The industry term for this kind of shipping is open-top trucking – it is an easy way to save hundreds of dollars. Another cheaper option for moving a vehicle is a terminal-to-terminal delivery, in which you drop off the car at a vehicle-transportation terminal in one location, then pick it up from the terminal in your vehicles destination. Alternatively, you could anticipate savings if you could deliver the vehicle at one hub transportation facility and pick it up from a different hub.
Car carriers handle the actual transport of your vehicle, picking up and dropping off your vehicle at the designated location. You work directly with a car hauler, starting from getting an estimate to sending a quote, working out details, and ending up with actual delivery.
Because some carriers do not need to deliver your vehicle to you directly, but rather they may simply deliver it to a conveniently located terminal yard, their rates are typically lower than carriers that deliver from door-to-door. The shipping rates, on average, are 40%-50% higher with enclosed transportation versus an open-air carrier. You can expect to pay more for enclosed transportation, but you may also find lower rates by comparing your options sooner.
Open-air transportation–where a vehicle is tacked onto the back of a massive truck that is also carrying other vehicles–is the most economical way to ship your vehicle, generally costing hundreds of dollars less than enclosed transportation. A train is the cheapest way to ship a car across country, as opposed to an auto trailer, because multiple cars must be shipped, and the train uses far less fuel per car than the trailer. The cheapest way to ship your car will depend on a number of different factors, including where you live, how far you need the car shipped, and what kind of transport you need.
Which car transport companies provide the lowest rates vary depending on your transportation distance, which options you select, and other factors. Get It Done has hundreds of auto transport companies willing to bid on your auto shipping job, typically offering quotes that are as much as 75% cheaper than the industry norm, but you will first have to evaluate your options.
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a company to move your vehicle, which ranges from pricing, safety, and availability, but the first step you have to take to finding the right company for you is to decide what kind of vehicle transportation services you require. Even though you are looking to get your vehicle transported for less, you still want to find a reliable company that takes good care of your car. If you are fortunate enough to have a friend who lives in the same area as you and wants their vehicle transported, then carpooling for transportation could save you a bit of money, as shipping more than one car is cheaper than going by one vehicle.
While carpooling will help you save time, secure your vehicle, and may be more convenient, it can be expensive, and most people will need to factor in carpooling costs into their moving expenses. If you own a luxury or classic vehicle, you will need to weigh the risks carefully to decide whether you are going to be able to afford the small expense of auto transportation. Shipping it with an enclosed carrier or a door-to-door service could make it pretty expensive to send a vehicle in a trailer.
If a vehicle-shipping company that moves your vehicle is not responsible for delivering it in a timely manner, it has no financial incentive to deliver your car in a timely manner. Requirements Leaves little time for a car transport company to arrange for the delivery using vehicle transportation practices that would have been more effective (i.e., having the trailer loaded full). American Auto Shipping provides free vehicle rentals for any excess delays, and we have built-in protocols that discourage auto transportation carriers from delaying delivery of our customers vehicles.
Estimated cost for companies shipping Distances Sherpa Auto Transport 1500 miles $1,075 Get It Done 1500 miles $1,199 SGT Auto Transport 1500 miles $1,459 Get It Done 1500 miles $1,995 American Auto Shipping 1500 miles $2,079 Sherpa Auto Transport 1500 miles $2,079 cheapest car transport over a shorter distance Our research team obtained quotes for a short-distance auto transportation service from Orlando, FL, to Durham, NC — 535 miles. Company Shipping Distance Cost Estimate Sherpa Auto Transport 1,500 miles $ 1,075 Get It Done 1,500 miles $ 1,199 SGT Auto Transport 1,500 miles $ 1,459 Get It Done 1,500 miles $ 1,995 American Auto Shipping 1,500 miles $ 2,079 Sherpa Auto Transport 1,500 miles $ 2,079 Cheap Short-Distance Car Transport our research team got quotes for short-distance car shipping services from Orlando, Florida, to Durham, North Carolina – a distance of 535 miles. In addition, a few companies have averaged prices from other companies. Average Car Shipping Costs While the cost of auto transportation depends on many factors, you can expect auto transportation rates to range anywhere from around $500 for short, interstate deliveries to over $1,700 for Get It Done deliveries.
According to a study by the comparison website Get It Done, the average cost of delivering a vehicle under 200 miles is $2.92 per mile. The difference for a medium-sized vehicle and for a larger truck can run hundreds of dollars over the same trip. You may be thinking a journey of 500 miles would be equally expensive no matter where you get the car picked up and dropped off.
The larger and heavier a vehicle needs to be shipped, the more expensive a transportation service is going to be, again due to the hoops carriers need to jump through to make sure it is delivered safely. Car-shipping companies on Get It Done are often looking to fill spaces in trips that they are already making, which means that not only is using Get It Done green since those trips are being made anyway, but also that car-shipping quotes can be as much as 75% cheaper than normal rates.
Choose which type of vehicle transportation truck you want Most car shipping companies allow you to choose between open car transportation and enclosed car transportation. Choose Terminal-to-terminal auto transportation services: Nearly all car transportation carriers will come get your vehicle from the current location and bring it to its final destination.
