logo.png

We Manage Chaos So You Don't Have To

Calls Answered 24/7

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ's)

Where can I get a car shipping quote?

Just head over to our home page at mrcarshipper.com or give us a call 24/7 at 877-421-1284.

Is Mr. Car Shipper a broker?

Yes, and so is every other vehicle shipping company giving out quotes. No carrier in the U.S. owns enough trucks and trailers to service the entire nation. Auto transport brokers like Mr. Car Shipper are necessary to connect someone who needs to ship a vehicle with a reputable carrier that’s on the right route at the right time.

What is a carrier?

An auto shipping carrier is a company that actually owns the trucks and trailers needed to physically move your vehicle. There are thousands of carriers in the U.S. ranging in size from large companies with dozens of trucks to small owner-operator outfits with only one truck.

Why can’t I get an instant quote?

There are just too many variables in play for a computer to instantly spit out an accurate quote. To get you the best price possible, a member of our sales team will need to consider factors like mileage, pick-up and drop-off locations, vehicle size, current fuel prices, current demand for your shipping route, and carrier availability. We know it’s no fun to wait, but do yourself a favor and give a human from the Mr. Car Shipper team a chance to price your vehicle transport correctly.

Why do the quotes I’m getting vary so much?

If you’re shopping around for quotes, you’ve noticed prices from different companies can vary by hundreds of dollars. There can be a couple of reasons for this.

First, every honest broker has to estimate the true cost of shipping. Our sales team does the math, analyzes the current shipping climate for your route, and then makes a projection of what a carrier will need to move your vehicle. Your quote is based on this projection. Don’t worry though, your cost won’t change from what we quoted you if you book with us within 10 days. We at Mr. Car Shipper stand by our quotes. Even if it means we wind up losing money on your vehicle move, we will not change your price after you’ve booked your shipment with us.

And that leads us to the second, and unfortunately more common reason quotes vary so much. There are a lot of dishonest auto transport brokers out there. The scam works like this: They quote your move at a cost significantly less expensive than ours and they make you promises no one in the industry could keep. You pay a non-refundable deposit to book your shipment and you think it’s all set. Then, they call you a couple days before your ship date to tell you they couldn’t get it moved for what they quoted you and they need to raise your price. But now you’re stuck with them because they already have your deposit.

Should I pay a deposit?

No, you should never pay any auto shipping broker a deposit. Beware the broker who requires a deposit before they will go to work for you. That up-front deposit is their total fee; it’s everything they’re going to make on your vehicle move. Once they have it, they have very little incentive to find you a reputable carrier to move your vehicle on your schedule. At Mr. Car Shipper, we don’t get paid for your transport until your truck is on its way.

How does payment work?

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. We put your credit card information on file when you book your shipment with us. We then charge your card the full payment amount once we have assigned your transport to a carrier and the truck is on its way. To ensure our assigned carrier provides the best experience possible, we then wait to pay them until after your vehicle is delivered. This protects you from having to pay the driver cash-on-delivery, the method of choice for most brokers. If needed, you also have time to file a claim before the carrier receives their payment. If you do file a claim, Mr. Car Shipper will hold the carrier’s pay until the claim is resolved. We have found this practice helps to exponentially speed the claim resolution process.

Is my vehicle insured?

Absolutely. Mr. Car Shipper only works with carriers who have a minimum $100,000 of coverage per vehicle. On top of that, Mr. Car Shipper also maintains our own insurance policy that provides an additional $100,000 in coverage, something 9 out of 10 brokers do not provide. When you ship with us, your vehicle is literally double-insured.

Do you ship internationally?

We do not. Mr. Car Shipper services all 50 states including Hawaii and Alaska. If your vehicle is going to Canada, we can transport it to a town near the Canadian border and make arrangements with you to receive it there.

Is the service door-to-door?

Yes, we pick-up and deliver your vehicle directly from and to the locations you provide. If our assigned carrier’s driver is able to make it right to your door, he will. If, however, the truck is too large to safely navigate your neighborhood, the driver will call you to arrange a meeting at a nearby location.

How far in advance should I book?

This one’s really up to you. Some people book with us months in advance. Others want their car picked up tomorrow. We’ll work with whatever you can give us. Whatever your schedule, please be aware we will be asking you to provide a 3-day window for pick-up. We need this because most transport routes don’t have a truck with available space running them every single day of the week.

Can you guarantee my pick-up / delivery date?

Because drivers in the auto transport industry commonly encounter delays beyond their control, dates for pick-up and delivery cannot be guaranteed. Once a carrier is assigned to your vehicle transport, they provide their best estimate for the days they will pick-up and deliver. The carriers we assign have a good track record of meeting their estimates. Additionally, we at Mr. Car Shipper are committed to monitoring every transport and updating our customers with any schedule change.

Should I ship open or enclosed?

Open vehicle transport trailers are commonly seen on our highways and interstates. On an open trailer, vehicles are exposed to the elements while in transit. An enclosed vehicle transport trailer is more like a mobile garage and, from the outside, is hard to distinguish from any other fully enclosed trailer. Each has their advantages. Shipping open is substantially less expensive and most vehicles travel this way. Even new cars headed from factory to dealership are transported on open trailers. Shipping enclosed costs more but offers better protection. Generally we recommend considering shipping enclosed if, a) your vehicle’s replacement value exceeds $60,000 or, b) a single rock chip would significantly decrease its value.

What can I put in the vehicle?

U.S. Department of Transportation regulations do not allow household goods (personal belongings) in the passenger or cargo areas of vehicles transported on auto carriers. DOT officials do have the right to inspect and/or remove personal belongings from vehicles at their discretion. As an exception to this, paperwork in a glove box (like vehicle registration and proof of insurance) as well as child car seats in the passenger area are permitted. Please also note that any personal items left in any part of a vehicle are not insured.

How do I prepare my vehicle for transport?

Besides making sure your vehicle is free of personal items, there’s not much you need to do. One thing we do recommend is making sure your vehicle is clean so our assigned carrier’s driver can perform a proper inspection at pick-up.

Who can release / accept my vehicle?

You can be present at pick-up and delivery personally or it can be anyone you choose. Just give us their name and number. Not sure if you’ll be available? No problem! We can put multiple people on the list for either pick-up or delivery. Simply provide their information and the carrier will call them in the order you choose.

How long does transport take?

Though transit times vary, a coast-to-coast transport will typically take 8-11 days. For shorter routes, we roughly estimate 1 day for every 400 miles.

What if my vehicle is damaged?

Less than 1% of vehicles we ship are damaged in transport but, though it’s extremely rare, it does happen occasionally. If your car gets damaged, just be sure to clearly mark the new damage on the carrier’s inspection report (also called the Bill of Lading) before signing it and get a copy of that report before the driver leaves. It’s also a great idea to take some good pictures of the damage as well. If you have any concerns, just give us a call. Even after hours, there’s a live person ready to answer any questions you may have.

What is MCS LiveTrack?

MCS LiveTrack is a premium add-on option when shipping your vehicle with Mr. Car Shipper. It will allow you to track your vehicle in real time independently from a driver’s phone app or transport truck’s transponder. With MCS LiveTrack, you will have peace of mind and know exactly where your car is and where it has traveled during shipment. Unlike similar services offered by other brokers, the data isn’t generated by or associated with the driver or carrier who has been contracted to transport your vehicle.

Why should I choose LiveTrack over other tracking options like Bluetooth devices?

Other consumer tracking options rely on Bluetooth connectivity alone, meaning they can only update their locations when they are within Bluetooth range of certain cellular devices or other Bluetooth trackers. This means that you can’t rely on consistent connectivity as the device moves throughout the highway system. Additionally, our tracking page will show you the path your shipment has taken, which is not a feature that consumer tracking devices typically include.

How is vehicle tracking accomplished with MCS LiveTrack?

Upon purchasing the add-on service MCS LiveTrack, we will mail you a tracking device that is approximately the size of a deck of cards. It utilizes multiple methods to collect location data including GPS and cellular connectivity meaning that it connects with cloud servers in almost any situation or location. We believe it is the most reliable method of location data collection for auto transportation.

How does the tracking device collect data about its location?

Our tracking devices use cellular connectivity, GPS, Wifi Positioning and Bluetooth to transmit location data to the cloud making it effective and reliable across the globe.

How much does MCS LiveTrack cost?

The price to add on MCS LiveTrack to your Mr. Car Shipper shipment is $125. If the device is returned to the manufacturer using the provided envelope with a prepaid shipping label, you can receive a $10 rebate, bringing the cost to $115.

What if I have other questions?

​Our sales team will be happy to assist. Give us a call at 877-421-1284 or shoot an email to sales@mrcarshipper.com.