Cheapest Way to Ship a Car: 9 Ways to Save

Prices change by distance travelled, vehicle type, shipping method, and season. Here are some price estimates for shipping a standard Toyota Yaris:

• Short distance (under 500 miles): $300 to $650
• Medium distance (500 to 1,000 miles): $650 to $900
• Long distance (1,000 to 2,000 miles): $900 to $1,400
• Coast-to-coast (over 2,000 miles): $1,200 to $1,800

What people forget (and then overpay for): tight pickup windows, peak-season timing, and “optional” extras that aren’t necessary for most cars.

What affects the price the most (quick reality check)

• Distance
• Route demand (how common your lane is)
• Pickup window (tight windows cost more)
• Vehicle size/weight (SUVs and trucks cost more)
• Season (summer is usually higher)

Most cars ship on a professional trailer using either open or enclosed transport. You’ll usually choose between:

• Door-to-door (more convenient, often pricier)
• Terminal-to-terminal (more effort, can be cheaper if available)

You can book with a carrier directly or use a broker who matches you with carriers. The “cheapest” option depends on how flexible you can be and how picky you need to be about protection.

Forget enclosed trailers unless you’re shipping a vintage Porsche or a brand-new Ferrari. This is by far the cheapest way to ship a car, as everyone wins.

Open carriers are the double-decker trailers you see on highways, often moving multiple vehicles at once. For most standard cars, open transport is safe and widely used.

• The Savings: Open carrier is roughly 40% cheaper than enclosed transport.
• The Risk: The car gets dusty or rained on. But as we say in the industry, your car faces the same elements when you drive it to the grocery store.

Terminal-to-terminal can save $100–$300 on some routes, but it’s not available everywhere and can include storage rules.

Door-to-door delivery is super convenient as you aren’t stranded at some random port, but it adds cost because the carrier has to go out of their way to pick up and drop off your car. 

Watch-outs:

• Terminals aren’t everywhere
• Storage fees can apply if you’re late picking up

A 3–5 day pickup window is one of the easiest ways to cut costs, as it allows carriers to bundle your car with other vehicles on the same route.

If you tell a shipper, "I need my car picked up on Tuesday at 9:00 AM," you are going to pay a premium.

Why it works:

It allows the broker to find a carrier who is already passing through your area with an empty slot. Being flexible makes you an "easy" customer, and easy customers get better deals.

Summer is often the most expensive time of year. Fall and early spring are typically the most affordable times, and booking 2–4 weeks in advance can save you a significant amount of money.

Summer spikes occur due to families relocating, students moving, and an overall increase in shipping volume. Winter can be cheaper (outside holiday weeks), but the weather can cause delays.

• When to book: Aim for the "shoulder seasons", late fall or early spring.
• Avoid Summer: June through August is the busiest time for moving, and car carriers raise their rates because they know demand is high.

Get 3–6 quotes and compare the same service: Open vs enclosed, door-to-door vs terminal, standard vs expedited.

Some sketchy carriers will give you a very cheap quote to get your business and then ghost you or jump up the price at the last minute and nickel and dime you on everything.

Use this quick apples-to-apples checklist:

• Same transport type (open/enclosed)
• Same delivery type (door/terminal)
• Same pickup window (tight vs flexible)
• Same vehicle condition (running vs non-running)
• Same insurance/coverage terms
• Any extra fees listed (fuel, residential access, storage, etc.)

Cheap quote warning signs:

• Vague pricing with “we’ll confirm later”
• No clear licensing/insurance language
• Pressure to pay fast

A good broker can be cheaper (not more expensive) because they can match you with carriers already running your route. Brokers handle sourcing, scheduling, and coordination. 

The biggest scam in car shipping is the low-ball quote. A company offers you a price of $600, but two days before pickup, they claim fuel surcharges or shuttle fees have increased it to $900.

iMoving tie-in: iMoving vets our partners so the price you see is the price you pay. No "ghosting" and no last-minute hostage pricing.

Don't stuff the car with personal items, as this can increase the cost, create liability issues, or result in you being refused at pickup.

Some carriers allow a small amount (often around 100 lbs in the trunk), but rules vary. If you want the cheapest shipment, ship your car as a car. Ship boxes separately.

• The Hidden Cost: Carriers are weighed at highway scales. If your car makes the truck overweight, the driver gets fined, and they’ll pass that cost (plus a headache fee) to you.
• The Rule: Keep the car empty and the gas tank at 1/4 full. It’s lighter, safer, and keeps your quote accurate.

Some companies offer a small discount for cash/debit because it reduces processing fees, but only do this with reputable providers.

If you’re paying cash on delivery:

• Confirm the total price and payment terms in writing
• Don’t send wire transfers to random individuals
• If anything feels off, walk away

The Savings: Credit cards charge processing costs of 2-3%. Many owner-operators would rather skip the fee and get paid in cash. Always ask if a cash discount is available.

Upgrades are optional, and skipping them is one way to keep the quote low.

Common upsells that raise price:

• Enclosed transport (only necessary for high-value cars)
• Expedited pickup
• “Premium” delivery windows

When upgrades make sense:

• You have a luxury/exotic/collector vehicle (consider enclosed)
• You must hit a hard deadline (expedite may be worth it)

If you want the cheapest way to ship a car, keep it simple: open carrier, flexible dates, avoid peak season, and compare quotes apples-to-apples. The best savings usually come from making your shipment easy for a carrier to fit into an existing route, not from chasing a suspiciously low quote.

If you want to compare reputable options quickly, iMoving can help you find car shipping companies and coordinate your shipment without the usual headaches.