A range of factors contribute to a cars shipping costs, such as car model and weight, and the distance and mode of vehicle transport. Average Car Shipping Costs While car transportation costs depend on many factors, you can expect vehicle transport rates to range anywhere from around $500 for a short interstate haul, to over $1,700 for cross-country hauls. The average cost of international auto transportation could be anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 for ocean transports, and $5,000 to $40,000 for air transports, depending on the distance and type of vehicle.
The final cost to ship your car abroad depends on a number of factors, such as distance, timeline, vehicle type, and condition. The exact cost will vary depending on your vehicles type and condition, shipping distance, time of year, and transportation type. A moving company will determine your vehicle transportation costs depending on how large your vehicle is being moved, how far away it is being shipped, what kind of services are required, and how soon you need the vehicle at its destination.
The size of your vehicle, the distance, time of year, and the method of transport will all impact your auto transportation cost. Your prices may vary depending on your vehicles size, the distance you are moving, or even the time of year. The price you pay could vary greatly between the time of the initial quote to when the vehicle is delivered.
You may also get a car-shipping quote directly from the brokers, but that is not always the final price you will pay. This type of auto transportation should only be chosen if your vehicle is extremely expensive, customized, or if you are moving a car that is in motorsports. Car transportation costs are always tailored for the individual, and are very variable depending on the transportation needs of your car.
In addition to the per-mile costs, how much you pay for transportation depends on which options you select, market factors, and so forth. If you are planning on sending your vehicle 1000 miles or longer, it will cost $0.78 per mile, making it a better value for longer trips. There are many variables in trying to figure out what it is going to cost you to ship a car, but on average, in the U.S., car shipping companies charge about $2.92 per mile if your journey is under 200 miles, dropping down to $0.78 if your trip is more than 1,000 miles.
The quotes we received are inline with data from the comparison website Get It Done : car transportation costs decrease substantially for longer distances. The average cross-country vehicle transportation cost is $1,300, whereas a one-state drive costs $500, on average (covering 150 miles or fewer). It should also be noted that car-shipping costs are also affected by whether or not transportation distances include an in-state vs. cross-country journey.
When you are looking to move your car over long distances (for instance, moving your car cross-country), the cost will vary depending on what level of service you are expecting, how long you are willing to wait to get your shipment, whether you are going for door-to-door service or terminal-to-terminal service, and if the company you are working with has a truck drivers shortage. If you have to send a vehicle across the country, there are a number of methods that are available, along with factors that are specific to a particular car that will impact cost. If you need to move your vehicle over or around a large body of water, a port-to-port shipment may be a good option.
Unless you are moving a high-value car and you want the added protection provided by enclosed car transport, open-air carriers generally result in lower auto transportation prices. Because enclosed carriers move less vehicles, auto transport companies charge a premium to ship enclosed. Enclosed vehicle transportation trucks typically can carry only a handful of vehicles at once, which can increase the total vehicle transportation cost to as much as 50% higher than open auto transportation.
The main reason for using an enclosed car transportation service is to send a vehicle you wish to maintain in tip-top shape, like a luxury car or a classic. Types of Car Transport Services: The type of auto transportation service you choose will also impact your cars transportation costs, with single-car trailers and enclosed transportation both driving up prices.
The best way to find out what it might cost to ship your vehicle is by comparing car transport quotes online from a number of car transportation providers.
As you already learned, vehicle size and weight are highly significant factors in determining the price to send a car, but there are other factors that need to be considered. As you can see, we are bundling vehicles by overall size and weight, since those are the major factors in determining how much it costs to ship a vehicle. Large SUVs and trucks are bigger and heavier than other types of vehicles that we have discussed thus far, which is why they are more expensive to ship.
You can expect an estimated shipping price for an Extra-large Cargo Van or Truck to cost $500-$1,000 more than the shipping price for a Large SUV or Truck (see previous section). Forbes Advisor collected quotes to ship a 2020 Honda Civic, a midsize sedan, from Los Angeles to New York, and quotes to ship a 2020 GMC Yukon, a large SUV, the same distance, to show how size impacts total costs. It would cost you around $1,400 to $1,600 to send a typical vehicle cross-country, from New York City to Los Angeles, in a single-car, open-bed trailer.
Shipping your car by rail, however, will only cost you $1,000 or so (it depends on the route and railroad company, of course). If you are moving a heavier vehicle, expect to pay more, but do not let a moving company charge you too much if you are moving a lighter car. Prices will vary greatly depending on your shipping carrier and what level of service you select, and you can expect to pay anywhere from 40 cents to $2 a mile for moving a car.
The costs are further affected by vehicle size, terminals (terminal shipping 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 even season.
