Pros And Cons
| Guardian Auto Transport Pros | Guardian Auto Transport Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent customer reviews | Doesn’t ship to Alaska or Hawaii |
| Offers expedited shipping | Didn’t respond to quote request |
| Luxury and exotic car service |
Our Guardian Auto Transport Rating
| Our Rating | 3.9 |
|---|---|
| Reputation | 4.6 |
| Cost | 3.6 |
| Services | 3.5 |
| Customer Experience | 4.1 |
Known for its excellent customer service, Guardian Auto Transport offers shipping services for cars, motorcycles, RVs, and other vehicles in any state in the Lower 48.
In this article, we’ll break down Guardian Auto Transport’s shipping costs, services, and customer reviews. Plus, we’ll take a look at some of the best car shipping companies in the industry to see how Guardian Auto Transport compares.
In this article:
- Guardian Auto Transport Overview
- How Much Does Guardian Auto Transport Cost?
- Guardian Auto Transport Auto Shipping Services
- Guardian Auto Transport Auto Shipping Process
- Guardian Auto Transport Reviews
- Our Take On Guardian Auto Transport: 3.9 Stars
- Other Recommendations For Car Shipping
- FAQ
- Methodology
Guardian Auto Transport Overview
Founded: 1992
Headquarters: Wheeling, Illinois
Service Area: The Lower 48 States
Headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois, Guardian Auto Transport is a vehicle transportation broker that has been in business for 30 years. The company connects customers with its networks of auto carriers, negotiating to get the best prices for vehicle shipping.
Guardian Auto Transport finds shippers for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles. It also works with auto dealerships and offers high-volume shipments of new cars.
Though the company does ship throughout the Lower 48 states, it doesn’t ship cars to Alaska or Hawaii.
How Much Does Guardian Auto Transport Cost?
We reached out to Guardian Auto Transport for quotes but didn’t receive an answer. To give you a general idea of what it costs to ship a car, here are the average shipping costs for a variety of distances. All quotes are for a 2018 Toyota RAV4.
| Shipping Distance | Open or Enclosed | National Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Kansas City, Mo. (503 miles) | Open | $945 |
| Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | Open | $1,056 |
| Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | Enclosed | $1,645 |
| New York City to San Francisco (3,306 miles) | Open | $1,541 |
What Affects Car Shipping Costs?
Several factors determine the cost of your vehicle transport service:
- Type of vehicle: Larger and heavier vehicles cost more to ship.
- Vehicle condition: Inoperable vehicles are more expensive to ship because loading and unloading them for transport takes more effort.
- Type of transport: Open transport is cheaper than enclosed transport but provides less protection from road debris and weather.
- Shipping distance: Shorter trips cost less overall but more per mile than long-distance trips.
- Location: Having your car delivered to an urban area costs less than having it shipped to a rural area.
- Seasonality: The summer and January typically have higher shipping costs because demand is higher at those times.
- Fuel costs: If gas and diesel prices are high when you book your service, your auto shipment will likely be more expensive.
Guardian Auto Transport Auto Shipping Services
Guardian Auto Transport offers a variety of vehicle shipping options for every state except Alaska and Hawaii. A few of its services include:
- Enclosed transport: Protects your vehicle from road debris and the elements
- Open transport: Often the most affordable option, as it allows multiple vehicles to be shipped at once
- Door-to-door shipping: Lets you choose the pickup and delivery locations for your transport
- Terminal-to-terminal shipping: Cheaper than door-to-door shipping, as the carrier transports your vehicle between designated terminals
- Expedited shipping: Speeds up the shipping process for an additional charge
- Classic car shipping: Specializing in shipping luxury and exotic cars
Whether you choose open or enclosed transport, your vehicle is insured during the entire shipment process. Guardian thoroughly vets every carrier it works with to ensure all insurance standards are current.
Guardian Auto Transport Auto Shipping Process
Guardian Auto Transport’s shipping process is simple. Here’s how it works:
-
Get a free car shipping quote online.
-
Book your order through the link found in your quote.
-
An agent from Guardian Auto Transport confirms the details of your shipment.
-
Guardian Auto Transport schedules the pickup with a vetted and insured driver.
-
On the pickup date, the driver conducts a 22-point inspection and you both sign a bill of lading noting any existing damage.
-
Your driver delivers your vehicle to the drop-off location and you both sign another bill of lading to complete the transaction.
-
You pay the remaining balance.
We recommend booking your auto transport as far in advance as you can to ensure the lowest price. In general, you should plan to book your shipment at least two weeks before moving day.
Guardian Auto Transport Reviews
Though Guardian Auto Transport has been around for 30 years, it doesn’t have a lot of reviews online. What reviews it does have, however, are positive. It’s accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an A+ rating from the organization. One hundred customer reviews on Guardian Auto Transport’s BBB page give the shipping broker an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.0 stars.
On Google, reviews from over 1,400 customers also give the auto shipping company an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.0 stars.
Positive Guardian Auto Transport Reviews
The customers who review Guardian positively praise the auto transport company for its excellent communication and easy shipping process.
“After going through the quote process with several companies, I decided to book with PK at Guardian because it felt like I was talking to an old friend, not an auto shipping company. He was very courteous and checked in frequently throughout the process.”
– Andrey via BBB
“Having my car shipped from rural Wisconsin to southern California couldn't have been easier. … It arrived on the date promised. [Guardian representatives] gave me almost daily updates by phone and email. It could not have been a smoother transaction.”
– Bill via BBB
Negative SGT Auto Transport Reviews
Not all customers have a great experience, though. Some of the less-than-stellar reviews focus on miscommunication.
“[Guardian Auto] sold me on a seamless shipment, but once I paid, they completely dropped the ball on everything. Due to them being so unorganized and not reaching back to me, I ended up handling the ENTIRE process with the driver and his boss.”
– Naomi via Google
“Driver was nice, all the people on the phone were great. … [However, pickup] was three days late, wound up meeting the driver in an abandoned parking lot after 3 a.m. Drop-off was 24 hours late. Auto arrived well, but the anxiety of dealing with the lies was horrible.”
– Elke via Google
Our Take On Guardian Auto Transport: 3.9 Stars
Guardian Auto Transport has a great reputation for customer service thanks to its prompt communication. Consumer reviews rate the transport broker highly when it comes to customer service. Though some reviews mention Guardian Auto Transport’s affordable prices, our team was unable to get quotes from the company, so we don’t know how its pricing compares to the national average.
Other Recommendations for Car Shipping
Guardian Auto Transport may be an excellent choice for your car shipping needs, but it’s always helpful to compare quotes from other car shipping companies. Some companies can offer discounts that lower your car shipping costs, while others may provide different service options.
AmeriFreight: 4.5 Stars
AmeriFreight works with over 10,000 shipping carriers, making it one of the biggest car transport companies in the country. Though the company doesn’t provide international shipping, it does ship to Alaska and Hawaii.
AmeriFreight holds an A+ BBB rating as well as an average of 4.9 stars from over 1,100 customer reviews. Our team ranks AmeriFreight as the provider with the Best Discounts, as it offers discounts for military members, students, first responders, and more.
You can learn more in our AmeriFreight review.
uShip: 4.4 Stars
A large auto shipping platform, uShip gives you a little more control over the car shipping process. You post a request to uShip, allowing carriers to bid on your contract and help you find the best price for your shipment. Because uShip is a marketplace, you can find carriers to ship your car anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.
The company is accredited by the BBB and has an A+ rating from the organization. More than 10,000 customer reviews on Trustpilot give the auto shipping platform an average score of 4.1 out of 5.0 stars. In our review, we name uShip Best Car Shipping Marketplace.
Read our full uShip review to learn more.
FAQ
What days is Guardian Auto Transport open?
Guardian Auto Transport is open seven days a week.
How long does it take to transport a car?
Transport times vary depending on many factors, such as the distance and weather conditions, but carrier drivers usually travel about 400 miles per day.
How do I pay for my auto transport?
How you pay for your auto transport will depend on the car shipping company you choose. Many providers accept major credit cards for partial or full payments up front and then have you pay any remaining balance to the driver with cash, a cashier’s check, or a money order when your vehicle is delivered.
Can I ship personal items in my car?
Some auto transport companies let you ship up to 100 pounds of personal items in your car. But keep in mind that the heavier your car, the more expensive it will be to ship.
What do I do if my vehicle is damaged during transport?
You and the driver will check for damage and both sign a bill of lading when your car is picked up and again when it’s delivered. Keep a copy of the bill of lading for your records, and contact Guardian Auto Transport to start the claims process if your vehicle is damaged during transport.
How do I track my vehicle during transport?
Some companies in the car shipping industry offer GPS tracking during transport, and others provide transport updates if you contact a customer service rep.
Do you tip a driver of a car transport?
Whether you tip the driver of your car transport is up to you, but it’s encouraged.
Methodology
In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of car shipping companies to formulate rankings of the best transporters. Providers receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.
- Reputation: Shippers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
- Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of shipping routes, distances, and vehicles. Companies with lower prices and many discount opportunities receive the best scores.
- Services: This rating is based on types of auto transport services available, insurance coverage, and the ability to guarantee pickup and drop-off dates.
- Customer Experience: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each car transporter.
