Other factors affecting your shipping costs When looking at shipping a vehicle across the country, there are a few decisions that you can make that can impact what your overall costs will ultimately come to. Since the car transportation industry is a seasonal business, the time of year you are shipping a car across the country is going to play a key role in determining your shipping costs. The vehicle size, distance, time of year, and mode of transport will all impact your auto transportation costs.
A moving company will determine your vehicle shipping price depending on the size of your car being shipped, distance, the type of services required, and how soon you need your car to arrive at the destination. As far as the cost for a door-to-door shipment is concerned, a moving company comes to your location to pick up your vehicle and delivers it at whatever destination you select. Shipping is sometimes cheaper than the other options, but you will have to take the car to a train station and collect it once it arrives on the other side.
The type of vehicle transportation service you choose will greatly impact your moving costs. Like car trailer options, prices vary depending on the distance and features you want. Some companies will charge a flat rate to transport, though prices vary depending on the distance you are moving.
Car transportation costs generally differ between different transportation carriers, with prices rising when options are added, like specific shipping dates or enclosed versus open carriers. Some estimates of auto transportation costs reflect potential costs of using open-air auto transportation for transporting a functional car.
The easiest way to find lower auto transportation costs, though, is by comparing instant quotes from several car moving companies side-by-side. Since the auto transportation industry can vary in their prices, it is best to receive free quotes from top car transportation companies in order to get a better idea of what your transportation is going to cost. To find those average costs, refer to the car transportation rates on the auto transportation calculator chart below, which also includes costs for cross-country car transportation.
The average cost to move your vehicle by car shipping company is more than $2.00 per mile for trips under 200 miles. The average cost of shipping a car internationally may vary between $1,000 to $5,000 for ocean shipping, and between $5,000 to $40,000 for air shipping, depending on the distance and type of vehicle. The most economical method for moving a vehicle within the Continental United States is typically via truck, costing from $0.60 to $1.00 per 1,000 miles.
The median cost range to ship a small van, pickup or SUV is between $800 and $1,070. For a sport utility vehicle, a small van or pickup, prices begin at about $800 and can reach about $1,070.
Things like the delivery time, insurance, and type of vehicle you are looking to ship are some of the biggest factors in the real price to send your vehicle. How Seasons Impact Shipment Cost The season in which you decide to send your vehicle may impact your shipping costs because of how many people are traveling, and also because of weather conditions. The Type of Car You are Moving: The make and model of your car may impact the cost of your auto transportation services — especially if you are moving a luxury or classic vehicle.
If you have to move a car over 750 miles, trucking is probably going to be your lowest-cost option for vehicle transportation. If you need to move your vehicle shorter distances, you can expect to see a few Shipping prices that are closer to the Minimum Quotes that we presented above. If you want a guaranteed pick-up date, then costs will be higher than choosing a drop-off window.
As we cover in more detail below, choosing to have the vehicle shipped in the months of September through November is another way you can save money.
If you are not flexible about shipping times, and need to get your family’s vehicle across the country quickly, there are strict time limits set by the auto transportation industry, but expect to pay a premium. If you have a strict deadline for when our cars are shipped, you will generally pay more because you will need to motivate a transporter to prioritize your shipment. If you have a little flexibility, though, you will pay less since you can wait until you can find a carrier who will be able to send and deliver your vehicle in their already scheduled routing schedule. The best way to reduce car transportation costs is by choosing open-jaw car transportation, keeping your delivery timeline flexible.
If your broker has confirmed vehicle transportation for an order that includes more than one car, and then you need to add or remove one for any reason, that is going to impact the car transportation costs. If a vehicle is not running, then that increases car transport costs, as if the transport company needs special equipment or tow trucks to move a vehicle onto and off an automotive transport trailer. Keep in mind, if the company needs to hand-load your vehicle onto a hauling trailer, you may need to pay a little extra money.
The price for a rail shipment may vary from route to route, and one rail company to another. The most affordable option to ship your goods over a long distance is via train, and it can cost just $1,000. Shipping your car abroad costs considerably more, ranging from $1,000 for a short-range cargo ship transport to $40,000 for an express air shipment.
Train Shipping A vehicle through the Continental U.S. by rail usually costs less than $1,000, but prices vary depending on route. Average Car Shipping Costs While the cost of auto transportation depends on many factors, you can expect auto transportation rates to range anywhere from around $500 for a short, interstate haul to over $1,700 for cross-country hauls. Prices will vary greatly depending on your transportation company and level of services that you select, and you can expect to pay anywhere between 40 cents to $2 per mile to move a vehicle.
