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It’s the first question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on a handful of specific things. Any company that gives you one flat number without asking about your route, vehicle, and timing is guessing. Here’s what actually sets the price.
1. Distance – and the route itself
Miles matter, but the route matters just as much. A shipment between two major cities on a busy corridor usually costs less per mile than a shorter trip to or from a small town. Carriers price their trips around where their trucks already run. If your pickup or delivery is far from the main highways, the carrier goes out of their way, and that shows up in the quote.
2. Your vehicle
Bigger and heavier vehicles take more space and weight on the trailer, so an SUV or pickup costs more to move than a sedan. Modifications like lift kits or oversized tires can also change the price. And if the car doesn’t run, it still ships – but it needs a carrier with a winch, and that costs extra.
3. Open vs. enclosed transport
Open transport is the standard: your car rides on the same kind of two-level trailer you see delivering cars to dealerships. It’s the most affordable option and the right call for most vehicles. Enclosed transport puts your car inside a covered trailer, protected from weather and road debris. It costs more, and it’s usually reserved for classics, exotics, luxury cars, and anything with sentimental value you don’t want exposed.
4. Time of year
Auto transport has seasons. Snowbird season – fall heading south, spring heading north – is the busiest time on routes between the Northeast, Midwest, and Florida, and high demand pushes prices up. Summer is busy too, with families relocating. Shipping against the flow, or during quieter months, often means a better price.
5. How flexible you can be
If you need a car picked up on one exact day, that limits which carriers can take it, and tight timing costs more. A flexible pickup window gives the broker room to match your car with a carrier already running your route – and that’s where the savings are.
So how do you get a real number?
You get a quote built around your actual move. A good broker prices each shipment from what carriers are actively charging on that route right now – not a calculator on a website.
With HIYAAKS Inc, nothing is charged before pickup. Your quote includes everything, a flat $150 deposit is collected by credit card only once a carrier has picked up your vehicle, and the remaining balance is due at delivery. Get your free quote at hiyaaksincautoshipper.com.
