The internet has turned the whole country into one used-car lot. The exact model, color, and mileage you want may be six states away, and buying it is only a few clicks. Getting it home is the part people worry about. It does not need to be difficult. This guide walks through it.
First, find out who delivers
Online sellers differ. Some large retailers deliver vehicles themselves within the areas they serve, and in that case you may not need a transport company at all. Others leave shipping to you. That includes most purchases through eBay Motors, auction sites such as Bring a Trailer and Cars and Bids, Facebook Marketplace, dealer websites, and private sellers. The market also changes. Vroom, once one of the best-known online sellers, stopped selling vehicles in 2024. Always confirm with the seller, in writing, whether delivery is included.
Before you pay
You are buying a car you have not seen, so take a few precautions.
- Get a vehicle history report using the VIN.
- Ask for a current walk-around video and a cold-start video.
- Consider an independent inspection. Mobile inspectors in most cities will examine a car and send you a report for a modest fee.
- Confirm the title is clean and in the seller's name.
- Get a shipping quote first, so you know the full cost of the purchase.
Arranging the shipment
Once the sale is agreed, give us four things: the address where the car is, the seller's name and phone number, your delivery address, and the date the car will be released. We contact the seller and schedule the pickup directly, so you are not relaying messages between two parties.
Carriers will not load a vehicle that has not been paid for and released. Make sure the seller knows a truck is coming and has the keys and any paperwork ready. For an auction or a dealer, we will need the lot or stock number and the hours the yard is open.
What happens at pickup
You will not be there, so the driver's inspection matters. The driver walks around the car with the seller and records its condition on the bill of lading. Ask us for a copy. Compare it with the listing photos. If the report shows damage the seller did not disclose, you will know before the car has traveled far.
Open or enclosed?
For an everyday car, open transport is fine and costs the least. For a collector car, an exotic, or anything you paid a premium for because of its condition, enclosed transport is worth the extra 60 to 80 percent. If you are unsure what condition the car is really in, enclosed shipping removes one variable.
Handling the title and payment
The carrier does not need the title. Ask the seller to send it to you by tracked mail, and never leave it in the glovebox. Pay the seller by a secure method, and be wary of anyone who insists on a gift card, a cryptocurrency transfer, or an unusual escrow service.
At delivery
When the car arrives, take your time.
- Walk around it with the pickup report in your hand.
- Check the paint, the glass, the wheels, and the underside of the front bumper.
- Start the engine and look at the dashboard for warning lights.
- Confirm the odometer reading against the listing.
- Check for the spare key, the manuals, and anything else promised in the sale.
Write anything new on the bill of lading before you sign. Transit damage noted at delivery is handled through the carrier's insurance. A mechanical fault or a misdescribed car is a matter between you and the seller, so contact them promptly and keep your photos.
After it arrives
Call your insurance agent before delivery day, so the car is covered when it comes off the truck. Then register it. Alabama generally gives a new owner twenty days to title and register a vehicle, and sales tax is paid in your home county.
What does it cost?
Use the same ranges as any shipment. Under 500 miles, $350 to $700. From 500 to 1,500 miles, $700 to $1,300. Beyond that, $1,100 to $1,800. Add the shipping cost to the price of the car before you decide whether a distant deal is really a deal. Often it still is.