Scottsdale auto transport, open and enclosed

Scottsdale has more exotic, luxury and collector cars than anywhere else in Arizona, and a large share of what we move here travels enclosed. Not all enclosed transport is the same, and for an expensive car the differences are worth understanding before you book.

A hard-sided trailer has rigid walls and a roof and gives the most protection. A soft-sided trailer uses heavy curtains; it keeps weather and debris off the car and usually costs a little less. Some enclosed carriers haul five or six vehicles on two levels, and others carry only one or two. A liftgate raises the car to deck height while it stays level, which matters for anything with a front splitter or a few inches of ground clearance. Inside, the car should be secured by straps over the tires or through the wheels, not by chains hooked to the frame or suspension.

Ask about cargo insurance too. Every carrier has a limit per vehicle and per load, and for a car worth several hundred thousand dollars that limit needs to be confirmed in writing before pickup. Tell us the value up front and we'll match the car to a carrier whose coverage fits. It's also worth a call to your own insurer to see how your policy treats a vehicle in transit.

Every January, the collector car world comes to Scottsdale. The Barrett-Jackson auction at WestWorld is the largest event, and several other sales run in the Valley during the same days. Thousands of vehicles arrive in the two weeks before, and thousands leave in the days after.

If you're consigning a car, book inbound transport early, because enclosed space into Phoenix fills weeks ahead. Auction houses publish check-in dates for consigned vehicles, and your delivery window has to fit inside them. If you're bidding, you can line up a quote before the sale so the only thing left to do is confirm. Buyers are expected to remove vehicles soon after the auction ends. To pick up for you we need the lot number, your bidder number and the release the auction issues once the car is paid for.

Expect prices that week to run higher than the rest of the year. Demand for enclosed carriers out of Scottsdale peaks for a few days, and it returns to normal by early February.

North of Loop 101, Scottsdale climbs toward the McDowell Mountains and Pinnacle Peak. Communities such as DC Ranch, Silverleaf, Troon, Estancia and Desert Mountain have guard gates, private roads, steep driveways and tight switchbacks. A full-length carrier can't reach every home, and with a low car you wouldn't want it to try.

The driver will usually stage at the guard gate, at a clubhouse lot, or on a wide stretch of a road like Pima, Happy Valley or Dynamite, and the car is driven the last part of the way. Call the gate in advance and add the carrier to the visitor list with a note that it's a commercial truck. If your driveway is steep enough to scrape a low car, let us know so the driver doesn't attempt it.

South Scottsdale is flatter and simpler, but it has its own timing problems. Old Town is busy most evenings and weekends. The Phoenix Open brings very large crowds to TPC Scottsdale in early February, and spring training fills the streets around Scottsdale Stadium in March. For addresses near any of these, we schedule weekday mornings. If you're staying at a resort for the season, ask the bell desk or security where a carrier is allowed to stop. Most have a service entrance or an overflow lot that works well.

Plenty of seasonal owners fly into Scottsdale Airport or Sky Harbor and want the car in the garage when they land. That works as long as someone is there to receive it. A house manager, a property management company or a trusted neighbor can meet the truck, compare the car with the pickup report and put it away. Give us their contact details when you book, and ask them to photograph the car before the driver leaves.

Some owners keep a car in Scottsdale all year and only drive it in winter. If yours is coming out of storage for a shipment, give it a day's attention first. Charge or replace the battery, set the tire pressures, look for fluid spots under the car, and run it long enough to be sure it idles and moves under its own power. If it's kept at a facility near the Airpark, send us the facility's hours and the name of someone who can release it. Carriers can load at most storage facilities by appointment.