Cheapest Way To Ship A Car?

When shipping a car from one place to another, you want it done safe and cost-effective. Save up to 60% on your car shipping while using top-rated transporters within our network. Auto Transport 360 will find the cheapest way to ship your car at no cost. Whether you bought a car on eBay, from another state, auction, dealership, or simply relocating, we can help!

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These Are Some Ways To Save Money

Car transport companies can give you a better deal if you book at least two weeks or more prior to the shipment date. Why? Our transporters will have enough time to coordinate transport logistics, accessing more truck space.

Another way to save money and finding the cheapest way to ship a car is choosing an open truck car carrier vs an enclosed truck. Both as completely reliable, bonded and insured. When shipping a car on an open truck you will get it done for almost half of the price, but your car will be exposed to the weather during the transit period, while, shipping on an enclosed truck, the vehicle will not be exposed to anything.

Finally, another way to find the cheapest cost to ship a car is determined on the geographic locations involved. Some specific routes count with multiple auto transporters going back and forth on a weekly basis, making the price negotiable due to the big amount of truck space available.

Cheapest Car Transporter

Are you looking for a cheap and affordable way to ship your car? Whether you’re moving across the country or purchased a car from out of state, there are many safe and reliable ways to transport your vehicle at such a reasonable price!

We have listed 10 tips on how to find the cheapest ways to ship a car. Remember, car shipping costs vary widely, and the cheapest option for you will depend on many factors. When deciding on a car shipping method, consider asking yourself these questions first:

  1. Is budget your main concern, or do you also take your car’s safety into consideration?
  2. Do you need the car urgently, or is it a lengthy transport duration OK?
  3. Do you prefer shipping your car in an enclosed space, or are you comfortable with an open carrier?
  4. Do you want to get multiple quotes at once or do you have the spare time to request quotes from car companies?

If you have answers for all of the questions above, then you are ready to drive into how you can find the cheapest way to ship a car!

  1. Open Vs. Closed Car Transport:

Which is Cheaper?

For those who are only concerned about budget, an open carrier is considered the cheapest and most convenient way to ship your car. But there are a few cons to this method. Shipping your car through open transport, you are exposing your ride to adverse weather conditions and road debris. If you’re totally okay with that, then this is the best and cheapest option for you.

As for those whose cars are of rare value, then choosing an enclosed carrier is recommended. Enclosed transports can offer the best protection to your automobile. However, it comes with a price.   You’ll have to pay around two times the cost of an open trailer if you want your car to be shipped an enclosed carrier.

In a nutshell, if you’re looking to ship an exotic or collectible vehicle, then enclosed carriers are the way to go. But if you want a quick and cheap car transport, an open carrier would be the best choice.

  • Open Vs. Closed Car Transport: Which is Faster?

Open carrier services are more in-demand compared to enclosed transports. But they can compensate with the volume of demands as there are more open carriers available. This means open carriers are the cheapest and the quickest way to ship your car.

Disclaimer: If you’re moving cross-country, expect up to two weeks for your car to arrive. You have to pay extra for faster shipping.

  • Multiple Quotes or Request Quotes From Individual Car Firms?

When it comes to purchasing a car transport service, it is less like that you’d choose the first one you come across. You would probably spend hours — even days — working out exactly which carrier you are comfortable with, weighing the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ between the different options.

When you take time to request quotes from individual companies, your choices will be restricted and you will have to use up a lot of time. It can be all too easy for you to simply accept a price from the first car transport company you stumble upon without comparing it against the market, with the thought that the company will be offering you the best value price. But the problem is that there are many companies out there that will give you one price without telling you that you have to pay more for their service.

It, therefore, pays to get at least one or two additional quotes. And this is where we come to the picture. You can get started now getting an instant quote from us! Getting multiple quotes will help you find the cheapest way to ship your car.

  • Door-To-Door Car Shipping vs. Terminal-to-Terminal Car shipping: Which is Cheaper?

The short answer: terminal-to-terminal method is the cheapest way to ship your car.

Where you currently reside can be a significant influence on your transport costs—and you’ll want to decide which shipping method you feel more comfortable with before creating a shipment listing. So, what’s the difference?

Nowadays, door-to-door shipping is the common method of shipping a vehicle in the industry. Standard-wise, it is the cheapest way to ship a vehicle. Many auto transporters offer door-to-door shipping as much as open carrier services, so it’s easy to get a quote with this method. Also, if you’re shipping a standard vehicle that you use daily, then door-to-door shipping is highly recommended.

Meanwhile, terminals can be a great way to ship a car if pressed for cash, especially if you’re living outside a major city. Most companies focus on fewer, shorter trips with more vehicles—to and from accessible urban areas. Hence, if you’re not willing to pay extra cash for these transporters to deliver your car directly to your rural home, then it’s best to choose this method.

But beware, terminal-to-terminal transporters are often slower and less convenient than door to door shipping.

  • Is there any other cheap way to ship your car?

If you still haven’t found the best option for you, don’t worry. We still have a lot up our sleeves. So read on, maybe you’ll finally find the one that will capture your heart.

  • Use a shipping marketplace – With this method, you’re eliminating the middle man (auto transport brokers) from the equation. You can contact individual carriers yourself and request for quotes. Basically, you’ll be your own broker. It’s a lot of work, but there are many marketplaces that can help you make this process easier.
  • Make sure you’re shipping off-season – Usually, the busiest months for the car transport industry are June-August. So, if you want the cheapest way to ship your car, then avoid these months.

Auto Transport Cost Calculator

Don’t know what it’ll cost to ship your vehicle? Wondering what’s the car transport cost per mile? If you’re serious about knowing the cost to transport a car cross country, we can get you the best car shipping rates super fast. You can count on our auto transport cost calculator for free estimates. If you’re planning to ship your car, we recommend you to fill out our free online auto transport quote form. All you need is to provide your basic transport information and you’ll get a quote instantly. Our auto transport cost calculator displays the approximate price in no time. The instant estimate helps you know how much you’ll be spending to ship your car from state to state. It’s quick and simple!

Want to shop around before choosing an auto transport company? We’re one of the best places to start.   It’s always best to get different price quotes and get a good idea of the range of prices. We understand how tough it can be to find a dependable auto transport company, especially when you’re new to the industry.   When you rely on our Vehicle Transport Cost Calculator, you’ll be getting competitive quotes from the best shipping carriers. By doing this, you make it fast and easy to arrange. Don’t just rely on rough auto transport cost estimates.  Take time to gather multiple quotes.

The vehicle shipment rate cannot be fixed. It depends on pickup and delivery location, type, size and condition of the vehicle, enclosed car or other vehicle transport, season and other factors. The transport companies take all these factors into consideration while fixing the transport rates. Our cost calculator considers all these factors to offer you the most accurate price estimate. Our experts strive hard to compete with the best auto transport prices. We get you competitive quotes to ship from anywhere to anywhere in the United States including, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii. We also have discount offers on auto shipping rates. Get much better rates than what our calculator suggests!

Auto Transport 360

Whether you’re relocating to a new place or, buying a car online, auto transport can be a nerve-wracking experience for you. If you’ve no idea how to move your car to a new place, perhaps, professional help is the only thing you actually need. In the United States, it’s possible for you to get your car, motorcycle or any other vehicle delivered safely and timely. Regardless of what your shipping needs are, Auto Transport 360 can help you with exceptional quality auto transport solutions. 

Your car is one of your most valuable assets. Hiring anyone for moving it can be risky.  It’s like putting your bain the hands of someone else to be taken to another place. Simply put, you need a dependable company for your auto transport needs. To eliminate your hassles, Auto Transport 360 gets you covered. With such a licensed, bonded and fully insured company, you can make your decisions with great confidence. Their large network of top vehicle transporters has made it possible for them to ship more than 3,250,000 cars and bikes over the past year. With them, time, location, size and condition of the vehicle do not really matter. Even if you’re in need to transport an oversized vehicle across the state, they’ll be there whenever you want.

The type of auto transport services and their rates offered to vary from one company to another. It’s definitely worth shopping around to get price quotes from different companies. Auto Transport 360 offers you direct access to several reputable auto shippers that raise attractive quotes for your auto transport needs. Taking some time to compare these quotes is worth it.

Nationwide Door To Door Auto Transport

Ready for your next move, but have no idea how to move your car to that new place? Want to ship just a car or, multiple vehicles? We’re here to help you! Autotransport360.com specializes in nationwide car shipping and provides excellent quality auto transport services to its customer base. No matter what’s your location, we’ve got you covered. We understand what you really expect when you say- ‘Transport my car’. Our network of auto shippers allows you to get direct access to some of the best auto vehicle shipping companies in the industry.


Do you want your motorcycle delivered on time and safely? Make your auto moving safe and worry-free with us! We’ll also offer you the best prices for auto transport. We not only help you with motorcycle shipping cost estimates but also get you the most competitive quotes from motorcycle shipping companies. Get free quotes for the best car transport rates!


Auto Transport 360 counts with the largest network of auto car haulers inside the United States. Ship from anywhere, anytime! The location of the vehicle doesn’t really matter to have your car transport. Drivers are available 24/7 for the right price, learn more here.


Open haulers are the most common way to ship a vehicle nowadays. These are semi trucks usually shipping multiple vehicles from coast to coast. The condition of the vehicle doesn’t really matter. Enclosed haulers are mainly used to transport really expensive cars due to the amount of insurance.


Keep in mind not every truck can transport a motorcycle. We have a division specialized in the transportation of bikes and other vehicles. Usually, recommend to ship the bike via enclosed, but open car transport also does the job.


If you are looking to transport an oversize vehicle you are in the right place! Most of these moves are done via open trucks or flatbeds. Get a proper quote here.

Open VS Enclosed Auto Transport Trucks

There are two ways to ship your car on a truck. The first one is via open car carriers and another way is via enclosed car carriers. The most common way due to cost effectiveness is shipping on open truck. Ninety percent or even more of the car transport jobs inside the United States are done on open car haulers. Both type of trucks have cargo and liability insurance coverage.

Here is the difference between both:

Open Car Transport

When looking to ship your car you will find out the fastest and cheapest way is open truck. Your car will be shipped in one of those trucks you usually see on the highway with 5 to 10 cars on the trailer – Just like that!

Not all the time an open truck will be a big 18 wheeler. Sometimes your car will be picked up on an open truck with a 4 car carrier trailer attached to it, this is also considered open truck. Due to the trailer, these trucks will only haul automobiles.

Enclosed Car Transport

Enclosed trucks are usually used to ship high-performance vehicles, antiques, motorcycles, golf carts and other motor vehicle that cannot fit on a regular car carrier trailer.

People also choose to go with enclosed because of the amount of insurance on their car. Open trucks can insure your car for up to one hundred thousand, while enclosed trucks coverage can go all the way to one million dollars.

How To Choose A Good Car Transport Company

No matter the industry you will always come across good and bad companies. Car transportation is not the exception.

Auto Transport 360 wants to share very important bullet points that can be used to determine the transporter you want to hire for the job.

Here we go…

Transporter background check: It is very important to research information online about the car transport company before booking your auto transport. Reviews is the best method. Every licensed car transport company should be registered to the largest network for car transport reviews called ”Transport Reviews”. Click here to find a company.

Avoid Low Ballers: While in the process of comparing price quotes for your car transport, you will notice some transporters sending very low rates compared to most of the others (Market Value). The reason they do this is to catch your attention, earn your trust, end up booking the move and than hit you with a last minute bait and switch.

Do Not Pay Upfront: Yes, some transporters will try to charge you a partial or full payment for the transport in advanced. You will only want to pay the transport company once they have dispatched the truck to pick up the vehicle or when your car is delivered at the destination.

Auto Transport Delivery Time Frames

Let’s all keep in mind auto transport belongs to the massive transportation industry in the United States. Delivery time frames changes accordingly to the route of travel and companies shouldn’t guarantee a time of the day before the driver has been assigned.

Most auto transport carriers and brokers work with a two-day window, within this time frame their dispatcher works on the logistic. The truck driver has to call you multiple hours before to schedule the pickup and delivery of the vehicle.

Mileage Chart and Examples:

Note: Some trucks can deliver faster if they have team drivers. Team driver is when there are at least 2 drivers on the same truck – Truck avoids many stops to rest or restrictions.

How To Prepare Your Car For Transport

Lets Get Your Car
Ready For Shipment!

  • The vehicle must be clean for the inspection. A dirty vehicle decreases the ability to perform a quality inspection.(* With the exception of vehicles coming from any auction)

  • We recommend the gas tank to be at 1/4 of fuel, but no more than 1/2 tank of fuel.
  • All alarm systems must be disconnected, disable or turned off.
  • Please remove all exterior spare tire covers or car cover as well.
  • One set of keys for the vehicle must be provided.

Vehicle Inspection Requirements

  • You or the designated party must be present for the inspection at the time of pick up & delivery.

  • You or the designated party must sign the bill of lading report at both ends.
  • You or the designated party are responsible for reviewing the vehicle’s condition. This must be done before the driver leaves the destination.
  • Vehicle condition exceptions must be noted on the bill of lading. Both driver client need to sign.