Estimates for auto transportation costs vary depending on the time of year, type of vehicle, carrier service, location, distance, company, and, well, you get the picture. Some auto transportation cost estimates reflect the potential costs for using open-air vehicle transportation for transporting a functional vehicle. The following table provides an average per-distance car shipment cost after calculating and comparing costs of 3 vehicle sizes over 5 distances using the current prices, offers, and available inventory.
To find these average costs, refer to the car transportation rates on the Car Shipping Calculator Chart below, which also includes coast-to-coast car transportation costs. The easiest way to find lower car transportation costs, though, is by comparing instant quotes from several car moving companies side-by-side. If you have to move your vehicle to a more rural location, the car mover will need to divert from its primary route, which increases your auto transportation costs. This is because you would not be shipped on the well-traveled transportation route.
With Open Air Car Transport, your vehicle will be transported on a carrier that is open-air, with up to 7 other vehicles. Door-to-door shipping is most convenient, as a driver will arrive right at your house or place of business to collect and deliver your car. As far as the cost of door-to-door transportation goes, a moving company comes to your door, takes your vehicle, and delivers to whatever destination you select. The moving company will determine your vehicle transportation costs 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.
The final factor which has a major impact on pricing is the condition of the vehicle that you wish to have shipped. Things like the delivery time, insurance, and type of vehicle that you are looking to ship are some of the biggest factors in the real price to send a vehicle. The overall cost of shipping a vehicle is affected by factors like your chosen method of transport, the time of the year, distances that must be covered, and vehicle size, among others. The cost of shipping a car increases considerably with non-operable methods, since special equipment is required to load a vehicle on the truck.
Loading a vehicle that is inoperable is more cost-effective and does not require additional equipment. The cost of shipping an automobile on open-bed trucking is lower than that of shipping a vehicle on enclosed trucking, as more vehicles can fit in an open-bed truck. The cost of shipping a car in an enclosed trailer is significantly higher, about 50% higher, but the enclosed transportation cost can be worth it as it provides more protection for your car from elements and debris in the roadway during transportation. An open-trailer transportation is always going to be cheaper than the enclosed transport.
Enclosed truck transports typically only transport several vehicles at once, which may increase your total cost to ship your car by as much as 50% over an open car transport. Enclosed transportation can cost up to $400-500 more than open transportation for the same car, over the same route.
If you are moving your vehicle in a town a long way off of the major freeway, the price you pay could take a hit. If a place is hard for a driver to maneuver the truck, this may affect delivery to your doorstep as well. Trying to move the vehicle out of season is more likely to raise costs, and it will be harder to find transportation that is convenient time-wise if you do not have an established date.
Schedule Your Car Transport Pickup & Delivery Planning car transportation services about eight weeks in advance allows for greater flexibility and may reduce the costs for transportation. If you are not flexible about delivery times and you need to get your family’s vehicle across the country quickly, there are strict cutoff times for car transportation companies, but expect to pay a premium. The best way to reduce car transportation costs is by choosing open-jaw car transportation, keeping your delivery timeline flexible.
Terminal-to-terminal transportation allows auto transportation companies to move whole loads from one location to the next, which reduces the total cost. While moving your vehicle by auto hauler is the most popular option, it is far from the only way you can move your car cross-country. If you need to get your vehicle over or around a large body of water, a port-to-port shipment may be a good choice.
At the same time, you should not forget that if the vehicle that you are looking to move is a classic car or luxury vehicle, or it might be one that has a lower ground clearance, then you might have to opt for an enclosed transport option in that case. Otherwise, it might cost you much more in terms of damages caused by lack of safety, etc. So, if you are planning on going for enclosed vehicle carriers every time that you have to move your important possessions, then it will be smart of you not to take any risks.
If your vehicle is non-operational, then it is up to the transporter to use their machinery and manpower to load and unload your vehicle. The costs are further affected by car size, terminals (terminal delivery refers to a customers responsibility for dropping off the vehicle at a terminal closest to where they are picking up, then being responsible for picking it up from a terminal closer to where they are being delivered), and also season. Unless you are planning on spending extra, it is best to ask a company for their auto transportation costs during every time of year, and have it transported during the timeframe that is best for your budget and schedule.
The size of the vehicle being transported (larger vehicles require more space on a carrier and will cost more) To help you figure out auto transportation costs, we gathered quotes from some of the top car hauling companies in the U.S. and provided an extensive breakdown on how to transport your vehicle like the professionals. The average cost in the industry for shipping your vehicle using an auto transportation company is over $2.00 per mile for trips under 200 miles. These estimates are based on the top two lowest-cost car transport companies, Easy Auto Ship and Alpine Auto Transport, so prices from other car haulers can be slightly higher.
