferred dates, allowing flexibility. The choice of a fixed date can in fact negatively affect the cost of transport, which instead can decrease if the indication of the day is flexible, even more so if you opt for group car transport. This allows the transporter to plan the different deliveries and organize the trip in the best possible way
• Choose companies that have strong experience. In particular, it is advisable to rely on companies with strong experience in all types of transport (including international transport), so as to be sure of receiving a safe and professional service
• Request several quotes. This makes it possible to compare and evaluate the various offers, to analyze the transport conditions proposed and, finally, to choose the solution with the best price-quality ratio
• Request administrative follow-up. This aspect is particularly important in cases of car transport abroad, for which it is necessary to have support for transport declarations, insurance and for everything concerning the state of the vehicle before and after delivery.

CAR TRANSPORT WITH CAR TRANSPORTER OF TRASAUTO LOGISTICA

We at Trasauto Logistica offer our customers highly customized solutions for car transport both in Italy and abroad.

The characteristics of the service of a leader in the sector

Our forty-year presence in the vehicle transport sector has allowed us to gain experience and professionalism to meet the increasingly diversified demands of the market by promptly adapting the range of services offered.

The entire vehicle loading-transport-unloading operation is extremely delicate and could be risky even for the most experienced driver. Our mission is therefore to ensure a safe transfer to those who choose to rely on us, each time supported by the use of anti-theft systems and constant assistance. This covers all phases of car transport:

• Planning: it is an essential phase, as it consists in the meticulous organization of the work to be done. To plan a shipment in the best possible way it will be necessary, first of all, to select the ideal carriers for the load to be transported, in relation to a series of parameters. So that they can better manage the timing of execution of the service
• Document management: careful control of all transport documentation (such as commercial invoice, cargo receipt, etc.) is useful to greatly reduce the margins of error, so as to prevent delivery to the customer from being compromised
• Transport tracking: this is a service that allows you to track the status of your order. Thanks to it, it is possible to forecast delivery times and keep customers updated
• Delivery: if, in addition to a date, you have opted for a flexible delivery location, it is possible that this will take place even a few hours after the order is sent. We also guarantee assistance in choosing the most suitable collection point, to facilitate loading and unloading operations as much as possible.

The extreme care of the organization is not, in our case, synonymous with excessive costs.

Access to in-depth market information allows us to ensure the best rates. In fact, the quotes and the services we provide are based on accurate market surveys and cost analysis, so as to make the choice of relying on Trasauto Logistica very convenient, even from an economic point of view.

Our services are aimed at both individuals and companies in the automotive sector (such as automotive manufacturers and dealers). We have several types of car transporters, intended for both individual transport (we carry out pick-ups and deliveries of individual vehicles and cars) and multiple transport (a service particularly requested by car dealers).

In addition to car transport, we deal with the movement of other types of vehicles (heavy vehicles, agricultural vehicles, vintage cars, boats and helicopters) to all destinations (national, international and intercontinental), in a multiple series of combinations (sea, land, air), being able to count on close collaboration relationships with the main carriers and being able to count on a consolidated know-how and a management system integrated by the use of the most modern hardware and software technologies.

If you need to transport your car, just fill in our contact form. The staff will quickly draw up a detailed estimate suitable to determine the amount that you will have to spend for the transport to be completed safely and with maximum efficiency.

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For personalized assistance, you can call our offices in Italy at: +39 (0) 828 1818161

or request more information also via e-mail: info@trasauto.com