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Finding affordable car shipping doesn’t mean settling for poor service or risking your vehicle’s safety. With the right strategies, you can significantly reduce your auto transport costs while still working with reputable carriers who handle your car professionally.
At EasyGo Logistics, we help customers find the perfect balance between cost and quality every day. Here’s your complete guide to cheap car shipping—proven ways to save money without compromising on service, safety, or reliability.
Understanding Car Shipping Costs
Before diving into money-saving strategies, it’s helpful to understand what drives car shipping prices.
Distance: This is the primary cost factor. Longer routes cost more, but the price per mile decreases on longer shipments. A 500-mile transport might cost $0.80 per mile, while a 2,000-mile shipment drops to $0.50-$0.60 per mile.
Transport Type: Open transport costs significantly less than enclosed transport. Open carriers hold 7-10 vehicles and are the most economical option.
Vehicle Size: Larger, heavier vehicles cost more to ship because they take up more space and weight on the carrier.
Season and Timing: Summer months see peak demand and higher prices, while winter offers lower rates.
Route Popularity: Major routes like California to Texas or New York to Florida have more carrier availability and lower prices than remote or unusual routes.
Pickup and Delivery Options: Door-to-door service costs more than terminal-to-terminal or meeting the carrier at an accessible location.
Understanding these factors helps you make strategic decisions that reduce costs without sacrificing quality.
Choose Open Transport
The single most effective way to save money on car shipping: choose open transport instead of enclosed.
Cost Difference: Open transport typically costs 30-40% less than enclosed transport. On a cross-country shipment, that’s a savings of $400-$600.
Safety Track Record: Open transport is the same method used to ship new cars from factories to dealerships. Millions of vehicles travel this way safely every year.
When It Makes Sense: Open transport is perfect for everyday vehicles, daily drivers, and any car in good running condition. Unless you’re shipping a luxury vehicle, classic car, or exotic that genuinely requires enclosed protection, open transport offers excellent value.
Weather Protection: While vehicles are exposed to weather during transport, professional carriers use specialized equipment and secure tie-downs that protect your vehicle throughout the journey.
The vast majority of customers choose open transport and are completely satisfied with the service and their vehicle’s arrival condition.
Book Well in Advance
Early booking is one of the easiest ways to secure lower rates.
How Much Time? Book 2-4 weeks before your desired pickup date. This gives carriers time to fit your vehicle into their existing routes efficiently, which translates to better pricing for you.
Last-Minute Premium: Urgent shipments requiring pickup within 1-3 days often cost 25-50% more than standard bookings. The tighter your timeline, the more you’ll pay.
Best Practice: As soon as you know you’ll need car shipping, get quotes and book. Even if your exact date is flexible, early communication with your transport company ensures better rates and scheduling.
At EasyGo Logistics, customers who book 3-4 weeks in advance consistently get better rates than those making last-minute arrangements.
Be Flexible with Your Dates
Flexibility is a powerful tool for reducing shipping costs.
Flexible Pickup Window: Instead of demanding pickup on a specific date, provide a 3-5 day window. This allows carriers to optimize their routes by fitting your vehicle into existing loads, reducing costs for everyone.
Flexible Delivery: Similarly, flexibility on the delivery end helps carriers plan efficient routes. A week-long delivery window instead of a specific day can save you $100-$200.
Avoid Rush Requests: Guaranteed or expedited delivery services cost significantly more. If your timeline allows for standard delivery (typically 5-10 days depending on distance), you’ll save considerably.
The more flexible you can be, the more options your carrier has to give you competitive pricing.
Ship During Off-Peak Seasons
Timing your shipment strategically can save 15-25% compared to peak season rates.
Cheapest Months: January, February, and September offer the lowest car shipping rates of the year. Demand drops significantly during these periods, and carriers compete more aggressively for business.
Most Expensive Months: June, July, and August see peak demand and premium pricing. Avoid these months if possible.
Shoulder Seasons: Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) offer moderate pricing—not as cheap as winter but significantly less than summer.
Exception: If you’re shipping a common snowbird route (north to south in fall/winter, or south to north in spring), timing works differently. These specific routes see seasonal demand spikes.
For more details, check out our guide on summer vs. winter car shipping.
Compare Multiple Quotes
Shopping around is essential for finding the best price.
Get 3-5 Quotes: Contact several reputable car shipping companies and compare their pricing. Rates can vary by hundreds of dollars for the same route and service.
Look Beyond the Bottom Line: The cheapest quote isn’t always the best value. Verify that each company has proper licensing (valid USDOT and MC numbers), comprehensive insurance, and positive customer reviews.
Beware of Lowball Quotes: If one quote is dramatically lower than all others (like $700 when everyone else quotes $1,200), it’s likely a red flag. Some companies use artificially low quotes to capture your booking, then add fees or cancel, leaving you scrambling at the last minute.
Ask About Everything: Make sure quotes include all fees—fuel surcharges, insurance, pickup and delivery specifics. Hidden fees turn a “cheap” quote into an expensive surprise.
When you get a quote from EasyGo Logistics, it includes everything upfront. No hidden fees, no surprises—just honest, transparent pricing.
Consider Terminal-to-Terminal Service
Meeting your carrier at a terminal or accessible location instead of door-to-door pickup and delivery can save $50-$150.
How It Works: You drop off your vehicle at a designated terminal, parking lot, or accessible location near your pickup address. After transport, you pick it up from a similar location near your destination.
When It Makes Sense: This option works well if you live in a residential area with narrow streets, gated communities, or anywhere large transport trucks can’t easily access. Instead of the carrier struggling to reach your driveway, you meet at a convenient nearby location.
The Trade-Off: You need to arrange transportation to and from the terminal locations. However, if you’re already planning to be dropped off or picked up (like at an airport), this works perfectly and saves money.
Many customers find terminal service just as convenient as door-to-door while appreciating the cost savings.
Remove Personal Items
Carriers charge extra for personal items left in your vehicle during transport, or they may refuse to accept your vehicle if it’s overloaded.
Why It Costs More: Personal belongings add weight, and carriers have strict weight limits. Excess weight can result in additional charges of $50-$100 or more.
Insurance Doesn’t Cover Personal Items: Carrier insurance covers your vehicle but not any personal belongings inside. If items are damaged or stolen during transport, you have no recourse.
What to Remove: Take out everything except the spare tire, jack, and car manual. Empty the trunk, back seat, glove compartment, and any storage areas.
Weight Limit Exception: If carriers allow any personal items (some permit up to 100 pounds in the trunk), keep it minimal and secure items so they don’t shift during transport.
Shipping your vehicle empty avoids extra charges and protects your belongings.
Ship During Mid-Week
Pickup and delivery timing affects pricing more than many people realize.
Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday pickups typically cost less than Monday or Friday. Carriers prefer mid-week scheduling because it’s easier to plan routes around weekends.
Avoid Weekends and Holidays: Weekend and holiday pickups or deliveries often involve premium pricing. If you have flexibility, avoid these times.
Exception: If mid-week scheduling means waiting an extra week versus booking a Monday pickup right away, the timing savings may not be worth the delay. Balance timing with your actual needs.
Choose Popular Routes
Shipping on high-traffic routes costs less than unusual or remote routing.
Why Popular Routes Are Cheaper: Major corridors like California to Texas, New York to Florida, or Chicago to Phoenix have constant carrier traffic. Carriers can easily fill their trucks and optimize loads, keeping costs down.
Less Common Routes Cost More: Shipping to or from remote areas, small towns, or routes with minimal carrier traffic requires special arrangements and costs 20-30% more.
What You Can Do: If you have flexibility in your pickup or delivery location, meeting the carrier at a nearby major city or along a main corridor can significantly reduce costs. For example, meeting in a suburb of a major city rather than a rural location 100 miles away.
For cross-country car shipping, major routes almost always offer the best combination of price and service.
Consolidate Shipments
If you’re shipping multiple vehicles, consolidating them into one shipment saves money.
Multi-Vehicle Discount: Most carriers offer discounts when transporting multiple vehicles for the same customer. The per-vehicle cost drops significantly—sometimes 15-20% per vehicle.
When This Applies: Families relocating with multiple cars, dealerships moving inventory, or anyone coordinating with friends or family shipping vehicles on the same route can benefit.
Plan Together: If you know others who need car shipping around the same time and route, coordinate your shipments. Carriers love the efficiency of picking up multiple vehicles from the same area.
Maintain Your Vehicle Properly
Ensuring your vehicle is in good running condition prevents additional charges.
Operational Requirement: Carriers expect vehicles to drive, steer, and brake normally. If your car doesn’t run or has mechanical issues, it becomes an “inoperable vehicle” requiring special loading equipment.
Inoperable Vehicle Surcharge: Non-running vehicles cost $100-$300 more to ship because they require winches and special handling to load and unload.
Basic Maintenance: Before shipping, ensure your battery is charged, tires are inflated, brakes work, and the vehicle starts and drives normally. Simple maintenance prevents expensive surcharges.
If you’re shipping a classic car or project vehicle that doesn’t run, budget for the inoperable vehicle fee upfront.
Get Insurance Right
Understanding insurance helps you avoid unnecessary expenses while ensuring proper protection.
Standard Coverage Included: Reputable carriers provide cargo insurance covering $100,000-$250,000. This is included in your quoted price and covers most vehicles adequately.
Skip Unnecessary Add-Ons: Some companies try to sell expensive supplemental insurance you don’t need. If your vehicle’s value is within the carrier’s standard coverage limits, additional insurance is usually unnecessary.
High-Value Vehicles: For luxury cars, classics, or vehicles worth over $75,000, verify coverage limits and consider supplemental insurance if needed. For these vehicles, enclosed transport with higher coverage limits makes sense.
Documentation: Take detailed photos before shipping. This protects you in the unlikely event of damage and doesn’t cost anything.
At EasyGo Logistics, all our verified carriers maintain comprehensive insurance, and we help you determine if supplemental coverage is necessary based on your vehicle’s value.
Negotiate When Appropriate
While car shipping rates are largely driven by market conditions, there’s sometimes room for negotiation.
High Volume: If you’re shipping multiple vehicles or need regular transport (like a dealer or relocation company), volume discounts are often available.
Off-Peak Booking: During slow seasons (winter months), carriers may be more willing to negotiate rates to fill capacity.
Return Route: If a carrier is heading back empty on your desired route (called a “backhaul”), they might offer discounted pricing to cover fuel costs. Ask if any backhaul opportunities exist.
Ask Directly: It never hurts to ask if there’s any flexibility on price, especially if you’re flexible with timing, willing to meet at a terminal, or booking early. The worst they can say is no.
Avoid These Common Costly Mistakes
Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing money-saving strategies.
Don’t Choose Based Solely on Price: The absolute cheapest quote often indicates poor service, hidden fees, or unlicensed carriers. Choose reputable companies even if they cost slightly more—the peace of mind is worth it.
Don’t Book with Unlicensed Companies: Verify every company’s USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA website. Unlicensed carriers aren’t properly insured, and you have no recourse if something goes wrong.
Don’t Pay Large Deposits: Reputable companies require minimal deposits ($0-$200). Be wary of anyone demanding large upfront payments or full payment before pickup.
Don’t Skip the Inspection: Always conduct thorough inspections at pickup and delivery. Skipping this step can cost you thousands if damage occurs and you have no documentation.
Don’t Leave Valuables in Your Car: Personal items aren’t insured. Don’t risk losing anything valuable by leaving it in your vehicle during transport.
The Quality Question: When to Spend More
While saving money is important, some situations justify spending more for better service.
High-Value Vehicles: Luxury cars, classics, exotics, and vehicles worth over $60,000 benefit from enclosed transport despite the higher cost. The extra protection is worth it.
Tight Timelines: If you absolutely must have your vehicle by a specific date, expedited service with guaranteed delivery times justifies the premium pricing.
Valuable Cargo: If your vehicle contains equipment or modifications that significantly increase its value, invest in better coverage and enclosed transport.
Peace of Mind: For some customers, the stress reduction of premium service is worth the cost. If budget allows, choosing top-tier service with maximum communication and coverage makes sense.
The key is matching service level to your actual needs—not overpaying for unnecessary features, but not cutting corners where quality matters.
How EasyGo Logistics Delivers Quality at Competitive Prices
Finding cheap car shipping doesn’t mean compromising on service. At EasyGo Logistics, we’ve built our reputation on delivering affordable, reliable transport.
Network of 15,000+ Carriers: Our extensive carrier network means we can find capacity on your route at competitive rates while maintaining quality standards.
No Hidden Fees: Our quotes include everything upfront. What we quote is what you pay—no surprises at pickup or delivery.
Verified, Licensed Carriers: Every carrier in our network is properly licensed, insured, and vetted. You get low prices without sacrificing safety or reliability.
Flexible Options: Whether you need open transport, enclosed transport, or expedited service, we offer solutions at every price point.
Price Match Confidence: We’re confident our pricing is competitive. Compare our quotes to anyone’s—we deliver exceptional value.
The Bottom Line: Smart Shopping, Not Cheap Service
Cheap car shipping isn’t about finding the absolute lowest price—it’s about maximizing value. By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce costs while still working with reputable carriers who treat your vehicle professionally.
The Most Effective Strategies:
Choose open transport instead of enclosed (saves 30-40%)
Book 2-4 weeks in advance
Be flexible with pickup and delivery dates
Ship during off-peak seasons (winter and fall)
Compare quotes from multiple reputable companies
Meet the carrier at an accessible location if possible
These tactics combined can easily save you $200-$500 on a typical cross-country shipment without compromising quality, safety, or reliability.
Ready to ship your vehicle affordably? Get your free quote from EasyGo Logistics today. We’ll show you how to save money without sacrificing the quality service your vehicle deserves. Whether you’re shipping across the country or just a few states away, we make car transport simple, affordable, and reliable.