As you may know, shipping a car is more cost-effective and beneficial than driving it on the longer route. But How Much Is It to Ship a Car? This question didn’t leave your mind unless you got answers. Knowing the cost helps you in planning and budgeting for the shipment. Here in this guide, you will learn about the cost and its factors.
How Much Is It to Ship a Car?
Car shipping costs depend on many factors, and understanding these factors will help you to know how much it is to ship a car. Many auto transport companies offer an online tool named car shipping cost calculator, which provides the estimated shipping cost based on the input details. The average cost of car shipping according to distance is mentioned here.
- Short Distances (e.g., up to 500 miles): $200 to $600.
- Medium Distances (e.g., 500-1,000 miles): $400 to $1,000.
- Long Distances (e.g., 1,000-2,000 miles): $800 to $1,600.
- Cross-Country (e.g., 2,000+ miles): $1,200 to $2,000 or more.
Factors Affecting Car Shipping Cost
The actual cost of car shipping involves several factors that also affect it. Some of the major cost-affecting factors are mentioned here.
- Shipping Distance: Shipping a car on a longer route increases the fuel consumption and labor, which is why longer the distance between shipping distances more costlier the shipping cost gets.
- Vehicle Type: Smaller vehicles need less space to ship and also cost less. Bigger the vehicles like SUVs or trucks require bigger space as well as cost higher.
- Shipping Method: To fulfill the customer’s requirements, transport companies usually offer several different methods or services, which also have different pricing. Some of the most commonly used services are mentioned here.
- Open transport is the most commonly used shipping method. This method uses an open-air trailer to move vehicles, which are fully exposed to the elements. Open car shipping is cheaper than enclosed transport.
- Enclosed transport is the most secure and protective car shipping method, which uses a fully closed trailer to move the vehicle from one location to another. This method is costlier than open transport but provides the best protection and security for the vehicle.
- Door to door shipping offers the most convenience because your vehicle is picked up and dropped off at your doorstep. Many customers diamond for this service for its convenience regardless of its higher cost.
- Terminal to terminal shipping is to most cheapest car shipping method where your vehicle is shipped from terminal to terminal. The customer is supposed to send and then pick up the vehicle at the specific terminal locations.
- Vehicle Condition: Movable vehicles are easy to ship because they are operational, but shipping a non-movable vehicle involves specialized equipment and handling, which costs additional and increases the final cost.
- Seasonal Cost: Shipping a car in peak season can cost more because of the high demand for car shipping and fewer resources.
- Fuel cost: Fluctuation in fuel price can directly affect the running cost of the trailer truck. High fuel price means more costlie the shipping cost.
How to Get an Accurate Car Shipping Quote
By gatting a accurate car shipping quote from the auto shipping company, you can get an optimum cost of car shipping without any unnecessary charges. Acquiring a car shipping quote is a straightforward process. The step-by-step guide is mentioned here:
- Gather Info: First gather info about the vehicle make, model, size, and weight and pickup and delivery points along with the preferred shipping mode. Tsi information needs to be filled in the car shipping cost calculator, which provides the quotation.
- Enter Details: Enter the required details in the calculator. Some calculators may ask for additional details about the preferred dates or any particular instructions.
- Get Quotes: Based on the information provided, this calculator gives a shipping quote from pre-set parameters.
- Compare and Choose: The various estimates provided may be used to compare the shipping options. Make a choice of carrier based on the cost, delivery time, and even the quality of services.
Tips to Save Money on Car Shipping
Shipping a car is more cost effective than driving it, but sometimes it may not fit into the budget. Managing the budget is challenging that’s why some tips are mentioned here to save you some money while shipping your car:
- Get multiple car shipping quotes from different shipping companies and compare them to find out the best service at the best price.
- Remember, the most affordable may not always be the best one, that’s why also check the customer’s ratings and reviews to find a reliable auto shipping company.
- Sometimes, booking the shipment early can give you the chance to grab the best deal on car shipping.
- Choose the open trailer if you are planning to ship your daily commuter vehicle.
- Shipping your vehicle during the off-season also saves you a good amount of money.
- Selecting terminal to terminal shipping service to save money.
- Ask for offers and discounts on car sipping to save some money.