There are many factors that can affect car shipping cost. Rates vary by company, distance shipped, as well as other factors. Understanding these costs, and rate factors can help you make the best decision possible when deciding on a company to help move your vehicle across the country, or half way around the world. This article should help you answer the question, how much does car shipping cost?
Typical Costs – Here are a few price estimates for shipping a car:
The costs listed above are for standard, run of the mill vehicles. If you are transporting an expensive sports car or exotic vehicle expect to pay much more, to make sure your car is well taken care of during transport. The costs can skyrocket by up to $3,000.
Tips to Lower Costs
Season – Shipping your car will cost less during winter than it will in the summer peak months. You can count on a rate hike of between $200-300 during the summer. The additional cost will vary depending on distance.
Multiple Cars – Expect discounts for shipping more than one vehicle.
Terminal to Terminal – The prices listed above are door to door shipping rates. This means the shipping company will pick up your vehicle and take it to the terminal for shipping. If you live in a city with a shipping terminal, driving the vehicle to the terminal yourself can reduce your costs. The same is true if you can pick it up from the terminal on the other end. Shipping terminals are normally located in large cities.
Open Carrier – Shipping via an open carrier is cheaper than shipping by container. While an open carrier carries a bigger risk of damage than a container, significant damage to a vehicle is rare.
Shipping a car across the country or internationally can be expensive, but knowing typical rates, and discounts available can be helpful when searching for the perfect transporter to handle your car.