Last updated on October 5th, 2023 at 12:46 pm

Before knowing the shipping costs across the country, you need to confirm the type of car you want to ship – Is it a regular car, a classic car, or an antique car? The total cost will vary from where your vehicle is being shipped and where it will go. Different Transport companies or agencies may offer you different prices. It can cost you about $500 to $4,100.

There are many things you need to consider shipping your car across the country – the type of vehicle you want to send, an open transport or enclosed transport, the number of vehicles, the size and weight of the vehicle, how far the car will be sent, and much more.

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Different factors On Car Shipping Costs Across The Country 

  • Type and size of the vehicle
  • Type of transport you choose
  • Shipping distance
  • Pickup and drop
  • The peak time of the year
  • Flexible Delivery time
  • Region of delivery
  • Expertise in bidding

When you are moving at a far distance or buying a car, you may need to transport the car. The average shipping cost per mile may vary whether the vehicle is for you or business purposes. And the other facts that may affect the overall cost of car shipping are discussed below.

Type and size of the vehicle 

The most important fact that affects the price of transporting a vehicle is the type of it. Cars are mostly small in size and have a lower weight. SUVs are larger than a car and have more weight. The larger the vehicle, the higher the weight and the higher the transportation cost. Moreover, larger vehicles need more space than small ones. So to transport a larger vehicle, you will need larger transport. The more vehicles the truck carries, the lower the vehicle rate. But larger cars cost more to transport because they take up more space on a carrier.

Most transport agencies may ask $650 to $825 for shipping a compact car to 500 miles, whereas for an SUV or minivan, you have to pay $850 to $1,200. But for an expensive antique car, you must pay up to $4000.

Type of transport you choose 

There are two types of transport options for shipping your car to its destination.

Open transport

This is the most affordable option for shipping a car. Also, the cost can vary with the distance and vehicle size. If you want to send a car less than 200 miles, you must pay $584 on average. On the other hand, if the distance is 1,000 miles, you may have to pay $700 to $1000. 

Enclose transport 

Enclosed transport is much higher in cost than open transport. Because of this, most people choose an open carrier. But for more valuable cars like classic or antique cars, shipping for long-distance enclosed transport is a better option. As the high price vehicles need to be protected during transport than the normal vehicles and those trucks, carrying fewer only vehicles for better protection is expensive. The cost of shipping with an enclosed transport can go up to $2,100 for 1500 miles. 

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Shipping distance

The more distance your vehicle travels, the more you will have to pay. This is another factor in how the shipping cost varies. So the auto transport companies charge you depending on the distance between the pick and delivery of your vehicle. Different companies charge different rates. To ship your car within 100 to 200 miles, the companies may charge you 0.60 to $2.00 per mile. On that basis, you can count how much you have to pay for the distance your car is going to travel. If the length exceeds 1000 or more, you may pay a lower price per mile but still have to pay a larger amount.  

Pickup and drop 

What type of transport you want is also a significant factor in which transport costs vary. This is also possible if you want your car delivered to the final destination directly from your preferred location. But for this, you have to pay a little more, as it takes more time and distance to travel.

On the other hand, taking your car to the transporter company’s drop-off location and picking it up from the nearest pickup location will save you more money than the door-to-door delivery option. 

The peak time of the year

In the USA, summer is the peak time for shopping, mainly for a car. During this time, the shipping companies get busy and leave little space on their trucks. So for shipping in the summertime, you may have to pay $200 to $300 extra. However, sometimes in the winter, it can also be costly to ship a car because of extreme weather. So you can see the time of the year you are deciding to ship your vehicle also affects the shipping cost across the country.

On the other hand, choosing off-season for your car shipping will benefit you in many ways. In the off-season, you may get a discount on regular shipping costs, and you may not have to wait too long for delivery. 

Flexible Delivery time 

Every shipping company has a flexible time for picking up and delivering the parcel. You can also get your package quickly if you pay extra for express delivery. You also have to spend some extra when shipping your car within a shorter time. Depending on the distance and company policy, it may vary from $200 to $500. 

Region of delivery 

Inside the cities, the shipping charge is always in a reasonable range. But if you want to deliver your car to a rural area, you may have to pay a few extra dollars. At the same time, the shipping of car intercity is also lower.  

Expertise in bidding 

Having previous experience and good knowledge about bidding will help you get a good deal for shipping your car. For that, first, you should know the present shipping cost of different companies around you. 

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