Auto Shipping

Car Safety Features Change the Auto Industry

Car Safety features that are put in the new cars are saving lives, but it comes with a price! Unfortunately, these new safety features are often doubling the price of repair bills. These advanced safety features, many known as ADAS, are available in reduced cost packages and are rated high in safety ratings. They can reduce the risk of accidents, and are highly effective at keeping passengers in the vehicle safe. Our automobile transport experts at Direct Connect Auto Transport value the safety features in new vehicles as they can prevent many expensive on-road incidents.

Certain car features like blind-spot detection can cost as much as $3,000 in repair bills. These advanced safety features are more common today like lane departure warning, collision warning, and automatic braking just to name a few. If a person is in a minor fender bender or the mirror is destroyed, according to AAA, destroying a sensor from ADAS technology can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,300. This is not a very affordable option for car owners and can put many people into a financial burden.

Drivers can experience car safety in a new car – but at a steep price. Many new car buyers are passing up on these features only because they are expensive. As more people start to purchase these new features, we should see the price go down. Drivers should still feel as safe as they can in their own car. Some of the new car features are not as necessary like voice controls or backup cameras. Some of the backup cameras provide a cloudy view anyway, and drivers are advised to turn their heads before relying on the backup camera. If you purchase a new car with the top safety features, reliable enclosed auto transport is a small price to pay for the additional vehicle safety from Direct Connect.

As technology changes, we will begin to see more people adopting these features into cars which will make the prices drop. However, features like automatic braking and collision warnings top the list of safety features that should be in every car. Although they are not yet legally required to be in cars, we may see changes within the next few years regarding safety features. With reliable auto transport services from Direct Connect Auto, you can have your new car shipped to your location and have reliable new safety features for safer driving.

Auto Transport Broker Salary Guide

The Auto transport industry is a growing industry right now, with an improving U.S. economy and plenty of work to transport cars from one state to another. Becoming an auto transport broker is a field with a growing demand. Broker jobs have increased by 14% since 2014, and the industry offers great opportunities and benefits as the field continues to modernize.

Get Ready to Have a Steady Income

With many brokerage jobs available, the average brokerage jobs offer decent pay. The pay will depend on if you want to work full-time or part-time, for auto transport companies or for yourself. For full-time brokers, the median salary ranges from $40,000 to $100,000 a year. You can decide how much work you want to do and how much you want to earn.

Broker income varies greatly, according to the three top salary sites below:

  • Glassdoor – The minimum salary is $31,000 while the average national salary is $37,592. A high-earning salary can be about $49,000.
  • Payscale – The lowest paid brokers earn about $30,177, while the median pay is $41,571. Higher salaries are usually in larger cities at a pay of about $73,500.
  • Indeed –  Listings on indeed show an average of $54,000 to $92,000 a year. The broker agents can earn an average of $76,000 annually.

Understanding the Industry

The more you understand just how the industry works, the more money you can earn for yourself. Auto shippers often want to see an experienced broker when they move cars, to avoid potential issues down the road. It always helps to have plenty of experience in the auto shipping industry, but you can learn plenty of auto brokerage with the right books and courses. You can understand how to earn the most money from the top shippers, and earn even more commission. The experienced, reliable auto transport shippers and brokers from Direct Connect Auto Transport earn a terrific wage in this increasing economy.

Selling a Car on Ebay

When you want to sell your car, one of the quickest ways to do so is online. Ebay is one of the biggest and most reliable websites to sell your car with. Ebay makes the selling process very easy – all you really need is basic car info, cars VIN number and photos.

When listing your car online, there is a fee that varies for each type of vehicle. When you submit a listing or choose to relist the car, it still counts as one listing and one fee.

Figuring Out Pricing

Listing a car for sale can be either a fixed, buy-it-now price, the best offer or an auction style. For both, you can set the duration of the sale. With the buy-it-now price, you can have your vehicle listed up to 21 days.

There are fees for both listing and selling your car. With the best offer, you can choose to accept the offer or decline it. When someone chooses to make an offer, they may either want to pick up the car or arrange for reliable auto transport.

Arrange for Pickup and Transferring the Title

If the buyer is close, they will most likely want to pick up the car in person. Sometimes, they may want shipping options and need auto transport companies to deliver their car. Once the payment is received, you should transfer the title of the car. With each state, transferring the title of the car has different requirements. Visit your local DMV to find out the exact information on transferring the title of your car.

Ebay is a great tool to sell your car. You have the option to sell locally or nationally, there are reasonable listing fees and you can set your own price. This is also a great way for a cheap advertisement for your car. If you were to sell on craigslist or in a newspaper, you may not get nearly as many offers. Once a buyer decides to purchase your car, they can move cars with the reliable Direct Connect Auto.

 

Cheapest way to ship car from California to Florida

Shipping your car from California to Florida can be done cheaply and efficiently with Direct Connect Auto Transport. Make sure you ship your car with a reliable transportation company, and you have more money in your pocket than what you would expect!

Type of Transport

To save on shipping, it is best to choose open transport unless your vehicle is valued at over $70,000 or is a valuable car. The cost nearly doubles from open transport to enclosed transport, so you can save a lot if you choose open vehicle transporters.  

Terminal or Door to Door Shipping?

Generally, the cheapest way to ship a car is through terminal-to-terminal shipping. This method eliminates the need for a car to be delivered to your home with door-to-door shipping which can be more expensive than terminal shipping. If your home is further than the terminal, it will cost more in gas mileage. Cities usually have a few terminals and you can easily drop off your vehicle and let the transporter deliver terminal that is closest to your city in California.

The Shipping Season

Depending on the time of year you ship with auto transport companies, you can either be saving money or spending a lot of money. Typically during the winter season, people will escape going to warmer places for a few months like California. The rates during this time for auto shipping will jack up, and you will be paying top dollar. April and May are usually the peak time for a car heading to California, Arizona or Florida.

Car Condition

The condition of your car can determine the price of the shipping. If your car is older, if is more of a liability for breaking down. If your car breaks down, it will need to be serviced by a mechanic on the road, which can be expensive. To save money, get your older car checked out and cleared by a mechanic before auto shipping.

Read All Car Transporter Reviews

There are many scams with auto transporters who are willing to ship your car cross- country. First, read online reviews. There will always be a few bad ones, but if the majority are positive – then it is likely a reliable company. Also, Check that their business is certified with the BBB and licensed, bonded and insured. Without insurance from a company, you could be paying a lot of money if your vehicle gets damaged.

With reliable auto transport from Direct Connect Auto Transport, you can have your car safely shipped from California to Florida whenever you need the shipping. They have been shipped cars nationwide for over 20 years and will ship your car to the destination you choose. For quick, reliable auto transport, contact Direct Connect Auto today!

How Car Makers Respond to Consumer Demands

Consumers are demanding more and more from cars and car manufacturers are delivering. Consumers expect new cars to have the top safety features, technology like GPS and other useful features like Bluetooth radio to pass the time. Since consumers spend 100 hours driving in their cars each year, they are demanding car features that offer more convenience and help them to be more productive in their daily route.

Better Travel Features

Features like GPS are automatically connecting from a person’s phone into the car. Since many people opt to use the most popular GPS apps – Waze and Google maps – cars are allowing phones to connect to a car’s screen. The screen will mirror the screen of your smartphone, which connects drivers to where they are and gets them to where they want to go. By catering to consumer’s habits, cars are able to offer more convenience that helps them to have a more user-friendly experience. If you find a new car you would like, the open vehicle transporters from Direct Connect Auto Transport will help to bring your car to your location.

Convenience and Luxury Features

Many new vehicles are focusing on convenience and luxury features for their selling points. One of these new convenience features includes a keyless entry system. With a remote, you can unlock your car without looking endlessly for your keys. This is also a safety feature, to allow you to quickly enter your car without hassle. Heated or leather seats are also becoming more popular as well as Bluetooth connectivity.

More Reliable Safety Features

Since the introduction in 2016 of automated driving features in cars, the increase in demand is pushing for the future production of self-driving cars. Investment in this technology is growing as consumer interest is growing. Future cars will see more use of cloud-based systems. A new car from Hyundai and Cisco feature internal communication with the vehicle to help: prevent vehicle hacks, deliver real-time traffic updates and oversee the car’s condition and fix it remotely. More cars will continue to feature connectivity with cloud-based systems regarding communication with construction work, road signs, street lights, etc.
Consumer demand will play a major role this year and the upcoming years with future cars. Consumers are seeking enhanced experiences whether it is with technology or safety features. If you are looking for a new car, you can expect to see many of these sought-after features in cars. With Direct Connect, you can move cars that you purchase to the location that you need.

How to Ship a Car from United States to Germany

Shipping your vehicle from the United States to Germany should be a very simple experience with a reliable and experienced auto shipping company like Direct Connect Auto Transport. They will provide you with automobile shipping overseas and move cars with the utmost care.

How Does My Vehicle Get Transported?

A shipping carrier will pick up your vehicle on the mainland in the U.S. to the ship terminal. Your vehicle may have to wait in the terminal before it is shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, which is an additional storage fee. When your vehicle arrives at the ship terminal in Germany, you can either come to pick up your vehicle in person or have it shipped to your door – which is an additional fee.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship to Germany?

The average cost for a vehicle to be shipped to Germany is around $1,800 to $3,900 dollars. The range of prices will depend on the type of vehicle, type of shipping, weight and also where the vehicle leaves from and the destination it arrives.

What Type of Shipping Can I Expect to Germany?

The type of shipping that is offered is RoRo shipping or container shipping. Both are depending on your pricepoint and vehicle’s specific needs. There are both positives and negatives with RORO shipping and container shipping, but they both will get your vehicle safely to its destination.

What is Required to Ship My Vehicle from the U.S. to Germany?

All types of vehicles can be shipped on both RORO and containers from classic car shipping to SUV shipping. RORO shipping saves time and is virtually hassle-free. When you want an easy shipping method for overseas, this is a good option to choose. Vehicles roll on the ship, are secured on the ship away from elements and water damage. Many people choose this option since all of the labor is handled by port workers; there is no need to pay extra for outside help with loading, port delivery, etc. However, RORO shipping is not always available in as many global routes as container shipping and many small countries will not allow RORO shipping. With container shipping, you can go virtually anywhere globally. You can also bring personal belongings with container shipping, which you cannot bring with RORO shipping. The vehicle also does not have to be in running condition to be shipped and will give your vehicle more space. You have the option of an exclusive container or a shared container with another vehicle. Containers are better if the safety of your vehicle is a top priority.
When shipping your vehicle to Germany with auto transport companies, be sure to find one that is reliable and that has a great track record! With Direct Connect Auto Transport, we can get your vehicle from your location in the U.S. to your destination in Germany safely and efficiently!

Lease vs. Buying A Car

You may have gotten mixed opinions on whether to lease or own a car. Many people are leasing cars today since the expense to own a car is so high. There are advantages and disadvantages to both from an automobile transport standpoint, but with leasing, you never stop paying for the vehicle. Especially with millennials, leasing does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

People Have Slowed Down on Owning Property

Whether it’s owning a house or a car, people have taken the less expensive payments upfront no in turn not own the property. The benefit is there is a lot less liability and you do not have to worry about any repairs or expensive upfront costs. People are now leasing cars if they do not have the money to put down on a new car. They pay cheap monthly payments and get a new car every couple of years to lease (or whenever their leasing agreement is up.) Many people have been leasing luxury cars but are now leasing more mainstream and compact cars. However, at the end of the lease you do not own anything and do not have a vehicle to re-sell.

Advantages and Disadvantages

With a purchase, you own the vehicle and can keep it however long you want. With leasing, you have to return at the end of the lease. Loan payments are often more expensive than lease payments since you are paying off the entire purchase and not the vehicle’s depreciation during the time of use. If you do not like your vehicle, you can trade it in or sell it if you purchased it. For leasing, you will be stuck with a high price for breaking your contract. You can use it as many miles as you want but if you wear the vehicle that you purchased, it affects resale value. With leasing, going over mileage can cost you and any damage at the end of your lease will hold you responsible for any extra charges.

At the end of your term with leasing, you can purchase the car or get another brand new car to lease. This is a benefit of leasing, you will always have a new car. But, at the end of the term with purchasing a vehicle, you have no extra payments and you have equity built up to use on your purchase for your next vehicle.  Whether you choose leasing or buying – there are benefits to both. If you are transporting your car, an auto shipper from Direct Connect Auto can help you get your new car shipped without hassle.

 

The Benefits of Hiring an Auto Transport Company

Transporting your vehicle comes with many benefits for a customer. Besides not having to drive your car for miles, you are trusting an experienced auto transporter who deals with shipping cars from point A to point B every day.

Below are some of the Many Benefits of Having a Company Transport Your Car:

You Will Save Time

If you are responsible for your own auto transportation, you have to think about all of the time that you would need to invest from preparing the vehicle to making sure it doesn’t break down during its travel. Even before shipment, you have to have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic to make sure that it doesn’t break down on your voyage. If it does break down, you have to spend the extra money and also worry about being delayed a few days and getting behind schedule. If you are hoping your travel time will only be a couple of days, anything can go wrong to delay this from traffic jams and construction to vehicle breakdowns or weather.

Saving Money

With transporting a vehicle yourself, you need to supply your own gas and may need vehicle maintenance, especially if driving cross country. You also need to factor in the costs of hotels and meals for each day you travel. When you ship a car with a transportation company, the only price you have to pay is for the gas mileage. You do not need to stress about additional needs of traveling cross country.

Less Wear on Your Vehicle

Another bonus to shipping with an auto transporter is that you will not accumulate the mileage that you would with driving. Also, with driving yourself – you are exposing your vehicle to elements that it would not be exposed to if it were in an enclosed trailer. If you are concerned about the condition of your vehicle, the value of your vehicle will be preserved if you have it transported by a vehicle transporter.

Ship More than One Vehicle at a Time

If you are driving a vehicle yourself, you cannot transport more than one at a time. But, if you choose an auto transport company – you can ship more than one vehicle which is beneficial especially if you are a car collector. Forget the hassle of driving yourself, and have all of your vehicles shipped at one time.

With a professional auto transport company, you do not have to stress! Forget the long distances, bad weather, traffic, worrying about breakdowns or wear and tear. With Direct Connect Auto Transport, safety is their number one concern. They have over 20 years of experience in the auto transport business and are reliable enough to bring your vehicle safely from point A to point B, every time. You are guaranteed to have a great shipping experience. Leave the long distances and traffic to the professionals and let Direct Connect Auto Transport ship your vehicle to wherever you need to go!

 

Military Auto Shipping

Many auto transport companies will offer a military discount, that gives money off to any men or women who served in our armed forces. Each discount is different for each auto transportation company. In order to receive a discount for shipping, you must provide valid military ID.

Some auto shipping companies will only transport certain military vehicles. Other companies may let you ship just about any vehicle. Since military members often travel from one location to another on short notice, it is important to find a reliable shipping company when on a tight deadline. At Direct Connect Auto Shipping, we are experts with military and POV transport, getting your vehicles where they need to be at the time they need to be there.

Some of the requirements with shipping your POV with our car carriers are: only one POV will be paid for to be shipped by the U.S. government, the POV must be shipped to a military station and not any other locations, nothing can be inside the vehicle that can move around unless permanently installed, no flammable or hazardous materials, no liquids, no items of high value, etc. To see the full list of shipping requirements from Direct Connect Auto, click here.

Here at Direct Connect Auto, we have over 20 years of experience in Military Auto Shipping. We have shipped everywhere from the continental U.S., Hawaii, and Alaska to even overseas. Wherever your vehicle needs to be, we can get it there! Contact Direct Connect today to get a free quote for your Military Auto Shipping.

 

A Beginner’s Guide for Classic Car Newbies

If you are looking to purchase a classic car, always do your research to make sure you are getting the best deal. If you do not know a lot about classic cars, read up on them in car magazines and attend car auctions. You can network with a lot of people who are in the classic car industry that will give you tips on how to find the best value.

Investing Extra Time and Money

With any older classic car, you will most likely have to do repairs and spend extra money for maintenance. If you choose to restore the car, it can be anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000. If the car is already in great condition, you may just need to take it into a mechanic for routine checkups. If you know how to do car repairs yourself, you can save a lot of money and possibly turn your car around for a good profit.

Prices

Prices range with classic cars. There are many that were mass-produced that are more common, so are offered at cheaper prices. The rarer classic cars can be very expensive, depending on how many were produced. The cars may have only been produced in certain quantities and colors, so colors may also affect the price. If there were only 500 blue cars made in the world of the model you want, you could be paying a lot more. A great paint job on a classic car will drive up its value.

Are Classic Cars a Good Investment?

Many people think every classic car is a great investment, but they sometimes end up spending more than the car is worth on repairs and restoration. If you are buying your first classic car, don’t expect to flip it for much money. People that are experienced with buying and selling a classic car know everything there is to know about each car’s value, it’s condition if it needs repairs, etc. However, if you get your hands on a very rare vehicle, you can be looking at a lot of money in value.

How to Get a Good Deal

Always do your homework on the value of the car before getting a price and taking it. You do not want to overpay for a car so search what other models are being sold for online. If the car is not in fair condition or better, look for another car. If you are looking for a car that is manufactured in larger numbers, the price will be less that one that was produced in lower numbers. Many cars from the 1980s are a great investment since the next trend in classic cars is the Miami Vice era. Cars from the 1980s like The Camaro IROC-Zs are really affordable and will likely be a trendy collectible year to come.