Your vehicle sees the same weather it would see parked in a driveway for the length of the trip: rain, sun, road grime and the occasional rock. Damage on open carriers is rare and usually cosmetic. Manufacturers ship brand new inventory this way.
Use a rough rule: if the vehicle is worth more than $70,000, is irreplaceable, has fresh paint, or sits low enough that a standard ramp would scrape it, pay for enclosed. Also consider it for cross-winter routes where road salt is unavoidable.
Roughly 90 percent of car haulers on the road are open carriers. Enclosed equipment is scarcer, so lead times run several days longer and route flexibility is lower, especially to smaller markets.
A top-load position on an open carrier keeps your vehicle off the lower deck where fluid drips and road spray concentrate. It costs a modest premium and is worth requesting for newer vehicles.
Every shipment has its own quirks. If you would rather talk it through than read another guide, call (469) 905-4547 and a dispatcher in McKinney will walk you through your specific route, vehicle and timing at no charge.
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