Car Shipping Rates From A-1 Auto Transport

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Auto Transport Prices By The Numbers - What Does It Cost To Ship A Car?

Want the lowdown on the actual cost of having a vehicle shipped? You’re in the right place! On this page, you’ll find information about what goes into the cost of moving a vehicle and cost estimates for different types of vehicles and transport services.

It can be challenging to get an accurate car shipping cost from one location to another. Many car shipping companies won’t even offer up a ballpark figure without your personal information. We wanted to provide our readers with an accurate breakdown of exactly what goes into the cost to ship a car, truck, motorcycle or RV, and how much car shipping costs actually.

State to State & Same State Auto Deliver - Car transport within the same state is usually more affordable, though distance is a key factor for the car shipping cost. Here’s an example: El Paso to Houston is about 750 miles and would likely cost between $500 and $700, depending on the type of vehicle. By comparison, car shipping rates from El Paso to Los Angeles, which is 800 miles would be slightly more, probably in the $600 to $800 range.
Moving a car from one major city to another also increases the chances that you’ll be able to choose terminal auto transport which is the most cost-effective way to ship a car. Dallas (TX) to Atlanta (GA) is just under 800 miles and the car shipping cost would be in the same range as those mentioned above: between $600 and $700. If we look at smaller cities that are a similar distance apart but are not on a major delivery route, the average car shipping cost will be slightly higher. For example, if you need an auto transport from College Station (TX) to Athens (GA), also around 800 miles, the cost to ship the car would be slightly higher than the car transport quote you’d be able to get by shipping directly from Dallas to Atlanta.
RV Transport - Recreation vehicles and motor homes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Therefore, the car shipping prices vary accordingly. For example, car shipping services cost for typically larger class A motor homes will be more than class B or class C RV transport. The weight of an RV is also a factor that can sometimes push the cost of shipping a motor home above the $1 per mile figure mentioned below, particularly for RVs that are longer than 25 feet.
International Car Shipping - Transporting a car internationally is a little bit different for each country due to the laws and taxes involved in moving any kind of cargo moved between nations. The car shipping costs alone can be expensive: you can plan at least $2,000 to $3,000 for car transport service alone from the United States to Europe, in addition to import taxes, which vary from country to country.

Visit our international auto transport page to learn more about the specific documents and paperwork required when shipping a vehicle overseas.

A-1 Auto Transport Ships Worldwide.

Get a Free, No Obligation to Buy, Auto Shipping Quote.

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Cost To Ship Various Vehicles

What Affects The Car Shipping Cost Estimates from the Auto Transport Company?

Do you want to know how much does it cost to schedule the shipment for your car online? Generally speaking, auto transport companies charge between 50 cents and $1.5 per mile, depending on what type of auto transport services you opt for and the shipping distance. Most car transport companies provide a car shipping calculator to provide a car shipping quote. The car transport costs depend on the following factors:

Type of Vehicle

Obviously, the cost to ship a van, bus, boat or RV would be more than shipping a standard two or four-door car. This has almost everything to do with the weight of the vehicle, which is obviously an important element when hauling cargo over a long distance. Motorcycles will be on the cheaper end of the spectrum, closer to 50 cents per mile. As an example, shipping a motorcycle between Philadelphia (PA) and Columbus (OH), about 470 miles, would cost around $300, as compared to around $450 for car transport. An RV like a class A motorhome would naturally cost more due to the size and weight of the vehicle.

Distance & Location

Distance and location are perhaps the two most important factors that affect car shipping costs. If you’re hiring a car transport company to move a car across the country or coast to coast, you really start to see the impact of mileage. Seattle to New York City is nearly 3,000 miles and will generally cost over $2,000 even for standard shipping. San Diego (CA) to Jacksonville (FL) is a little over 2,000 miles and the car shipping cost is $2,000 or less.

Shipping Routes

Primary transport routes (those between major U.S. metro areas) will usually be cheaper than shipping a car between suburbs and smaller cities. The cost to ship a vehicle between New York and Florida is as cheap as $700, even though it’s over 1,000 miles (we’re using New York City to Orlando for this example). The reason is that it’s one of the main transport routes on the East Coast between the Northeast and the Southeast.

Delivery Method

The two primary methods of shipping a vehicle are open and enclosed auto transport carriers. Open car transport carriers often carry multiple vehicles at once that are loaded onto a trailer. With enclosed car transport, the vehicle is completely secured in a closed truck carrier that guards against any potential damage or curious eyes. Enclosed car shipping service is ideal for high value and classic cars.

A-1 Auto Transport Ships Worldwide.

Get a Free, No Obligation to Buy, Auto Shipping Quote.

Get my free quote now

or call us to do it for you:

Car Shipping Rates From A-1 Auto Transport

Car Shipping Costs: In-Depth Comparison

The cost to ship a car may vary from one car shipping company to another. However, the average car shipping cost remains nearly the same in the auto transport industry. Here is an in-depth comparison of various car transport methods along with the average car transport costs.

Open Transport is Low-Cost and Economical

The cheapest and most affordable method for car transport is using an open transport carrier. An open carrier can ship multiple cars, so the overall cost for shipping a car gets divided among several car owners. Thus, the average auto transport cost for the vehicle shipment is less compared to an enclosed trailer.

As per the average car shipping cost in the auto transport industry, enclosed car transport service costs 40% more than open transport for the same pickup and delivery locations. Thus, using an open transport is more economical when it comes to auto transport costs.

Enclosed Transport for Luxury Cars

The best way to ship a luxury or vintage car is enclosed transport. Although a bit expensive, its car shipping process protects your car from outside elements, debris, and even thieves. Owners of luxury cars prefer enclosed transport over open transport. Do you know why? This is because enclosed auto transport provides maximum protection and security. Thus, it is completely safe and the truck driver has years of experience to safely deliver your car.

So, always go for enclosed transport if you want to transport a classic car, exotic car, luxury car, or antique car. For enhanced protection, you may opt for higher insurance for your luxury car as the car shipping companies are legally bound to carry liability insurance.

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How to Book Auto Transport Services in 3 Simple Steps

Search for Best Car Shipping Services

The car shipping industry has more than 200 auto transport companies but not all of them offer quality services. You should always work with the auto transport providers that have a good record in the transportation industry. A1 Auto Transport has been in the auto transport industry for 20 years providing expert vehicle shipping services in all major cities.

We have transport methods for every budget. If you are wondering how much does it cost to ship a car, use our car shipping quote calculator at the top of this page and get a free shipping estimate. Take advantage of our car shipping discounts for our military men, seniors, and students. If you are using our car shipping services for the first time, you are eligible for the first time shippers discount.

Provide Your Shipping Details

Once you have decided the shipment date, it's time to provide the necessary details to the auto transport company. You need to provide the below details in order to get an accurate car transport quote.

Pick up date
Pickup location and final destination
Vehicle type and condition
Mode of transport (Open transport or Enclosed transport)

As soon as you provide these details to the auto transport broker, you will get the car shipping estimate in a few minutes.

Note: The car shipping prices may increase or decrease if you keep on waiting to book the car transport services next week or month. So, it is better to avoid waiting for long and take the deal from the best car transport company.

At A1 Auto Transport, you get transparent auto shipping costs for your vehicle transport. No need to worry about any hidden charges as we provide upfront pricing for shipping cars and have a well-defined car shipping process for our clients. You can use our car shipping quote calculator or call us at 1-800-452-2880 to get instant car shipping quotes.

Confirm Your Booking with the Car Shipping Company

After you have finalized the auto transport company to work with, it's time to close the deal and confirm your booking. A representative from the car shipping company will arrange everything for you. While working with A1 Auto Transport, you get complete peace of mind.

Don't hesitate to ask any question related to the car shipping service by calling us at the phone number available at the top of this page. Get your car shipped with confidence as our standard car transport service is one of the best in the vehicle transport industry. Our vehicle shipping process is well organized and our transport trucks are well maintained to make sure that the car delivery service is safe and secure.

For long distance auto transportation, you get regular updates from our auto transport carrier.

Car Shipping Calculator from A1 Auto Transport

It is always better to get car shipping quotes from multiple auto shipping companies. What's better than getting to know the approximate quote for your vehicle transport. In order to provide the best car transport services to our clients, we have come up with a car shipping cost calculator for their convenience.

The online shipping calculator will help you to find the exact car transport costs based on the key information you provide. With everything at your fingertips, it is now possible to calculate the auto shipping cost upfront. All you need to do is provide us with a few details in the online car shipping calculator.

Provide the pickup and delivery location.
Provide the vehicle condition like Year, Make, and Model.
Click Continue to get the car shipping quote.

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Car Shipping Rates in Different Seasons

While providing the car shipping quote to clients, car shipping companies take into consideration the month of the year. This is because different seasons come with different challenges, hence the car transport companies charge the clients accordingly. Let's check out the price of auto transport services in different seasons.

Cost to Ship a Car in Winter

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Auto transport in the winter season is difficult as compared to other seasons mainly due to ice and snow. As the daylight gets shorter in winter, truck drivers get less time to travel in the day. Due to tough driving conditions, the auto transport company advises their drivers to take regular breaks and avoid slipping on the roads. Therefore, your car shipment may get delayed due to weather conditions.

December Month: Drivers also wish to spend time with friends and family in the holiday season (December). So, you should book your car shipment with the auto transport company 3-4 weeks in advance.

January month: Similarly, a lot of people start migrating to warmer states. Thus, there is an increased demand for car delivery service and it may result in higher car shipping costs from the car transporter.

February month: This month has the cheapest rates to ship a car as it is a slow month for the car shipping industry.

Cost to Ship a Car in Spring

The Spring season is best suited to ship a car with an auto shipping company. It has pleasant weather with long and bright days. With the ideal weather conditions for driving, car carriers are ready to ship the cars.

March month: This month has low vehicle transport costs as people are busy moving back to enjoy bright and warm months.

April and May months: These months have high demands to ship a car and thus, the auto transport brokers charge higher for car delivery services.

Cost to Ship a Car in Summer

Summer is one of the best seasons for a car shipping company for vehicle shipment. There is a huge demand for shipping a car in the summer months. You need to wait for 7-10 days for the auto shipping brokers to confirm your pickup date.

With employees relocating to other states and universities opening up for students, the best car shipping companies are swamped with vehicle shipment queries. Due to increased competition for shipping a car, a car transporter is willing to take the car transport costs down.

June, July, and August months: These months have higher auto transport demand and every car transport company is ready with their drivers to serve their clients. Moreover, the cost to ship a car is a little lower than other months.

Cost to Ship a Car in Fall

Fall has mild weather conditions for shipping a car. It is an ideal time to talk to an auto shipping company as you may get special car shipping discounts depending on the vehicle condition.

September month: Most college students join their universities and the demand for auto shipping increases among the car shippers.

October and November months: These months have lower auto shipping costs as there is ample transport availability with the auto transport broker.

So as we have discussed how much does it cost to ship a car in different seasons, you can plan your auto shipping accordingly. You can use our car shipping cost calculator to get instant car shipping quotes.