The responsibility of getting a vehicle to the other side of the country can weigh you down, especially if it’s totally foreign territory and you need advice along the way. Tack on the headaches associated with moving, and you’ve got a bit of a challenge on your hands. Did your company move you to the East Coast … or the West Coast? Or you're moving the family to a new home? You’ve already got tasks on your to-do list like school transfers and housing arrangements. And if you have one or more vehicles you want to take with you, you’ve got the added chore of searching through auto transport companies that ship across country. Well, we’ve got some tips for picking a shipping company, and not just related to cars.
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Cost of Shipping
Airline-Class Equivalent
Pickup / Drop-off Date
Fully Insured
Service
Recommended For
-
Open Transport
Best $$$ Value
"Coach" Class Service
Flexible
100% of Value; $0 Deductible
Door-to-Door
Most vehicles
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Enclosed Transport
40% - 60% more than Open
First-Class or Business Class
Flexible
100% of Value; $0 Deductible
Door-to-Door
Unique, Sentimental or >$70,000
-
Express (Open or Enclosed)
30% additional
You choose: Coach or 1st Class
Guaranteed
100% of Value; $0 Deductible
Door-to-Door
When urgent transport required
How much does it cost to ship a car across country?
The average cost for auto shipping costs ~$0.60 cents per mile, so a 3,000-mile trip costs about $1,800 on an open carrier. Shorter distances cost less in total, but more on a per-mile basis, because it takes the driver the same amount of time to load and unload, regardless of the distance he drives. For the first 1-500 miles, the average cost is typically $1.40 per mile, and moving a car across the country ~1,000 miles drops it to $1 a mile, or $1000.
Car transport service quotes can vary based on vehicle size, whether you choose enclosed vehicle transport across country or express shipping, and seasonal demand. Enclosed trucks come at a higher cost - generally 40-60% more than standard open trailers, but offer a higher level of service and are typically used for maximum peace of mind when transporting any vehicle >$70,000. Insurance coverage is always included is our quote price - there are never any surprise or hidden fees.
After extensive online searching, you’re now the proud driver of a vintage Roadster, but you need an auto transport company to get it to its new home. Classic cars are a good example of the types of vehicles that are more securely transported in an enclosed carrier. Our customers who own luxury car dealerships can tell you that it really is a cut above. They only haul 2-6 cars at a time and, of course, there are walls. You don’t want a beautiful new BMW to arrive dirty or without protection from the rain during the long distance travel.
How long does transport service across country take?
Car transport service takes 5-8 calendar days from the date a car is picked up to when it’s dropped off. A driver usually covers about 500 miles per day. The first available pickup date for shipping cars is typically 2-7 business days after an order is placed, and express vehicle transport is usually available within 24-72 hours.
Is it somebody’s birthday? Express shipping enables you to choose a shipping company that can: pick-up within 1-3 days and a guarantee of either pick-up date or drop-off date or the shortest possible time-interval between pickup and drop-off. Car transport companies experience slowdowns sometimes just because of weather. If you’ve ever driven in heavy rain or a snowstorm, you know how slow it is. There are also delays due to holiday traffic, at times.
Is it a Honda headed for New Hampshire to a new home? If you son or daughter needs the car, but they’re going to Stanford and you live in Vermont, you’ve got a job on your hands. Unless you have an extra week, plus the money for lodging and gas along the way, it may be easier – and more economical – to ship a car cross country. But, a word about the time lag – if it’s going to a small, out-of-the-way destination, that could hold it up a little too. There are more carriers going to cities with major thoroughfares leading to them than to outlying areas.
Should I consider enclosed vehicle shipping?
That depends on the value of your vehicle as well as your budget. If your car is an everyday-driven SUV or a minivan your family’s attached to, the best value is open auto shipping for transporting cars across country. 8 out of 10 customers find open transport works perfectly well, on those fine sturdy 7-10 car trailers you see on roads all across the country. There are lots of them, so they tend to be quicker to book.
If you’ve got something like an Aston Martin or another type of sports car, you probably want the protection of enclosed transport across country instead of open transport.
Did you promise your brother you’d let him have the GTO when you were tired of it? With vehicles that have sentimental value – and a lot of classic cars have value both ways – you may consider using an enclosed auto transport carrier. Keep in mind, the FMCSA does not allow any personal items to be transported along with the vehicle.
Can I pack items in my vehicle during cross country shipping?
While there may be a lot of things you’d love to pack, there are legal guidelines prohibiting a cross country car transporter from hauling anything that isn’t vehicle-related to your new home. These are under regulations by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which states that they can only include items that are related to the vehicle. If it’s a work truck, for instance, there may be tools associated with the company that are allowed. So for moving household goods and personal items cross-country, you’re better off with other options.
It’s a good idea to clean out your car, so you don’t risk personal belongings going astray in transit. And when the driver fills out the Bill of Lading, which is an inspection report with detailed information about your job, it’s easier to get a clear description of the condition of your vehicle if it’s washed and clean. It will help you confirm the condition of your car is the same when you get it as when it left. Explore more about moving and cross country moving tips here.
Why is Easy Car Shipping best for shipping cars across country?
The service you get from us, along with our know-how from 3 decades of experience, make shipping vehicles across country to your new home easy for you. You’re never in the dark, as we assign an auto transport specialist to you who you can reach out to throughout the cross country car delivery process.
We’re known for our dependability - being the best way to ship a car. If you’ve booked car transport across country, but a company has let you down, we can usually pick up the pieces pretty quickly. Are we picking up a car from an auction house? Or from a dealer? And delivering to a private buyer? To your son at college? A new home? We have experience with all those situations. We offer discounts to active military, and a return-trip discount to help lower car shipping costs for snowbirds, even when the return trip is next year.
Our 4.8 star reviews tell you what you need to know – that the quality of our customer service makes vehicle owners trust us for every kind of car transport service. We do everything we can to enable you to agree with them. And we’re confident that when you ship a car across the country with Easy Car Shipping, you’ll recommend us again.
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