Your first quote is not necessarily your final cost.
Looking for car shipping quotes online? Before you start comparing your options, it’s worth understanding how a car shipping quote is calculated. This article describes the factors that impact cost and how the auto transport quotes process works. We’ll also review average rates and recommend the best car shipping companies on the market.
If you’re ready to start comparing online quotes right away, use the buttons below to start the quotes process with several of our top-rated providers.
In this article:
How To Get Car Shipping Quotes Online
When trying to find a carrier to move your vehicle across the country, you will likely need to work through a vehicle transport broker, many of which offer car shipping quotes online. Brokers work with a network of auto shippers to match customers with car shipping services based on individual needs.
The best auto transportation brokers work with a network of tens of thousands of drivers. Because they can coordinate with the schedules of many carriers, using an auto transport broker is often the most cost-effective way to book a shipment.
Many brokers have an online quotes process or a web-based car shipping calculator that can provide you with an estimated rate. In order to determine the cost of your shipment, the broker will request certain details such as:
- Vehicle make, model, and year
- Vehicle operability status
- Dropoff and delivery locations
- Dropoff and delivery dates
- Preferences such as enclosed or open transport and terminal-to-terminal or door-to-door shipping
In most cases, your quote will not be instantly generated. Instead, an expert will review your details before reaching out with your car shipping estimate. This estimate is not set in stone, and your final price is subject to change based on driver availability and demand.
One exception to this is Sherpa Auto Transport, which offers a locked-in price guarantee. Although Sherpa’s initial quotes tend to be a little higher than the competition, the company promises you will pay no more than the quoted rate, or Sherpa will make up the difference.
After receiving your initial cost estimate, you’ll then wait for offers as different car carriers bid on your job. The vehicle shipping broker will notify you of your options, and your quote will be finalized when you choose an auto transporter.
Cost of Car Shipping
The cost of your auto transport services will be based largely on the following factors:
- Time of year: Auto shipping rates are highest in January and the summer months.
- Open or enclosed auto transport: It is less expensive to ship your car in an open car carrier. Enclosed carrier transportation is safer, but it’s more costly.
- Door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal shipping: Door-to-door delivery is more expensive, but it’s less of a hassle than having to pick your car up from a designated location.
- Vehicle weight: The larger and heavier your vehicle, the more it will cost to ship.
- Dropoff and pickup destination: Shipping to rural, small towns is more expensive than shipping between major cities.
- Distance: A cross-country shipment from Florida to California will cost more than hauling your car only a few hundred miles.
Our review team has reached out to several major auto shipping brokers for quotes. The table below lists some of the online car shipping quotes we’ve received for open shipping contracts.
| Broker | Distance | Car Size | Car Shipping Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherpa Auto Transport | 1,556 miles | SUV | $1,300 |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | 3,036 miles | SUV | $1,450 |
| Montway Auto Transport | 1,556 miles | SUV | $929 |
| Montway Auto Transport | 1,556 miles | Sedan | $1,059 |
| uShip | 503 miles | SUV | $756 |
| uShip | 1,556 miles | SUV | $1,411 |
Although your own rates may differ from the rates listed above, this should provide some idea as to the cost of car shipping.
Tips For Reducing Car Shipping Cost
If you’re getting car shipping quotes online and are finding your rates seem especially high, there are a couple of tips you can follow to lower your car shipping costs:
- Choose terminal-to-terminal shipping: Although it’s less convenient than door-to-door shipping, this option is often much less expensive.
- Book in advance: The further ahead of time you book your car shipment, the better offers you will likely receive.
- Pickup and dropoff date flexibility: Your final car shipping cost depends largely on carrier availability. The more wiggle room you have with your dropoff and pickup dates, the more car transport companies will bid on your contract, which will drive prices down.
- Lighten your load: Be sure to remove all items from your car before shipping, as extra weight can add extra costs to your auto shipment. It’s also a good idea to leave no more than a quarter tank of gas in the car.
Recommendations For Car Shipping Quotes Online
If you’re ready to start getting car auto shipping quotes online, we recommend reaching out to two of our top-rated providers: Montway Auto Transport and AmeriFreight. Both auto shipping companies scored highly in our industry-wide review and are known for their low prices.
Montway Auto Transport: Best Overall
Montway’s network of more than 15,000 carriers provides auto shipping services anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. We rate the broker 4.5 out of 5.0 stars in our Montway Auto Transport review based on its smooth booking process, competitive pricing, and strong customer reputation.
All Montway shipping partners are fully insured, but to help customers rest easy, the broker also provides additional contingent cargo insurance up to $250,000. This insurance kicks in if your driver’s policy fails to fully cover a valid claim.
We aren’t the only reviewers to sing Montway’s praises. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives Montway an accredited A+ rating, and over 1,300 customers have left reviews through the BBB that rate the company an average of 4.39 out of 5 stars. To start the Montway Auto Transport online car shipping quotes process, click below.
AmeriFreight: Best Discounts
AmeriFreight has a careful vetting process for its car carriers, working with only fully insured drivers who receive consistently high customer reviews. Partners that regularly fail to meet customer expectations are dropped.
In our AmeriFreight review, we rate the broker 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. AmeriFreight has an easy online car shipping quotes process and offers a number of customer discounts, including:
- Military: $35 off
- First responders: $35 off
- Medical personnel: $35 off
- Students: $25 off
- Senior citizens: $25 off
- Return customers: $50 off
- Multiple vehicles: $50 off every additional vehicle
- Early bird: $25 off if you sign up 48 hours after getting a quote
AmeriFreight has an A+ rating with the BBB and a 4.8 out of 5.0-star rating on Google based on more than 2,600 reviews. You can reach out to AmeriFreight for a free quote below.
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