Over the last decade, online shopping has taken off. Nowadays, most of the things we all need are just a click away. From groceries to laptops to phones, we as a society have shifted to online shopping in a major way. This includes when shopping for vehicles, too! 

For instance, did you know you can buy cars from eBay? The idea is nothing new, but there are still people that don’t know you can. While there are plenty of other online marketplaces to buy vehicles from, eBay was one of the first and is still one of the best places to buy cars from. 

eBay Motors itself, though, won’t ship your vehicle for you. They require buyers to find a suitable car shipping company themselves. Here at American Auto Shipping, we can handle any and every vehicle bought from eBay – so if you buy one from eBay, we can help you get it moved.

What to Expect When Buying from eBay Motors

eBay Motors makes it easy to find the right make and model of the vehicle you’re looking for, and has many excellent deals on a number of different makes and models.

The car buying process on eBay is straightforward and convenient. You can look at and select from a massive inventory of vehicles located across the country. You can look at and bid on any vehicle that you would like, just like any other eBay listing. 

However, eBay does not ship the vehicles. Instead, it’s the buyer or the seller’s responsibility to get the car shipped through an auto transport company. That’s why it’s important to do your research before you choose a company to transport a vehicle you bought off of eBay – it’s up to you or the seller, and no one else. 

eBay may give referrals for specific carriers, but that’s not very common. Not only that, but any that they recommend may not be the best, but rather just recommended by eBay because they have some sort of agreement. So we highly recommend doing your own homework on who you would like to transport your vehicle. 

We here at American Auto Shipping have been helping people move cars from auctions both online and in person since 1999. Our reputation speaks for itself!

Shipping a Car from eBay

When you ship a car that you bought on eBay you can choose from any of the available types of carriers on the road: 

Which you choose will depend on numerous factors, and we cover a lot of that in our open vs. enclosed carriers section here on our website. But basically, if you’re buying a car you plan on driving daily, or parting out, or just don’t really mind it getting dirty, open transportation is probably the way to go.

If, on the other hand, your vehicle is a high-end luxury or sports car you bought off eBay, enclosed shipping will likely be better for you in the long run. Flatbed transportation is used only for vehicles that cannot physically fit on an open or enclosed trailer, such as massive lifted pickups or specialty vehicles such as construction equipment. 

It’s necessary to consider the shipping cost of your vehicle, of course.  We recommend you always get an estimate from any shipping company you are thinking of choosing. It’s also not a bad idea to do that even before you win your bid! The price to ship your vehicle may affect your bidding strategy, or even help you decide one way or another. 

Here at American Auto Shipping we can help you find the right carrier for your needs. Even if you’re unsure of what you need, we can help you figure it out. Whether your vehicle is running or not, we can help you get your vehicle moved to or from anywhere in the U.S. We offer competitive rates and peace of mind service for every one of our customers, and we can ship any vehicle with wheels, whether it runs or not.

Factors in the Pricing of eBay Auto Shipping

There are a lot of factors that will affect the price you pay to ship your vehicle. This is true no matter the reason you ship a vehicle.  

The first is where you’re shipping the vehicle from and to. Distance is the biggest factor in the cost of shipping a vehicle, as carriers have a lot of expenses such as fuel, and for carriers, time is money. So the more time they spend on the road, the more it costs to ship a car.

Non-running vehicles cost more to ship than operable ones because carriers will need special equipment (known as a winch) to load and unload them. It’s important we know if your vehicle is running or not so we can find a carrier that can load it without issue. 

The time of the year can impact prices, too. Summer months tend to be more expensive to ship during as demand is up, so carriers can pick and choose the highest-paying loads first. During the winter, though, demand from consumers is down, so carriers usually have to take what they can (though they do still try to get the highest-paying loads first, there are fewer loads overall). 

If you’d like a quote to ship a vehicle you bought on eBay, we only need a few things to get you a price: 

  • Where you are shipping from or to (typically ZIP codes work best);
  • The year, make, and model of the vehicle;
  • Whether the vehicle is running or not;
  • When you want to ship
  • Which type of transport truck you prefer (open or enclosed)

You can get a quote from us here at American Auto Shipping right here on our website! Or, you can contact our main office via the number at the top of the page.

Shipping Your Car from eBay Safely

So you’ve won the bid, and now the vehicle is yours! Congrats! Now, however, is the time for you to arrange the safe transportation of your vehicle. You should always ensure that the seller is honest and reliable, of course, but we’re assuming that at this point you already have. However, here are some tips to make sure you keep yourself safe when you finalize a purchase of a vehicle on eBay: 

  • Read eBay’s Vehicle Purchase Protection (VPP) guidelines, as they cover transactions for vehicles bought and sold on eBay.  
  • The buyer and seller’s credentials need to be verified. This means the verified people are registered on the site. 
  • Both of them should belong to the US. 
  • The car price should not exceed $100,000, covering both deposit and purchase. 

These are important things that everyone buying on eBay should do, of course, but especially if you are buying a vehicle. 

Once all that is done, though, you’re on your way to shipping your dream vehicle!

Shipping a Vehicle, You Won on eBay

Now that we’ve discussed what you should do when buying a car off eBay and how to protect yourself as well as how to find the right auto shipping company for your needs, now we can discuss the actual shipment, and other things you may need to know.

First, the title. When buying a vehicle off eBay, you’ll need to get the title. Make sure they send it express mail as it allows for tracking and signature delivery. This protects it from being lost or stolen. Some carriers, however, may be able to take the title for you and drop it off with the vehicle. Make sure to discuss it with your shipper, though! 

Most auto transporters offer door to door auto transport services. This is an industry norm, but you should know that “door to door” means “as close to the given pickup and delivery addresses as possible.” 

Auto transport trucks are big, some over 80 feet long! As such, they can’t fit everywhere. This means that oftentimes they need to deliver to a large parking lot near your given delivery address. You will also need to provide the pickup and delivery addresses and contact information for the buyer and the seller. 

If you are the buyer, sometimes the seller will set up the shipment. Who does it depends on the specifics of your transaction, so be sure you know whether it’ll be you or the other party who is setting up the shipping details. 

If it is the other party, they will need your pickup and delivery details. This includes name, address, and phone numbers for whoever will be receiving the vehicle. These details will be given to the shipping company and also the carrier for delivery. 

The delivery contact does not have to be you, though (if you are the buyer). It could be a friend or family member if you are unable to take delivery yourself. So long as your shipper and your carrier know who will be there at delivery, it should be just fine. 

If you decide to ship your vehicle with American Auto Shipping, you’ll need to sign the terms and conditions. A representative will help you sign them if you need them to. Once you place your order, we’ll work to schedule your vehicle with a carrier company. Remember, carriers are the ones that physically transport your vehicle. 

Once we have a carrier assigned to your vehicle, they will contact the seller and coordinate pick up. The same things apply to pickup and delivery both. Someone will need to be there to release (or receive) the vehicle. they will also need to sign the Bill of Lading at pickup (and you will need to sign at delivery). You can read more about the Bill of Lading as well if you are unfamiliar with it. 

Give American Auto Shipping a Chance!

Unlike most other auto transport companies out there, we offer binding, competitive prices that don’t change. You can get a free, no-hassle and no-obligation car shipping quote today by filling out our free online quote request form. Or, you can give us a call on the phone at 800-930-7417. We have representatives standing by to help you transport your vehicle. 

We are fully licensed and bonded and, unlike other shipping companies, work only with the best carriers on the road. Our stringent carrier requirements are leaps and bounds above the competition. So no matter what you are shipping, or where you’re shipping from or to, American Auto Shipping is here to help you move it fast and hassle-free. 

Dave Armstrong
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