Auto Shipping Rates CalculatorCar Shipping Calculator: What It Is

Simply put, a car shipping rates calculator provides a non-binding rough estimate of what it will cost to ship your vehicle. These are great tools to get a good baseline for what it will cost to ship a car.

The problem with this kind of no personal information calculator is that you don’t have the rate in writing, which means it’s subject to change.

It’s usually a good idea to rely on an auto transport rate calculator only so much; while it does give you a good idea of the price, ultimately you won’t know for certain until you book your car transport with an auto shipping company

By far the best car shipping rates calculator is our auto shipping rate calculator. Try our calculator; it’s quick and simple! 

Get A Car Shipping Estimate

Start by selecting which major city you are shipping your vehicle from and to. After that, type of vehicle you are shipping, the size of the vehicle, and how you want it shipped. Immediately you will see the rounded distance of transport and a rough idea of what the auto transport will cost. 

Since the form auto-updates when you hit the calculate button, you’ll be able to see the price right away. There are no pesky pop-ups, no redirects taking you to another page, and no advertising gimmicks; just a simple auto shipping rate calculator. Then, if you like the price, call us at 800-930-7417 and we’ll get it going for you!

If you are serious about shipping your vehicle, we recommend that you call us right now. We use more comprehensive methods to compile your auto transport rates, and these take into consideration certain factors such as the price of fuel, specific distances between pickup and delivery, regional pricing changes, and much more.

Take some time to gather car shipping quotes – don’t forget a car shipping quote from American Auto Shipping – and you can compare them to the results of an auto shipping rates calculator as well as to each other in order to get a better idea of how much you will be spending to ship your vehicle.

Factors That Affect the Cost to Ship a Car 

As mentioned, there are many factors that will affect how much it will cost you to ship your vehicle. The biggest and most important will be distance. The further you ship a vehicle (in terms of miles), the more expensive it will be. For example, shipping your car locally will be much less expensive than shipping from state to state.

But there are other factors that will affect how much your shipment costs as well. For instance, the price of fuel. The more fuel costs, especially diesel, the more expensive it is for trucks to operate, which means their prices per-mile increase to compensate.

There are also some regions that are just more difficult to get in and out of. Maine, for instance, or the far northwest corners of the country. Rural areas typically cost more to ship to and from as well as mountainous areas. 

Auto transporters like to stick to routes between major metro areas that’s where their customers are. Going off the beaten path means more money for fuel, which means higher prices.

Another major factor is whether or not your vehicle is running. When shipping a non-running or inoperable vehicle, it will need to be winched onto a truck, and not all carriers have that capability. Those that do will charge more as it takes extra time to load a non-running vehicle.

For a more comprehensive idea of the factors that will affect the price you pay to ship your vehicle, give us a call and speak to one of our representatives.

Are There Any Additional Fees?

There will be no additional fees when you fill out our auto shipping rates calculator. Based on the information you provided, the price you see should be the price you pay.

However, keep in mind that these are not binding prices, and you won’t get one until you call and confirm and book your shipment. However, we work hard to make our prices all-inclusive, even prices that are given by the rates calculator.

Typically if the price changes between you using the calculator and the price you get when booking, there’s a reason. It’s not because of some hidden fee, as all of those are included already. Typically, prices will increase if you change specific information, or if your vehicle is not running when you initially said it is.

We also have pricing tiers that can increase the cost, but they are optional and depend on how quickly you need your vehicle moved. Otherwise, all of the fuel surcharges, insurance costs, maintenance fees, and anything else like that is built into the price you pay. The only things that will change the price are factors that are outside of our control. 

How and When You Pay For Shipping Your Vehicle

When you ship a car with us, you will pay us a small down payment when you book. This is generally a percentage of your shipment but does vary based on numerous factors. The down payment is a portion of your total payment; it will not be added onto the price that you are given.

That covers our payment. When it comes to paying the driver, most shipments are paid via cash on delivery. Now, this doesn’t actually mean “cash” like greenbacks; rather, funds that are certified and will be good whenever the driver is able to deposit them with their financial institution.

This means that no personal checks or company checks are accepted. Carriers usually will take actual cash, a cashier’s check, or money order. Most carriers will also accept electronic payments such as Cash App, Venmo, or Zelle. Some others will allow ACH, though not all have that capability. 

Make sure to ask your representative about payment methods if you are concerned about whether you will be able to pay. Note please that no carrier will release your vehicle without being paid, so make sure you have it ready to go come delivery!

Dave Armstrong
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