On average, the cost of shipping a car ranges from around $750 for a few hundred miles on an open carrier to about $2,250 to transport a vehicle cross-country on enclosed transport.
But several factors can affect the final shipping cost, so in this week’s home moving blog, we look at what affects the cost of shipping a car and how those costs are calculated.
The Average Cost to Ship a Car (DISTANCE)
Distance is one of the factors that you have little control over, but these are the average costs of moving a vehicle by mileage:
| Distance | Average car shipping cost |
| < 500 miles | $975 |
| 500 – 1,000 miles | $1,200 |
| 1,000 – 1,500 miles | $1,610 |
| 1,500 – 2,000 miles | $1,910 |
| 2,000 – 2,500 miles | $2,000 |
| > 2,500 miles | $2,000+ |
To get a rough idea about the average cost to ship a car to another state, take a look at the example car shipping prices below:
- East Coast to West Coast / West Coast to East Coast: $1,375 for a sedan; $1,625 for an SUV or a pick-up truck.
- East Coast to Midwest / Midwest to East Coast: $875 for a sedan; $1,000 for an SUV or a pick-up truck.
- West Coast to Midwest / Midwest to West Coast: $1,125 for a sedan; $1,375 for an SUV or a pick-up truck.
- North to South / South to North: $875 for a sedan; $1,000 for an SUV or a pick-up truck.
You may also like to read: How to Change Car Insurance When Moving Out of State. In this guide, you will find a list of dos and don’ts when it comes to changing your car insurance after an interstate move.
The Average Cost to Ship a Car via OPEN TRANSPORT
The most popular way to ship a car in the United States is via open transport – roughly 95% of all automobiles are shipped this way.
It is the preferred transportation method for vehicles with high ground clearance and a value under $100,000.
The good news is that, because of its popularity, there are many open auto transport providers in the country, which means the high competition in the market brings down car shipping costs, making prices fairly reasonable for customers.
On average, it costs about $500-$625 less to ship your vehicle with an open car carrier:
| Distance | Average open transport cost |
| < 500 miles | $790 |
| 500 – 1,000 miles | $990 |
| 1,000 – 1,500 miles | $1,340 |
| 1,500 – 2,000 miles | $1,650 |
| 2,000 – 2,500 miles | $1,700 |
| > 2,500 miles | $1,700+ |
The Average Cost to Ship a Car via ENCLOSED TRANSPORT
Enclosed car carriers provide the best protection for high-end vehicles.
Enclosed transport is the preferred transportation method for super-expensive vintage cars, classic cars, sports cars, and luxury cars.
Shipping a car via enclosed transport will be more expensive; on average, the price difference between open transport and enclosed transport is somewhere between $500 and $625.
In addition to the higher cost, the pickup time is usually longer because there are fewer enclosed car carriers to choose from.
| Distance | Average enclosed transport cost |
| < 500 miles | $1,160 |
| 500 – 1,000 miles | $1,400 |
| 1,000 – 1,500 miles | $1,890 |
| 1,500 – 2,000 miles | $2,160 |
| 2,000 – 2,500 miles | $2,310 |
| > 2,500 miles | $2,310+ |
You may also like to read: How to Ship a Car from the US to Canada. From required documentation to shipping costs, if you are shipping your car to Canada, then this guide is invaluable.
The Average Cost to Ship a Car by VEHICLE SIZE
Shipping a vehicle larger than the average sedan will cost approximately $190-$250 more.
Larger vehicles will take up more space on the car carrier, meaning that fewer automobiles can be transported at once. To compensate for any losses, car shipping companies charge more for those bigger and heavier vehicles.
Here are the average automobile shipping rates by vehicle size:
| Vehicle type | Average car shipping cost | Average cost for open transport | Average cost for enclosed transport |
| Sedan | $1,440 | $1,210 | $1,675 |
| SUV | $1,600 | $1,350 | $1,850 |
| Pickup truck | $1,810 | $1,510 | $2,100 |
You may also like to read: Ship Your Car or Drive It When Moving Across Country?. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons and comparative costs of driving a vehicle across the country yourself or having it shipped.
Factors that Affect Car Shipping Costs
The cost of car shipping will go up or down depending on factors such as the size of the vehicle, the distance traveled, and the time of the year.
Here’s a list of the major auto transport cost factors that will determine the car hauling cost in your specific case:
- Distance. The distance between the pickup and drop-off locations is one of the most important factors that will influence the final car shipping cost. The greater the distance that your vehicle needs to travel, the higher the car transport cost will be. Different car shipping companies have different mileage rates, so it’s important to get quotes from several top-rated auto shippers before choosing the one you’re going to work with.
- Vehicle size. As a rule of thumb, larger and heavier vehicles such as pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans cost more to transport than sedans simply because they take up more space on the transport truck and seriously affect the carrier’s gas mileage.
- Vehicle condition. Usually, it’ll cost more to transport a car that isn’t in working condition since getting it on and off the carrier will require more time, effort, and resources by the car hauler. So, non-operable vehicles are more expensive to ship than operable ones.
- Type of transport (open or enclosed). The cheapest way to ship your car cross-country is on an open carrier. On average, enclosed auto transport costs roughly $500-$625 more than open auto transport. Enclosed transport is not really necessary in most cases.
- Time of year. Seasonality can greatly influence car shipping costs. You should expect to pay more when shipping your car during the peak moving season (May – September) because car shipping companies are much busier then and spaces on car transport trucks are more limited. On average, car shipping prices in the summer are $250-$375 higher per trip.
- Location. Pickup and drop-off locations will affect the cost of transporting a vehicle. You should expect to pay more when shipping a car from or to a more rural area (compared to big cities) because the car shipper will have to steer off the main transport route to pick up or deliver the car.
- Extra services. Of course, extra services such as additional insurance or expedited shipping will increase the car shipping price. On average, it’ll cost anywhere between $250 and $625 for the additional service of expedited shipping.
- Price of fuel: If gas prices are higher than their normal values at the time you’re shipping your vehicle, car shipping companies are likely to charge more to compensate for the extra fuel costs. This is known as a fuel surcharge.
- Auto shipper. The cost to have a car shipped will depend heavily on the car transport company that you choose to work with, since different auto haulers have different car shipping rates. Make sure you collect several car transport quotes before choosing.
- Unforeseen circumstances. There might be a bunch of unforeseen factors that can affect the final car shipping cost, from delays due to inclement weather to road closures, traffic jams, detours, or even road accidents.
You may also like to read: How to Prepare a Car for Shipping: Car Shipping Checklist. In this guide, you will find a useful checklist for preparing a car for shipping.
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