United offers closed car transport with a personal touch throughout the country and specializes in the transport of racing cars with extremely low ground clearance (e.g. 0.25 inches). The company specializes in the delivery of various types of vehicles such as classic or exotic cars, boats, motorcycles, vans and pickups.
Each company has thousands of positive reviews from Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot, all of which provide top-notch indoor and outdoor vehicle delivery services. We’ve looked at some of the more reputable trucking companies that deliver closed or open vehicles and ranked them based on overall value, quality and customer service. Let’s take a look at some of the best road transport companies that can offer both open and closed transport depending on the needs of the customers (companies don’t ship without a specific order). Both closed and open couriers are commonly used by leading transport companies and we have checked the best road transport brokers in the country based on cost, service and customer experience.
By sending your car directly by courier, you can find out what equipment they are using, how many years on average they have been in the fleet, what kind of insurance coverage and how they charge cars. We always aim to ship your vehicle with our trucks, but if we can get your vehicle faster with the help of one of our trusted courier partners, we will. Whether you’re traveling in a collectible or classic car, you won’t find a safer way of transportation than our closed vehicles service.
Closed road transport or covered road transport means that the vehicle will be sealed in the trailer all the way. This protects your vehicle in the unlikely event that it could be damaged in transit.
Because of this added protection, most of our customers choose closed trailers for transporting vintage, luxury, exotic, classic cars or for transporting show cars. Just like a closed car trailer, multi-car trailers are designed for expensive vehicles and the fact that they are closed on all sides prevents them from being exposed to the elements during transport. In addition, open-top trailers generally require less fuel than closed-body trailers, so the fuel costs for delivering closed vehicles further increase the cost of delivering a vehicle.
That being said, for special vehicles such as exotic cars, classic cars and classic cars, we recommend that you choose a closed road vehicle. Those with high-end luxury cars, exotic cars, vintage hot rods, and classic cars tend to prefer closed-door couriers over alternative shipping methods.
Closed road carriers tend to cost twice as much as open ones, so this shipping method is less popular with consumers unless they own luxury vehicles that need more safety. Although closed couriers offer relatively higher rates than open couriers, closed road transport is worth choosing for delivery if the goal is to avoid negative effects caused by bad weather.
A single car trailer is one of the safest and most reliable ways to transport a car. Enclosed car transport trailers are completely enclosed trucks that will protect your vehicle from the road and weather during transportation. If you choose to opt for closed delivery, your vehicle will be shipped in a fully covered trailer.
In open transportation, your car is usually transported in a long double-decker trailer. Open transportation is suitable for any type of vehicle and is your best choice for transporting standard or second-hand cars. For car owners who wish to transport new cars, antiques, collectibles or expensive vehicles, enclosed transportation is usually the preferred method of transportation. Unless you are shipping refurbished vintage cars or rare and expensive cars, open-air transportation is usually the best option.
You will receive your car in the shortest possible time and at the lowest cost. If you want to choose between closed or open automatic delivery, balance the cost of your vehicles with the higher price of closed transport. As mentioned above, you will pay about 50% more for closed shipping than for open shipping. Shipping method (open or closed) greatly affects the final price when it comes to shipping your vehicle.
Any modifications or additions to the vehicle, such as lifting kits, large tires / rims, vehicles falling to the ground or similar items, must be notified in advance so that American Auto Shipping can properly designate a courier.
The customer also agrees to notify American Auto Shipping if the vehicle is not in use prior to dispatching the courier. The customer agrees to provide American Auto Shipping with an appropriate time frame to ensure that the transportation will be performed by the motor carrier.
Guaranteed pickup dates from United save you the hassle and additional cost United’s guaranteed delivery dates make a big difference if you have a busy schedule and the included courier check is the best option.
The main advantage of using covered road transport over other options (for example, open courier transport) is that it provides the highest level of security and additional protection. One of the most beneficial aspects of transporting a vehicle using enclosed trailers is that it protects the vehicle from dust and debris often associated with road traffic.
But your vehicle will be exposed to weather conditions during transportation. Your vehicle also receives minimal protection from road debris during transport. All vehicles are covered during road transport, but if you have a very expensive vehicle to ship and use the included delivery services, the coverage amounts may be higher than if you were using open transport.
If your vehicle is damaged during transit and the carrier’s insurance does not cover it, we will help you pay for your personal insurance deductible. In the event of damage, American Auto Shipping will provide you with comprehensive insurance for the courier to file a claim.
You agree that this warranty does not hold American Auto Shipping liable for damage incurred before, during, or after transportation as set out in section 12 above. All participating carriers will have insurance to cover damage caused by the driver or theft during transport. The carrier, not American Auto Shipping, is responsible for any damage to the vehicle in transit.
If your vehicle is of sentimental, financial or historical value, we recommend that you go with a closed courier to deliver the vehicle. And since there are so many more open carriers than closed ones, consumers can ship their vehicles faster. The open car delivery method is also faster, as open car trailers are more common than closed pet carriers and require fewer stops along the way.
While open road carriers are the backbone of the road transport industry today, closed carriers are certainly top tier carriers. Closed carriers, if you haven’t guessed yet, completely wrap the vehicles they send in a protective shipping container that protects them from the effects of rain, sleet, snow, ice and hail, as well as road debris such as stones that are delivered to kicks by other motorists on the road and the like. Some companies offer the option of transporting in white gloves with shipping included.
