How To Use The Best Car Transport Quote Calculator
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Shipping your car may mean moving it thousands of miles across the country, or simply transporting it a shorter distance in-state or to a neighboring state. Knowing what it will cost can be made easier by using the car shipping calculator that Direct Express Auto Transport first originated in 2004. In this forum, or blog article, we will inform you on how best to apply our unique and best in class car transport quote calculator to your situation.
Key Takeaways:
- Avoid online car shipping calculators that require personal information. Don’t let your mobile phone light up or your email inbox fill up. Use a good car transport rate calculator that offers quotes with no personal information.
- Understand what goes into the pricing of your vehicle shipment. A sedan will be cheaper than a pickup truck, for example.
- Decide ahead of time if your vehicle should be protected from the elements and go Enclosed. Or if it is no big deal if it gets dirty and can go Open-Air Transport like the overwhelming majority of cars.
- Do not order your vehicle shipment too early. A couple weeks in advance is ideal.
In This Blog Article:
How Much Does Car Shipping Cost?
According to our company records, it can cost as little as $300 for small cars going a short distance, to as much as $3,000 for a big pickup going across the country. It all depends.
The Main Factors That Affect Car Shipping Costs
Because we invented the car transport quote calculator, nobody knows better what goes into calculating instant quotes. Other car shipping companies use a common third rate calculator software that indeed produces a price. But how reliable is another question. And maddeningly, the other competitors often won’t reveal that car shipping cost without you first giving up personal information such as your email address, phone number, and name.
We don’t do that. Ever. Ours is truly a no personal information instant car transport quote calculator.
We factor certain metrics, including distance, size of vehicle, seasonal fluctuations, operational status, running condition, type of trailer and much more.
Shipping Distance
Size of Vehicle
Origination & Destination Locations
Type of Trailer – Open or Enclosed
Seasonality
Vehicle Condition
When Best To Get Car Shipping Estimates
Do Not Book Too Far in Advance
Get Current Rates For Car Shipping
Some car shipping companies offer guaranteed pricing, but usually at inflated rates so that if the market changes, they won’t get hurt. Most brokers do not guarantee prices because they can’t guarantee what they can’t control.
For instance, car transport pricing spikes dramatically shipping to Florida in December and January. It may even double on some routes. If you book that Florida shipment in October for a December ship date, the price will be likely too low and carriers will be filling their trailers with other higher paying freight, often booked just days in advance. You may sit wondering why your car hasn’t moved? The reason is that you booked too early.
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Car Transport Quote Calculator: The Bottom Line
Car Transport Cost: FAQ
Over 90% of our orders ship inside of one week. That could be anywhere from 1 to 7 days. Most of the U.S. population lives in a major metropolitan area and is shipping to another well populated area, and that makes a big difference. Cars usually ship in a very regular manner, almost half within just a few days.
If either your origination or destination locations are away from population centers, in other words, in a remote area, then you might consider meeting a driver in a nearby big city or town to increase your chances of shipping timely. Or adding money to the carrier fee may entice a carrier. Remember, anyone you choose can serve as your point of contact, which takes the stress out of shipping your vehicle.
Clean out your vehicle of all loose items as much as possible. Leave nothing of value in the vehicle. It’s very rare that any items are stolen during transport, but we recommend extra caution to prevent loss.
Keep extra items as previously discussed to a minimum and place in the trunk or out of sight. Have only about a quarter tank of gasoline. Give the auto transport carrier a set of keys and advise them of any special instructions for your vehicle, like difficulty starting, steering, braking, etc.
Driver Consideration: Being a truck driver can be a thankless job. They work long hours and are away from their families for weeks at a time. Please be friendly and considerate to our drivers, and they will treat you in the same manner.
The first factor used to calculate car shipping cost is the transport distance. Next are the length, height and weight of the vehicle, followed by running condition and type of trailer (Open or Enclosed). Finally, seasonal fluctuations may impact the overall cost.
Maneuvering non-operational vehicles on and off a car transport trailer is a big challenge. Car shipping companies much prefer operational (running) vehicles because it gives them an easier option to reposition their entire load. Non-running vehicles take considerably more time to get on and off the trailer. So the car shipping quote must reflect the higher cost. Many auto transporters don’t have a winch and cannot accommodate non-running vehicles. That is one reason it takes longer on average to ship non-operational vehicles. Fewer do it. If at all possible, fixing your vehicle before trying to ship it will save on the non-running car transport cost, and make the process go faster.
Delivering is final step in the process, and also the simplest part. Once your vehicle has been assigned and picked up, not too much can go wrong. Once the vehicle is picked up, you can estimate that it will take roughly 1 day of transit time for every 500 miles distance. Delivery Time Estimate Guide 100-500 miles takes 1 or 2 days 500-1000 miles takes 2 or 3 days 1000-1500 miles takes 3 or 4 days 1500-2000 miles takes 4 or 5 days 2000-2500 miles takes 5 or 6 days 2500-3000 miles takes 6 or 7 days Depending on the distance, weather conditions and population centers it could be a few days or weeks until a vehicle reaches its destination. The carriers usually estimate about 10 days on coast to coast trips, but they frequently arrive earlier.
Yes and no. The strict interpretation is no, you can’t ship items inside your vehicle. The reality is that almost all carriers look the other way on items that weigh less than 100 pounds, roughly the equivalent of 2 suitcases. We recommend placing any additional items in the trunk and out of sight. The U.S. Transportation Law states that a carrier can be fined $10,000 for hauling household items in the vehicle, but it’s rarely enforced. However, the drivers do estimate the weight of each vehicle that they carry and don’t want problems at weight scales. So they must keep the personal items to a minimum. Some drivers will accept a tip ($50-$250) for hauling extra stuff, but some won’t. Rule of thumb, don’t take advantage.