
What is the Cheapest Way to Ship a Car?
Transporting a vehicle across the state or across the country doesn’t have to break the bank. Compare it with the cost, wear-and-tear, and time it would take to drive the distance and you will find that it’s best to hire a professional expert to transport your car, truck, or motorcycle. This decision is made daily by thousands of people every day. But you still want to be smart with your money and get the best service for the best cost.
You can always go for the gold standard and pay for a closed carrier with door-to-door service and expedited service with confirmed pickup and delivery dates and times chosen by you. This top-of-the-line option is perfect if you have the need and the budget.
But there are less expensive options.
Consider these car shipping service options to make the best decision for your budget:
Terminal-to-Terminal Pickup and Delivery Instead of choosing door-to-door delivery, ask about terminal-to-terminal service. Terminals are regional storage yards typically available near larger metropolitan areas. These serve as distribution points allowing car carriers to onload and offload multiple vehicles to a single address rather than many. This time savings for the car carrier results in lower car shipping quotes for you. The downside? It’s up to you to get your car to and from the terminal, you may not be able to be there to inspect your vehicle after transport, and your car will be unattended during storage.
Schedule Your Vehicle Shipping Early A long lead time means more available spots on the transport carriers running near your location. Waiting means other cars will be scheduled into available spots with fewer and fewer remaining open. You may be left paying a premium for an open spot or to convince a carrier to divert to your pickup or delivery location.
Use Open Carriers Standard vehicle shipping is on open car carriers. These are they ones you see on the highway loaded with cars. Closed carriers allow for a vehicle to be completely enclosed and protected from the wear-and-tear of the road and the environment and are used for luxury cars, historic vehicles, or sentimental, one-of-a-kind vehicles. Open carriers are safe and deliver thousands of vehicles safely and damage free the vast majority of the time.
The choice is yours. But if you’re looking for safe, reliable vehicle shipping for your property, follow these tips to get the best, budget-conscious quote to ship your vehicle.