Cheap Car Shipping: Affordable Providers (June 2023) – Automoblog

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Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, and SGT Auto Transport are the cheapest car shipping companies. Find out more about cheap car shipping in the article that follows.
We reviewed the industry’s top car shipping providers. Here are our featured picks:
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Our Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0
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Our Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0
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Our Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0
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Key Takeaways
With the cost of gas and other goods and services, finding cheap car shipping can be a hassle. To help you find the best price for your upcoming car shipment, our research team pulled cost and provider data from our wide-ranging study of the auto transport industry.
In the following article, our car transport experts included pricing estimates from some of the best and most affordable car shipping companies. You’ll also find helpful information about how pricing works for car transport services and some tips to help you get the cheapest rates you can.
Which auto shipping company offers the cheapest rates varies depending on your shipping distance, the options you choose, and other factors. We included real quotes from our car shipping research to offer a better idea of which provider may have the cheapest prices for your needs.
We believe Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight, and uShip are the best affordable car transport companies.
In the table below, you’ll find the overall rating and cost ratings for the best auto transport companies from our industry-wide car shipping study. Montway Auto Transport earned the highest overall score in that study, but AmeriFreight has the highest cost rating of all providers.
If you’d like to learn more about these providers, you can read our summaries at the end of the article.
Car shipping costs vary widely, with rates typically ranging from $600 to $2,500. Our researchers found per-mile shipping rates as cheap as $0.52 and as expensive as $1.51. In general, auto shippers charge less per mile as shipping distance increases. Other variables such as whether you choose open or enclosed transport to ship your car also factor into shipping costs.
Based on our research, Sherpa Auto Transport is the most affordable provider, with an average quote of $1,188. The table below ranks some of the cheapest auto transport companies by their average price for short, medium, and long-distance shipments.
In our car shipping research, we got the cheapest open shipping quotes from SGT Auto Transport for both short and long-distance shipments.
When it comes to enclosed shipping, however, we got the most affordable quotes from Sherpa Auto Transport.
Our team got quotes for short-distance car shipping services from Orlando, Florida, to Durham, North Carolina – a distance of 535 miles. SGT Auto Transport gave us the cheapest quotes to ship our SUV:
We also requested quotes to transport our SUV from New York City, New York, to Los Angeles, California. SGT Auto Transport gave us the cheapest quote for this long-distance shipment of 2,445 miles:
If you find the right provider and service, shipping a car will be less expensive than you think. Most of the estimates we received in our research fell between $1,000 and $2,000. The average quote for a 1,500-mile shipment between two urban areas was around $1,350. However, your cost could easily be cheaper or more expensive, depending on your needs and preferences.
There are many factors that go into the rates auto transporters charge for shipping. Some of these are out of your control. However, you can get cheaper car shipping by choosing less expensive options when you can. The variables that go into your auto transport rates include:
Most providers offer several options when you book a car shipment. If you’re looking for cheap car shipping, you’ll need to stick to the more budget-friendly options. However, if you have more specialized needs, it may be worth considering the added cost of alternative options.
The types of auto shipping you’ll find include:
Over the course of our research, we found a few things you can do to get cheaper car shipping rates. These include:
While cheap rates are important, prices aren’t the only thing that matters. Not every car transport company is as dependable and trustworthy as the next.
Our team evaluated providers based on the ease of their shipping process, the services they offer, and their reputations among industry rating organizations and car shipping customers. Below, you’ll find three of the top performers in our most recent auto transport study.
Montway Auto Transport works with over 15,000 verified carriers across the United States to provide you with competitive car shipping costs on most routes. The company offers expedited shipping, guaranteed pickup dates, and door-to-door services. Montway Auto Transport ships to all 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii and to international locations as well.
Customers give Montway Auto Transport high marks on various review sites. The company has 4.6 out of 5.0 stars from over 2,200 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. Montway Auto Transport also earns 4.6 out of 5.0 stars based on over 1,100 Trustpilot reviews.
Keep reading: Montway Auto Transport review
Our Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0
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Sherpa Auto Transport is known for its Price Lock Promise, which protects drivers against most fees that can be added mid-shipment. The company also reimburses customers for car washes upon vehicle arrival through its Clean Car Guarantee. Sherpa Auto Transport requires all carriers to have at least a $100,000 cargo insurance policy and more than $1 million in liability coverage.
Sherpa Auto Transport carries an impressive A+ rating and 4.9 out of 5.0 stars with the BBB. Note that Sherpa Auto Transport does not offer terminal-to-terminal shipping, which can lower car shipping costs, and it won’t ship vehicles to Alaska or Hawaii.
Keep reading: Sherpa Auto Transport review
Our Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0
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AmeriFreight ships to all 50 states and offers a wide selection of discounts. The company offers reduced rates to first responders, students, active-duty military members, health care workers, and older adults. AmeriFreight ships motorcycles, RVs, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and even boats.
On the BBB website, AmeriFreight receives 4.9 out of 5.0 stars from previous customers. The company also boasts a 4.7- out of 5.0-star rating based on more than 3,200 customer reviews on Google.
Keep reading: AmeriFreight review
We reviewed the industry’s top car shipping providers. Here are our featured picks:
Our Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0
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Our Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0
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Our Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0
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Our Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0
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You can find cheap car shipping compared to average transport costs if you know where to look and what your options are. Choosing cheaper vehicle transport options, planning ahead, and being flexible can help you get the lowest rates available.
However, the most important step is getting car shipping quotes from multiple providers and comparing them. Most providers offer instant quotes online.
But remember: price isn’t everything. Choosing a reputable provider can help ensure peace of mind while your car is being transported to its new home.
Below are some frequently asked questions about cheap car shipping services.
Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, and AmeriFreight are among your best options for cheap car shipping. The best price will depend on a multitude of factors. Comparing quotes from multiple shipping brokers and booking early are two proven ways to lock in lower shipping rates.
It’s much easier to save money on car shipping if you compare quotes from multiple providers, book early, and opt for terminal-to-terminal transport using an open shipping method. While getting enclosed auto transport and having the car delivered to your house is nice, you’ll have a much tougher time finding cheap car shipping.
It’s typically cheaper to drive a car if you only need to move it a few hundred miles. However, it’s probably cheaper to ship your vehicle for longer moves, where you’d need to factor in costs such as food, lodging, and lost wages.
The average cost to ship a car varies greatly. In addition to shipping distance, factors such as the type of transport you choose, the time of year, and where your pickup and dropoff points are can all affect the cost of your shipment.
Some carriers allow you to ship personal items inside your car. However, they typically have weight restrictions and requirements about how these items are packed.
Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best car shipping companies.
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