Cars are great for getting you from point A to point B. But what if you need to travel a longer distance?
Whether you can’t drive or can’t bring yourself to get on a plane, shipping your car with Auto Transport Companies may be the answer. But before you go ahead and buy that round-trip ticket for your vehicle, you should know what it will cost to ship your car.
Shipping vehicles is different from shipping other cargo types because vehicles are large, heavy, and often contain hazardous material. This requires the help of specialized shipping companies with the equipment and knowledge to do the job.
Vehicle shipment rates vary widely depending on factors such as the size, age, make and model of the vehicle. The distance you need to cover also comes into play. For example, a trip of less than 200 miles costs an average of $2 per mile. After that, each mile traveled is relatively cheaper, costing about $0.58.
Another factor influencing the cost is your chosen car shipping method. Enclosed car shipping, for example, offers greater protection and security than an open carrier. This adds up to around 35% more than open auto transport.
The Average Cost to Ship a Car
We crunched the numbers alongside EasyWay Auto Transport to figure out the average cost of shipping a car. We obtained quotations for transporting a sedan from California to Washington, a distance of 2630 miles, and discovered that it costs an average of $1469 for open auto transport, and $2009 for enclosed auto transport.
To make sure our data is accurate, we then requested quotes from 12 auto transport companies for the same distance, and these were the results:
For Open Auto Transport
Lowest price | $1120 |
Highest price | $2580 |
Average price | $1300 |
For Enclosed Auto Transport
Lowest price | $1120 |
Highest price | $2580 |
Average price | $1300 |
Factors that affect car shipping costs
The distance your car needs to travel is the most important factor when it comes to the cost. However, there are several more variables to consider:
- Geography: you may have to pay a delivery fee if you need a door-delivery service in a rural area. As a top tip, in this instance you may save money by transporting the car to a central transport station and collecting it from there.
- Size of the car: It may cost over twice as much to ship a big SUV compared to a small automobile.
- Seasonality: During the winter, when demand for car shipping services is lower, auto transport firms generally charge less.
- Transport type: The cost of moving a car via an open truck is likely to be far lower than carrying the same vehicle in an Enclosed Truck, which offers greater protection at a premium.
Bellow, we will explain in greater detail how the prices for car shipping are calculated.
Car Shipping Cost by Distance
As the shipping distance increases, the cost per mile decreases! For example, Shipping a vehicle from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is more cost-effective than shipping it from Los Angeles to New York City.
Here are some average industry average shipping prices in 2021:
Distance | Open Auto Transport Cost, $ | Enclosed Auto Transport Cost, $ |
500 miles | 400 | 700 |
1000 miles | 600 | 900 |
1500 miles | 900 | 1200 |
2000 miles | 1200 | 1500 |
2500 miles | 1500 | 1800 |
3000 miles | 2000 | 2300 |
Car Shipping Cost by Size of Car
The larger the car, the larger the price tag. This is due to two key reasons. Firstly, larger vehicles take up more room on a transporter. This leaves less room for other cars. Secondly, heavier vehicles limit the total amount that can be carried.
To get some concrete data here on how size impacts price, we compared quotations for transporting a 2020 Mazda 3 (a midsize automobile) from Los Angeles, CA to Chicago, IL, a distance of 2000 miles versus shipping a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe (a large SUV) over the same distance.
Transport with Open Carrier
Car model | Average cost, $ |
2020 Mazda 3 | 900 |
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe | 1300 |
Transport with Enclosed Carrier
Car model | Average cost, $ |
2020 Mercedes C-Class | 1600 |
2020 Bentley Bentayga | 1800 |
Car Shipping Cost due to Geography
Geographical factors also impact pricing. For example, some locations are considered more difficult to reach than others due to location, ease of access, and topography. Together, these reasons can mean higher rates.
Car Shipping Cost by Shipping Type
Open Auto Transport and Enclosed Auto Transport are the two most common types of automobile transportation.
Open Auto Transport:
Enclosed Auto Transport:
The main difference between the two is protection and safety. Obviously Enclosed Auto Transport offers more protection against damage as the truck coverage shields the automobile. However, you’ll have to pay the price for this privilege, with a price premium of 35% more than the open method.
Additional links:
https://www.crosscountrycarshipping.com/best-company-to-ship-a-car-across-country/