Best way to transport car interstate

People hardly ever think about how transport of cars interstate work, till the moment they have an urgent need in state to state car transport services. Whatever the reason for relocation is - changing your work, your permanent residence, long-term business trip - your aim will be to find a reliable and trustworthy company with the best interstate car transport.

Why choose state to state car transport services over driving the car on your own?    

There are many reasons to choose a transport company to ship your vehicle to a new location and not to drive it yourself.

Firstly, driving a car on your own is an exhausting and tiring deal, especially if you have to relocate far. Sitting behind a wheel for many hours can become a real nightmare, in particular when you are not used to long trips.

Secondly, it’s cheaper to find budget car transport interstate than to spend money on fuel, food, hotels, and other associated costs that arise when you drive the car yourself.

And finally, transport of cars interstate with a shipping company is much safer, as you trust your vehicle to specialists with large experience and particular skills in car transportation.

What is more, when you deal with a transport company you can request free quotes online in order to know the estimated cost of car transport interstate door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal and then compare these quotes to the expenses of driving your vehicle on your own. Another benefit of shipping a car with a company is that they often provide useful tips on the transportation and even give you helpful guides on preparing the car for shipping.

How much does the best car transport interstate cost? 

Prices for shipping a vehicle interstate may vary, but in general, they all depend on the same factors. Find some of the most important variables below:

• Distance. When you need to transport your car for a long distance, you will pay more. However, you should know that it is possible to arrange budget car transport interstate, because almost all shippers give discounts per mile when you move a car for a long distance.

• Shipping period. When you request a quote for state to state car transport services, the company gives you a shipping window to fit in. In general, this is a period of 5-20 days. However, there may be cases when you need to transport your vehicle urgently. In such situations you’d better choose expedited shipping at an additional cost.

• Vehicle details. This can include the size and weight of the car, its model, and other specifications. The larger and heavier your vehicle is, the more you will spend on its shipping.

• Type of transportation. When looking for the best way to transport car interstate, you will come across two options - open shippers and enclosed transport. Open-air transportation is more demanded thanks to its availability and cost-efficiency. Interstate enclosed car transport costs more due to additional protection during the loading/unloading process and delivery.

• Seasonality. It may sound strange, but even seasonality influences the final price of shipping. Summer is the peak season for vehicle transportation, therefore, prices increase rapidly. So if you want to save money, plan your vehicle shipping in the offseason, i.e. January–April.

There are also some minor factors that can affect the cost of state to state car transport services. Remember that the more details you provide when requesting a quote, the more accurate it will be.

What is the best way to transport car interstate?

As it has already been mentioned there are two methods of vehicle transportation across the country, i.e. open-air transport and enclosed carriers. Let’s see what are their main advantages and disadvantages.

Shipping a car on an open trailer

You've probably seen these trailers that carry a lot of cars on the road. They can be single-level or two-level, and are able to accommodate up to 8, sometimes even 10 cars.

Shipping a car on an open-air carrier is the most cost-efficient method of vehicle transportation, and it will help you save about 40% of your budget. 

It enjoys great popularity thanks to availability, as there are more open carriers on the road than enclosed ones. So you will be able to book open-air transportation on short notice. 

This type of shipping suits all vehicles, regardless of the make and model, dimensions, and other factors.

The main downside of this shipping method is that the vehicle is exposed to road debris and extreme weather conditions. So in case of hail or falling stones, the vehicle can get damaged. 

Shipping a car on an enclosed trailer

If you choose interstate enclosed car transport, you can be sure that there will be no scratches or other types of damage on the vehicle upon its delivery, as the car is sheltered from the outside elements. This type of shipping provides 100% protection and it’s the most secure option. That is why, owners of antique and precious cars consider enclosed shipping to be the best way to transport car interstate.

Enclosed trailers are equipped with hydraulic gates which are helpful when loading/unloading vehicles with low clearance.

We recommend choosing enclosed car transport interstate door to door for your peace of mind. It’s even better to find a company with an online tracking option. Interstate car transport review can be helpful in this case.  

To sum up, if you are in search of budget car transport interstate, you should choose an open trailer, but if you need to transport a luxury car which needs more protection, do it with an interstate enclosed car transport. 

We hope that the information provided above will be handy to you when choosing the best interstate car transport. Don’t forget to check the company’s registration and license, use any verified interstate car transport review for getting information about the company.