Anyone who plans to ship their car has one question that automatically pops in their mind: “How much would it cost me?”

Numbers aside, it’s a given notion that the price is going to be expensive. The average car shipment depends on a number of variables, and learning about them allows you to find the best shipping company for your car.

Factors That Affect Price

Surprisingly, the biggest factor that affects the price range is not the distance traveled, but the size of the car. Another thing you have to be wary of is the existing transport traffic in the area. As a rule, the more remote the area is, the more it’ll cost you.

Distance and fuel are two obvious factors that affect the pricing as well. When it really goes down, it’s all about the supply and demand.

There are a number of seasons in a year that affects the number of the shipment. So, when there are more cars going to a particular route, the price goes up as well.

The Cost

If you own a sedan, you usually have to pay anywhere from $600 up to $1,000 for shipping. Pricing is typically lower around winter and goes up during summer months. You can expect to pay around $800 to $1,070 for an SUV or truck.

If you’re going to ship a Chevy Malibu, and the starting point is in Indianapolis to L.A., it usually has the price range of $827 to $994. However, if you were to ship the same car from N.Y. to L.A., then it’d range from $1,043 to $1,086.

Classic cars are more expensive to ship because of the need to put them in an enclosed container; you may have to add $800-$3,000 for the shipment.

You may check out the online calculators to get a more precise shipment cost. You may check out this link to help you compare prices coming from different companies.

Tips

It’s not exactly the best idea to hire a shipping company based solely on the price.

There are certain companies that deliver cargo insurance to keep your car covered from accidents. However, put it in your mind that there are no existing laws that require companies to do so.

Some of the cheaper carriers aren’t insured or are underinsured. Verification is essential to ensure your car is in safe hands. Usually, companies with insurance cover $250,000 for every load.

Insurance is a need more than an add-on, there may be cases where your car is damaged by hail or sandstorm during transportation. It’s best to talk to call your car’s insurance provider as well.

Most shipping companies are available to go on short notice. However, there are instances where they’re fully booked. It’s best to book in advance as much as possible.

Take time to do your homework, and don’t instantly go to the cheapest offer.