Ship a Car Direct Review 2024
Ship a Car Direct Consumer Affairs Reviews
Ship a Car Direct Google Reviews
Ship a Car Direct Auto Transport Reviews
PROS
- Affordable pricing.
- No upfront deposit required.
- Thorough carrier vetting for credentials and safe transport.
- Door-to-door shipping.
- $500 built-in insurance.
- Additional insurance packaged with the service.
- Positive customer reviews.
CONS
- No guaranteed estimates.
- Doesn't guarantee delivery dates, which can be a few days early or late.
- Website isn't user-friendly and is described as clunky.
- No terminal-to-terminal shipping.
- Quote calculator provides estimated ranges, and quoted rates are not guaranteed.
- No guaranteed prices or online quotes.
- No shipping for motorcycles or ATVs.
Company Background and Experience
Ship-a-Car Direct, formerly Safe-Direct Car Shipping, has been in business for 15 years. In the industry of car shipping, that is a long time. They’re one of the better rated companies we have seen. Let’s take a closer look at SAC Direct.
Who is Ship a Car direct?
- Registered Name with the US Department of Transportation: Ship A Car Direct Inc.
- Company Address: 11830 N. 75th Street #492, Hygiene, CO 80533
- Business telephone: (818) 284-6643. Customer line (866) 854-1023.
- FMCSA Registation can be seen here. US DOT# 2241272. MC# 632461.
- Surety Bonding Agent: United States Fire Insurance Co. for $75,000.
Ship a Car Direct Average Car Shipping Pricing
When it comes to car shipping costs in 2024, Ship a Car Direct offers pricing that can be estimated based on various factors. On average, you can expect to pay around $981 for their services. However, it’s important to note that prices can vary significantly depending on specific details, such as the type of transport, vehicle condition, and the distance of the shipment.
For example, if you’re looking to transport a mid-size car over a distance of 300 miles using an open carrier, the cost typically averages around $920. On the other hand, if you’re planning to move a truck across the country in an enclosed carrier, you should budget approximately $1,800.
It’s worth mentioning that Ship a Car Direct doesn’t provide guaranteed prices, but they are transparent about their pricing structure. They can assist you in estimating the final cost, taking into account your specific transportation needs. This level of transparency is helpful for customers in understanding and budgeting for their car shipping requirements.
Types of Car Shipping Services Offered by Ship a Car Direct
Ship a Car Direct provides a variety of car shipping services to meet different transportation needs:
Cross Country Auto Shipping
Ship a Car Direct can facilitate cross-country auto shipping, particularly popular for those relocating from California to New York and vice versa.
Snowbird Auto Transport
Designed for seasonal travelers, this service caters to individuals who migrate to and from Florida during the winter months, ensuring the safe transport of their vehicles.
Open Car Transport
This cost-effective option leaves vehicles exposed to environmental elements during transport, but minor cleaning can usually address any resulting issues.
Door to Door Auto Transport
The company offers door-to-door auto transport for added convenience. Your vehicle is picked up and delivered directly to your location, as long as there is adequate space for loading and unloading.
Enclosed Car Transport
Offering added security and protection, enclosed car transport is favored by luxury car owners. It shields vehicles from external elements.
Classic Car Transport
For classic car enthusiasts, Ship a Car Direct provides special care to ensure these valuable vehicles are protected from scratches, damage, and exposure to environmental factors during transport.
Ship-a-Car Direct Auto Transport Reviews
- Ship-a-Car Direct’s 4.6 on Google is on par with the better companies we have reviewed. They only had 890 we could find (and only using their old name).
- They have an A+ rating the on Better Business Bureau and are accredited.
- On TransportReviews.com, an industry website that validates shippers’ email addresses for accuracy, Ship-a-Car Direct ranks #2 for 2022!
- On Central Dispatch, where carriers and brokers rate each other, Ship-a-Car Direct has a 99.7% rating on 1045 responses. This indicates good business dealings with partners, not just customers.
Interacting with Ship-a-Car Direct as a Customer
How easy is it to go to their site, get a quote, book an order, and interact with Ship-a-Car Direct? We’ve done a mystery shop to find out.
Website and Emails
Ship-a-Car Direct’s website offers an organized, user friendly experience, featuring a quote request form on their home page, similar to the other companies we’ve reviewed. Once the request is placed, a quote email is sent out within minutes. While the company’s home page is filled with exciting buzzwords and claims of being the best in the industry, most of their statements are simply true of most car shipping companies. It’s hard to determine what makes them number one in the industry without seeing the metrics used to gauge this, such as number of reviews, overall review rating, number or cars shipped, etc. We’ll just assume that they believe themselves to be #1.
Ship-a-Car Direct also claims to have the industry’s most trusted and heavily vetted list of car carriers, of which only the best are used. This statement is sure to sound appealing to potential customers, especially first time car shippers, but in reality, all brokers who work through the industry’s main load board have access to the internal rating system of carriers, not available to consumers. The best brokers opt to only work with the top carriers based upon this rating system. It is also common for the top brokers to have their own list of carriers that they will not work with, as their performance with past customers did not live up to the desired standards of service.
Be weary of car shipping companies offering guarantees. Auto transportation can present many complex situations that make it impossible to promise things like delivery dates, door to door service, damage-free deliveries, etc. Transparency from your chosen car shipping company is key in ensuring that you go into the experience with realistic expectations.
Calls and Texts
Once you submit a quote with Ship A Car Direct, their system automatically calls you to ensure quick service. If you do not answer, they try again the next day. When calling back, the attendant was very confident and knowledgeable. Basic information was passed along and when asked, the attendant went into how they can guarantee their rates. Remember to always be cautious about “guaranteed” rates.
There was some soft pressure to make a decision about working with Ship A Car Direct right then, but not too much. Before the call ended the attendant made sure that all questions were answered.
Ship-a-Car Direct Important Standouts
Ship-a-Car Direct offers the expected options like door-to-door transport, enclosed or open trailers, and a broad carrier network. Let’s review some things that are uniquely Ship-a-Car Direct:
- Dry-Run Fee: $100. This is if a carrier is dispatched for your vehicle, and your vehicle is not available to be picked up when they arrive. This fee is to compensate the carrier (or themselves, it is unclear) for the time and effort. While this seems like a nice idea to make sure everything is fair, they alone have this enshrined into their terms and conditions.
- Damage-free Guarantee: Ship-a-Car Direct, alone, offers a warranty on damage that protects against carrier negligence. In the T&C, it states that if damage is “clearly caused by the carrier” but not paid by the carrier or their insurance that Ship-a-Car Direct will reimburse up to $500 of repairs. It is unclear how they decide on what is clearly the carriers fault vs. what is bad luck like road debris, etc., but it is a coverage unlike anything we have seen with a broker.
How Ship a Car Direct Compares to Its Competitors
10+ Years Experience
Flexible Shipping Options
A+ on BBB
More Info
Final Thoughts about Ship a Car Direct
Ship-a-Car Direct seems to be a good, competent car shipping broker. Their reviews are solid, and they don’t have any outlandish policies we could find. Like some of their competition, they don’t require up-front payments and are careful about choosing carriers. Using Ship-a-Car Direct would likely be a good experience.
In addition to our detailed review of Ship a Car Direct, explore our reviews on other prominent car shipping companies in the United States, such as AmeriFreight Car Shipping, Sherpa Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, and Montway. These reviews aim to provide you with a well-rounded perspective, helping you make informed decisions when choosing the right service for your car shipping needs.
