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★ IN THE CAR BUSINESS SINCE 1989 · NO DEPOSIT OR UPFRONT FEES · (800) 931-4311
Car Shipping Cost · Real Rates, Real Person
Here’s what shipping your car should cost — and the tricks that make it cost more.
Based on real quotes we’ve written this year: most short hauls run $700–$1,000, cross-country $1,600–$2,600. Send the form and a real Transport Advisor calls you within minutes with the locked price for your route. No deposit or upfront fees.
Get the real price for your route
A real Transport Advisor calls you within minutes with your number. No deposit or upfront fees — no card required.
The Locked-Price Promise — the quote is the price, and you pay nothing until the day your carrier is assigned.
Prefer to talk now? Call (800) 931-4311
Open and enclosed carriers, lined up to ship. Nine out of ten cars ride open — the same trucks dealerships use.
Before You Trust a Number
The lowball quote is the #1 trick in car shipping
The cheapest number on your screen is usually the most expensive one you can pick. Here’s how it works.
Trick 01
The bait price no truck will take
A quote 30–40% under everyone else wins your booking. But no carrier accepts the load at that rate — so your car sits while the “estimate” waits to grow.
Trick 02
The “market adjustment” at pickup
Your dates are locked, the move is tomorrow, and now the price “adjusts” by a few hundred dollars. You pay it because you’re out of time to shop.
Trick 03
The fees that appear at delivery
Fuel surcharges. An overweight fee at the scale. Oversize fees. Other fees invented at delivery — when your car is already on the truck and paying is easier than fighting.
A quote 30% under everyone else isn’t a deal. It’s the setup.
What Sets the Price
Five things move the number. Here they are.
There’s no calculator on this page because carrier rates change weekly, lane by lane. But the factors never change.
FACTOR 01
Distance and route
Longer moves cost more in total but less per mile. From our quotes this year: short hauls mostly land $700–$1,000, mid-length runs $1,100–$1,500, and cross-country $1,600–$2,600 on an open carrier. Busy lanes price lower than off-the-path towns.
FACTOR 02
Your vehicle and the trailer
A compact sedan ships cheaper than a full-size truck. Open transport is the standard; enclosed typically adds 30–60% on the same route and earns it for classics and high-value cars. A car that won’t run adds about $150–$300.
FACTOR 03
Season and flexibility
Summer runs 20–30% higher, and snowbird lanes spike October through December. A 3–5 day pickup window prices better than “I need it gone tomorrow.”
FACTOR 04
Running condition
A car that starts, steers, and brakes loads itself. A non-runner needs a winch and extra hands, and fewer trucks carry that gear — expect the price to step up. Tell your advisor up front so the number is right the first time.
FACTOR 05
Pickup and delivery locations
Big-city corridors get daily truck traffic, so they price lean. Rural routes, tight streets, and low branches mean the driver gets as close as legally possible and may meet you at a nearby lot — the extra legwork rides on the price.
This is why a real person checks your route before you get a number.
Why a Person Calls You
A form can’t price your route. Your Transport Advisor can.
Instant online quotes are guesses — that’s how the lowball trick starts. We check what carriers on your lane are taking this week, then lock the number.
✓
Your Lane, Priced This WeekYour Advisor checks live carrier rates on your route and dates — not a national average.
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Carriers Verified FirstActive federal operating authority, current cargo and liability insurance, and safety record checked before assignment.
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The Locked-Price PromiseThe price we quote is the price you pay. No “market adjustment” once you commit.
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NO Deposit or upfront feesYou will pay nothing for your transport until the day our carrier is assigned to your transport.
Want proof? Ask your Advisor for the carrier’s federal license number and look it up yourself in the government’s SAFER database.
Customer Reviews
People who shopped the price first
A 99% customer satisfaction rate. Here’s what that sounds like.
Customer review
★★★★★
“We just moved our car from Fremont CA to Dallas TX. Moving can be overwhelming specially when it’s such a long distance but United Car Shipping and Joe in particular makes the car shipping one less thing to worry about. The car was shipped in exactly 3 days.”
Customer review
★★★★★
“Everyone wanted to charge me an arm and a leg for this last minute request, except United Car Shipping. They came to my rescue! It took only two days for the driver to get my car to Denver from the date that it was picked up.”
Customer review
★★★★★
“Joe was a huge help and kept his promises. He walked me through the entire process, picked up when he said they would and dropped off on time. It was a relief to get my car in Dallas and I highly recommend United Car Shipping.”
Common Questions
Car shipping cost, answered
How much does it cost to ship a car?
Going by the quotes we’ve written this year: most short hauls of a few hundred miles land between $700 and $1,000, a 1,000-mile run like New York to Florida between $1,100 and $1,500, and cross-country between $1,600 and $2,600. Your exact number depends on the route, the vehicle, and the week — which is why a Transport Advisor calls you with a real price instead of a guess. If someone quotes you far under these ranges, read the section above before you sign anything.
Why is one quote hundreds of dollars cheaper than the rest?
Be careful with it. A quote 30% or more under market is the classic bait: no carrier takes the load at that rate, and the price “adjusts” once your dates are locked. We quote what carriers on your route will take — and we lock it.
How much more is enclosed transport?
Typically 40–60% over open on the same route. Open is the standard and safe for most vehicles; enclosed earns its premium for classics, exotics, and high-value cars. Your Transport Advisor will tell you which one fits — and won’t upsell you into a trailer you don’t need.
When is car shipping cheapest?
Late winter and early spring usually price lowest, and rates dip again in October. Summer runs 20–30% higher, and snowbird lanes to Florida and Arizona spike October through December. Flexible pickup dates beat any season, though.
Do I pay anything to get my price?
No — no deposit or upfront fees. Submit the form and a Transport Advisor — a real person — calls you within minutes with the number for your route. You will pay nothing for your transport until the day our carrier is assigned to your transport.
Is the quote the final price?
Yes — that’s the Locked-Price Promise. The price we quote is the price you pay: no “market adjustment” at pickup, no invented fees at delivery. We’ve shipped over 500,000 vehicles since 1989 on exactly that structure.
Ready When You Are
Stop guessing what it costs. Get the number.
Tell us the route and the car. Your Transport Advisor calls within minutes with a locked price — no deposit or upfront fees, no surprise at pickup.
In the car business since 1989·500,000+ vehicles shipped·No deposit or upfront fees
Get my real price
A Transport Advisor calls you in minutes. Locked rate, no deposit or upfront fees.
Or call a Transport Advisor now — (800) 931-4311
More on shipping costs
How much does it cost to ship my car?
Most moves land between $700 and $1,000 for a short haul, $1,100 to $1,500 mid-distance, and $1,600 to $2,600 coast to coast. Your price depends on the route, the vehicle, open vs. enclosed, and how flexible your pickup window is. Get a locked quote and you’ll know the real number before anything ships — no bait price that climbs later.