10 Mistakes First-Time Car Shippers Make That Cost Them Money

First-time car shippers lose money to the same set of mistakes every year. None of these are obscure — they're just things the industry has no incentive to explain to you before you hand over a deposit.

Mistake 1: Booking the lowest quote

The lowest quote almost always means the lowest carrier pay — the amount your broker is offering the actual truck driver. Low carrier pay means carriers skip your job. You'll wait longer, or the broker will call back asking for more money when they can't find anyone to move it. A quote $50–$100 above the lowest option usually ships faster and without renegotiation.

Mistake 2: Paying by cash, Zelle, or Venmo

Non-credit-card payment eliminates your single strongest consumer protection: the chargeback. If your broker disappears with your deposit, never assigns a carrier, or delivers a damaged car and refuses to help, your credit card company can reverse the charge. Cash, Zelle, and Venmo cannot be reversed. Always pay by credit card, even if the broker charges a small processing fee.

Mistake 3: Not reading the contract

The contract your broker emails contains the terms that control every dispute. Key things to look for before signing:

• When is the deposit non-refundable? (Often: the moment a carrier is "assigned" — even if they never confirm)
• What's the pickup window, and what happens if they miss it?
• What's the dispute resolution process — arbitration, which state's courts?
• What damages are excluded from cargo insurance?

Mistake 4: Not photographing the car before pickup

Every scratch, chip, and dent on your car before it leaves needs to be on the Bill of Lading at pickup — and you need dated, timestamped photos as backup. If damage appears at delivery that wasn't on the pickup BOL, you have a claim. If you can't prove the car was undamaged at pickup because you have no photos, the carrier's position is "it was like that before we touched it."

Walk around the car with the driver and photograph every panel. Get the driver to initial the BOL next to any pre-existing damage. Do not accept a driver who refuses to let you document.

Mistake 5: Signing the delivery BOL without inspecting

The delivery Bill of Lading is the legal document that confirms your car arrived in the condition documented. Once you sign a clean BOL — one with no damage noted — you have legally confirmed the car arrived undamaged. Recovering on a claim after signing clean is extremely difficult.

Inspect the car before the driver leaves. Check every panel, open every door, test the electronics. If it's dark or raining and you can't see properly, note "unable to fully inspect due to conditions" on the BOL before signing.

Mistake 6: Assuming "door-to-door" means your exact address

Door-to-door means the driver will get as close to your address as the truck can safely travel. An 80-foot car carrier cannot navigate a residential cul-de-sac. If your home has low-hanging branches, tight corners, or no turnaround space, the driver will ask you to meet them at a nearby parking lot. This is normal, not a bait-and-switch — but it means you may need to coordinate a meeting point.

Mistake 7: Over-fueling the car

Most carriers require your fuel tank to be at 1/4 or less for transport. A full tank adds 120+ lbs of weight and is a fire safety risk on multi-car trailers. Some carriers will refuse pickup if the tank is full. If your car arrives with more fuel than when it left, the driver may have added fuel — or driven it somewhere. Check the odometer.

Mistake 8: Leaving valuables or documents in the car

Personal items in the car are not covered by cargo insurance under any standard auto transport policy. Electronics, cash, jewelry, and documents left in the car are transported at zero protection. More importantly, some carriers will use the presence of unauthorized personal items to void your vehicle damage claim entirely.

Mistake 9: Not verifying the carrier's FMCSA credentials

Before your car is loaded, ask the driver for their MC number and company name. Spend 60 seconds on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov to confirm their authority is active and their cargo insurance is current. It takes one minute and is the only way to verify the truck about to take your car is operating legally.

Mistake 10: Booking during peak season without a buffer

May through August is peak season for auto transport. Prices are 20–40% higher, carrier availability is tighter, and pickup windows stretch longer. If you're moving during summer, book 3–4 weeks in advance and have a flexible first-available date. Last-minute summer bookings often result in extended waits, renegotiated prices, or no carrier at all.