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Best Way To Move Cross Country With A Car

Published by Chris Townsend

Best Way To Move Cross Country With A Car

Moving Across Country With a Vehicle

When it comes to moving, having to transport your car can be a burden on top of your already extensive moving checklist. Although boxing up your household goods or hiring a full-service moving company to assist with your move are familiar endeavors, shipping cross country while moving may be a foreign concept to some. How do you do it? How much does it cost? These are likely some of the questions you’re asking yourself if you’re wondering what the best way is to shift aboard with a car.

You have a lot to consider when you need to ship foreign. While you may already know that you want a cost-effective transferring firm such as https://www.a1autotransport.com/ to help, you need to keep in mind insurance, transparency, and timing. With that said, we’ve assembled everything you need to know about how to get your vehicle to your desired destination – wherever that may be.

Consider Your Options

The first step in determining the best way to move international with a vehicle is to consider your choices. At this point you may already have all your household goods and furniture covered, all that’s left is to figure out how to get your car from point A to point B. There are several ways to transport from one side of the country to the other. Before you commit to hiring an auto shipping company, make sure that you weigh all of your options first.

  1. Drive the Car Yourself

Although many choose to ship when moving cross country, driving it yourself is still a possibility to consider. However, this option may not end up saving you as much money as you’d like to think. Not to mention, all of the unnecessary miles and wear and tear that is going to accrue from being on the road for thousands of miles. For many, especially those who own vintage, antique, or high-valued cars, this is a deal breaker.

Here are some of the costs that will likely add up if you choose to drive when moving aboard

  • Lodging
  • Food
  • Gas
  • Vehicle maintenance

Of course, handling the transport of your car yourself will cost you time, which many simply don’t have. The approximate distance from coast to coast is between 2,500 and 3,500 miles and it’s not recommended to drive more than 500 miles in a day. This means that you’ll have to dedicate several days, if not an entire week, to transporting cross country.

While hiring an auto relocation company can be pricey, shipping your vehicle tends to be well-worth the charge when your aboard move is over 500 miles – as is the case with a foreign relocation.

  1. Tow the Car Behind a Rental Truck

You’ve likely seen rental trucks, like U-Haul, towing behind it on the freeway. This is another possibility you have for getting during your relocate. Many vehicle can be hauled on either a tow dolly or a car trailer, however, there are exceptions. If the car you need to transfer cannot be towed on either, you need to rent a flatbed trailer.

The following table compares some estimated costs for hiring an auto company vs. towing the car for an aboard relocation:

MethodEstimated Price (cross country approx. 2,500 miles)
Auto Transport Firm$1,250
Tow Dolly$950
Car Trailer$500

Although towing your car cross country tends to be cheaper than opting for a transport shipping corporate, it is not as convenient. Also, there are serious safety issues to consider, including the fact that it’s incredibly difficult to tow an automobile if you don’t have experience.

  1. Sell the Car

If you don’t have the time or money to drive, tow, or hire an auto relocating firm to transition your vehicle, you may want to consider selling it. Thanks to the internet, nowadays there is very little work that goes into selling. As an added bonus, selling your automobile will give you more funds to use towards moving expenses – or the purchase of a replacement when you get to your new destination.

Keep in mind, selling your vehicle is a very drastic possibility. While it may work for some, it’s only recommended if you really don’t have the money to transport. Or, you may choose this option if you were already thinking about getting in the first place.

Why Choose Ship Transport?

Although towing a automobile may have less upfront costs than hiring an auto hauling company, there are many other added expenses involved in driving cross country, whether you’re towing the car or physically driving it. In fact, it is much more convenient and worth the price when moving over 500 miles. Since international moves are thousands of miles long, you’ll probably save money if you decide to have shipped by professionals.

Shipping is also both safer and healthier for the car. Whether you choose to have it transported on the back of an open trailer or in an enclosed shifting truck, the car won’t experience any unnecessary wear from having to drive all those miles. Therefore, if you’re moving international and you’re already hiring professional haulers to transition your household goods, ask if they provide auto transition or recommend a corporate that you could use.

Having your shipped cross country by a professional auto shifting company is faster, safer, easier, and sometimes cheaper than driving it. This makes shipping, arguably, the best way to move.

How Much Does It Cost to Shift?

Unfortunately, like moving, it can be difficult to estimate an exact cost to ship aboard. The price will vary greatly based on a number of factors, such as:

  • The vehicle’s size. In general, the bigger and heavier the car, the more expensive it is to ship.
  • The distance. Overall, it tends to be more expensive per mile when shipping shorter distances. The charge per mile goes down slightly as the distance increases. For example, moving a car 1,000 miles may cost you an average of $750, whereas, relocating the same over $3,000 will likely cost you about $1,300.
  • The transports condition. Some auto transporting companies ship all types of vehicles, while others only specialize in high valued. The overall condition could impact the price you pay to have it shipped.
  • Open carrier vs. enclosed truck. You have two main choices when it comes to shifting cross country: open and enclosed. Enclosed relocating is a premium option, offering the utmost protection for your vehicle. As such, this solution is much more expensive than opting for an open carrier.
  • Pickup and drop-off locations. The location where is both picked up from and dropped off at will impact the overall rate. In most cases, you can expect it to be more expensive for remote locations. Whereas, major metropolitan areas are more cost-effective.

Ultimately, the best way to move a automobile international may not be the same for everyone. Weigh your variants and consider all the details. At the end of the day, if you’re looking for the safest and most convenient option, shipping your vehicle is the ideal choice.

Still unsure about the best way to shift cross country with a car? Give us a call at (888) 202-0036 today! One of our moving experts will be happy to answer any questions you have and help outline all your options.

Chris Townsend is a moving professional and relocation expert that has more than 10 years of experience in the moving industry. With a background that includes working in virtually every aspect of the company, he has distinguished himself as an integral part of our operations with expertise in all things related to moving. Chris has a keen eye for detail and brings intelligence and passion to every project he’s involved with.

While getting his degree in communications from Santa Clara University, Chris started out with the company working in the field as part of our team of professional moving associates. Following graduation, he was promoted to our main office, where he has thrived in a role that involves increasing responsibility and requires him to wear many different hats. Some days, you may find him answering the phone and providing moving estimates, others he may be writing for our moving blog, and another day he may be coordinating a large corporate moving job or helping us with our marketing efforts. Chris has authored many of our in-depth moving guides, as well as provided our clients with information and advice to handle the complexities of their upcoming moving plans. Simply put, there’s nothing he can’t do and we wouldn’t be where we are today without him.

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