Driving vs. Auto Transport – an Analysis
A lot of people who want to move from one part of the country to another have a specific dilemma to face. Do they drive their car (or tow it behind the moving van) or do they ship it? Both have their pros and their cons, of course, but driving vs. auto transport services are something that we have yet to really do an in-depth write-up about.
Article Overview
Driving vs. auto transport – driving
So, you have this choice you have to make: drive or ship your car. And there’s a lot that goes into it. So let’s start with just analyzing the car itself. Is it a newer car? Those tend to be able to handle the rigors of long-distance drives better than older vehicles. Has it been regularly maintained? That’s another big one – cars with poor maintenance are more likely to break down on the road.
What about your family? Is it just you? Do you have kids, a spouse, pets? Those are going to have to travel with you, so if you’re piling everyone into a five-seater sedan, it’s probably going to get packed quickly.
So, space is a consideration. And if you’re packing a bunch of stuff into your vehicle along with passengers, you’re going to have to account for that, too. On a long trek, comfort is important for passengers, so take that into consideration.
Also, cost. Driving a car is expensive even if you’re not going two thousand miles. And on long distance treks, your costs are going to go up considerably.
Having to stop to fill up every few hundred miles is going to put considerable strain on your wallet. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You’ll have to stop to eat unless you pack a few days’ worth of food in a cooler (which in turn takes up space in the vehicle). You also have to factor in sleep. And that means either sleeping in your car (cheap, but uncomfortable) or a hotel (expensive, but comfortable).
Driving vs. auto transport – shipping
Now, compare all this to shipping your vehicle. Granted, you won’t be able to ship a whole bunch of stuff in it like you potentially could if you drove it, but you also aren’t going to rack up a ton of costs like you do with driving it.
Shipping a car is a lot cheaper than driving the same distance if you’re going over a thousand miles or so. If it’s a one-day drive, chances are driving will be more cost-effective depending on what you’re taking with you.
But if you’re moving across the country, shipping a car tends to be a lot cheaper. And while it may not be as fast as driving (drivers have to stop at other places too, for other customers), it will likely be a lot cheaper.
And the reason why auto transportation tends to be cheaper than driving is because all the costs tend to be up front. It may be a bigger chunk of change all at once, but compared to driving you’re saving hundreds of dollars if not more.
Also, auto shipping is a lot safer than driving. Your vehicle is protected by the truck’s frame as well as the other cars on the truck. It’s not risking being driven, which means the chances of it getting into an accident decrease substantially. And, it also prevents your vehicle from taking on all that wear and tear that comes from driving.
Driving vs. auto transport – conclusion
Ultimately, the decision to drive or ship your car is up to you. We just want to help you make the right decision for your needs. If you have further questions or want some help deciding, you can speak to one of our agents any time at 800-930-7417. That’s a great way to compare and contrast the different services that are available to you. If you’ve already decided to simply ship your car instead, you can also fill out our free quote form any time to get a free quote right away.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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