There are times when we need to move all of our belongings across the entire country, or at least to someplace very far from where we currently live. Perhaps we’re moving home, maybe we’re switching jobs or perhaps we just want to stay in another property for a while. Moving your belongings is rather easy; you can simply take everything with you, hop on a plane and within a few hours you’ll arrive at your destination. However, what about larger objects? What about things such as your car?
Transporting your car a long distance such as from Perth to Melbourne is no simple task. In fact, it can be incredibly daunting due to the costs involved and the considerations you have to keep in mind. To help you make this all-important decision, we’ll dive into three of the most common ways to transport your car a long distance and the pros and cons that come with each one.
Driving
The simplest way to get across the country is to just drive yourself. If you’re moving across the country, then it’s worth taking your vehicle to your destination and saving yourself some cash since you won’t be driving your car back. This can be a bittersweet feeling because you’re essentially saying goodbye to your old home. Luckily, there is some fantastic scenery on the way and you’ll get to experience the beauty of Australia up close and personal.
Sadly, it’s a 3,500 km drive that will take anywhere from 36 to 40 hours depending on the traffic, which means you’ll be taking various breaks along the way and you’ll have to find a place to stop and sleep. In addition to these costs, you also have to think about how much money you’re paying in fuel to drive such a long distance. Driving across the country isn’t a joke to your safety either. It might not be the most demanding thing, but you can’t exactly leave your car in cruise control mode and hope for the best—it’s 40 hours of focused driving. For some people, driving more than 30 minutes can make them drowsy which is just as bad as driving while under the influence, making this an unacceptable option for the majority of people.
In short, driving from Perth to Melbourne is neither cheap, enjoyable or efficient for you. So what other options are there? Let’s take a look.
Bulk Car Transport
If you’ve seen those gigantic trucks loaded with a dozen cars driving around, then you’ve probably wondered what they’re up to. Most of the time, they’re either transporting cars to or from a dealership, but there’s also the occasional time where they’re transporting vehicles to load onto the train for long distance travel. You may have also seen trains loaded with dozens of vehicles speeding past a railway crossing. Bulk car transport via truck and train is a commonly used method to transport a vehicle across a long distance. However, despite being a regular option, it’s not ideal for most people for a number of different reasons.
You see, there are some glaring disadvantages with bulk car transport. For starters, there’s a huge potential for damage on your vehicle. The cars are loaded extremely closely to make room for more vehicles and, in the event the truck crashes or grazes something, your car is probably going to be in serious danger. The process of loading the wagons containing the cars from the truck onto the train can also be quite violent. Once on the train your car is completely exposed to the elements, taking into account the rough terrain between Perth and Melbourne this is not a good thing. You are at danger of the train kicking up debris such as loose rocks, pebbles and dirt that can at best dirty your car, or worst, dent the car or crack the windows. Trains go really fast and the rocking motions make it a violent way to transport your delicate vehicle. It is, however, much cheaper and less effort than driving your car yourself across the country. It’s also very convenient, giving you the opportunity to take a flight or train from Perth to Melbourne instead of subjecting yourself to a 40-hour long drive.
Bulk car transport might seem like the best option for now, but there’s actually another method that is efficient, affordable and won’t damage your car, making it arguably the best option out of the three.
Individually Loaded Containers
A car in one of our individually loaded containers
As opposed to bulk car transport, each car is loaded into its own individual container. The car is secured tightly in the middle of each container which means there’s very little chance for it to slide around and there’s no chance for it to collide with other vehicles or the insides of the container. This drastically reduces the risk of damage because your car isn’t exposed dirt or debris, and it ultimately gives you far more peace of mind when you want to transport your vehicle over a long distance such as from Perth to Melbourne.
This is the standard car transport option that CTI Interstate provides. In addition to securing your vehicle and ensuring its safety, also allows you to place personal items inside of the vehicle which is a feature that many competitors don’t offer. This means that in addition to moving your vehicle, you’ll also be able to pack some belongings such as a few bags, a suitcase or even valuables. If you plan to move for work or to live in a new home, then this will cut down your moving costs and you won’t need to weigh yourself down by carrying a suitcase with your belongings.
It’s by far the most convenient and safest option to transport your vehicle from Perth to Melbourne, and it’s also the best value when you compare it to the other two options. You’ll save a lot of effort by not having to drive it and also be given the opportunity to transport personal items with the car, and you have peace of mind because your car isn’t being mishandled and bundled with a dozen other vehicles. In terms of convenience, safety and value, no other company offers an all-in-one solution like CTI Interstate does.