Shipping your car using one of these professional auto carriers (what some people still call a bisarca) is probably the simplest way to move a vehicle without driving it yourself and adding all those extra miles. Whether you’re only going a couple hundred kilometers or heading across a few countries in Europe, these huge multi-level trailers pulled by big rigs do the job without much fuss. They pack in usually 8 to 12 cars, which is why the price ends up being reasonable instead of crazy expensive like a private tow or something.
It’s the option a lot of us pick for moving house, grabbing a car you bought online from the other side of the country, selling one far away, shifting company fleets, handling imports and exports, doing that winter escape south, or just getting a car that won’t even start over to a mechanic or body shop.
The two options
- Open Transport
This is what most regular people choose since it keeps costs lower and it’s easy to find a spot. Your car gets loaded onto an open multi-level trailer and tied down really well with thick straps and those wheel chocks to keep it from shifting. Works fine for your average sedans, SUVs, vans, or even small work trucks. It’s out in the elements, so yeah, it might pick up some road grime or get rained on, but on the main highways it’s done thousands of times a day and things rarely go wrong. - Enclosed Transport
Now if the car’s something you actually care about, like a nice luxury car, that classic you’re slowly fixing up, an exotic or vintage piece or a supercar, this is usually the better call. The whole thing goes inside a closed trailer, soft-sided or the solid hard kind, so nothing like rain, flying stones, road salt, or random debris can touch it. It costs more, often 40 to 70 % extra, and you might have to wait a bit longer for a slot on slower routes, but for anything valuable it’s hard to beat the protection.
You can go door-to-door where they try to come right to your driveway or wherever for pickup and delivery, which is nice and easy, or terminal-to-terminal if you’re okay driving it from their yard to save a few bucks.
How it plays out
You start by getting a quote, just give us the basics: make and model, year, does it run and drive okay, ballpark size and weight, where it’s coming from and going to, plus roughly when.
Book when you’re ready; if you can give us a couple to four weeks heads-up, you often get better pricing and more carriers to pick from.
Get the car ready for transport: wash it properly so we can spot any issues, take plenty of photos with dates visible from all sides including underneath, leave no more than about a quarter tank of fuel, and clear out everything personal (stuff in the trunk, glovebox, center console, toll tags, loose mats, you name it).
Pickup day the driver goes over the car with you, marks down any existing marks or dings on the Bill of Loading (that’s the important paper), then secures it properly.
During the trip they stick to good routes, and quite a few let you track where it is. Quick local moves might only take one to three days, but cross-country or anything with borders involved can easily run for longer once you factor in weather hold-ups, customs, or just how busy things are.
When it shows up they let you know ahead of time. You check it thoroughly against your pictures and the paperwork, point out anything that looks new before signing anything.
Advantages of the auto transport service
Driving the car yourself means putting extra kilometers on the clock, maybe some new scratches from parking lots along the way, and arriving wiped out. With a carrier you skip all of the hassle.
The pros who do this day in and day out handle the loading and unloading way more carefully than most of us would after a long trip, so the chance of something getting banged up is very limited.
Insurance and the safety side
Our carrier associates carry cargo insurance that covers stuff like accidents or mishandling during the transport. Coverage amounts differ though, so ask to see the details right away. Anything you forget inside the car isn’t usually protected, so empty it out, because while we trust our carrier associates they take breaks at service stations where prying eyes might lie. Our carriers are experienced drivers, have equipment that’s checked often, and they know exactly how to tie things down right.
Prep reminders that actually help
- Clean it well inside and out.
- Snap timestamped photos everywhere.
- Keep fuel way down, quarter tank max.
- Remove all your stuff.
- Switch off the car alarm, fold in the mirrors, and lower the antenna if it’s sticking out.
- Check that the tires are inflated to the right pressure.
- Let the carrier know upfront whether the car runs and can be driven or if it’s non-drivable.
A couple special transport situations
International? Expect more forms, customs delays, maybe some taxes or VAT.
For luxury or classics, enclosed often gets priority for a top-deck spot away from spray.
Fleets moving a bunch? We can work out deals and regular schedules.
Freight Car Europe: picking a shipping company you won’t regret
No sneaky extra fees buried in the fine print, tracking updates at any moment, and actual people answering when you call with questions about the auto transport. Bottom line, whether it’s your rusty old daily driver that’s seen better days, the half-built project car that’s been sitting under a tarp in the garage forever, or that pristine classic you treat like it’s made of glass, handing it over to our carriers gets it to the other end in good shape, in the agreed time window, and without you having to white-knuckle the highway for days. It’s simple, it works every time, and honestly, it takes such a huge weight off your mind.