One of the most common reasons that people send their cars is to make long-distance moves, and because most people are moving during spring and summer, that is the busiest time of the year to send your cars too. There is not one best time to ship your car cross-country, but car shippers do have peaks and valleys like other industries. People will tell you it is always more expensive to transport your vehicle during the winter months, but if you are moving a vehicle cross-country during the summer, and you are leaving a big city, you might find that your route is an outlier.
If you are flexible about when you are planning on shipping a vehicle cross-country, you can probably negotiate the shipping costs. If you are looking for a better deal on transportation for your vehicle, being flexible may often work in your favor. Transporting a vehicle during important holidays like 4th of July, Christmas, New Years, etc., may result in increased costs because of hauler availability.
Transporting a car around Christmas and New Years would be costly as many people are using trucking services. While auto transportation companies are planning for this spike in demand, as well as offering discounts for popular routes, the sheer volume of deliveries usually results in higher prices and delays. During summer, even the best auto transportation companies will charge higher rates and extend delivery times because of increased demand, especially in urban areas.
It may be beneficial to send your vehicle right before or right after summers peak (either spring or fall) because of increased demand, but you might also end up with higher rates due to the season. All this means is between lows, you will usually be able to find lower prices and faster service for your long-distance auto shipping. If you really decide to send your car in the less-busy season of the autumn, chances are that you will have cheaper rates for shipping compared to shipping your vehicle during any other season. Shipping cars in the fall season may be expensive as well due to demand from the snowbirds.
While you often hear that it is more expensive to ship cars during winter than during summer, you may find this is the exception if you are moving a vehicle cross-country from a large metro area. Shipping a vehicle during the summer can be easier because of the weather conditions, but can also ultimately result in higher prices because of demand. Many truckers and shippers also might not feel comfortable moving high-value items like cars during the winter because of the risks from icy roads.
Shipping may be quicker, though fewer transportation vehicles are available, and unsafe conditions may slow the process. Shipping can be less time-consuming, although there may be fewer carriers on the roads and dangerous conditions that can make the transportation process slower.
If your vehicle is being shipped to remote areas, the carrier may need more time to locate one. If you live in an isolated location, try driving to a nearby town or city so that your vehicle can be picked up by the company that is sending the shipment. If you live close to a popular trucking route, a major freeway, or a large city, you will get cheaper rates for shipping compared to living in an isolated location.
You may have your best times for shipping a vehicle, but it is going to cost you more if your pick-up or drop-off locations are far from the haulers. You will have to plan far in advance to find a reliable car mover, identify the best time to send the vehicle, and understand the required loading and shipping times to figure out your auto shipping costs.
Not knowing when your vehicle is going to ship is certainly stressful, but when you are familiar with the details of the car shipping industry, it is much less stressful. If you allow yourself ample time to select a hauler, and are willing to drop and then pick up your car within certain windows of time (rather than on a precise date), the relative unpredictability of vehicle shipping is less likely to overwhelm you. Shipping a car can seem overwhelming, especially when trying to figure out the best time to schedule transportation for your car.
If you are a beginner in the car shipping business, you might not be aware of just how much timing affects shipping. While vehicle shipping can occur at any time of year, season may impact the smoothness of your services. While the car-shipping industry is typically slower in winter months, the reverse is true in the holiday season. Generally, cars are moved fairly quickly during this period, although cars do not ship quite as quickly around holidays such as the Fourth of July.
You might have more options when it comes to the dates you want your vehicle shipped, as fewer cars are generally shipped in winter months. While you might not receive a discount when moving your vehicle in the winter, you might have more options when it comes to choosing a ship date. If you are planning on buying or gifting a vehicle during the holiday season, be ready to plan ahead for your winter vehicle move to ensure that it arrives in time. It is important to realize that time impacts a lot of things, including pricing and the amount of time your vehicle might need to travel.
You will probably have more available delivery dates because of reduced demand, but you need to consider other challenges, like fewer supplies and roads closing in the winter months, when considering best times to send a vehicle. The higher demand in those months may result in higher prices and delays to the length of time it takes to get your vehicle. The best way to have your car shipped in these lower times is either by paying a higher fee, or by shipping during the first couple weeks in December, or in the last couple weeks in January. You should always schedule car shipping well in advance.
