How Are Car Shipping Costs Calculated?

How Are Car Shipping Costs Calculated?

When shipping a vehicle, there are a few variables that come into play when determining the cost of transport.

Type of Transport

Your car shipping costs will vary widely depending on the type of transportation that you select. An open carrier is the most affordable option, as this method shares the cost of vehicle transport with 7-10 cars on each trailer. For international shipping, roll-on roll-off is also a cost effective option.

If you are looking to ship a luxury or classic car, you may consider an enclosed carrier that protects your vehicle from wind, weather and debris. There are typically less cars in an enclosed trailer, so these costs tend to be higher. The international option for an enclosed transport option is overseas container shipping, which also tends to be higher in cost than roll-on roll-off.

Distance Between Pickup and Delivery

Although short distance transports require the same effort to pick up and drop off a vehicle, it will cost you more to ship your car a long distance. The longer distance moves require the carriers to pay additional fees for their drivers and fuel, so the distance between pickup and delivery will be reflected in the your car shipping costs.

Size and Weight

The heavier and larger your vehicle is, the more it will cost to ship. Each transport trailer has a maximum allowable weight load, so carriers will charge more for heavy vehicles to offset the cost of not being able to fit as many cars onto the transport.

Make and Model

It may come as a surprise that the type of car you ship is taken into consideration when the cost is calculated. This is especially true if you’re shipping a luxury or classic vehicle because it will require additional care and attention during the loading/unloading process.

We’re Here to Guide Your Auto Transport

As a finalist for the “Torch Award Finalist” by the Better Business Bureau for Ethics (BBB), Metti International is here to help make the process easy to ship your vehicle and do our best to help you find an affordable transport for your vehicle that fits within your budget.

For a free quote, call Metti International today at 866.620.1776 or request one online! We look forward to working with you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Most major credit cards, postal money orders and cashiers checks are acceptable forms of payment.

As with most transport services, a deposit is generally required when placing an order. Deposits range from 10-25 % of the total shipping cost. The remaining balance will be due upon delivery.

Most auto transport companies accept cash, certified checks, and postal money orders.

Coast to coast trips usually takes between 10-14 days. Shorter trips ranges from 3-7 days, depending on the actual distance. Some factors may delay a trip, including traffic, weather, and truck breakdowns.

Yes, we request you, or a designated person, be present upon pick up of your vehicle. For your safety and your vehicle’s safety, an inspection is performed and a bill of lading must be signed that serves as proof of delivery.

The easiest way to ship an inoperable vehicle is to let us know when requesting a vehicle transport quote. There will be an additional charge, plus loading and unloading charges to your quote, if we are not informed of the vehicle’s condition prior to quoting.

Auto carriers are not licensed to carry house goods or personal items, these goods and items are not covered by the carriers insurance. Any damage to your vehicle due to household goods shifting or breaking is also not covered. Personal belongings left in the vehicle, are shipped strictly at the owners risk. Carriers will not inventory any belongings left in the vehicle and will assume no responsibility.

Your car is insured for the Blue Book value the entire time it is on the truck. Clearly listed on your Shipping Order, Agreement and Bill of Lading are occurrences not covered. At the time of pick up, a condition report is filled out and signed by both the person turning the car over and the truck driver and you are given a copy.

Upon delivery of your vehicle, this same report is presented. You should compare the condition of the vehicle to the report thoroughly at that time. If you feel damage has occurred to your vehicle during delivery, you must note it on the report before you sign it and the driver leaves. Damage done in transit does not relieve the shipper of paying for transport service performed. Claims will be handled by the vehicle carrier and insurance companies.

Metti International offers door-to-door auto transport service where possible. However, there are instances that we cannot collect/deliver directly to the door due to the size of our auto carrier’s trucks. The size of your street may prohibit direct delivery to your door. Also, some towns and cities do not allow trucks on their residential streets. If the carrier cannot get to your door, he will deliver your vehicle to the next most convenient accessible location, such as the nearest major crossing street, a shopping mall or supermarket.

Please have a no more than 1/4 tank of fuel, remove all personal items from your vehicle and have it washed and cleaned so that the ensuing inspection is easily performed. If it is a convertible, T-top, sunroof, etc. make sure all openings are closed and prepared for changing weather. You can find additional tips on how to prepare your car for transport here.