Compare Best Rates Online (2024)
By:
Brogan Woodburn
Last Updated 07/24/2024
Motor1 Reviews Team Take:
- Based on the quotes our team received for a variety of shipping routes, the average cost of car shipping ranges from $732 to $1,584. Costs vary significantly depending on the distance you need to ship your vehicle and the type of transport carrier you choose.
- You should always research and compare quotes from multiple providers before making your decision on a car shipping service.
- Mercury Auto Transport, AmeriFreight, and Montway Auto Transport are great companies to start with when looking for affordable car shipping quotes.
Looking for cheap car shipping quotes online? Our team has compared over 400 quotes from 21 car shipping companies to determine average car shipping costs and the cheapest companies to use. The best way to get cheap car shipping quotes online is to compare offers from multiple providers. You can then easily find the best shipping company for your budget and needs.
In this article, we’ll explain how to get car shipping quotes and cover the factors that influence costs. To recommend the best car shipping companies, we’ve surveyed car shipping customers, analyzed services, interacted with companies through secret shopping, and collected industry ratings from top online review platforms.
What Is a Car Shipping Quote?
A car shipping quote is essentially an estimate of how much it will cost in total to ship your vehicle. When you get a quote, the shipping company gives you a price estimate. Then, it posts the shipment to its network of carriers. Carriers can take the job or pass it up for other opportunities depending on the market at that time.
Getting a quote to ship your car is slightly different from, say, getting a rate from the United States Postal Service to ship a large package. That’s because most car shipping companies are brokers that work with independent carriers, so they don’t have full control over the price.
Getting Car Shipping Quotes
With over 300 hours of research backing our team, we’ll provide an overview of the entire shipping process so you can best understand which services you need while you’re shopping around for quotes. Learn more about getting personalized auto shipping quotes below.
What Is the Best Way to Get a Car Shipping Quote?
The easiest way to get the best auto transport quotes is to find companies that offer car shipping calculators. We’ve confirmed that Montway Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, AmeriFreight, Easy Auto Ship, and Mercury Auto Transport all provide instant car shipping quotes on their websites.
Car shipping quote calculators estimate shipping costs based on route information and carrier availability. Some companies may offer a car shipping quote calculator for domestic moves but not international ones. If this is the case and you’re looking to ship internationally, you’ll need to call the auto transport provider for a price.
What You Need for a Car Shipping Quote
While many auto shippers allow you to use an instant car shipping cost calculator online, other providers need to manually check market conditions before giving you a free quote. In any case, you’ll need to provide some basic information to get accurate car shipping quotes.
For a hassle-free experience, you should have the following information on hand, whether or not you plan to use a car shipping calculator:
- Your vehicle’s make, model, and year
- Vehicle operability status
- Pickup and drop-off locations
- Pickup and delivery dates
- Shipping preferences, such as enclosed or open transport
- Your contact information, including email and phone number
What Affects Car Shipping Quotes?
When giving an estimate, car shipping brokers rely on several factors to determine your transport cost. Below, we highlight the most important factors that affect car shipping quotes.
| Cost Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Shipping distance | A cross-country shipment will cost more overall than hauling your car a short distance, but it will cost less per mile. |
| Type of transport | Opting for an open carrier is the cheapest way to go, while enclosed carrier transportation is pricier but safer, and may be the better option for luxury or classic cars. |
| Drop-off and pickup locations | Shipping right to your home/business is convenient, but will cost more than shipping to a terminal, which is a designated warehouse or location (usually near a highway) for a carrier to drop your vehicle off. Shipping to rural towns is more expensive than shipping between larger urban areas or cities, because rural towns are farther from main routes. |
| Type of vehicle | Full-size SUVs and pickups often cost more to ship because of their size and weight. Anything that takes up more trailer space will be more expensive. |
| Vehicle condition | Inoperable vehicles cost more to ship since drivers spend extra time and resources winching them onto the trailer. |
| Time of year | Auto transport rates are highest in January, when people are moving south to get out of the cold, and in the summer, when many families choose to move while their kids are out of school. |
| Fuel costs | The price of your transport will typically fluctuate as gas prices go up and down. |
| Payment type | Car shipping companies generally offer electronic payments or cash on delivery options. Generally, paying by cash costs slightly less than paying entirely online. |
How to Get the Best Car Shipping Quotes
When you’re shopping for car shipping quotes online, you can be sure you’re getting the best price by following these tips to lower your car shipping costs:
- Choose terminal-to-terminal shipping: Although less convenient than door-to-door shipping, this option is often much less expensive.
- Book in advance: The earlier you book your car shipment, the better. You’ll avoid paying for expedited car shipping prices if you get a head start on scheduling.
- Choose a large delivery window: Your final vehicle shipping cost depends largely on carrier availability. If you have wiggle room with your drop-off and pickup dates, car transport companies can often find you better rates.
- Choose a reputable car shipping company: The best car shipping companies partner with thousands of truckers, so getting quotes from an auto transport broker is usually the most cost-effective way to book a shipment.
- Look for discounts: The top-rated car shipping companies offer multiple discounts that can lower the overall quote you receive. These generally include discounts for military members, students, those paying in cash, those shipping multiple vehicles, and returning customers. Some companies don’t list discounts on their website, so you’ll need to call a representative and ask if they offer any deals.
Compare Car Shipping Quotes
We recommend reaching out to Mercury Auto Transport, AmeriFreight, Montway Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, and National Express Auto Transport for car shipping quotes. In the following sections, we’ll compare each company’s best quotes for short- and long-distance shipping using either open or enclosed carriers.
Car Shipping Quotes from Our Top Companies
The table below highlights the cost ratings for each of our top-rated car shipping companies. With these companies, you can expect to receive cheap car shipping quotes, no matter how far you need to ship your vehicle or whether you choose an open or enclosed carrier.
To calculate the average cost per mile, our team mystery-shopped and got quotes for an operable 2020 Toyota RAV4 along the following routes from multiple companies:
- Chicago to Kansas City, MO with open shipping (503 miles)
- Los Angeles to Houston with open shipping (1,556 miles)
- Los Angeles to Houston with enclosed shipping (1,556 miles)
- New York to San Francisco with open shipping (3,036 miles)
Compare the average cost per mile and our cost ratings for our top-rated car shipping companies below:
| Car Shipping Company | Average Cost per Mile | Our Cost Rating* |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $0.68 | 5.0 |
| AmeriFreight | $0.85 | 4.6 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $0.87 | 4.5 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $0.81 | 4.7 |
| National Express Auto Transport | $0.97 | 4.4 |
*Cost ratings are out of 5.0 stars.
Click here to see how we determined our top companies.
Compare Car Shipping Quotes by Average Cost
Car shipping quotes can vary widely depending on the company you choose. Comparing the average quotes from car shipping companies gives you a good indication of which provider offers the best car shipping prices. Our team found that the cheapest company on average was Mercury Auto Transport.
| Shipping Company | Average Quote |
|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $930 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,122 |
| AmeriFreight | $1,143 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,174 |
| National Express Auto Transport | $1,340 |
Compare Car Shipping Quotes by Distance
Typically, short-distance quotes are lower overall compared to long-distance quotes. However, on a per-mile basis, longer shipments cost substantially less.
Short-Distance Car Transport Quotes
We received the best short-distance quote to ship a 2020 Toyota RAV4 from Mercury Auto Transport, at only $505. You can compare our top-rated car shippers in the table below.
| Shipping Company | Short-Distance Quote |
|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $505 |
| AmeriFreight | $622 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $679 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $576 |
| National Express Auto Transport | $715 |
Long-Distance Car Transport Quotes
We found the best rate for shipping a vehicle long-distance from Mercury Auto Transport. Our quote from Mercury for shipping a car via open transport 3,000 miles or more was just $1,185.
| Shipping Company | Long-Distance Quote |
|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $1,185 |
| AmeriFreight | $1,199 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,399 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,417 |
| National Express Auto Transport | $1,650 |
Compare Car Shipping Quotes by Carrier Type
After shipping distance, the type of carrier you choose has the second biggest impact on shipping quotes. Because open-air carriers are more commonly available and can hold several vehicles at a time, open transport is typically the cheapest shipping method. However, with open shipping, your car is exposed to the elements, and more susceptible to receiving damage during transport. Fully enclosed transports can carry fewer vehicles at once, so this method costs more. Enclosed shipping is also more expensive because it protects the vehicle from the outside elements.
When asked about the advantages of choosing enclosed shipping, Jack Savov, SEO of SGT Auto Transport, said:
“Customers should weigh the benefits of enclosed transport against their budget and shipping needs to determine if it is the best option for their specific situation. Overall, while enclosed shipping is not always necessary, it can provide added peace of mind and security for certain types of vehicles during transport.”
In the following sections, we highlight how the type of auto carrier you choose affects your car shipping quotes.
Open Transport Quotes
According to our research, you can get an open carrier quote from Mercury Auto Transport for as low as $855 when shipping your vehicle 1,556 miles. Compare the best quotes we received for a 2020 Toyota RAV4 with open car transport services in the table below
| Shipping Company | Open Carrier Quote |
|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $855 |
| AmeriFreight | $1,019 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,059 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,024 |
| National Express Auto Transport | $1,155 |
Enclosed Car Shipping Quotes
If you want the added protection of enclosed shipping, we once again recommend Mercury Auto Transport. The company has a good industry reputation and quoted us the best rate to ship a 2020 Toyota RAV4 1,556 miles with enclosed shipping, at only $1,175.
The table below contains the best enclosed trailer shipping quotes from the most reputable car shipping companies included in our industry-wide study.
| Shipping Company | Enclosed Carrier Quote |
|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $1,175 |
| AmeriFreight | $1,732 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,559 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,472 |
| National Express Auto Transport | $1,840 |
Featured Car Shipping Companies
Savov also said:
“For a first-time car shipper, I recommend investing sufficient time into the research phase to determine the type of service needed. Whether it’s for relocating or for a guaranteed pickup service, comparing prices and evaluating the pros and cons of at least two to three companies is highly recommended.”
Below are some companies that we recommend starting with when searching for a quote.
Montway Auto Transport: Best Customer Experience
Our team found Montway to be affordable for many different shipping distances and for both open and enclosed transport. Montway quotes came in at $0.87 per mile on average, but the quote you receive will vary depending on the distance and service you choose.
See the quotes we received from Montway Auto Transport below.
| Carrier Type | Shipping Route | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Chicago to Kansas City, MO (503 miles) | $679.00 |
| Open | Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | $1,059.00 |
| Enclosed | Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | $1,559.00 |
| Open | New York City to San Francisco (3,036 miles) | $1,399.00 |
AmeriFreight: Best Variety of Services
AmeriFreight quoted us $1,119 for a cross-country shipment, which was one of the cheapest prices for this distance of any company. AmeriFreight offers a streamlined shipping process and a simple pathway for car shipping quotes online. It also offers a wide variety of shipping services, including gap protection and expedited shipping, and the most discounts of the top providers in our review.
The following discount opportunities are available when you choose to ship your car with AmeriFreight:
- Active-duty military: $35 off
- First responders: $35 off
- Medical personnel: $35 off
- Early bird: $35 off if you sign up no more than 48 hours after getting a quote
- Students: $25 off
- Senior citizens: $25 off
- Return customers: $50 off
- Multiple vehicles: $50 off each additional vehicle
Looking at quotes from AmeriFreight, we found it costs just below Montway on average, at $0.85 per mile. Find quotes we received from AmeriFreight in the table below.
| Carrier Type | Shipping Route | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Chicago to Kansas City, MO (503 miles) | $622.00 |
| Open | Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | $1,019.00 |
| Enclosed | Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | $1,732.00 |
| Open | New York City to San Francisco (3,036 miles) | $1,199.00 |
How Car Shipping Works
If this is your first time shipping a car, it’s helpful to learn how things work. We will highlight everything you need to know about the car shipping industry to get the best quotes when shopping around.
Getting a Car Shipping Quote from a Broker
Most car shipping companies are brokers that coordinate with thousands of carriers across the country to move vehicles. When you get a quote, the broker attempts to secure a carrier to move your car for that price. In some cases, the price may increase if the broker can’t find a carrier. This could happen if the demand for shipping a car increases on your route or during a specific season.
Some companies, like Sherpa Auto Transport, guarantee your quote won’t rise even if demand is rising in the market. If a locked-in price is most important to you, you’ll need to get quotes from brokers that offer guaranteed pricing.
Booking a Car Shipment
After you find a quote that you like, you’ll continue with booking the shipment. This is when you’re committed to shipping your car with the company. However, the car shipping company hasn’t secured a carrier just yet. Once a carrier is found, the shipping company will dispatch your car to the carrier, which means the carrier is now committed to picking up your vehicle.
Securing Auto Transport Insurance Protection
Auto transport carriers are required to have both liability insurance and cargo insurance. Liability insurance covers other people on the road and their property if the truck driver causes an accident. Cargo insurance covers theft and different types of damage to your vehicle while it’s in transit.
Not everything is covered by cargo insurance, though. Most policies exclude environmental events or “acts of God.” Your car also isn’t covered during the loading and unloading process. Some brokers offer supplemental coverage that can provide additional protection in different situations.
When asked about car shipping insurance coverage, here’s what Savov had to say:
“Overall, it is important to carefully review the insurance coverage provided by the car shipping company and to make an informed decision about whether to purchase additional insurance based on individual needs and circumstances.
Most companies provide bumper-to-bumper insurance, which covers external damage to the vehicle, but it’s always advisable to check the coverage of the insurance to make sure it includes the cost of the vehicle.”
It’s always a good idea to have comprehensive insurance on a vehicle you’re shipping. This would cover damage during the shipping process that cargo insurance doesn’t.
Paying for the Car Shipment
Car shipping companies usually offer two ways to pay:
- Electronically: You can pay online using a debit or credit card. You may pay a deposit at booking and the rest upon dispatch, or you may pay the whole amount at booking.
- Cash on delivery: If you choose this payment method, you’ll make an electronic deposit at booking. You’ll then pay the balance in cash or a cash equivalent, like a cashier’s check or money order, to the truck driver when they deliver your car.
Car Shipping Quotes: Bottom Line
In this review, we covered everything you need to know about car shipping quotes, from factors that affect your quoted price, to how to save money and get a cheap quote.
Car Shipping Quotes: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about car shipping quotes:
What is the cheapest service to ship a car?
Open auto transport is the cheapest car shipping service available. All our top-rated auto shipping companies offer this popular transport option. Having your car shipped from one centrally located terminal to another is another way to save some money, but not all companies offer this service.
Is it worth shipping a car?
Whether it’s worth it to ship a car depends on a few factors. If you’re moving cross-country and have an older vehicle, the cost to ship the car may be more than the vehicle’s value. Consider whether it’s better to sell your car and purchase a different one at your destination. Another alternative is driving your car to your destination. If you’re driving a short distance and don’t mind putting the miles on your vehicle, driving may be more economical.
Can I put stuff in my car when I ship it?
No, you usually can’t put things in your car when you ship it. Some companies may allow you to put something in your trunk, but this is an exception to the rule. It’s best to plan on clearing your car out completely before shipping it so you don’t have to pay for the added weight.
How much does it cost to ship a car 2,000 miles?
It can cost between $1,300 and $1,700 to ship a car 2,000 miles between metro areas. Keep in mind you’ll pay more if you are shipping to or from a rural location, or if you need to use an enclosed auto transporter.
What is the best company to ship a car?
We believe Montway Auto Transport is the best car transport company in 2024. Montway offers a simple car shipping quote calculator plus excellent customer service and affordable prices.
How much does it cost to FedEx a car?
FedEx doesn’t offer car shipping services to consumers. It can ship car parts or oversized machinery on flatbeds for the automotive industry, but you can’t simply FedEx a car from one place to another.
What is the average cost to ship a car?
Multiple factors contribute to the average cost to ship a car. Factors such as vehicle weight, transport type, and distance impact car shipping rates. We found the average rate for car delivery is $1,174 for transport on an open trailer, but the price varies by auto transport carrier.
How do you calculate shipping for a car?
You can calculate a car shipping cost by multiplying the mileage by a price-per-mile if available from the company.
How do I get my car shipped?
The first step to getting your car shipped is to compare car shipping quotes from a few auto transport companies. You’ll need to decide on your shipping dates and whether you want open or enclosed car shipping and door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal transport. After you choose a transporter, the company will handle logistics. You’ll simply need to remove personal items, drop your vehicle off at a designated site, and then pick it up at your destination.
How much does it cost to ship a truck?
Size is one of several factors that affect your car shipping quotes, so the cost of a truck is likely to be somewhat higher than the cost of shipping a sedan or compact car.
Methodology: How We Rate Car Shipping Companies
Each year, our team scores car shipping companies in the following categories: industry standing, cost, services, and customer service. We surveyed over 2,000 shipping customers to see what matters most to them and factored our collected data into the overall weighted average rating. Aside from the quotes we received, we’ve collected over 500 data points to further formulate our industry ratings and methodology.
Industry Standing
You might be looking for affordable shipping companies, but it’s valuable to know a company has a good reputation as well. This category takes into account how long the company has been in business, the shipping availability by state, and the industry ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB is a trusted organization that studies and rates companies for their business practices, licensing information, and customer experiences.
Cost
Our team compared over 400 quotes from many popular car shipping companies. Our quotes include short and long-distance transport prices as well as estimates for open and enclosed shipping. We gave the best cost scores to companies with lower average prices and available discounts.
All of the quotes in this article apply to shipping an operable 2020 Toyota RAV4. You may find different quotes depending on the size of your vehicle and whether it drives. If a vehicle is inoperable, the truck driver will need to winch it onto the truck, which adds to the overall cost.
Services
It’s good to have choices, and we award higher scores to companies with plenty to offer. Most companies offer open car shipping and enclosed car shipping with door-to-door services. However, if a company offers add-on insurance coverage, fast average transit times, and guaranteed pickup dates, it’ll receive higher marks from our team.
Customer Service Ratings
We use a variety of techniques to determine how companies serve customers:
- Secret shopping: We shop for quotes from all the companies we review to get the best sense of a customer’s experience. We also record our experiences with agents and see how they compare to experiences from other customers.
- Customer surveys: To date, we’ve surveyed over 2,000 people who have shipped their cars through many different companies. Survey questions focus on customer experiences and the process of shipping a car from start to finish. We also ask about common issues people encounter when shipping cars.
- Customer reviews: We comb through hundreds of online customer reviews from sites like the BBB, Trustpilot, and Google, and we include customer ratings in our overall customer experience score.
Customer Experience Survey
Our team polled customers on their overall satisfaction with the shipping process. About 93 percent of respondents in our 2023 car shipping survey were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their experience. Only 2 percent of respondents were dissatisfied, and 5 percent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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