If you’ve never shipped a car before, it can be challenging to determine your shipping rate ahead of time. Even if you have shipped a car in the past, you may end up paying more or less than you did before due to different shipping locations, transport options, and vehicle sizes.
So whether it’s your first time or your fifth time shipping a car, here’s a guide on how shipping rates are determined:
How Are Vehicle Shipping Rates Determined? What Is Taken Into Consideration?
Vehicle shipping rates are determined by a whole host of different factors, including your chosen transport option, distance, vehicle type, vehicle size, timeframe, location, and season. Here’s what you need to know about each of these factors so that you can get a rough estimate of what it would cost to ship your vehicle:
1. Transport Options
The transportation options you choose for your vehicle impact will largely determine the price. For example, you have the options of open transport and enclosed transport. You also have the options of door-to-door service and terminal-to-terminal service.
Door-to-door service is a specialized service option wherein you select the pick-up and drop-off locations, and the driver comes to you. You can choose convenient locations like your work or your home.
Since door-to-door service is more convenient for you and less convenient for the driver, requiring multiple stops to load the truck, door-to-door service typically costs more.
Terminal-to-terminal service is an alternative service option that’s ideal if you’re trying to save money on vehicle shipping. With terminal-to-terminal service, you’re responsible for transporting your vehicle to and from an auto transport terminal where drivers can pick up and drop off all vehicles in a load at the same time.
Auto transport terminals are typically located in large metropolitan areas, so this service option is ideal if you live in a big city. It would be easy to transport your vehicle to and from a centralized terminal.
However, this service option might be less convenient if you live in a rural area far from the nearest auto transport terminal.
Terminal-to-terminal service is also ideal if you have a flexible shipping time frame and don’t need your vehicle right away. This is because many drivers wait for a full load to be delivered at the terminal before loading up the truck and hitting the road.
As a result, terminal-to-terminal service tends to take longer than door-to-door service.
2. Distance
Distance is another important factor that determines your shipping rate. The longer the distance between your origin and destination, the more time the driver has to spend on the road and the more gas they have to use to get there, so the more expensive it will be.
Most auto transport companies will charge you per mile; however, per-mile rates usually aren’t flat and instead follow a tier system based on the total mileage. This means that longer trips will typically cost you less per mile but more overall.
3. Vehicle Type
Certain types of vehicles are more expensive to ship than others. Sedans are the cheapest to ship, whereas SUVs and trucks are more expensive.
The average cost to ship a sedan is about $1,150, the average cost to ship an SUV is about $1,280, and the average cost to ship a truck is about $1,450.
4. Vehicle Size
Carriers are always looking to maximize the number of cars they can transport within a single load, so the more space your car takes up on the trailer, the more expensive it will be.
For example, compact cars like the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra will be cheaper to ship than full-sized sedans like the Dodge Charger and Nissan Maxima.
Similarly, compact SUVs like the Hyundai Tucson and Ford Escape will be cheaper to ship than full-sized SUVs like the Chevrolet Suburban and Ford Expedition.
5. Timeframe
Your desired shipping timeframe will also contribute to your shipping rate. If you’re on a tight timeline and need your car to be delivered as soon as possible, expect to pay more for expedited shipping. If you’re flexible with your timeline, you can save money with standard shipping.
Here’s a quick breakdown of estimated car shipping times so that you can determine whether or not you need expedited service:
- Two days for distances less than 500 miles
- Four days for distances between 500 and 1,000 miles
- Six days for distances between 1,000 and 1,500 miles
- Eight days for distances between 1,500 and 2,000 miles
- Ten days for distances between 2,000 and 2,500 miles
- 11 days for distances greater than 2,500 miles
6. Location
Different locations also result in different shipping rates. For example, if you’re shipping from a high-demand area, then you may be charged more for shipping. However, if you’re shipping to a high-demand area, you may be able to get a better price.
7. Season
Finally, the time of year affects your shipping rate. Peak car shipping season runs during the summer, so increased demand during this time results in higher shipping rates.
If possible, try to ship your car outside of peak season, for example, in the fall or spring.
What Shipping Options Are Available?
There are two main shipping options available when shipping your car: open transport and closed transport. Let’s discuss both of these options so that you can choose the right one for your car:
Open Transport
Open transport utilizes a trailer that’s completely open on the sides. These trailers are extremely common, and you’re likely to encounter them when driving on the interstate. Many open trailers are double-deckers that can fit up to ten vehicles at a time. Since these trailers are more common and can fit more cars, open transport is often cheaper than enclosed transport.
Enclosed Transport
Enclosed transport utilizes a trailer that’s closed on all four sides. These enclosed trailers can’t fit as many cars, but larger ones may be able to fit up to six cars at a time.
Enclosed transport is ideal for particularly expensive or rare vehicles that require additional protection during shipping since they’re more secure and come with less risk of damage from road debris or adverse weather conditions.
Are There Different Trailer Options?
In addition to open trailers and enclosed trailers, there are a few other trailer options available for car shipping, including:
- Flatbed Trailer
- Gooseneck Trailers
- Drop Deck Trailer
- Wedge Trailer
How Much Does It Usually Cost to Ship a Vehicle?
The average cost to ship a car is just under $1,300. However, your exact cost will be determined by several factors that may result in higher or lower than the average.
The best way to figure out exactly how much it would cost to ship your vehicle is to get a personalized shipping quote.
How Do I Get a Vehicle Shipping Quote?
If you’re ready to ship your vehicle, you can reach out to an auto transport company like RPM for a quote. For an accurate quote, you need to prepare all the relevant information about your shipment, including your origin, destination, vehicle, and dates.
Just make sure that all auto transport companies you’re considering are fully licensed and insured according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standards.
You can check this information for each carrier through the FMCSA database. You can also get information about a carrier’s safety record from the FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Ship a Vehicle?
The cheapest way to ship a vehicle is to use open transport instead of enclosed transport. The average cost to ship a vehicle using open transport is $1,080, whereas shipping a vehicle using enclosed transport is $1,500.
What Is the Cost Per Mile to Ship a Car?
As you now know, distance is one of the most important factors when determining the cost of shipping a car, and many car transport services charge per mile.
However, the per-mile cost changes based on the total distance traveled.
Although exact rates may vary from company to company, here’s what you can generally expect to pay per mile when shipping your car:
- For distances less than 500 miles, the rate is around $1 per mile
- For distances between 500 and 1,000 miles, the rate is around $0.75 per mile
- For distances greater than 1,000 miles, the rate is around $0.50 per mile
So while you may end up paying more for longer trips, the cost per mile is a lot lower.
How Can I Lower My Shipping Costs?
Shipping a car can be expensive, but there are a few things that you can do to lower your shipping costs:
- Choose open transport over enclosed transport to save about 30% to 40% on your shipping costs.
- Book your transport as soon as possible to take advantage of early-bird specials often offered by car transport services.
- Be flexible with your pick-up and drop-off dates.
- Consider choosing terminal-to-terminal shipping wherein you drop off and pick up your car at an auto transport terminal.
- Get multiple quotes from different car transporters to ensure that you’re getting the best possible rate.
Is It Safe to Ship a Vehicle?
Your vehicle is one of your most valuable assets, so you understandably want to make sure that it’s safe to ship a vehicle before you put it on a trailer. The good news is that it is generally considered safe to ship a vehicle, and there are things you can do to ensure the safe transportation of your vehicle.
Will My Vehicle Be Damaged?
For starters, you can promote the safe transportation of your vehicle by working with a licensed, insured, and experienced transportation company like RPM. RPM has ten years of experience in the industry with a leadership team with 300 years of combined experience. RPM is fully licensed and insured and only works with safe and experienced drivers.
To give customers peace of mind about their shipments, RPM provides real-time GPS tracking along with a single point of contact for shipping updates, questions, and concerns.
How Can I Prevent Damage?
While your transportation provider plays a role in preventing damage to your vehicle during shipping, there are things you can do to decrease the likelihood of damage during transit. For example, you can properly prepare your car for shipment. Here are some tips to help you prepare your car for safe and efficient transport:
- Remove all personal belongings from the inside of the car and remove all exterior accessories, including luggage racks, bike racks, spoilers, etc.
- Clean the car inside and out to reveal its true condition before it’s inspected and put on the trailer
- Inspect the car thoroughly, checking for dents, dings, scratches, chipped paint, etc.
- Document the current condition of the car by taking photographs and videos from all angles
- Empty the gas tank to about a quarter of a tank to limit the amount of weight that’s put on the trailer
- Make sure that the car is functioning properly and is safe to transport by checking the brakes and tire pressure
- Lock the car before it’s loaded onto the trailer and be ready to hand over the keys to the driver
The Bottom Line
The best way to get an accurate shipping rate for your vehicle is to reach out to RPM for a quote. RPM stands ready and willing to give you a great price on your vehicle shipment, whether it’s POV, auction, rental, or retail.
Sources:
How Much Does It Cost to Ship A Car? | Move.org
Licensing & Insurance Carrier Search | FMCSA
8 Tips to Prepare Your Vehicle for Auto Transport | Moving.com
