How much does it cost to ship car across country? That’s a question on many people’s minds and a reason why they contact car shipping companies, expecting a quick and simple answer. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. There’s no “standard” car shipping quote that applies across the board, as many different factors should be factored thats why car shipping companies offer car shipping calculator on their websites.
How much does it cost to ship a car and how to calculate a quote
The average price to ship a standard sedan in continental US runs anywhere from $450 to $2,000, according to Car Shipping Calculator which calculates the quotes trough gathered information from all real and reputable car shipping companies.
Some of the more tech-savvy car shipping companies use a highly advanced car shipping calculator to determine how much a client should pay for the service. In most cases, the following aspects are considered:
- Type and Size of Vehicle - The size of a vehicle will impact on the type of trailer used to ship it. A smaller sedan will therefore be cheaper to ship than a full size truck, as the latter occupies more space and weighs more.
- Vehicle Condition - It costs more to ship a non-running vehicle. A running vehicle can be driven onto the truck, where as a vehicle that steers and brakes can be pushed. However, a vehicle that needs to be winched or forklifted onto the transport trailer will garner an additional fee.
- Special Requests - If there are special requests, such as loading the vehicle on the top rack, it will typically cost extra.
- Type of Shipping - When you book your car shipping order, you will have the option of choosing either open or enclosed car shipping. Open car transport can be up to 40% cheaper than enclosed transport, which is recommended for high-end, luxury or vintage cars you can calculate the difference with car shipping calculators that many websites offer it for free.
- Economics - During an economic downturn, fuel rates may increase, and that will affect your car shipping quote.
- Car shipping Gap Protection Coverage - In the event that the carrier’s insurance doesn’t pay, the AFTA plan will provide up to $2,000 towards your out-of-pocket expenses in the unlikely event of damage to your car. Depending on the coverage you choose, it can add up to $98 to your car shipping quote.
- Time of Year - Car shipping quotes tend to be higher during holiday seasons and in bad weather due to an increased demand.
- Location - If your vehicle has to be collected or delivered to or from remote locations, carriers will have to travel outside of their usual routes, and this likely increase the rate they charge you.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car?
When it comes to car shipping services, open car shipping is typically the most affordable option you will notice this while using the car shipping calculator on the website. Most car carriers offer this method, which means there are many suitable trucks on the roads. In most cases, several trucks cover the same routes every week, and they have far and wide reach, which means it is also the quickest way to move your car from point A to point B.
How can I ship my car to another state?
If you want to ship your car to another state, you should start by looking for reviews of car shipping companies first. Once you have selected a few companies, compare the prices with the car shipping calculator on their websites, and use their online car shipping calculator to find out how much it will cost you to ship car across country. Now that you understand what you pay for, it should be easy to spot which companies charge a fair price.