how much does it cost to ship a car?

If you’ve been considering auto transport but thought it might be out of your budget…think again! Or, at the very least, take a few moments to get the answer to your pressing question: How much does it cost to transport a car? While we can’t give a dollar amount without the details of your car shipping needs, we can tell you what you’ll need to provide to your auto transport service provider and answer your frequently asked questions. In other words, you’ve come to the right place!

So, how much does it cost to transport a car anyway? Here are the factors that will affect your car shipping price, be sure to provide all the information needed to ensure an accurate car shipping price quote!

Breaking Down Auto Transport Cost

  1. The to and fro – Obviously, your car shipper will need to know where the vehicle is and where it’s going. Transporting a car from NYC to San Diego will likely cost more than the Southside of Chicago to the Northside. Factors such as fuel, driver time, accessibility of the route and traffic are used to calculate this aspect of your auto transport price. An additional consideration for your car shipping price is whether you can drop off and pick up your vehicle at a processing center near your location or if you’d require door-to-door service for your auto transport.
  2. Your vehicle deets – Shipping an oversized truck? A million dollar sports car? A standard-sized sedan? The details matter and will affect how your auto is transported. You can ship nearly any kind of vehicle from a boat to an RV to a vintage motorcycle. The variety of vehicles do, however, require different types of auto carriers for different reasons. Your brand new car may warrant more protection from the environment in an enclosed carrier. Or, your oversized SUV may need a flatbed truck to get to its final destination, while a standard-sized car can go on the most common and affordable option of the open carrier.
  3. The time of year – Many areas of the country experience a surge in auto transport demand at certain times of the year. If you understand how these peak times impact your needs and add flexibility to your schedule, you might save yourself some serious cash on your car shipping. For example, a group of older Americans makes an annual trek to Florida each year from the Midwest and Northeast to avoid winter. These snowbirds, as they are known, create a high demand situation in those areas during fall and spring. If you can avoid shipping a car during that time frame, your price will likely be lower.

Provide these three tidbits of information to your auto transport provider to ensure the car shipping price quote you get is accurate, and you’ll likely find that car shipping is an affordable solution to your logistics challenges. Direct Connect Auto Transport has been the quality leader in the car shipping industry since 2001. You can count on us for the strongest network of drivers, world-class insurance and even a damage-free guarantee – standard with every car shipment.

Get started with an affordable auto transport quote today!