What Affects Your Car Shipping Quote
Nine things move a car shipping quote: distance, route and direction, season, vehicle size, open or enclosed, whether the car runs, the pickup and delivery spot, pickup timing and fuel. You control more of them than most people think, including your dates, your flexibility, the trailer type and how exactly you describe the car.
This page lists the factors and which way each one pushes. It has no prices on purpose: the price you pay is set by the licensed auto transport company you choose. The percentages are the ones in our published estimate formula; the how we estimate page shows the full method and the live tables.
What changes a car shipping quote, and which way?
| Factor | Which way it pushes | Why | Can you change it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | More miles cost more in total, but each extra mile costs less than the one before. | Loading, unloading and paperwork cost about the same on any trip, so short trips cost more per mile and long trips less. | No. The route is set by where the car is and where it goes. |
| Route and direction | A busy corridor between major cities is steadier. Direction matters by season: southbound is higher in October and November, northbound in April and May. | More trucks run busy lanes, and seasonal travel fills trucks in one direction. | Partly. Meeting at a larger city near you can change the lane. |
| Season | Higher-demand months in our formula: June, July and August. Quieter months: January and December. | Demand for truck space rises and falls through the year. | Yes, if your dates can move. |
| Vehicle size and weight | Bigger vehicles cost more: SUV / crossover +12%, Pickup / large SUV +25%, Van / minivan +20%, Oversize / modified +50% against a sedan. | A larger or heavier vehicle takes more trailer length and weight allowance. | Only by being exact: tell every company about lifts, racks and modifications. |
| Open or enclosed | Enclosed is +50% against open in our formula. | Enclosed trailers carry fewer cars and are fewer in number. | Yes. Read the open vs. enclosed guide before deciding. |
| Running or not | A car that cannot roll on its own is +20% in our formula. | It needs a winch and more loading time, and not every truck has one. | Yes, if you can get it running before pickup. |
| Pickup and delivery spot | Rural or hard-to-reach addresses are +10% in our formula at either end. | A big truck may have to leave its route, or the car may need to be met at a larger road. | Yes. Offer a nearby parking lot or a larger town. |
| Pickup timing | A rush request is +20% in our formula. A window of several days costs less than one fixed date. | Flexibility lets a company fit your car into a route it already has. | Yes. Ask early and offer a window. |
| Fuel | Higher diesel prices move prices up, and lower ones move them down. | Fuel is one of a truck’s biggest running costs. We compare the latest weekly diesel price with its 52-week average. | No. |
Percentages are multipliers in our estimate formula, version 2026.09.2. A company's own offer can differ, because each company prices from where its trucks already are.
What can I control?
- Offer a pickup window of several days instead of one fixed date.
- Ask for offers early. Last-minute requests cost more and have fewer options.
- Choose open transport unless the car needs enclosed.
- Be exact about the vehicle: running or not, lifts, racks, modifications, anything oversize.
- If you can meet the truck at a large parking lot near a main road, say so.
- If your dates are loose, avoid the higher-demand months and the busy direction for the season.
For the cost of driving the same trip yourself, see ship or drive. To see why several quotes come back different, read why quotes vary.
What should I have ready before I ask for offers?
- Year, make and model, and whether it runs, rolls and steers.
- Pickup and delivery ZIP codes, and whether either is rural or hard to reach.
- Open or enclosed.
- Your first pickup date and how many days of flexibility you have.
- Anything unusual: lift kit, roof rack, low clearance, oversize wheels, modifications.
- A phone number you will answer, since pickup details are usually settled by phone.
- The name and contact for whoever will hand over the keys at pickup and receive the car at delivery.
With those answers, the offers you get are about your car and your dates, not a guess. Once you have booked, the printable pre-pickup checklist covers what to do before the truck arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Distance first, then season and direction, vehicle size, open or enclosed, whether the car runs, and how flexible your pickup date is. Each is listed with its direction on this page.
Often, yes. Offer a pickup window, ask early, choose open transport, describe the vehicle exactly and, if you can, meet the truck near a main road. Moving your dates away from higher-demand months can also help.
The first number usually assumes a standard running car. Oversize, a car that does not run, a rural address or a rush date each change the job, so an accurate request gives you an accurate offer.
No. It is a range produced by a published formula from public data. The price you pay is set by the licensed auto transport company you choose. See how we estimate for the method.
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Tell us about your car and dates, then compare offers from licensed auto transport companies.