Tips to safely transport your collector car

You have found the classic car of your dreams, and the seller agreed to your offer. That is the good news. The challenge of the purchase is that the seller lives a few provinces away from you. Maybe you have considered flying to the seller’s location to pick up your collector car and drive it home or talking a friend into riding with you and driving home separately. However, you may want to think twice before driving a classic car any more kilometers than necessary.

Why hiring a car hauling company may be your best bet

Most people who purchase and fix up collector cars do not drive them many miles at one time. They may take them to collector car shows during summer weekends or for a spin around town occasionally, but driving a collector car hundreds of kilometers on a freeway could be asking for trouble.

Cars age faster and need repairs quicker the more kilometers they have on them, regardless of vehicle age. Having a high odometer reading can also impact the resale value of your collector car if you decide to fix it and sell it in the future.

You also need to consider how much wear and tear you would be exposing your collector car to if you decide to drive it the length of two provinces or more. From bugs plastered on the windshield to small stones causing big cracks, you can never quite predict the driving conditions you might encounter.

One last thing to consider is that you could attract unwanted attention by driving your collector car across Canada. People may try to steal or damage the vehicle, especially if you plan to stay in hotels or motels overnight.

Do your homework before hiring a company to transport your collector car

Thousands of companies across Canada claim to transport cars carefully and for less money than their competitors. Unfortunately, you cannot just take them at their word. Be sure to do your research by checking online reviews and asking for two or three references whom you can contact yourself. Besides having a stellar reputation with customers, the car hauling company should hold a valid business license, carry business insurance, and have significant experience loading and unloading collector cars.

What to expect from your price quote

Each car hauling company that provides you with a quote needs to consider several unique factors before stating their price. These include:

• Distance: The number of kilometers the car hauling company needs to travel to deliver your collector car and whether they need to cross provincial lines factor into your total cost.
• Season: More people look to transport cars in the summer than any other time of year. You may be able to get a discount by booking at an off-peak time. Just keep in mind that it may take longer to transport your vehicle during inclement weather.
• Special features: Some companies offer more than others when it comes to special features like the ability to track your vehicle’s location in real time. We recommend reading car forums and doing online research to get a better idea of typical features car hauling companies may offer.
• Vehicle size: The size and weight of your vehicle determine the effort required to load and unload it onto a car transporter, so expect to pay more for larger and heavier collector cars.

While you are busy collecting estimates, make sure that the car hauling company intends to transport your classic car in an enclosed truck. The risk of damage while transporting your collector car is simply too great.

Be sure to arrange collector car insurance

When you are excited about buying a collector car and focused on getting it home safely for the least money possible, it can be easy to overlook the need to insure your new vehicle. Orbit Insurance Services has years of experience providing collector car insurance coverage for these unique cars in Ontario and beyond. Request a quote from an Orbit insurance broker, discover service that revolves around you.