How much does it cost to ship a car?

What you are actually paying for

A car shipping price has two parts, and it helps to know which is which. The larger part is what the carrier is paid to move your vehicle: the driver's time, fuel, tolls, insurance and a share of the truck. The smaller part is the broker's fee for pricing the lane, finding and vetting the carrier, and managing the shipment.

Most companies quote you a single total and leave it there. On a Vector quote the two are shown separately, so you can see how much of the number goes to the truck.

The six things that move the price

Roughly in the order they usually matter:

• The lane. Distance matters, but so does which way you are going. Carriers price each direction on how badly they need a load that way that week, so the same road can cost different amounts northbound and southbound.
• The season. Snowbird traffic into Florida and Arizona from October, the return north from March, college move-in in August and summer relocations all tighten capacity on particular lanes. Shipping two or three weeks either side of a peak is often noticeably cheaper.
• Open or enclosed. Enclosed trailers are scarcer and carry fewer cars, so enclosed typically runs 40% to 60% above the open rate. See open vs. enclosed car shipping.
• The vehicle. Size and weight take deck space, so a full-size pickup costs more than a compact sedan. Lifted, lowered or modified vehicles can need specific equipment.
• Whether it runs. A car that does not start, roll, steer or brake needs a winch or other equipment and takes longer to load. See inoperable vehicle transport.
• Your dates and addresses. A three-day pickup window widens the pool of carriers. A fixed date, a rural address far from the interstate, or a street a 75-foot truck cannot enter all add cost.

Why a per-mile rate is misleading

You will see car shipping described as costing so many cents per mile. It is the least useful number in the industry, because the per-mile figure changes with distance. Short moves look expensive per mile, because a driver still spends the same time loading, unloading and doing paperwork whatever the distance. Long moves look cheap per mile for the same reason.

Two moves of the same length can also differ a lot if one runs down a busy interstate corridor and the other ends in a small town several hours off it. That is why we quote the actual lane rather than multiplying miles by a rate.

How to tell a realistic quote from a bait quote

The most common complaint in auto transport has a specific cause. A company quotes a low number to win the booking, posts the load at that price, and no carrier accepts it because it is below what drivers are taking on that lane. A week later the customer is told the price has gone up.

A few questions separate the two:

• Does the company ask for a deposit before a carrier is assigned? That is a warning sign. Nothing should be charged until a driver is booked for your vehicle.
• Is the quote far below every other one you received? The truck does not know which broker booked it; a much lower number usually means a longer wait or a later increase.
• Will they tell you what the carrier is being paid?
• Do they explain what could change the price, such as an undisclosed non-running condition or a missed pickup window?

When you pay

With Vector, there is no upfront payment. Booking puts your vehicle on the dispatch board at the quoted rate and nothing is charged. When a driver is booked for your vehicle and you have the carrier's details, a deposit becomes payable. The balance is paid to the driver on delivery, in the form stated on your order, which depends on the carrier.

If lane conditions change before a driver is booked, we tell you and re-quote rather than dispatch at a price no carrier will accept, and you have paid nothing in the meantime.

How to keep the cost down

• Book one to two weeks ahead, and four to six in a seasonal peak.
• Offer a pickup window of a few days rather than a single date.
• Choose open transport unless the vehicle genuinely needs enclosed.
• Describe the vehicle accurately, including modifications and whether it runs.
• Meet the truck at a nearby wide lot if your street is narrow or gated.
• Ship more than one vehicle on the same dispatch if you can. See multi-car transport.

Common questions

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