Cheap Car Shipping - Cheapest Way to Ship a Car

When you need to relocate, there are a thousand loose ends to tie up and a thousand expenses to take care of. It just makes sense that you’d look for the most economical way to transport your car to its destination, so let’s take a closer look.

Understanding Car Shipping Costs

There are a multitude of factors to think about when it comes time to ship a vehicle, and many of them are variable - a quote you get in April may not be applicable by September.

Factors Affecting Car Shipping Costs

• Distance: cost/mile is a big part of any logistics run, although cost/mile drops for longer runs
• Preferred shipping method: some transport methods are cheaper than others
• Curb weight of vehicle: the more pounds a vehicle weighs, the more fuel the transport truck will use
• Fuel costs: pretty self-explanatory, fuel costs have to be taken up by the customer
• Shipping date and time of year: availability of drivers can become a problem during certain periods when the demand for shipping goes up
• Location of pickup and destination, including route taken

How Carriers Determine Prices

When determining a price, carriers and brokers take all the above factors into consideration. Carriers that are staying current with the latest technology use software and AI to make those calculations. 

Tips for Estimating the Cost of Shipping a Car

At one time, determining a quote for car shipping used to involve getting on the phone with a customer service representative and answering a bunch of questions. That’s no longer really the case - companies like SGT Auto Transport use a Quote Calculator feature on their websites to make this process a lot easier and faster. It’s just a matter of putting some basic info into the calculator, then waiting a few seconds for the calculator to deliver an accurate quote.

Cost-Effective Car Shipping Options

There are a few different ways to cut costs and make your auto logistics job a bit more cost effective:

Open vs. Enclosed Transport

Your choice of shipping method has a big bearing on your quote and overall charges. Open car shipping is by far the most economical; it’s a system where your vehicle is loaded onto a trailer with several others to be dropped off along the driver’s route. Open car shipping does leave your vehicle exposed to the elements and may not be the right solution for a rare, very valuable or delicate car, but it’s by far the most cost-effective way to go.

Enclosed car shipping, on the other hand, offers an enhanced level of security and protection for your car. Your vehicle is loaded into a closed trailer and then locked in for its journey, ensuring it’s covered on all four sides. The downside of enclosed car shipping is that the availability of trucks and drivers can be a bit scarcer, and it does come at a premium cost.

White-glove shipping is also available for very rare or valuable vehicles, offering the highest level of protection, monitoring and security during the vehicle’s trip (although at a premium cost).

Door-to-Door vs. Terminal-to-Terminal Services

This can be a big consideration as well. First, some residential neighborhoods with congested streets aren’t going to be accessible for an 18-wheeler (or local laws and ordinances might prohibit heavy commercial trucks in certain areas altogether). Also if you live in a rural area that’s remote, the transport driver may have to take a long detour off the interstate and onto two-lane state and county roads, running up mileage and costs.

If that’s the case, it can be a better idea to set up pickup and/or delivery at a spot that’s more accessible, like an open parking lot or a trucking terminal. It might be a little more trouble for you as someone would have to drive you there or drive you home again, but it can definitely shave some costs down. 

Factors Influencing Costs

These are all things you need to bear in mind when you’re considering how to save a few dollars (or maybe a few hundred) on your auto shipping.

Pros and Cons in Terms of Cost

After a certain point, you find yourself weighing cost vs convenience. Yes, it’s easier to have your vehicle shipped right to your door and dropped off at its exact destination, but what if it means spending more money? Also, ask yourself what’s the level of protection your car really needs? Is it a vehicle that’s so rare, valuable or fragile that it needs enclosed car shipping or white-glove handling, or will it do just fine on its trip with open car shipping?

Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Car Shipping

One great way to save a little on shipping costs is to cut your vehicle’s curb weight. For instance, gasoline weighs about six pounds per gallon, and that means that a full tank of gas can weigh as much as 200 pounds or more. Shipping your car with a quarter tank of gas or less can save you money in terms of total vehicle weight.

As mentioned above, it can also be a good idea to set up your pickup and delivery at a more central location that would mean less driving for the transport driver. Also bear in mind that people do ship non-running vehicles (such as a project car that needs to go to a specialized shop in another area), but there are extra costs associated with that, since the driver needs specialized equipment and has to spend more time when dealing with a non-running car.

Consider also the time of year when you’re thinking about shipping your car, since surges in traffic during certain calendar periods means a supply/demand dilemma and extra cost for shipping. 

Flexible Scheduling

When you’re setting up your shipping needs, it’s a good idea to think about a few different timeframes if you possibly can, and it’s definitely to your advantage to give your shipping company a couple of weeks lead time to line up the right driver and routing for you. 

Choosing the Right Shipping Season

Certain times of year means there will be a surge in traffic on the Interstate system, and an uptick in the number of people who need auto shipping services. Holidays like Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas mean more cars on the road every year, and other periods can mean more people shipping vehicles for college students, for relocation or “snowbirds” shipping their vehicles south for the winter (or back up north again in early spring). You can get more details about scheduling around these surges by talking to a customer service representative.

Take advantage of Discounts and Special Offers

SGT Auto Transport does run special offers from time to time as well as featuring standing discounts for active duty military or National Guard members as well as police and first responders. It can pay off to check back on their website regularly to see if any specials are in effect or are coming soon.

The Importance of Comparing Quotes and Negotiation Tactics

If you need a roof on your house, a bathroom or kitchen remodel or any large outlay of money, you’re going to do some comparison shopping…you’d be remiss if you didn’t and if you just went with the first estimate you got. Shipping a vehicle across country isn’t going to be cheap, and we’d encourage you to look into several different shipping resources and get the best quote you can find, but we’d also add a couple of caveats.

• Read the “fine print” carefully and make sure you know exactly what’s being offered.
• What kind of insurance coverage does the car shipping broker offer?
• What do the customer reviews look like? Not just testimonials on the company website, but also reviews on Google, BBB, TrustPilot and various logistics websites and forums.
• Is the company’s network of drivers fully accredited, with the right licensing, permits, documentation and insurance?
• How long has the company been in business? What territory do they cover? How many drivers are on their team?
• Are there any hidden charges or fees (you may have to scrutinize their site carefully to get the answer on that)?

Additional Services and Insurance

Insurance coverage is a big part of the equation. Your vehicle needs to be fully covered not only for its resale value but for liability as well. Any reputable carrier (like SGT Auto Transport) will have carrier insurance rolled into the total of a quote, but some customers like to purchase supplemental insurance for a very rare or valuable car.

Door-to-door shipping (like what SGT offers) is a nice perk; it means that, just like Doordash or Uber, your car is picked up right at your house and delivered curbside at its destination. That’s an extra convenience that saves you some trouble when you’re already in the midst of relocating and handling all the details that go with that job. Guaranteed pickup service is another added value, ensuring that your vehicle will be picked up and delivered at exact times and dates (plus or minus an hour), unless something unexpected intervenes .Finally, remember that SGT Auto Transport can offer expedited shipping services; while it’s best to have  a couple of weeks notice to set up a shipping job, we understand that sometimes that’s not always possible and we do offer hotshot service for last-minute auto shipping needs.