The Real Cost of Transporting A Car
Moving to a new state doesn’t have to mean leaving your old car behind. You can even ship your current car to a new country if you wish. This is the miracle of modern-day transportation, and it’s a great way to save money by not buying a new car when you arrive at a new destination. How much does it cost to ship a car? Here’s our best breakdown.
Your New Location Matters
The distance that your car has to travel to reach your new home adds to the cost of transport, but that’s not the only location factor. Vehicles that must be brought to small rural towns often cost more to ship than vehicles being transported to big cities. Why? Because it’s unlikely that the small country town you’re moving to is located near a major highway. Not being located near a highway means extra mileage, so that’s why it’s often more expensive to move a car from to a small town. In addition to the location of your new home, the type of vehicle that you’re trying to transport will impact the overall cost.
Smaller Is Better
Small cars are lighter and easier to transport, so you’ll pay a lot less to ship a Fiat than a Hummer. In addition to size, the current condition of a vehicle is also a major price factor. If your car won’t turn on or can’t run on its own, you can expect to pay more. Why? Because it’s harder to onload and offload a vehicle when a driver has to push it or find another way to load it! So, if you’re looking to transport that vintage Mustang as a labor of love, know that it will cost you.
It’s also true that transport companies will charge you more for any kind of car with modified tires. If your car has extra large tires or extra small tires, that rate will go up. The logic here is simple enough: vehicles that aren’t a standard size require special transportation arrangements. This makes sense, right? After factoring in the shape, size, weight, and condition of your car (in addition to your new location), you’ll have to think about the type of truck needed to ship your vehicle.
Types of Vehicle Trucks and Containers
If you have a luxury, sports, or vintage car, you may want to choose a closed trailer transport method. These trailers have tops and sides that will keep your car safe from all elements. But, closed trailers are the more expensive option. If you’re okay with an open trailer, you’ll save a lot of money, but your car won’t be covered from all of those natural elements. To decide which type of trailer to choose, ask yourself this question: do I leave my car outside all the time? If you answered ‘yes’ to this question, an open trailer probably won’t matter too much.
Price of Fuel
It might be tough to get a transport rate in advance (one that’s guaranteed) because the price of fuel fluctuates. You will pay more to ship a vehicle when the price of fuel is higher, that’s just how it goes. You may get one price this week, and wind up with a completely different rate next week. The best thing to do is to book your transport as close to your moving date as possible, or make arrangements with a transport company in advance knowing that fuel costs will rise.
Lastly, Think Seasonal
You know how flights to the south are a lot more expensive during winter months? That’s because the demand to fly somewhere warm and sunny is a lot higher. Well, the same can be said for transporting a vehicle to a new location. If you plan to bring your vehicle to a popular destination at a certain time of year, you can expect to pay more. You may also find yourself paying a higher price if you want to move a vehicle during the winter months. Why? Because traveling with snow, wind, ice, and other elements is harder for a driver.
Some Common Sense
Pretty much everything in this article makes sense if you think about it. That said, it’s still really important to shop around for the best vehicle transportation price that you can get. If you’re trying to ship a Hummer from a rural location to a small town in Florida during the winter months in a closed trailer, you can expect to pay a decent amount. But, that doesn’t mean that you have to take the first bid you get!
If you’ve moving to Fort Collins or Denver, give us a call at Exodus Moving and Storage – we can answer all of your moving needs, and we may even be able to recommend a vehicle transportation arrangement or two!
