Are you concerned about the safety of your vehicle during shipment? Are you worried about the shipping cost? We understand these are your top priorities. That’s why we’ve written this article to guide you on the cheapest ways to ship a car, ensuring your vehicle’s safety and budget are covered.
We’re here to show you that affordable car shipping is not just a possibility but a reality. Let’s explore the world of cheap car shipping services and their costs together.
Cheapest Way To Ship A Car
Open car transport is the cheapest way to ship a car. The shipping method you choose for the shipment of your vehicle depends on several factors, such as its cost, advantages, and other factors.
Many people prefer open transport and terminal to terminal shipping because it is an affordable way to ship a car. Most of them select door to door car shipping in those situations where they can’t transport their vehicles themselves.
Types Of Car Shipping Services
Auto transport companies offer different types of car shipping services based on your budget and the needs of your vehicles. Below, we have shared a list of the auto transport services with an explanation for a better understanding of these services.
- Cross country car shipping
Cross country car shipping is the shipping service designed to ship vehicles from one state to another. This cross-country car shipping is mostly used by people who are relocating or have purchased vehicles from some other place and want to transport them to their address.
- Open transport
Most people choose open transport, which is open trailers specially designed for the transportation of bulk vehicles. Your vehicle will be shipped in an open trailer and will come in contact with external elements. It is the most cost-effective car transport and the best choice for those who want to ship multiple vehicles.
- Enclosed transport
Enclosed car transport has enclosed sides and roofs, and it is the best option for the shipment of luxury vehicles and for those who are relocating and for whom the safety of their vehicle is their top priority. It is expensive to transport, but it offers high protection and security for your vehicles.
- Door to Door shipping
In door to door shipping, your vehicle will be picked up from your address and delivered to the doorstep of your new address. This shipping method will cost more than terminal to terminal shipping, but it is the most convenient way to ship your vehicles, and you need not make extra efforts for the pickup and delivery of your vehicle.
- Terminal to Terminal shipping
In this method, your vehicle will be picked up from the terminal points, and then the driver will unload your vehicle at the nearby terminal points. From there, you will have to pick up your vehicle. Terminal to terminal car shipping is an affordable way of shipping, but it is only available in some places because it has low availability, and the customers have to make extra efforts and they need to wait for the delivery of their vehicle at the terminal points.
- Military car shipping
Military car shipping is the shipping method for the people of the military or armed forces, and it is the best method for the shipment of military vehicles. Most auto transport companies offer discounts on military car shipping services.
Car Shipping Cost By Shipping Methods
This section will discuss the cost of car shipping by shipping method. Open transport is a cheaper method than enclosed transport. Open transport costs less because it is an open trailer and offers limited security compared to enclosed transport.
On the other hand, enclosed car transport is an expensive trailer because it is an enclosed trailer and offers high security and extra protection for your vehicles.
It offers high security for all vehicles and is a specialized carrier for the shipment of high-end vehicles. It also offers high insurance coverage because of its safety features and insurance coverage is costly.
Car Shipping Cost By Distance
When you are relocating or moving to another state, you have to consider the shipping distance because shipping distance plays a major role in the cost of car transport.
Whether you are using open or enclosed car transport, long-distance shipping per mile will cost less than the overall total shipping cost. On the other hand, shipping costs will be lower for short distances and will have higher per-mile charges.
Affordable Way To Ship Luxury Vehicles
Enclosed transport is the best and safest way to transport your luxury vehicles. Because of its features, it is the most expensive car transport compared to open transport. In an enclosed transport, your vehicle will be shipped in an enclosed trailer and protected from all other weather and external elements.
People choose this transport method because of its high-security features and the protection it offers to their vehicles. If the security of your vehicle is your top priority, then you should choose enclosed transport for the safe and stress-free delivery of your vehicles.
Factors Affecting The Cost Of Shipping
Many factors affect the shipping cost, but we may control some of those factors, such as the shipping cost, transport type, shipping methods, etc., but we cannot have control over some of the factors. Here, we have shared a list of the factors that affect the shipping cost. The factors that may affect the shipping cost include,
- Distance
The total shipping distance is calculated to determine the shipping cost. Long-distance shipping will cost more than short-distance shipping because the overall shipping cost will be high.
- Vehicle model and size
The shipping cost will depend on the vehicle’s model and weight; luxury, large, and heavy vehicles will cost more.
- Transport type
Enclosed transport is more expensive than open transport.
- Shipping methods
Expedited shipping will cost more than the standard shipping.
- Delivery option
Door to door shipping is more costly than the terminal to terminal shipping.
- Vehicle condition
The condition of your vehicle also determines the shipping cost. Shipping non-running vehicles will cost more because they require special equipment.
- Fuel cost
Fuel costs play a direct role in shipping costs. When fuel costs fluctuate, shipping costs also fluctuate.
- Shipping time
Summer car transport will cost more than winter because summer and January are the busiest shipping seasons.
How To Prepare Your Vehicle For The Transportation?
- Wash and clean your vehicle thoroughly from inside to outside, and remove personal belongings inside the car.
- Disable the car alarms.
- Check your car’s tires and battery.
- Secure or remove accessories.
- Reduce the level of the fuel to reduce the weight of the vehicle.
- Inspect your car properly and notice the condition of your vehicle.
- Have the spare keys of the vehicles.
Money Saving Tips
If you want to save money on shipping costs, then you have to follow a few tips and tricks. Follow the below tips to save on shipping costs.
- Each auto transport company offers different car shipping quotes and costs. You should look for different car shipping companies, get a shipping quote from them, compare them, and choose the best one.
- You should know the right time for shipping. Avoid shipping during January, summer, and other peak seasons. Because these are the peak seasons, shipping will cost more.
- You have to schedule the vehicle shipment in advance to get the appropriate trailer, and you will get the trailer at an affordable price.
- Look for cheap car shipping services.
- Â When looking for an auto transport company, you should have to enquire about the upfront payment and hidden fees to save money.
Conclusion
We hope our article on the cheapest way to ship a car helps you choose the best option for shipping your car. In this article, we have explored the cheapest car shipping option, and each shipping method has its unique advantages. When you select a cheap car shipping service, you have to consider all these factors and make a decision based on these factors.
