How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Vehicle | Get A Free Vehicle Transport Quote | Save 30% Compared To Our Competitors
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Vehicle
How much does it cost to ship a vehicle? Another question you can ask yourself is; How much is your time really worth?
I see some people say driving your vehicle cross-city or cross-state is cheaper than shipping it. But is it? Maybe if you don’t count your time.
It seems like a great idea at first to drive your vehicle across the state or country to your new home. But once you start calculating costs, however, it tells a different story. Gas (about .50 per mile according to the Gov), food, accommodations, car maintenance, fatigue, pit stops, and lots more.
A Long-distance journey involves a significant amount of planning and can often result in high costs. Instead of trying to drive your vehicle for a cross-country or cross-border relocation, consider hiring the service of a reliable company like Vehicle Transport Services! We have some of the lowest costs to ship a car in the country.
There are a lot of reasons why you need the services of a vehicle transport company:
- Purchasing a new vehicle from a dealership across the state or country
- Moving or relocating for a job
- When you’re not sure if your vehicle is in perfect condition for a long-distance drive
- Family vacation
- Industrial trips
- Sport events
- Adventure
- You’re selling/sending a vehicle to someone who lives in another state or country
- International trading
- And more…..
The true fact about vehicle shipping is that it can be simple and stress-free and it can also be complicated and frustrating, it all depends on how well informed you are about this process.
However, the cost of shipping a vehicle depends on several variables
1. The type and model of the vehicle:
The number one factor that determines the cost of shipping your vehicle from one location to another is the type and model of the vehicle.
For instance, transporting your tesla model or other electric car requires more commitment and extra service compared to shipping a compact four-door sedan.
2. The condition & size of the vehicle:
Another variable that determines the cost of shipping your vehicle is the present condition of the vehicle. Is your car moveable or inoperable?
For instance, there’s going to be a significant increase in the cost of shipping your crashed vehicle back home, because inoperable vehicles require special kits as well as takes additional time to haul them into the transporter’s truck.
The size of your vehicle, also determines how much you’ll be paying for shipping. Bigger vehicles like trucks, SUVs, and vans are more expensive to transport than sedans or compacts.
3. Altered Body Parts:
If your vehicle has been altered in any form, for instance, lift kits; which makes your car taller, extra bulgy tires, dual rear wheel, etc., it would require a special kind of handling and this can impact the cost of shipping the vehicle.
4. The month/season that you need your vehicle transported:
Seasons play a factor in determining the cost of shipping your vehicle. Winter tends to be cheaper than summer due to lower demand.
5. Your Location and how close you are from a major metropolitan area or expressway:
Your location is also a powerful factor that is used to consider your vehicle shipping quote. Moving within a city will definitely be cheaper than moving from a rural area to a city. The farther away you are from the destination city the more expensive your shipping will be. We do have local car shipping companies in multiple cities across the United States such as Philadelphia vehicle transport companies that will be able to handle these transport requests either same day or possibly 1-2 days.
6. Distance:
Another major factor that determines your vehicle shipping quote is the distance you want your car to travel. Knowing that the miles your car travel determine fuel charges and labor fees. More miles mean more expensive shipping service, in general.
7. Open, covered or enclosed auto transport option:
Apparently, the cheapest way to ship your car is through open-air auto transport, and it is also the most common and one of the most reliable means of moving vehicles. The open-air transport system is a one size fits all, vehicles of all sizes can be accommodated on this carrier and they carry many vehicles at a time. This factor is responsible for the reduced cost and that is why it is readily available and highly economical.
With the enclosed shipping option you rest assured that your car is safer and less exposed to external damages; which makes it attract more payment than open shipping options.
8. Door-to-door Or Terminal shipping:
Door to door shipping provides you with the convenience of dropping your vehicle right in front of your house which makes it more expensive than terminal shipping.
Terminal to terminal auto shipping is used by high-volume car shipping companies and can be utilized for a cheaper way to transport your vehicle. Because we have locations all across the United States like Los Angeles vehicle transport, we normally have spots available to bring the vehicle right to our location.
9. Standard or expedited shipping :
Depending on how fast you want your vehicle to be delivered, you can pay extra to speed up the rate of your shipment.
This can cost anywhere from $200 to $500, though it’ll vary based on your vehicle type, the time of year, and of course, the route.
10. The current price of fuel:
Another important factor that determines the cost of shipping your vehicle, and cannot be overlooked, is the current rate of fuel.
Nowadays the quickly changing gas prices bring changes to auto transport prices.
Meanwhile, it is easy to look online when you are looking for the average cost of shipping your vehicle. Though you can get plenty of free quotes using online calculators, it is best to get a customized quote specifically for your preference.
Once you fill out all the fields in our instant vehicle transport quote calculator, your shipping quote is generated. Assuming all the information you entered is correct, the quote will be all-inclusive and accurate.
Below, therefore are a few steps to getting a customized quote for your shipment
Firstly; your name.
This is more than important; to help us address you correctly. You wouldn’t like it if we send you an email about your quote and it reads “Hey there” or “Hello someone”
Secondly; your email address.
Your email address is needed to send you pieces of information and details about your shipment.
Thirdly; your phone number (optional).
Perhaps we have quick information for you and you’re not responding to your emails quickly, your phone number is required to get in touch with you.
At Vehicle Transport Services, we have well-trained customer service agents on hand to assist you 24 hours a day. We can also help you customize your shipping process to meet your budget and transport needs.
Fourthly; Pickup Location. City, State, and Zipcode.
Next is to input the present location of your vehicle. This will help us know where we’ll be picking up your vehicle (if you’re going with the door-to-door transport option) or to direct you to our nearest terminal (if you’ll be going for the terminal-to-terminal auto transport option).
Fifthly; Delivery Location. City, State, and Zip Code.
Please state carefully where you’ll like us to deliver your vehicle. It could be your office address, your home address, a friend’s address, it could even be your church’s.
Sixthly; Shipping Date.
Next is to select your shipment day. While some will love to have their vehicle arrive at their new location even before traveling, however, some people prefer to get to their new location first and settle things down before the arrival of their vehicle.
Let us know the exact day you’ll like to have your vehicle shipped and we’ll work with your date.
Seventhly; Vehicle Details. Year, Make, and Model.
Select the year, make, and model of your vehicle. This is important since the car type will affect how much you’ll end up paying. Make sure to use the correct information for the most accurate quote.
Eighty; Vehicle Condition.
Is your car moveable or inoperable? No worries. Just let us know while filling the details for your quote.
Nightly; Type Of Shipping.
Open-air transport, covered auto transport, enclosed auto transport, door-to-door, terminal-to-terminal. Any auto transport option you want, just state it while requesting your quote. What you state is what you get.
Lastly; Additional Information.
In case there’s any other information you’ll like us to have regarding your shipment, then this column is for you. Probably, you want to ship more than 3 vehicles and you want to discuss some discounts, let’s hear you out!
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Vehicle | Last Words:
By now, we’ve covered the basic factors that determine the cost of shipping your vehicle from one location to another.
However, choosing the wrong car transporter would cost you hell! In some instances, vehicles or vehicle parts can even be taken hostage by the auto transport company until the owner honors the new demand and decides to pay up. Save yourself this embarrassing experience by making sure you’re well informed before proceeding with your shipment order.
At Vehicle Transport Services, we are experts in a vast variety of vehicle shipping options. Open-air, Enclosed truck, Heavy truck transport, motorcycle shipping, boat transport, RV transport and lots more. We strive to provide the most competitive and realistic vehicle transport quote in the industry. We help you save money and give you peace of mind with our premium services.
Get an instant vehicle transport quote from our free calculator today or call (866) 700-1840 to discuss your move with an experienced vehicle shipping coordinator.