The short answer
A car shipping price is what pays a carrier to move your car. Carriers take the best-paying loads on a route first, so an offer well below the others often waits days or weeks for a truck - or gets repriced. Compare offers on identical terms and lean toward the middle of the range.
★ Key Takeaways
- ✓Carriers fill their trucks with the best-paying loads on a route first, so a low price can leave your car waiting.
- ✓A low offer that doesn't move usually gets raised later - after you've lost days.
- ✓Compare offers with the same dates, vehicle details and service so the spread means something.
- ✓Ask what happens to the price if no carrier takes it by the end of the pickup window, and get the answer in writing.
When you ship a vehicle, gathering several offers is the smartest first step. But the offers only help if you read them in context - and the most common mistake we see is grabbing the lowest one without asking why it's low.
Here's what most people don't realize: the price you agree to is what pays a carrier to move your car. Your shipment is offered to carriers running that route, and drivers fill their trucks with the loads that pay best for the miles. Price it below what the route is paying and your car sits while better-paying cars get picked up.
That's how a low offer turns expensive. The pickup date comes and goes, you get a call asking for more money to attract a truck, and by the time the car moves you've paid close to the going rate anyway - plus lost days, rescheduled time off and maybe a rental car.
An offer near the middle of the range is the one most likely to move on schedule, because it reflects what carriers on your route actually need to earn. A much higher offer can buy a faster pickup, which is worth it if your timing is tight - just ask what you're getting for the extra.
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We put your shipment in front of licensed auto transport companies running your route this week, and they send you their best offers — no obligation, no spam.
Get My Free Quote →How do you know where the middle is? Ask for offers on the same pickup and delivery, the same dates, the same vehicle details and the same service, open or enclosed, so you're comparing like with like. Our estimate ranges also show what a route typically runs, from a published formula - distance, fuel prices, season and direction, vehicle size and type of service - so an offer that's far outside the range stands out.
Then ask the follow-up questions. What's the pickup window? What happens if no carrier takes it by then - does the price change? Is anything due before pickup? What's the cancellation policy? Get the answers in writing from the company you book with.
Lower can make sense if you're truly flexible. Standby shipping, where you offer below the going rate and wait for a carrier with an empty spot, can save money when you don't need the car by a certain date. Just go in knowing it can take weeks.
We put your shipment in front of vetted, licensed auto transport companies, they compete with their best offers, and you choose the one you book with - and you never pay us a cent. Get your free estimate online, or call us any time at 800-930-7417 with questions.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the cheapest car shipping quote a bad idea?+
Carriers take the best-paying loads on a route first. An offer well below the others can sit for days or weeks and is often raised later to attract a truck.
How do I compare car shipping offers fairly?+
Get offers for the same pickup and delivery, dates, vehicle details and service type, then lean toward one near the middle of the range.
What questions should I ask about a car shipping price?+
Ask for the pickup window, whether the price can change if no carrier takes it, whether anything is due before pickup, and the cancellation policy.
When does a lower car shipping price make sense?+
When you're flexible on dates. Standby shipping can save money if you don't need the car by a set date, but it may take weeks.
About the Author
Dave Armstrong · Updated by American Auto Shipping
Dave Armstrong is one of American Auto Shipping's longest-tenured team members. As content manager and strategist, most of what you read on this website came from him. He has extensive knowledge of the auto transport industry, having spent time in every role the business has to offer.