How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car?
Distance is the main driver. Our rate is $1 per road mile plus a $300 base fee on an open carrier — so a 900-mile move is about $1,200 and coast to coast is closer to $3,100.
Price Your Route
Zip to zip, in seconds.
| Mileage | $0 |
| Base fee | $0 |
| Enclosed carrier | $0 |
| Estimated total | $0 |
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Send us your details and a coordinator will confirm a pickup date. Nothing is charged until a carrier is assigned.
Or call (847) 786-2226 and we will quote it on the phone.
Cost by Distance
Straight from the pricing formula. Estimates provided are for open carrier. Add $500 for enclosed.
| Distance | Typical route | Transit | Open carrier | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 miles | Chicago → St. Louis | 1–2 days | $550 | $1,050 |
| 500 miles | Atlanta → Miami | 1–2 days | $800 | $1,300 |
| 750 miles | Chicago → Atlanta | 2–3 days | $1,050 | $1,550 |
| 1,000 miles | Dallas → Chicago | 3–5 days | $1,300 | $1,800 |
| 1,250 miles | New York → Miami | 3–5 days | $1,550 | $2,050 |
| 1,500 miles | Chicago → Phoenix | 5–7 days | $1,800 | $2,300 |
| 2,000 miles | Chicago → Los Angeles | 7–9 days | $2,300 | $2,800 |
| 2,500 miles | Boston → Los Angeles | 7–9 days | $2,800 | $3,300 |
| 2,800 miles | Seattle → Miami | 8–10 days | $3,100 | $3,600 |
What Goes Into the Price
Distance
The single biggest factor. Note that cost per mile falls as distance rises — the base fee is spread over more miles, so a 2,000-mile move does not cost eight times a 250-mile one. Short local moves are the least efficient per mile for exactly that reason.
Open or enclosed
Open transport carries seven to ten vehicles and splits the trip cost across all of them. Enclosed carries two to six inside a hard-sided trailer with a lift gate and soft tie-downs. The difference on our pricing is a flat $500, whatever the distance.
Vehicle size and weight
A carrier is limited by both deck space and gross weight. A Suburban takes the space of a sedan and a half; a dually pickup more than that. Lift kits, oversized tires, roof racks and bed covers all narrow the pool of carriers that can take the load, which pushes the rate up.
Running condition
A vehicle that does not start needs a winch, and one that does not roll or steer needs specific equipment beyond that. Fewer carriers, longer loading, higher rate. Tell us the condition honestly at booking — a driver who arrives to find an immovable vehicle has lost the slot for everyone.
Season
Auto transport has real seasonality. October through December runs heavy southbound as snowbirds head to Florida, Arizona and Texas; March through May runs heavy the other way. Summer is busy nationwide with family relocations. January and February are the cheapest months on most lanes.
Location
Metro to metro is the cheapest per mile because carriers are already running those corridors. A pickup 90 minutes off the interstate means a truck deviating from its route, and that shows up in the rate.
How soon you need it
Booking two to three weeks out costs meaningfully less than needing a truck tomorrow. A guaranteed pickup date through expedited service carries a premium, and it is worth it when a closing date or a job start will not wait.
Ways to Pay Less
- Book two to three weeks ahead. The single largest lever you control.
- Give a wide pickup window. "Any day that week" prices better than "Tuesday".
- Stay flexible on the ends. Meeting a driver at a nearby lot rather than insisting on a tight residential street helps.
- Ship open unless you need enclosed. Most vehicles do not.
- Avoid the seasonal peaks if your dates allow it.
- Empty the car. Weight costs money and personal items are not insured.
Watch Out For
A quote well under market is usually a broker listing your vehicle on the load board at a rate no carrier will accept. Your car sits, then you get a call explaining that the price has gone up. Ask what happens if no carrier picks up the load at the quoted rate, and get the answer before you pay a deposit.
Ask whether the deposit is refundable if a carrier is never assigned, and whether the quoted figure is what you actually pay at delivery. On our side: nothing is charged until a carrier is assigned, and the balance is due to the driver on delivery.
Real Route Pricing
Current estimates on the lanes we run most.
| Route | Distance | Transit | Open | Enclosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY → Chicago, IL | 835 mi | 2–3 days | $1,135 | $1,635 |
| Chicago, IL → New York, NY | 835 mi | 2–3 days | $1,135 | $1,635 |
| New York, NY → Houston, TX | 1,663 mi | 5–7 days | $1,963 | $2,463 |
| Houston, TX → New York, NY | 1,663 mi | 5–7 days | $1,963 | $2,463 |
| New York, NY → Dallas, TX | 1,605 mi | 5–7 days | $1,905 | $2,405 |
| Dallas, TX → New York, NY | 1,605 mi | 5–7 days | $1,905 | $2,405 |
| New York, NY → Los Angeles, CA | 2,866 mi | 8–10 days | $3,166 | $3,666 |
| Los Angeles, CA → New York, NY | 2,866 mi | 8–10 days | $3,166 | $3,666 |
| New York, NY → San Antonio, TX | 1,851 mi | 5–7 days | $2,151 | $2,651 |
| San Antonio, TX → New York, NY | 1,851 mi | 5–7 days | $2,151 | $2,651 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Houston, TX | 1,602 mi | 5–7 days | $1,902 | $2,402 |
| Houston, TX → Los Angeles, CA | 1,602 mi | 5–7 days | $1,902 | $2,402 |
| New York, NY → Jacksonville, FL | 983 mi | 2–3 days | $1,283 | $1,783 |
| Jacksonville, FL → New York, NY | 983 mi | 2–3 days | $1,283 | $1,783 |
| New York, NY → Charlotte, NC | 624 mi | 2–3 days | $924 | $1,424 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to ship a car?
Our estimate is distance-based: $1 per mile plus a $300 base, for open carrier transport. A 900-mile move runs about $1,200; coast to coast is closer to $2,800. Enclosed transport adds $500. Use the calculator on this page for your exact route — it prices the real road distance between your two ZIP codes.
What is the difference between open and enclosed transport?
Open carriers are the multi-car trailers you see delivering to dealerships. They carry 7 to 10 vehicles, cost the least, and expose your car to weather the same way driving it would. Enclosed carriers are hard-sided trailers carrying 2 to 6 vehicles with no weather exposure, used for classics, exotics and low-clearance cars. Enclosed adds $500 to any quote.
How long does auto transport take?
Transit runs roughly 400 to 500 miles per day once the vehicle is loaded, because drivers are limited by federal hours-of-service rules. Chicago to Florida is typically 3 to 4 days, coast to coast 7 to 10. Add 1 to 5 days for the pickup window on top of that.
Is my vehicle insured during transport?
Yes. Every carrier we dispatch to carries active cargo insurance, and we verify it before your vehicle is assigned. Damage claims are filed against the carrier policy. Personal items left in the vehicle are not covered.
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