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How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car?
The idea of car shipment hits one's mind when planning to shift from a state or a city. People often find the car shipment procedure too complicated and cannot get this done smoothly. Luckily, car shipping will not cost an arm and leg if the customer is on the ball to pick a reliable auto shipping company for his car. Usually, the car shipping cost is around 50cents-$1 per mile. If one digs deeper, there are various auto shipping companies like A-1 Transport and others operating in the United States.
The best way to go about this situation is by collecting car shipping quotes from companies and evaluating the differences in the auto shipping rates. This demands the understanding of certain factors, as all the pricing variations are centred around them.
What factors affect car shipping rates?
Although the distance is seen as a significant factor in determining car shipping rates, a couple more factors define the pricing. These factors generally entail:
- Distance
- Car Size
- Car Model
- Mode of Transport
- Pickup/Drop-off Location
- Season
Distance
By the rule of thumb, the longer the distance is, the more it will cost you to ship your car. The shipping rates are calculated upon evaluating the rates per mile. If the shipping is done in the same state, let’s say Houston to El Paso, it will cost around $500-$700, where the distance is roughly 750 miles. When done from El Paso to Los Angeles, the same car shipment would cost you $600-$800, where the distance is around 800 miles.
Car Size
Since car haulers have a capacity they can lift, the car's weight and size is a significant area of concern when determining the auto shipping rates. Multiple American car brands produce pick up trucks and other heavier variants, so their transportation cost would be more than that of, say, a hatchback, as they increase the hauler's fuel consumption.
Car Model
The car models which require greater care cost more to get shipped. It is seen that the vintage cars shipping would be more expensive than some standard cars. Similarly, luxury cars like Lamborghini or Ferrari would cost 10%-30% more than a standard cars shipping rate.
Mode of Transport
There are two standard modes of delivery that any car shipping company would offer. These too are namely Open-Air Shipping and Enclosed Shipping.
- Open-Air Shipping
Open-Air Shipping is relatively cheaper, where cars are carried on a car hauler or a flatbed trailer. Here the vehicle is exposed to the outside environment. The risk of having significant car damage due to accidents is higher in this mode, but such issues are taken good care of by a reliable car shipping company.
- Enclosed Shipping
As the name suggests, cars are transported in enclosed haulers in this mode. The capacity of such haulers varies, so a customer can enquire regarding this from the agent upon contacting.
Pickup/Drop-off Location
A car is either picked and dropped at a particular terminal, called terminal-to-terminal transportation, or is shipped at the client's door, called door-to-door transportation. Generally, terminal-to-terminal transportation is more cost-effective than door-to-door transportation.
Season
The rate per miles generally increases during winters and the vacation season, when the chances of road blockades are higher. Choosing such days for getting a car shipped is the wrong decision one would make, as the delivery delays are more common during such busy seasons.
How does car shipping work?
Car shipping procedure is more like a chronological set of events. It begins with the customer selecting and contacting an agency and making a deal, deciding the mode of transportation, the pickup and drop-off location, and finally, the shipping schedule. All of these procedures have a cost incurred that is determined by the factors which affect the rates.
Bottom Line – Road to hassle-free car shipping
A customer can make the right decision by only remembering one mantra: research, research, and research. It is always a good idea to gather multiple car shipping quotes by contacting various car shipping companies. Generally, the option of having a terminal-to-terminal transport by an open-air trailer is cheaper. Clients should check the insurance policies of a car shipping company beforehand to avoid any mishaps later. A detailed car inspection at the cliental end is advised when they are handing their car for shipping. Customers should avoid picking those shipping dates where the highway traffic is in full swing or the roads are blocked due to seasonal variations. Once a customer understands these details, car shipping would become easy-peasy for them.