5 Things to Know About Shipping a Car From Florida to Washington State
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
From Florida to Washington State is a rough distance of almost 3,000 miles. That’s a long way to be driving your car if you’re relocating or heading back home after winter in the Keys. if you’ve got a friend to share the driving and are prepared to drive non-stop, Google says it’ll take 43 hours. That’s one heck of a road trip and it’s not going to be that enjoyable if you’re sitting in a car for more than two days.
Luckily, there’s a much better way to do things if you want to move a car from Florida to Washington State. In this post you’ll learn the five most important things to know about shipping a car from Florida to Washington State, for example:
- The benefits of shipping your car from Florida to Washington State
- How much it costs
- How long it takes
- The car shipping process
- What you can do to get your car ready
The Benefits of Shipping Your Car From Florida to Washington State
At this time of the year, there are thousands of snowbirds thinking about shipping their cars back up north after spending the winter somewhere warm. Of those thousands, many choose to book auto transport services because there are so many benefits compared to driving the journey yourself.
But it’s not just snowbirds that can benefit from such a service. You might be relocating to Washington State because of your job. Perhaps you bought your dream car online from a dealer in Florida and need to get it home. Whatever the reason for shipping a car, there are several benefits you can enjoy if you book with an auto transport management company like SGT Auto Transport.
It’s safer
Shipping your car is far less dangerous than driving. The weather can sometimes make driving challenging, but that’s not all. Certain routes can become jam-packed with traffic as many other snowbirds head in the same direction.
When you’re sitting waiting in traffic, it can be very frustrating and tedious. And when there are vehicles lined up bumper-to-bumper, the risk of accidents increases.
It’s more convenient
Moving your car with the help of an auto shipping company is much more convenient. If you chose to drive you’d feel tired, stressed, and not very relaxed when you arrive at your final destination. How much better would you feel if you made the journey in the comfort and relaxing environment of a plane or train while your car is being transported by someone else.
It costs less and is quicker
If you’re considering driving thousands of miles in your car, there are lots of additional costs you’ll need to cover. First there is the cost of gas. In addition, there are other expenses such as accommodation, meals, and possibly even car breakdowns.
You’re also likely to spend days, even weeks, on the road, which is time that could be much better spent.
Flexibility
Choose to ship your car from Florida to Washington and the auto transport carrier will get your vehicle where it needs to go. That leaves you free to travel however you wish. Why not fly to your destination? You could take a train or a bus, or rent a larger vehicle that could handle all your luggage.
Less Stressful
When you travel from Florida to Washington State by train, bus, or plane, the journey will be much less stressful than driving your car. You’ll be able to sit back, relax, chat with friends and family, read a book, watch a movie, or just watch the world go by.
No unnecessary wear and tear on your car
Driving a long distance puts unnecessary miles on your odometer and increases the wear and tear on your car. Put your car in the safe and secure hands of an auto transport company and you won’t have to worry about repair bills, new tires, or maintenance sooner than you’d planned. You’re not reducing the value of your car either.
How much does shipping a car from Florida to Washington State cost?
The cost of car shipping from Florida to Washington State depends on several things. For example, the vehicle’s size and weight, the actual shipping distance, the route taken during transportation, and the current cost of fuel
The type of shipping service you choose also makes a difference. Specialist shipping services such as enclosed auto transport, guaranteed pick-up, or express car shipping cost more than the standard open car transport. Something else that can affect the price is demand. If more vehicles are shipped on a particular route, the price goes up.
How long does car shipping from Florida take?
An experienced car shipping company can cover several hundred miles in one day. The time it takes for them to deliver your car varies, depending on the distance they have to travel. For distances of more than 2,000 miles it can take between 7 and 9 days. It can also take longer if the pick-up or delivery locations are remote, rather than a city.
Other factors that might affect the time frame include:
- Number of stops
- Traffic flow
- Weather conditions
- Detours
- Road constructions
- Heavy traffic
The US Department of Transportation also mandates that truck drivers can only be legally on the road for 70 hours each week. This is one more thing that affects the time it takes for long-distance car shipping.
The Florida car shipping process - How does it work?
If you’re wondering how to ship a car, the Florida car shipping process is a straightforward one. All it takes are three easy steps.
Get a quote and book your service
You can get a free instant quote using an online calculator. You input a few basic details, and with a few clicks, you’ll find out how much it costs to ship a car from Florida to Washington State or vice versa. The following details are required:
- Pick-up city and state
- Delivery city and state
- Vehicle year, make, and model
- Condition of the vehicle
- Transport type
- First available pick-up date
If you’re happy with the price, you should be able to book your order by speaking with a representative of the car transport company, either by telephone or Live Chat.
Your car is picked up
A few hours before the arranged pick-up time, your assigned carrier will contact you to confirm the pick-up information. They’ll also want to verify that the location is accessible for large commercial vehicles. If this isn’t the case, you can arrange an alternative location. This might be a wider road nearby, a parking lot, or where you work. The carrier will also want to confirm that you’ll be available to release your vehicle. You can nominate a third party to act on your behalf if you can’t be there, so don’t worry.
Before the carrier can load your vehicle onto the trailer, you both have to inspect it for any existing damage. Any dings, dents, or scratches are recorded on the Bill of Lading.
With the paperwork complete, the driver can load your car onto the trailer. For peace of mind, it’s usual to receive regular updates by email, Live Chat, or telephone. You can also check on the progress of your vehicle by checking in regularly with the driver.
Your car is delivered
Just before the carrier reaches their final destination, they will give you a call. This is to let you know they are not very far away and check that you’re available to receive your car. Don’t worry if you’re not, because you can nominate a third-party to act on your behalf.
When the carrier delivers your car, you have the opportunity to inspect it closely, just to make sure everything is in order. If you’re happy, you sign the Bill of Lading to accept delivery of your car.
Getting your car ready for shipping from Florida to Washington State
As soon as you’ve made your car shipping Florida arrangements, all that’s left to do is prep your car ready for shipping. Here is a list of things you can do to help make the process run smoothly.
- Clean the inside and outside of your car: This saves you time at the other end and gives you an opportunity to check for dents, dings, and scratches.
- Photograph and make a record of any damage: You’ll be able to use this to compare the condition of your vehicle when it’s delivered.
- A few quick checks: To make sure your car is ready to be driven away upon delivery check the fluids are topped up, and the tires are correctly inflated. The standard car battery must be fully charged. For EVs, the cells or battery packs must be at a 45% - 65% state of charge for safety reasons..
- Removable parts need to be removed or secured: Remove items such as your GPS, car charger, after-market DVD player and stereo.
- Deactivate the alarm, parking passes, and toll tags: Passes and tags aren’t needed when your car is being transported and you don’t want your car alarm to be activated unnecessarily.
- Run down the gas tank: you only need to have a maximum of one quarter tank of fuel in your car when it’s being transported.
If you’re interested in learning more about the car shipping between Florida and Washington State, our shipping advisors will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.
On the other hand, if you’re ready to make arrangements to ship a car from Florida to Washington State or from Washington State to Florida, get the ball rolling with our online instant quote calculator.
If you prefer to speak directly with our shipping advisors, call (864) 546-5038 or use our Live Chat option.
