Key points
- A car shipping quote is an estimate of how much your car shipment will cost.
- Shipping route, vehicle type, season and fuel prices will determine your car shipping quote.
- Flexible delivery dates and advance booking will get you the cheapest car shipping quotes.
Shipping a car can be stressful, especially if you’re new to the game. You’ll likely work with a broker that acts as an intermediary between you and the carrier that transports your vehicle. The good news is that most auto shipping companies make it easy to get a fast, free quote online.
A car shipping quote is an estimate of how much your vehicle shipment will cost. When you get a car shipping quote online, it’s important to note that the price may change during the auto transport process. A few companies offer locked-in pricing so you don’t have to worry about this, but it’s not the industry standard.
In this article, we’ll break down the process of gathering car shipping quotes. We’ll also highlight a few of our top-rated vehicle transport companies to make your decision easier.
What factors affect car shipping quotes?
Car shipping companies are usually brokers, which means they offer your auto transport job to several carriers. When you get a car shipping quote, it’s based on many factors that affect the auto transport company and the actual car carrier. These are a few of the key variables that determine the auto transport estimate you receive:
- Shipping route: Cross-country shipments have lower per-mile rates but higher overall costs than shorter routes.
- Type of transport: Shipping your car on an open trailer is less expensive than going with an enclosed hauler.
- Delivery method: Door-to-door service, which involves having your car picked up from and delivered to specific locations, is more expensive than using centrally located shipping terminals.
- Type of vehicle: Vehicle size is a key metric in determining transport cost. Pickup trucks and larger SUVs are heavier and longer than standard cars, so shippers charge more to transport them.
- Vehicle condition: Operable vehicles are cheaper to ship simply because they don’t require as much effort to load and unload as inoperable vehicles.
- Time of year: Vehicle shipping costs are at their highest in January (due to snowbirds moving south for the winter) and during summer (when many families are relocating).
- Fuel cost: When gas prices go up, so do car shipping rates.
Which companies offer the best car shipping quotes?
If you’re ready to start comparing car transport quotes, our top picks are Mercury Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, Montway Auto Transport and SGT Auto Transport. These companies have our best cost ratings and typically offer cost-effective rates no matter the shipping route.
| Car Shipping Company | Instant Quote Tool | Guaranteed Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | No, you receive an email | Yes |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | Yes | Yes |
| Montway Auto Transport | Yes | No |
| SGT Auto Transport | Yes | No |
Average car shipping quotes
The company you choose has a major impact on how much you’ll pay for a vehicle shipment. We gathered quotes from the companies above for several shipping routes to get an idea of their average costs. These estimates are for shipping an operable 2019 Toyota Camry various distances through open and enclosed transport.
Here’s a quick look at how these average quotes compare:
| Car Shipping Company | Average Quote |
|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $778 |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | $1,069 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,104 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,161 |
Open auto transport quotes
Here’s a look at how open car transport estimates from our top companies compare. These quotes are for shipping an operable 2019 Toyota Camry from Salt Lake City to Memphis, Tennessee — a distance of just over 1,500 miles.
For reference, the average of the quotes we got from our top providers for the same profile was $1,113.
| Car Shipping Company | Shipping Distance (Miles) | Quote for Open Transport |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | 1,530 | $745 |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,025 |
| Montway Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,139 |
| SGT Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,009 |
Enclosed auto transport quotes
Now we’ll look at quotes for the same shipping route and vehicle through enclosed auto transport. The average of the quotes we got from our top providers for the same profile was $1,725.
| Car Shipping Company | Shipping Distance (Miles) | Quote for Enclosed Transport |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,065 |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,625 |
| Montway Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,579 |
| SGT Auto Transport | 1,530 | $1,653 |
Car shipping quotes by distance
Finally, we’ll compare auto shipping quotes by distance. The table below shows the medium-distance quotes for the 1,530-mile route mentioned earlier. The short-distance route is 571 miles from Portland, Oregon, to Sacramento, California.
The longer-distance route is 2,363 miles from Miami to Phoenix. All quotes are for an operable 2019 Toyota Camry shipped through open transport.
| Car Shipping Company | Short-Distance Quote | Medium-Distance Quote | Long-Distance Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury Auto Transport | $435 | $745 | $865 |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | $600 | $1,025 | $1,025 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $679 | $1,139 | $1,019 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $683 | $1,009 | $1,298 |
What do you need to get a car shipping quote?
You only need a few basic details about your car, your shipping preferences and contact information to get an instant quote for car shipping services. Some of the car shipping companies we’ve highlighted in this article offer car shipping cost calculators on their websites and make it easy to get a fast and free quote.
Here are the specific kinds of information you’ll typically need to get an auto transport quote:
- Your vehicle make and model
- Vehicle condition (operability status)
- Pickup and delivery locations
- Pickup and drop-off dates
- Transport type (on an open carrier or in an enclosed trailer)
- Your email address and phone number
What are the best ways to get a cheap car shipping quote?
One of the best strategies for getting cheap car shipping prices is to book your shipment as far in advance as possible. Along with this tried-and-true method, you can also save on car shipping costs by doing the following:
- Opting for terminal-to-terminal shipping when possible
- Going with open transport unless you’re shipping a classic car or other high-value vehicle that needs an enclosed carrier for protection from bad weather conditions
- Being flexible with pick-up dates
- Exploring all discounts available to you (some companies offer discounts for paying upfront or in cash, as well as reduced rates for military members and veterans)
What’s next?
Comparing instant car shipping quotes from multiple companies is the smartest way to find the best price on auto transport services. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of lead time so you don’t have to foot the bill for expedited service. Also, take the time to research any auto transport provider you consider using its services.
