
Once upon a time $500 could pay for your car to be transported from Florida to California across the United States. Although improvements in technology and operational procedures have reduced car transport costs the increasing rates of fuel and the need for specialized services have more than offset those reductions. A coast-to-coast shipment of a car in the modern era would cost at least $1000.
This leads one to wonder how far $500 can get you in terms of auto transport costs. In this article, we will analyse some fresh data that depict the present-day worth in terms of distance. Let us begin with the topic of the most cost-effective method of transporting vehicles.
When exporting a car you have two primary choices that will impact the final price. One is the kind of transporter that is used to move the car. The cost of using an open-air auto carrier to transport multiple vehicles at once can be distributed more evenly among the customers. As an alternative, you may hire an enclosed carrier which is more expensive but can transport multiple cars at once.
The second possibility is the delivery technique which is related to the first. Door-to-door auto transport in which a vehicle is driven directly to a customer's driveway is more expensive. Transportation to a delivery terminal where you can pick up your car at a reduced cost is another viable choice.
To sum up, opting for an open carrier and having the vehicle delivered to a shipping terminal is the best approach to getting affordable automobile shipping for $500 or less.
Get a Free, No Obligation to Buy, Auto Shipping Quote.
Get my free quote now or call us to do it for you:
Car Movers Near Me
How Far Can I Ship A Car For $500? Cheap Car Shipping Routes

The per-mile cost breakdown of having a car shipped depends, to some extent, on the distance, it’s being shipped. To give an example, a car shipped 200 miles will cost more on a per mile basis than the same car shipped 700 miles. On the cheap car transport end of the spectrum, rates can be as low as 50 cents per mile. On the upper end, it can be close to a dollar per mile. Let’s take a look at some recent numbers to get a better idea.
- Las Vegas, NV to Salt Lake City, UT - $495
- Los Angeles, CA to San Francisco, CA - $447
- Jacksonville, FL to Nashville, TN - $481
- Indianapolis, IN to Washington, D.C. - $437
- PIttsburgh, PA to Boston, MA - $459
- Minneapolis, MN to Chicago, IL - $431
If you have questions about affordable auto transport or want a specific price quote, give us a call at the number at the top of the page! All estimates are 100% FREE for all customers, all the time. No payment or obligation required.