Imagine you’re all ready to move to a new city, and you’ve started packing everything. But you realize that you have a vehicle that you need to bring with you.
Maybe you can’t drive it because you’re flying to your new place. So you decide to look at cheap car shipping options to keep from having to sell and buy a new car.
Read on to learn about how you can save money on shipping your vehicle.
How Much Should It Cost to Ship a Car?
When looking at cheap car shipping options, you can get an idea of how much you’ll expect to pay for the service. The 15 best car shipping companies can charge anywhere from around $300 to $2,000.
On average, you’ll need to pay $700, give or take depending on a few factors. Be sure to consider how different factors can affect the cost of car shipping.
Size
The size and weight can affect the price of cheap car transport. Be sure to consider how big and heavy your vehicle is, and give that information when asking for a quote.
Then, the company will be able to give you a better estimate on how much cheap car shipping will cost.
Unfortunately, you can’t control the size and weight of your car. But if you only need to ship one vehicle, you can ship the smaller one and either sell or drive the larger one.
Distance
Of course, you also have to think about how far you need to ship a vehicle. Shipping a car a few hundred miles away will be much cheaper than shipping a thousand miles away.
Fortunately, you may be able to control the distance to lower the cost of car shipping. Instead of shipping a car from and to your door, look at car shipping terminals.
Then, you can cut down on the distance by shipping from one metro area to another.
Transport Type
Another factor that can affect the cost of cheap auto transport is the transport type. Shipping by train and by truck are two popular options, but they come with different prices.
You also get to decide between open-air or enclosed carrier shipping. Open-air options are usually more affordable, while enclosed carriers may offer more peace of mind.
If you want to ship a car to or from an island, you may also need to look into shipping via boat.
Is It Cheaper to Ship a Car by Train or Truck?
You may be wondering, what is the cheapest way to ship a car? When comparing a train and a truck, the train will be the more affordable option.
Trains usually won’t ship cars until all of the spaces are full and ready to ship. Because of that, you can save a little bit of money, but you’ll have to wait for others to book the same shipping route.
While shipping by truck costs more, you won’t have to wait as long for the car to arrive.
Is It Cheaper to Drive or Ship a Car?
Another thing to consider when looking for the cheapest way to ship my car is if you need to ship the car. Driving the car yourself can be a good way to lower the cost of moving.
Consider how driving or shipping a car will save you both money and time. Then, you can make the best decision for you.
Money
When you look into cheap car shipping, you can get a quote for the service. However, you should compare that to the amount it would cost to drive the car the same distance.
Consider the cost of gas, and don’t forget to budget for potential maintenance costs from the long drive. Then, you can figure out if driving will actually save you money.
Sometimes, the cheapest way to ship a car is to ship it and not to drive.
Time
Maybe you determine that driving is the cheapest way to ship a car in terms of money. But consider how long it might take you to drive instead of fly or take a train to your new city.
Cheap car shipping can help you save time because you can get to your new place within a day. You won’t have to worry about spending multiple nights in hotel rooms, so you can settle in sooner.
Even if the cheap auto transport costs more than driving, saving time may be worth the price.
What Is the Cheapest Way to Ship a Car to Another State?
Another question you may have about cheap auto transport is shipping your car to another state. The cheapest way to do this is with an open-air carrier.
Now, that will expose your car to the elements. However, you won’t have to pay a ton for the service, and you won’t have to spend the time driving your vehicle.
You shouldn’t forget about the overall distance, though. Shipping a car from one state to another may cost less when the states border each other, for example.
How Do You Find Cheap Vehicle Shipping Rates?
Cheap car shipping rates can be easy to find if you know where to look for them. Whether you’re looking to ship a sedan, an SUV, or another vehicle, you can find the lowest, most affordable rate for you.
Consider the following steps you can take to search for the cheapest way to ship a car.
Get Different Quotes
You may luck out and find a cheap car shipping quote after looking at one company. However, the best way to guarantee you’ll find affordable prices is to get as many quotes as you can.
Shop around, and request quotes from at least a few different cheap car shipping companies. Then, you can compare the offers to see which is the most affordable.
That can help you make your choice for the best cheap car transport company.
Hire a Terminal to Terminal Carrier
You can ship a car from door to door, but that can be very expensive. The company has to come to you to both pick up the car and drop it off.
An easy way to save money is to get quotes from terminal to terminal carriers. These companies have locations that you go to so that you can drop off and pick up your car.
Because of that, you may get lower shipping rates from these companies.
Use a Calculator
You may also want to use a car shipping cost calculator to help find and compare quotes. A good calculator will let you input the route, pickup information, and vehicle information.
Then, you can get an idea of how much shipping that car will cost with that route. Experiment with different routes and pickup times to see if you can lower the rate of the shipping.
If so, you can book the shipment using those parameters to bring the price down.
How Do You Ship Your Car Cheaply?
As you search for cheap car transport quotes, you should know what can help you save money on shipping. Some tricks may work better for you than others.
Be sure to think about your situation as you go over ideas on how to lower the cost of shipping a car.
Ship During the Slow Months
Car shipping companies aren’t as busy in the winter as they are in the summer. If you can wait to ship a vehicle during the slow season, you may be able to get a lower rate.
Companies will want to get as much work as they can, so they might be more willing to give you an affordable quote. On the other hand, shipping your car during the summer can make finding a carrier more expensive and thus more competitive.
If you can’t wait until the winter, at least wait until the fall to ship your car. That way, you’ll be able to save something.
Reserve Early
The earlier you can reserve your car shipment, the easier it may be to get a lower rate. If possible, try to reserve the shipment at least a couple of weeks ahead of time.
This will give companies more time to bid on the price of shipping your vehicle. Giving companies time to bid against each other may help you lock in a lower rate.
And you won’t have to worry about premiums for booking a car shipment the day you need it.
Choose Open-Air
Whether you choose to ship your car by truck or train, you should select an open-air carrier. These carriers are more common, so you won’t have to wait as long for a spot to be available.
And the spots aren’t as competitive, so companies are less likely to charge as much. While you will have to expose your car to the outside, it can be an easy way to save on the cost to ship a vehicle.
Plus, you may not have to worry about extreme weather, depending on the route your car has to take. So open air may not be that much different from an enclosed carrier.
Be Flexible
Flexibility is key when looking at cheap car transport options. First, try to be flexible with the locations where you or the company will drop off and pick up your car.
If you can take the vehicle to a terminal, you may save money. The same is true if you have the car go from one metro area to another, rather than one small town to another.
You should also be as flexible as you can with the timing. While you may want your car to ship quickly, saying that may result in a higher quote for the express service.
Once you get to your new place, you can always rent a car, walk, use public transportation, or use a ride-sharing service. Then, you will still be able to get around town until your car arrives.
Read the Reviews
Another thing to consider when comparing cheap car transport companies is customer reviews. Read as many reviews as you can about the companies before you select one.
Determine if customers have a lot of the same complaints, such as if the company doesn’t take good care of cars. While that company may give you the lowest quote, the cost of damages may be higher.
In that case, you’d be better off spending a bit more upfront. Then, you won’t have to budget for repairs and other potential expenses due to the company’s negligence.
Drive the Car
Sometimes, you may decide that driving your car is the cheapest way to ship it to your destination. If your drive is relatively short and low-risk, it could be worth saving the money.
Then, you’ll also have control over when the car gets to you. You can also ask a friend or family member to drive the car if you have to drive another vehicle.
Before you decide to do that, make sure to assess the risk of severe weather, accidents, and other issues. That way, you can determine if the money you save is greater than the potential costs.
Use a Car Dolly
If you don’t want to drive the car a long distance but want to ship it yourself, consider using a car dolly. You can hook the car up to another vehicle, and drive that second vehicle.
Then, you don’t need to worry about anyone else driving the car. But you can still get it to your new city or state. This is a great option if you have to use a big truck or van to move your belongings.
Make sure you put the car dolly on correctly so that the car will connect. That way, you’ll have a safe and stable ride.
Cheap Car Shipping Done Right
Whether you’re moving across the state or across the country, you may not want to drive your car the entire way. Fortunately, there are many cheap car shipping options out there.
If you compare a few quotes and shipping methods, you can select the best way to transport your vehicle. Then, you can settle into your new home with your same car.
Are you ready to schedule a car shipment? Contact us to request a quote today.