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First make a list of the services you need from an auto transport company, then research local companies online to find the ones that perform these services. It would be a waste of time to try and contact a company that doesn't actually perform the service that you need from it. For example, you may require, or strongly desire, enclosed auto transport instead of open transport. In that case, you'd want to make sure you were only considering companies that specifically offered enclosed auto transport. Some other specific services you might need include terminal-to-terminal service, door-to-door service, or crossing international borders. Look at online reviews and ratings posted to business review websites by former customers and see what they have said about these companies. Ask your friends and family for their opinions of the companies as well, if they have prior experience with them. Take any companies that seem unreliable or low-quality off the list. Look for negative or critical reviews of each company and compare them to the positive reviews the company receives. This is a good way to gauge whether customers of the company tend to be satisfied with their services. Reliable, legitimate auto transport companies almost always ask for payment in the form of checks or credit cards. If a company prefers that you pay them in the form of a wire transfer, there's a higher chance that it's an untrustworthy business. Note that if a company accepts wire transfers but prefers that you pay with credit card or check, that company is probably legitimate. Your main concern should be those companies that prefer to receive wire transfers. Genuine companies running reliable businesses tend to take more care in avoiding these types of mistakes on their sites. Lots of spelling and grammar mistakes often indicates that the website was put up quickly by a sham company. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates all auto transport companies operating in the United States and requires each company to have an MC Number. Any company that doesn't have this number is thus almost definitely a fraudulent company. If a company is legitimate, it will make this number available on its website or will provide it when asked. Sham companies will either hide this number or provide a fake one. To verify a company's MC Number, go to the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Electronic Records website.
Make a list of the companies that offer the specific services you need. Check customer ratings and reviews for companies you're considering. Refrain from choosing a company that asks for a wire transfer payment. Look for spelling and grammar mistakes on the company's website. Check for a valid Motor Carrier Number, if you're in the United States.