Prepare your Modified Car for Shipping to Another States:

Car modification of a car's performance. Most vehicles stay stock for an average driver's expectations and conditions, although tuning has become a way to personalize the characteristics of a car to the owner's preference. Cars may be altered to provide better fuel economy, produce more power, or offer better handling and driving. Car tuning is related to auto racing, although most performance cars never compete. Tuned cars are built for the pleasure of owning and daily driving. There is nothing sweeter than making a car truly unique by customizing certain aspects of it. But new rims and flashy paint color are not the only things you can change. Car enthusiasts across the U.S. make modifications to their cars. Some are merely cosmetic, but others affect the car's performance. There are tons of car modifications that are totally harmless, but others are likely to get the car's owner slapped with a ticket and fine because the alteration isn't actually street legal.

Types of modifications

Auto transport costs can vary widely based on different factors. This is why it is essential to understand which types of vehicle tuning and modifications can have an effect on the price. The first significant mod type has to do with changes to the size and weight of the vehicle. Think oversized bumpers, wider tires, massive spoilers, and the like. The second type is a bit more subtle, but crucial nonetheless. These are mods that render the vehicle difficult to load on a regular car carrier. We will talk more about each of these further in the article. Keep in mind that not all types of car tuning will have an effect on car shipping costs. A custom audio system or decals on your vehicle should not be a concern for you. Lighter adjustments (such as tactile decoration) are fine too. As long as the mods do not fall within the broad categories above, you are clear.

Suspension Upgrades:

As long as you stay within your state's limits for the ride height adjustments, an aftermarket suspension system is totally legal. Furthermore, the right aftermarket suspension system can be a great way to upgrade your car's performance. When done right, your car will handle much better, and you (or a qualified shop) can even tune the suspension to optimize the vehicle for the way you drive. Whether you race your vehicle or you want your commute to be a little more enjoyable, a sound suspension system is arguably worth the investment.

Turbochargers and Superchargers:

Adding a turbocharger or supercharger to your car is another popular performance modification. These devices "boost" your engine by forcing in more air, thus creating more power. Unlike nitrous oxide (see No. 1 in illegal mods), however, turbochargers and superchargers are legal as long as they don't cause your car to fail your state's emissions check or safety inspection. Let's look at California, which is the strictest state when it comes to vehicle pollution standards. Even in California, as long as you don't alter your emissions system, your upgrades are certified for use in your car's engine, and you pass the state smog check, you're good to go.

Sport Seats:

Seat upgrades are popular car modifications, whether you're a novice racer or you want to look like one. A set of sport seats looks cool, and if you choose the right ones, they can be much more comfortable and supportive than your car's stock seat. Sport seats can even help improve your driving position. Many manufacturers of actual racing seats caution buyers that they are not suitable for streetcars, mainly because racecar seats are designed to be used with race harnesses, which are not legal for use as an alternative to a car's factory seatbelt. However, some manufacturers, like Ricardo, make sport seats that are legal for street use. Just make sure you can use your factory seatbelt, and that installation won't disable any of your car's airbags.

Paint Jobs

An obnoxious paint job might be a crime against good taste, but it's not an actual crime. Generally, you can paint your car however you want, or get a similar effect with a vinyl wrap, as long as it doesn't look like you are trying to impersonate police or an emergency vehicle. There are a few things to bear in mind with the process of repainting your car, however. It's expensive to have a car repainted by a professional, and it's a time-consuming pain to do yourself. If you do decide to paint your car at home, check your local pollution ordinances to make sure you won't get cited for the paint and chemical fumes.

Window Tint:

Some states have stringent laws regarding window tint. In Illinois, for example, a driver must have a documented medical condition to get away with any front or side window tint. Many other states have laws on the books restricting shade that is reflective, or that makes it impossible to see inside the car. However, if you really want tinted windows, you can get away with at least some tint in most states. The tone is measured based on the percentage of light that can still pass through the windows, and states that don't ban tint outright will usually specify a range of permissible interests.

How car shipping in Another state:

Before I can explain why shipping costs can be higher for modified vehicles, you have to know how navigation a car works. For starters, there are two main types of car carriers – open and enclosed transport. The open transport is what you have most likely seen on the road. It can carry 6 to 9 vehicles, usually on two decks. These carriers are the most common (around 90% of all in the States). Then comes enclosed transport. It is primarily designed for luxury and classic vehicles, sports cars, show models, etc. The main idea behind it is to completely shield the vehicles from rain, dust, and dirt. Most such carriers also can load multiple vehicles, but there are some exceptions for exceptional cases, which we will discuss below.

How size and weight modifications affect shipping costs

Some changes are heavy and increase the weight of the vehicle substantially. For example, heavy-duty bumpers with wrenches are made of metal and weigh a lot. But even if the bumpers are lighter, a set of them, along with a massive spoiler, could also render the vehicle more oppressive. Since heavier cars require more power (i.e., gas) to get transported, it has to be reflected in the shipping costs.

Size of vehicle:

Aside from weight alterations, modifications that increase the size of your car may also affect the price of transport. Above I have explained that most carriers take multiple vehicles. Logically, the more vehicles an airline can choose, the more efficient the carriage, and the more profit he makes. So, a car that takes the spot of two cars, for example, and requires the carrier to take fewer vehicles will be more expensive to ship. Let's take length modifications, for example. If they are excessive, the car will have to take two spots on the carrier, which drives the cost up. However, such mods are not familiar, so if the vehicle is not too long, to begin with, you will likely not have a problem with length.

What about modifications that make vehicles lighter:

Some sports and racing cars are designed to be much lighter in order to benefit as much as possible from their powerful engines. However, some people take it one step further and mod their vehicles to get them even lighter. Such modifications usually include the removal of additional seats and gadgets around the car. It is also possible that the whole interior is stripped clean, and then only the essentials are installed. This includes a light metal frame, a new steering wheel, and only a single seat that is specifically designed for racing. With all that in mind, you may wonder whether lighter vehicles will have lower car shipping fees. Sadly, this is not the case. Since the majority of cars will be more massive than the one described above, the carrier will have no incentive to take a vehicle for a lower price. In the best-case scenario, you will have to pay the standard shipping fee.

Modifications that make loading Complicated:

Size and weight modifications affect the price in an obvious way. However, the situation is not as clear for adjustments and tunings, which render a vehicle difficult to load on the truck. In such a case, the price increases because a different service will be required. If you want to ship a luxury sports car or one that has been modified to have its suspension lowered, then you may run into clearance problems. Vehicles with the ground clearance of fewer than 3-4 inches cannot be loaded on a regular trailer. Instead, you will need one that has a lift gate.