Open vs. Closed Shipping

Depending on the vehicle that you are trying to ship, the price and shipping method will vary. For most vehicles, it is recommended that you use the less expensive open carrier option. For other, more expensive and valuable vehicles, you should absolutely use a closed carrier. Although Direct Connect Auto Transport is always diligent with ensuring that your vehicle gets delivered safely with open transport, there are rare times when damage is unavoidable.

When to Use Open Transport

You should use open auto transportation if your vehicle is worth less than $70,000. Almost 75% of people that use auto transport will go with open transport. It is like on a flight, where the majority of the people on board will take the economy seats. There is always a risk that your vehicle can become damaged while being moved via open transport. Whether it is weather-related event or fuel from the top row of cars leaking to the bottom row of cars – damage is known to happen in rare cases. There is also a chance of debris from high winds to hit your car. Since weather prediction is not always accurate, sometimes the auto transporter can run into bad weather despite taking all possible precautions.

When to Use Closed Transport

You should consider closed auto transport when your vehicle is worth over $70,000. If you have a classic car or an expensive sports car, closed auto transportation is something that you should strongly consider. Any vehicle that has a lot of value to it should use this option. With classic cars, if it gets damaged it may be difficult to find the right parts. It will also be very expensive for any repairs, such as a coat of paint that was used on a classic car.

Advantages and Disadvantages to Open and Closed Auto Transport

There are both advantages and disadvantages to move cars with either open or closed transport options. Open transport is great for every day vehicles, is less expensive since there are more open carriers, and it is a popular choice for car dealers. The disadvantage is that there are more stops, which will take more time. Your vehicle will also be exposed to weather and road elements, and contingent cargo insurance will not cover any road hazard damage. The advantages to enclosed auto transport include not having to worry about damage from debris or weather related events. It is also faster auto transport as there are fewer stops and fewer cars in the carrier. The disadvantage to closed auto transport is it’s at least 50% more expensive, it is not an economical choice for lower value vehicles and there is not as much space on the closed carrier as there are on the open carriers.
So there are both advantages and disadvantages to both open and closed carriers. Choice either open or closed carriers based on your vehicle type. With whatever carrier type that you choose, Direct Connect Auto Transport always does their absolute best to get your vehicle safely to its destination. With years of experience and a great track record, you can count on them to get you to where you need to be within the correct time frame. Contact Direct Connect Auto Transport for an auto transport quote to get your vehicle from point A to point B safely and efficiently.