Snowbirds Car Shipping

Parts of the northern United States like New England or the upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, etc) have some pretty harsh and unforgiving winter weather. That’s why a lot of people prefer to spend the colder months in warm regions like Florida, Texas or the Gulf Coast. When they want to relocate south for the winter, they need a way to get their vehicles there that doesn’t involve driving. Let’s explore what goes into snowbird vehicle relocation and how SGT Auto Transport can be a great resource for snowbirds. 

Trying to get from a place like Massachusetts to Texas or Florida can mean as much as 16 hours on the highway. That’s a lot of mileage and wear on a vehicle, and of course it’s exhausting for anyone to make that kind of drive, usually with an overnight stay along the way. Snowbird auto transport takes that particular task off of people’s plates. There’s enough to stay on top of with relocation, so it just makes sense to leave snowbird transport for cars up to professionals. 

It’s a good idea to do some comparison shopping when you’re thinking about any big outlay of cash, including doing your research for snowbird transport for cars. 

When you’re looking around for the right broker for your snowbird auto transport, have a look for reviews from Trustpilot, BBB, Google, Yelp, Consumer Affairs and logistics websites as well as customer testimonials on their own site. Compare prices and rates for shipping, get a good look at their driver network and availability, and consider what each company really has to offer for snowbird vehicle relocation.

One of the biggest reasons for anyone to choose snowbird auto transport  is the convenience factor involved. No driving for hours, no getting the car ready for a 16-hour road trip, no paying for gas along the way…you just set up your logistics job using the Quote Calculator feature on SGT Auto Transport’s website, book your delivery and wait for the transport truck to arrive on its predetermined day and time. Leave the rest of it to us, and leave the driving to the transport driver!

Having your vehicle delivered via snowbird car relocation means a hassle-free and low-friction experience. There’s less wear and tear on your vehicle, less stress and the peace of mind of knowing that your car (one of your biggest assets) is in capable hands until it makes it to its destination. 

At SGT Auto Transport, we’re all car enthusiasts ourselves. We understand the connection between people and vehicles, and how for many of us our cars have an emotional investment attached that’s far above its monetary value. We treat every vehicle like it belonged to one of us, with respect and careful handling, and we make sure that every contract driver we work with has that same mindset and commitment to excellence and customer care. 

Whether it’s a snowbird car relocation situation or any other, it’s advisable to give at least two weeks’ lead time for your car shipping job. It gives us more time to arrange a driver and a route, and takes the pressure off everyone all the way around. While last-minute shipping is available, bear in mind that it comes at a premium cost. Also, please remember that the number of bookings sees a definite uptick during certain times of the year; if possible, try to schedule your shipping during another period (a representative will be happy to discuss this with you).

Calendar periods like 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas traditionally mean a lot more vehicles on the road, and an upward trend in the number of car shipping jobs that transport companies handle. Availability of transport drivers can become scarcer during these periods, and rates do go up. If possible, try to set things up for a different timeframe. 

There’s not a lot that you’ll need to do differently to get your vehicle ready for shipment if you’ve arranged a last-minute booking. You should know, though, that express shipping can mean an extra outlay of money and enhanced shipping charges. You may be asked to settle the balance on delivery; you can pay the driver directly with cash, money order or cashier’s check. 

Probably the biggest reason why retirees use snowbird car transit is the ease of the process. There are so many other loose ends to tie down when you need to relocate, even if it’s just for a season, and getting a vehicle to your new home for the winter is just one less thing to worry about (and the same goes for getting back up north in the spring). That’s along with the fact that a long drive is stressful and exhausting for even younger drivers, and car transit means less miles piled up on the odometer, less wear and tear, less time on the road, and less fuel burned up. 

The Interstate highway system in the US was designed for ease of travel between major cities; before the Interstates were built, that kind of travel relied on a patchwork of US and state highways with a few outdated turnpikes. With limited access via onramps and offramps, Interstates bypass small towns, stoplights and traffic; these shipping routes take advantage of the efficiency of Interstates to connect one major city to another destination city. 

Shipping times can vary a lot depending on traffic, construction, delays, road conditions and weather, so it’s important to keep those variables in mind. As a general rule, though, snowbird car shipping companies figure on two days maximum for a 200-mile run. A coast-to-coast (or nearly) run of 2,000 miles is generally done in an eight-to-nine day turnaround. There will then be a whole range of shorter distances that will take less time.

You have the options of open car shipping on a double-decker trailer, enclosed car shipping in a sealed trailer or white-glove shipping for enhanced safety and monitoring.

It’s permissible to include 100 pounds maximum of personal items, secured in the vehicle’s trunk or cargo area.

When you coordinate with the driver for pickup, you’ll be asked to do an inspection of the vehicle, as will the driver (photos are encouraged to document your car’s condition). At the time of delivery, the driver will ask you to perform a walkaround inspection again, to ensure that its condition matches what’s on the report on his Bill of Lading. 

It’s not a must, but we’d prefer it if you can be there personally. If not, you can delegate this to a relative, spouse, friend or neighbor, as long as that person is at least 18 years old and we are informed about your decision in advance.